Robbinsville Starting QB Perkins to Miss Season Opener against Vikings

Robbinsville Black Knights quarterback Luke Perkins will miss at least four to five weeks of his senior season as he recovers from knee surgery, Asheville Citizen-Times reporter Andrew Pearson is reporting on the newspaper's website.

According to the report, Perkins damaged the miniscus in one of his knees earlier this week while the Black Knights were running a drill at practice. He had the surgery Friday. Doctors have told Perkins and Knights Head Coach Dee Walsh confirmed that Perkins will spend the next couple of weeks on crutches and could begin jogging again in about a month.

Even in Robbinsville's run-oriented offense, Perkins passed for 1,076 yards and 11 touchdowns with five interceptions last season.

"We're just trying to be optimistic," Black Knights football coach Dee Walsh said. "If it's got anything to do with hard work, (Perkins) will be back sooner than people think. That's a great kid."

AJ-T SPORTS LIVE FROM... AVERY HS SCRIMMAGE

The Avery Vikings hit the field for the first time this afternoon as they square off with four squads in a friendly full-contact scrimmage here at MacDonald Stadium. Mitchell and Happy Valley (TN) tangled on one end of the turf, while West Lincoln and West Caldwell butted heads. We're getting ready for Round Two as the Vikings will begin with the West Caldwell Warriors. Our first look at the full team of 11 on the field as both teams will play two halves of 10 scoreboard clock running minutes of offense with a 2-minute break between halves.

We'll have updates throughout the scrimmage.

7:00 PM Avery's defense allowed a couple of scores on its first defensive series, but made a couple of sterling defensive plays. The Vikings scored once in its 10-minute offensive set, but the touchdown came on the final play of the set. Avery will next take on Happy Valley out of Elizabethton, TN

7:30 PM Avery took on the Happy Valley club in their second session. Happy Valley moved the ball effectively and scored a pair of touchdowns during the series. Avery did not manage to score in its offensive series but managed to move the ball effectively. Pass protection will be key, as Happy Valley consistently pressured sophomore QB Alex Villanueva.

Avery next takes on neighboring Mitchell in two 10-minute scrimmages.

7:55 PM - Avery took the offense first against the Mountaineers and scored a touchdown during its 10 minutes on the field. The Mitchell offense kept the ball exclusively on the ground with its shotgun attack. Avery however was able to keep the Mountaineers out of the end zone. Avery's final scheduled opponent for the scrimmage is the squad from West Lincoln.

8:25 PM - Avery finished its scheduled scrimmage sessions with West Lincoln High School. Avery took the football for the first half of the session and ran 15 plays in the time allotted, but were unable to scratch across the goal line for a score. West Lincoln in its offensive half drove for a pair of touchdowns during the series.

The Vikings junior varsity players came on following the final series to scrimmage with the JV club from West Lincoln. The JVs currently boast a depleted roster but are hungry and talented. Avery's varsity will next take the field on Friday afternoon at Cloudland High School in Roan Mountain, TN for the team's final full-team scrimmage competition before it travels a week later to Robbinsville to take on the Black Knights. Fans unable to make the drive to Graham County can tune in to WECR AM 1130 on Saturday afternoons at 1 p.m. for the tape delayed re-broadcast of Friday night's action. That's it from the press box at MacDonald Stadium. Thanks for reading!

Excitement Builds as Players and Coaches Prepare for 2009 Avery Soccer Season

Following a five-win campaign in 2008, the Avery men’s soccer team hopes to rekindle an era of excellence when the program was consistently among the top of the Western Highlands Conference.

A number of new faces dot the field for the Big Red, but returning to this year’s team are around a half-dozen seniors who are hungry to provide steady leadership and to encounter success on the field yet to be experienced in their prep careers.

Tom Evaul returns to the Vikings men’s soccer program as head coach, following a successful tenure by former coach Lou Brancourt who moved away from the Avery area following last season. Evaul, former Toby Webb Coach of the Year Award recipient, helped begin the soccer program at Avery High School and has previously served as coach for both the men’s and women’s soccer programs. The remainder of the staff consists of fellow coaches Daniel Jimenez, former Avery player Mitchell Bledsoe, and Pat Daniels.

Although he is listed as head coach, Evaul sees himself and the other coaches as equals when it comes to teaching and leading the team.

“We have a great group of coaches. I can turn a practice to any of the coaches and they are able to run it seamlessly. As coaches, we are all equal,” Coach Evaul said during a team practice last week. “I may have more knowledge and experience, but that doesn’t always make me the better guy. Coach Bledsoe is a youth leader at church, so he is good at dealing with the mentality of the players. It’s like we’ve told our guys, there are four coaches working with them.”

“It’s great to have the coaches we have. We’re able to go to any of them with any problems we have, and it’s nice that any of them are willing to help and work with us,” senior Cody Shadoin said.

The Vikings have been working hard since practice began on August 3^rd, developing teamwork and honing skills from passing to dribbling to defense. Through the time, the players have impressed the coaches with their work ethic and progress.

“This is a good group of guys. They are dedicated and they push themselves and each other. We’ve had some good camaraderie. These players will do all we ask and do it well,” Coach Evaul said.

“These guys have put in a lot of hard work under Coach Lou, and it has paid off with a good group of guys who have been providing leadership. Coach Evaul is giving the players the chance to use everything they’ve learned, be a team, and play the game. Hopefully we coach a little less and they play a little more,” Coach Mitchell Bledsoe added.

This year’s club will build on a foundation of five seniors who will provide leadership to a talented squad that boasts a pair of freshmen and ten other sophomore or junior players that fill out the roster.

Two seniors, third-year starting goalkeeper Morgan Bounds and teammate Kyle Griewisch, have participated in club soccer during the off-season to continue shaping their skill sets in preparation for their final season on the pitch in an Avery uniform.

“Club soccer has helped us to keep with the game,” keeper Bounds said following practice. “Instead of waiting six months before the season begins, we’re able to continue to keep with the game. Instead of losing anything, we keep on building.”

“I think this group of guys has good leadership material. A couple of the players spending extra time playing club soccer means a lot. Those players have been traveling across the state playing soccer against the best players in the state. These players respect that leadership and perhaps may do so more than they have previously,” Coach Evaul added. “Even a couple of the non-seniors are well respected and the team listens to them when they make suggestions. This is a great group of attitude guys and is one of the main reasons I decided to coach the team for the first time in five years.”

2009 shapes up to be a competitive season for Avery soccer as the team hopes to improve on the five victories it experienced a year ago. “I think we’ll be a lot more competitive, as long as we’re healthy. I told the players that I believed we could triple the total of five wins we had last year. I don’t see any reason why we shouldn’t have a winning season,” Coach Evaul said. “I’ve seen these guys work and how they play, and as long as we stay injury-free I believe we have a good shot at a winning season.”

The confidence is echoed by the other coaches on staff. “We have a good chance to be at least a .500 club, but will be better able to gauge that when school starts and we’re able to get our entire team together every practice, scrimmage, and learn where players best fit together,” Coach Daniel Jimenez shared.

The team appreciates the faith and confidence placed in them by their coaches and is committed to bring the Avery program back to prominence starting now.

“To me personally, I think it gives us confidence that they have confidence in us. It raises the spirits on the field and we play better soccer,” senior Cody Shadoin said.

“Confidence in us and each other is always good, as it is what helps hold a team together,” fellow senior Daniel Huff added. “This year we have a good group of guys. Some of us have played all year and for a lot of time together, and we know each other’s skills and what we’re good at, and we hope to use that to our advantage.”

From the sentiments of the elder statesmen of the team, expect the 2009 edition of the Avery soccer team to display a winning attitude and full effort each and every time they take the field this season.

“Our goal isn’t necessarily that we win every single game, but that we get the team to the point where we are comfortable with each other, encouraging each other and being positive as a team,” senior Daniel Huff stated. “Even if we don’t win every game, I want to be able to say that we played hard through every minute in every game,” Shadoin added.

“We will keep encouraging each other, try to keep everything positive and fun the whole season so nobody gets down. We’ll play together the entire time,” Bounds echoed.

The Avery soccer team begins the season with an all-day jamboree in Hickory this Saturday. The Big Red will open the regular season with a game at Chase High School on August 19^th.

“Musings and Ramblings: Western Highlands Conference Football Preview Part One”

The following is the first in a two-part series previewing Avery’s opponents in Western Highlands Conference action this season. This week’s story features conference foes Owen, Hendersonville, and Polk County.

As the whistles blare and the pads crack, it’s obvious that high school football season has arrived. There have been a number of changes leading up to the opening of the 2009 campaign. Teams have changed classifications following the latest NCHSAA realignment, with many schools moving to different conferences.

The 2009 edition of the Western Highlands Conference looks much the same, as the seven schools participating in the league last year remain, with the addition of a new school in Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy. Mitchell and Polk County have swapped classifications, as the Wolverines will play as a 2A school and Mitchell drops to 1A for playoff competition.

Let’s take a moment and breakdown a trio of teams who have often found their way to the top of the Western Highlands Conference standings over the past four seasons.

OWEN WARHORSES (2008 record: 3-3 in conference, 4-7 overall)

The Owen Warhorses suffered its first losing season in eight years as injuries and youth contributed to only a .500 conference mark. The Warhorses are eager to bring winning ways back to the banks of the Swannanoa River, and look to have the components to improve on a forgettable 2008 campaign.

Owen returns a trio of all-conference selections in RB/S Andy Coleman, FB/LB Brennan Kirby, and lineman Seth Stewart.

One of Owen’s four wins a season ago came by way of a 23-14 victory over the Big Red in a conference game at home. That Owen squad returns seven starters on both offense and defense, including quarterback Kaleb Fowler, who suffered a broken collarbone two games into last season and hampered the team’s offensive potential.

Coleman will power the Owen rushing attack in 2009, as he rushed for over 1,000 and 14 touchdowns last season. Logan Newhouse, a senior linebacker, led the team with over 100 tackles on defense last year and will be called upon to share much of the same burden this season.

POLK COUNTY WOLVERINES (2008 record: 4-2 in conference, 7-5 overall)

Polk County has perennial proven that it is a power to contend with in the Western Highlands Conference. Although the squad finished with five losses in 2008, head coach Bruce Ollis will look to reload quickly with his group.

Polk County focused on running the football effectively in 2008, and found measures of success which included a 28-7 win over Avery at home a season ago.

Gone from this year’s club is all-conference wide receiver Kamron Kerr, as well as bruising quarterback Jordan Ollis. Junior Andre Overholt appears poised to step in as a team leader, while the team will look to continue its running game with players such as running backs Justin Ridings and Keenan Littlejohn.

HENDERSONVILLE BEARCATS (2008 record: 6-0 in conference (2008 champions), 13-2 overall)

The Hendersonville Bearcats enjoyed its most successful season since 2003 as the squad advanced to the fourth round of the state playoffs a season ago.

Much of the nucleus of the team remains, including most notably senior quarterback Ben Walgenbach. Walgenbach was All-Conference, All-Western North Carolina in 2008, as he passed for 2,099 yards and 26 touchdowns. He also added 663 yards and ten touchdowns as a runner, making him the ultimate dual threat.

Joining Walgenbach on the offensive side of the football is the tandem of seniors Daniel Orr, who caught 35 passes for 889 yards and 12 touchdowns, and James Foster, who grabbed 25 passes for 819 yards and 10 TD.

Foster will help anchor the Hendersonville 5-2 defense, along with a pair of players in juniors Laquan Young and Desmond Whiteside who each registered over 100 tackles last year.

Gone from the Bearcats backfield is leading rusher Cedrick Allen, whose big-play ability and versatility will be missed. Hendersonville will look to replace his production with Whiteside, as well as fullback and fellow junior Connor Cope. If Hendersonville stays healthy, the Bearcats will be a state title contender in 2009.

Scenes From App State Media Day

Here are some scenes from App State's Media Day that occurred on Saturday. We will follow the Mountaineers all year as they chase another FCS National Title. Also, the Avery Journal-Times Sports Blog will have scenes and stories from the Tennessee Volunteers later this week or at the first of next week as well as some other surprises along the way

.

Mountaineers Ready to Get Back On Championship Track

By: Matt Laws (matt.laws@averyjournal.com)
Avery Journal-Times

The 2008 season wasn’t the fairy tale season that the Appalachian State Mountaineers had hoped for. The Mountaineers came up short of their bid for their fourth straight FCS National Title last season, but they feel like they are still the team to beat this season.

“I feel like we are the hunted,” Jacque Roman said. “Tradition never falls. Anyone who steps on this field right here knows that tradition never falls. So we are always going to have that target on our backs. One year doesn’t collapse everything. We have most of the same players coming back and everyone knows what we are capable of doing so I definitely feel like we are the hunted.”

On paper, the Mountaineers to most are the team to beat. The Mountaineers return 18 starters including 2008 Walter Payton Award Winner and All-American Armanti Edwards. The senior quarterback has the potential to be the first two-time winner of the Payton award as well as break every record associated with quarterback play in Appalachian and Southern Conference history.

“We have talked about it and we honestly think we can go undefeated,” Edwards said. “Even the year we beat Michigan we didn’t go into the season that confident that we could go undefeated. We feel we can only beat ourselves out here.”

Edwards received a setback as he injured his right foot in a mowing accident before the first fall practice.

Edwards will be joined in the backfield by a variety of options at the running back position. Devin Moore will be the starter on opening after missing last year’s final 11 games. Robert Welton, Devin Radford, Josh Jackson and Cedric Baker all saw action last season, and are competing for playing time.

At the wide receiver slot, CoCo Hillary, Brian Quick, Matt Cline, Blake Elder, Tavaris Washington and B.J. Frazier are all expected to take snaps at the position. Ben Jorden returns at tight end. Three of App’s starting offensive line from last season are also returning.

The Mountaineers return nine starters on the defensive side of the ball to one of the best defenses in the nation.

“My expectations are s so high for the defense this year because we are so experience,” left end Tony Robertson said. “Every year, we have always had in the back of the mind we are young and we don’t have the seniors or the leaders, but we can’t use that anymore because we are so experienced. We have been doing good with the youth we had, but now we are a bunch of old guys who played a couple years together.”

The App defense is led by senior linebacker Roman, the SoCon Defensive Play of the Year last year. Roman is joined by D.J. Smith as returning starters in the linebacking corps, and redshirt freshman Justin Lloyd is expected to fill the role left behind by Pierre Banks. The defensive line gets a boast from the return of Tony Robertson from injury last season. The secondary features once again Cortez Gilbert, Mark LeGree and Ed Gainey.

With all the returning starters and the caliber of players, Coach Jerry Moore can’t help but be excited by the season’s prospects, but knows that doesn’t translate into success.

"I think we have the potential to be as good as the championship teams,” Moore said. “But as I've said in the past, that doesn't get you anywhere if you don’t have the leadership and if you don’t have the intangibles."

The Mountaineers kick off the season on September 5^th as they take on the East Carolina Pirates.

App's Edwards Hurt in Freak Accident

By: Matt Laws (matt.laws@averyjournal.com)

The Appalachian State Mountaineers almost saw their star quarterback lost for the season on Wednesday, even before he took the field for fall practice. Mountaineer Quarterback Armanti Edwards, the 2008 Walter Payton Award winner, suffered a setback last week when he had to receive around 30 stitches in his right foot after a freak accident mowing his yard.

“I had cut the grass plenty of times, but it was just a freak accident,” Edwards said. “My foot slipped as I was putting the lawn mower back up.”

“The situation with Armanti is we got about 12,000 people here in town who will mow his yard the rest of the year, and when the students get back there will be another 12,000,” Appalachian State Coach Jerry Moore said. “I think his yard is going to be in nice shape. I just don’t know what kind of shape his toe is going to be.’

The senior was mowing his lawn at his off campus residence that he shares with teammate Brian Quick when he slipped and got his foot caught under the mower. Quick had just got home and saw Edwards mowing, but did not see the quarterback get injured. When Edwards first saw his shoe he was wearing he knew something had to be wrong.

“I said this could be really bad because my shoe is really messed up,” Edwards said. “It was actually better then it seemed.”

Edwards entered the house to take off his shoe and realized that something was wrong. He called the Appalachian training staff who decided that Edwards needed to be taken to the Watauga Medical Center Emergency Room where he was joined by Coach Moore. There, doctors cleaned the wound and stitched Edwards up and released him. Edwards indicated that it would be at least two weeks before the doctors would remove the stitches

Edwards was able to participate in media day activities and Coach Moore also talked about Edwards’ toughness.

“Armanti is a great player, everybody knows that,” Moore said. “I think if you followed him or know about him or the inner workings of Armanti Edwards, pain for him is not like it is for all the rest of us. His pain threshold is extremely high. He is a tough kid. How soon can he push off that foot, I think that is going to be the tell tale thing.”

Edwards, however, saw that there might be a silver lining in the whole ordeal.

“It could be a good thing or a bad thing,” Edwards said. “I always get injured some point in the season and hopefully this is the time I got injured. I have been a fast recover since I have been here. I am just happy it is the beginning of the season. It was just a freak accident.”

Doctors expect Edwards to miss anywhere from two to four weeks. The Mountaineers kick off the season against East Carolina on September 5.

Edwards to Miss Two to Four Weeks after Accident

From Appalachian Sports Information

BOONE, N.C. — Appalachian State University All-America quarterback Armanti Edwards will be sidelined for 2-4 weeks of practice after sustaining a foot injury in an accident at his off-campus residence on Wednesday afternoon.

Edwards was mowing the lawn at his residence when his right foot was injured by the lawnmower. Roommate and teammate Brian Quick transported the 2008 Walter Payton Award winner to Watauga Medical Center, where he was treated and released.

At this time, Edwards is expected to be behind center when Appalachian opens the 2009 campaign on Sept. 5 at in-state rival East Carolina.

“First of all, we’re all fortunate and grateful that Armanti wasn’t more seriously injured in this accident,” head coach Jerry Moore said. “It’s unfortunate for him because he has put a lot of energy into being a great leader on and off the field this summer. He has been instrumental in orchestrating voluntary workouts with his teammates while also putting in the academic work — with classes and an internship — that will allow him to graduate in three-and-a-half years this December. But, as he’s demonstrated many times, his toughness is second-to-none, so I’m confident that he’ll be back on the field with his teammates as soon as possible.”

Appalachian opens practices in preparation for the 2009 season on Friday.

Lady Vikings Volleyball Camp Builds Fundamental Skills for Varying Ages

Last week was a busy one at the Avery High School gymnasium around three dozen local ladies took part in the Lady Vikings Volleyball Camp. The camp is in its second year since Avery head volleyball coach Kim Hayes returned to lead the Big Red. Lead instructor for the week of camp activities was Fish Gupton, college volleyball coach and current NCAA volleyball official who has called games in numerous conferences and tournaments and returned after working the camp for the Avery club last season.

“This week Fish has been great. He just worked the Wake Forest Volleyball Camp last week, and he brought many of the training, drills and techniques that they used and incorporated that into our camp,” Avery head volleyball coach Kim Hayes said during camp action. “The girls have really done great. The elementary and middle school students were just taught basic skills. The older girls have been working hard out of season. Skills wise, they’re where they need to be. This week we’ve been working on the game, transitioning of the game. From 2-4 pm we’ve worked on conditioning and drills, and from 6-8 pm I had former players who played for me before come in and scrimmage our current players. That’s been going really well.”

The $85 cost for the camp was a great bargain for a week of college-level instruction that otherwise would be a significant strain to the pocket of parents who wish to send ladies to camp but are unable to afford to do so. “I’m very, very fortunate to have Fish come do what he does at a great price. We’re able to save a ton of money and get the exact same instruction,” Coach Hayes added. “We’ve received positive comments from parents on the camp, and I am so lucky that he is willing to come in and do it.”

As the camps continue through the years, it is evident that the efforts put forth during camp each year will produce a harvest of volleyball success in the seasons to come.

“It might take a few years to start seeing results, but when I coached here previously Fish came and worked those camps. In each year I saw a little improvement, and by my third year we saw huge improvement with the girls coming in,” Coach Hayes added. “We’re kind of back as square one at rebuilding as we just began the camp again, but you can tell the kids who came to camp last year. The next year or two from now, I know we’ll be seeing the positive effects from this camp.”

The Avery Vikings team is a sleeper squad in this year’s Western Highlands Conference race. Despite losing a quintet of talented seniors, several returning players took part in individual position camps during the summer break from school. The team camp affords the squad the opportunity to jell as a unit, learn or reacquaint themselves with teammate tendencies, and improve together.

“I think and hope that we are going to surprise a lot of people,” Coach Hayes said. “We have no seniors and four juniors, so we will be young. These girls have been working so hard doing what they need to do to be top-notch volleyball players. Every girl played club volleyball, and has been working out and coming to open gyms. They’re doing everything they need to do; it’s obvious to see it on the court.”

Although the 2009 edition of the Avery Lady Vikings may experience some early growing pains, the girls are a talented group which should strengthen together and get better with each passing game.

“At this point I’m excited at our skill level. In my years of coaching, this is probably the most skilled group I’ve ever coached. In the past, I would spend a lot of time on skills before teaching the game, but this group with all the work they have done is past that point,” Coach Hayes explained.

“These girls just need to play, to learn each other and how they play. Volleyball is 90% mental, and as a coach I am able to incorporate the game and understanding it in partnership with the skills the girls already have. With young age comes young mentality, but I’m excited because the players know and understand my coaching style and what I want. I can’t promise that we’ll win conference at this point, but we will be competitive. I believe our parents and community will be pleasantly shocked and surprised with the talent and maturity of this team.”

Runners Race in Local Version of Triple Crown

Saturday morning, July 1st at 8 a.m., the first leg of the Avery County Triple Crown Foot Race kicked off at the intersection of Ivey Heights Road and Old Toe River Road. The first leg was a four (4) mile run with a 300-foot plus elevation climb which ended in the Ingles/Roses Express parking lot some thirty (30) minutes later.

The winner of the men’s division was Gereme Daniels of Newland with a time of 31 minutes, 47 seconds for the four mile run, and Buffy Clark of Crossnore won the Women’s Division with a time of 42 minutes, 19 seconds. Both winners of each division were presented with a $40.00 gift certificate from Stone Walls Restaurant in Banner Elk, NC.

The creator of the Avery Triple Crown Foot Race Stephen Duncan is allowing the Avery County Foundation to be the pass-through agent for the profits to go to local authorities. The overall winners of the men’s and women’s divisions will have the option to choose what local charity or church will receive their portions of the monies raised by the event.

The next leg of the event will be Saturday, August 8th at the Montezuma Run, which will begin at Aaron Baptist Church in Montezuma at 8:00 a.m. and will go by old Montezuma Road to the Avery County Middle School, at which location runners will reverse their course and return to a start/finish line at Aaron Baptist Church.

The last and third leg of the Triple Crown Foot Race will be held on August 15th, beginning at Linville Resorts and Camp Yonanoka, with the runners racing to the Blue Ridge Parkway and back by way of Roseboro Road.

In all, creator Steve Duncan and Avery Community Foundation hopes this will be an annual event that will ignite the attention of local runners to come out and enjoy a nice Saturday morning run and stem fellowship and philanthropy for Avery County.

Schedule:
Aaron Baptist Church, August 8th at 8:00 a.m.
Linville Resorts, Camp Yonanoka, August 15th at 8:00 a.m.
(Runners should arrive by 7:30 a.m.)

Avery Parks and Recreation Baseball Camp a Huge Success

Last week Avery Parks and Recreation Department held its fourth annual baseball camp for local youngsters looking to further develop their skills and learn “tricks of the trade” regarding America’s pastime.

Campers were instructed by Avery JV baseball head coach and varsity assistant coach Samuel Phillips, who played college baseball as a southpaw pitcher for Tennessee Wesleyan College. Assisting Phillips during the camp was brother Seth, 2008 Avery High graduate who will pitch next season at Lenoir Rhyne University, as well as recent Avery graduate Sutton Stanley and current Vikings baseball players Dustin Childress and Steven Daniels.

“I’ve really surrounded myself with a good staff. They were really great with the kids and they had a lot of fun,” Samuel Phillips said at the camp’s conclusion on Friday. “The high school students working with us this week have a great work ethic and love the game of baseball, and that was something I wanted the kids to see in them. We tried to instill in the kids that baseball is meant to be fun and that it’s a game they can play and practice all year long.”

A total of 26 campers took part in the five-day camp, ranging in ages for 4 ½ to 16 years old. Students learned fundamentals of the game, encompassing fielding, hitting, and throwing. The camp also taught about situational hitting, defense, and a number of drills for kids to practice at home or while playing the game with friends.

“One of the biggest things we told the kids was just because the baseball season in Avery County is short, that doesn’t mean you have to stop playing. There is no off-season, and we taught the kids to go out and play the game and keep having fun,” Coach Phillips added.

As a group, the campers showed marked increases in development and grasping of skills taught by the older players. Every camper who attended the baseball came received an award. Outstanding Offensive and Defensive Player awards were given out to individual players, in addition to an award to the camper with the best attitude.

“We wanted all the kids to feel like they were important. Our staff evaluated the awards and I believe every kid was terrific,” Phillips remarked. “Many of the kids who have come back multiple years have continued to improve. There are some who are taking unbelievable strides toward becoming good baseball players.”

The annual camp is a great opportunity for not only the campers to learn skills, but for the county’s baseball programs to contribute to the lives of youngsters and growth of the sport locally in a tangible and meaningful way.

“The goal of Seth and I is to build a solid foundation for our kids. It’s something a lot of the kids are missing,” Phillips said. “We hope that if we have kids with a firm foundation who have played baseball with each other growing up; we won’t have to teach that to them when they get to high school.”

Overall, the kids were treated to a great camp experience, and both camper and instructor were blessed from having taken part in the activities. “It’s been a very good week. I’ve enjoyed it thoroughly. We’ve been able to share a wealth of knowledge with the kids and we’ve had a lot of fun,” Phillips said.

Avery County Football Day Brings Local Players Together to Open 2009 Gridiron Season

Last Saturday afternoon the turf at MacDonald Stadium received quite the workout as players representing the county’s local youth league, both local middle schools, and the Avery High School football teams took the field for Avery County Football Day to officially open the 2009 football season.

The day was designed as an opportunity for youth football players to register for the upcoming fall league, while Cranberry Middle School and Avery Middle School in addition to Avery High School held their first official practices for the upcoming regular season.

“With the Parks and Recreation taking over youth football as they have and trying to get us involved has been a wonderful thing. As the high school coach I want to be involved in Little League, as it is our future,” Avery High School head coach Darrell Brewer said following the festivities. “For the younger kids to be out on the field and to be able to watch and interact with them was a great thing. Then later getting the chance to watch the two middle schools work out was a great opportunity for us to see our future. Both those teams had some talented football players that I thought to myself “Man, we could use them!””

The weather was beautiful Saturday morning as parents brought children to sign up for youth football. Avery Parks and Recreation Director Robbie Willis was on hand to register kids wishing to participate in fall football.

By mid-afternoon, approximately 50 total students of middle school age were registered and took the field representing the Wildcats and the Panthers. Both teams went through exercises and drills, practicing for two hours on the artificial surface.

In the early evening the Avery High School squad officially opened the 2009 high school football season with its first team practice. Team chaplain Bryan Griffith led the Vikings in a devotion and prayer at midfield to open the practice, then the junior varsity and varsity players began stretching and working out. Just as the players were getting into the groove of practice, dark cloud settled overhead and a thunderstorm cut the practice short after approximately 40 minutes.

The Vikings are working to upon a 2-10 record from 2008, the team’s worst season this decade. Nevertheless the team has put forth much effort, beginning with spring practice and throughout the summer, to start the new season strong.

“I feel like we’ve had as good a spring and summer as I’ve been a part of,” Coach Brewer said. “The boys have worked hard this summer, and we’ve had good numbers here this summer working out in the weight room and running.”

Through the summer months, the Vikings have taken part in multiple 7-on-7 passing leagues to hone their skills in the defensive backfield and at the offensive skill positions.

“I think the 7-on-7s are very beneficial. One thing about them is your team is out on the field learning how to compete. Anytime you’re doing competition, I believe it makes you better,” Coach Brewer added. “As far as receivers and defensive back go, it instills in them how to run precise routes and your secondary is forced to concentrate on backpedaling correctly and turning their hips the right way in their technique.”

Next week Avery will have the chance to measure itself against a variety of teams in a pair of scrimmages. With only themselves to practice against, however, the Vikings already have a grasp on where the squad can focus on strengthening prior to the season kickoff.

“This time of year, the best things we can work on are blocking and tackling,” the coach explained. “The blocking scheme is often the last thing to come and teams can struggle early with tackling, but we’re still a few days away from being able to hit and work on those areas. Until it’s fully live, it’s hard for us to work on that.”

With only a handful of seniors on this year’s club, competition has been heated throughout the summer as players have vied for starting positions on both sides of the football.

“One thing that I really enjoyed this summer and will probably do so continuing into the season is seeing the competition in a lot of places on the team. Having such few a number of seniors has really opened the door up for players who aren’t seniors to challenge for a spot,” Coach Brewer said. “Right now we’re seeing competition at offensive line, defensive back and linebacker, pretty much across the board. That always seems to make a team better when it has that kind of competition.”

With just a couple of weeks left before opening night, Avery’s coaches and players have appeared to focus on improving itself as a team rather than preparing for the Black Knights of Robbinsville. However, Coach Brewer explained that he and his staff have designed practices and schemes that serve the dual purpose of getting their club ready for what they might encounter from its first opponent.

“We’re focusing on Avery, working on our fundamentals and on getting ourselves better. But as a coaching staff goes, we’ve been spending time working to get our team ready for Robbinsville,” the coach stated. “We haven’t mentioned Robbinsville by name to the players, but when we run our offense we’re preparing against Robbinsville’s defense. That was a decision we made all the way back in the spring, and everything we’ve been doing offensively has been working toward that first game.”

Preparations continue for the Big Red as they host a football jamboree at MacDonald Stadium on Wednesday, August 12^th. Teams at the event include nearby Mitchell High School, as well as West Caldwell, West Lincoln, Alleghany, and Happy Valley (TN). Avery will then travel two days later to nearby Cloudland High School for a jamboree on Friday, August 14^th.

Mars Hill's Johnson Named Second Team Pre-Season All-SAC

ROCK HILL, SC - Defending South Atlantic Conference champion Carson-Newman College leads the 2009 preseason All-Conference football team with 11 selections.

The Eagles had seven players named to the first team, including quarterback Alex Good and running back Buck Wakefield. Good was a second-team All-Conference pick in 2008, while Wakefield returns as a first-team running back.

Newberry College had nine named to the preseason All-Conference team. Newberry had four first-team selections, including wide receiver Kelton Tindall and defensive back Kamaal McIlwain.

Tusculum College had eight on the preseason All-Conference team. The Pioneers had four named to the first team, including returning All-American tight end Jarrell NeSmith and wide receiver Ryan Tallent, who led the conference with 92 catches last season.

Wingate University had six preseason All-Conference selections. The Bulldogs had three first-team selections, including running back Nelson Woods, who led the conference with 1,238 yards rushing last season.

Mars Hill College placed seven on the preseason squad, including three on the first team. The Lions return a pair of first-team standouts on the defensive side in linebacker Stan Galbraith, who registered six sacks last season, and defensive back Deshon Nesbitt.

Former Avery Vikings standout Zach Johnson was selected second-team All-SAC after his impressive red-shirt sophomore season. Johnson led the Lions with 95 tackles (10 TFL), and also recorded four sacks, a forced fumble and an interception in 2008.

Catawba College and Lenoir-Rhyne University each placed six on the preseason All-Conference team.

The Catawba Indians had three first-team selections, including returning All-American offensive lineman Terence Crosby.

The Bears had three first-team selections, and all on the offense, including the conference's top kicker last season in Colin Corpe.

Brevard College had three preseason All-Conference selections, including a pair of first-team defensive selections in linebackers Stanley Jones and Brandon Rawls.

2009 SAC Preseason All-Conference Football Team

OFFENSE
First Team
QB - Alex Good, Carson-Newman
RB - Buck Wakefield, Carson-Newman
RB - Nelson Woods, Wingate
RB - Marcus Foster, Tusculum
WR - Reggie Hubbard, Carson-Newman
WR - Kelton Tindal, Newberry
WR - Ryan Tallent, Tusculum
TE - Jarrell NeSmith, Tusculum
OL - Terence Crosby, Catawba
OL - Chandler Rearden, Lenoir-Rhyne
OL - Josh Sims, Mars Hill
OL - Matt Holmes, Newberry
OL - Ross Shaffer, Carson-Newman
PK - Colin Corpe, Lenoir-Rhyne
LS - Jordon Simmons, Lenoir-Rhyne

Second Team
QB - Brandon Gantt, Newberry
RB - Ricky Harris, Carson-Newman
RB - Anthony Silvers, Lenoir-Rhyne
RB - Gerald Legree, Newberry
WR - Nate Binder, Tusculum
WR - John Brown, Mars Hill
WR - Calvin Britt, Tusculum
TE - Ryan Webb! ! er, Wingate
OL - Hunter Carnes, Catawba
OL - Harrison Smith, Lenoir-Rhyne
OL - Walter Simmons, Newberry
OL - Josh Stone, Tusculum
OL - Ben Benshoof, Wingate
PK - Michael Pinkerton, Mars Hill
LS - Kyle Davis, Wingate

DEFENSE
First Team
DL - Melquan Fair, Catawba
DL - Brandon Harmon, Carson-Newman
DL - Brandon Sutton, Catawba
DL - Lance Clark, Newberry
LB - Brian Brown, Carson-Newman
LB - Stanley Jones, Brevard
LB - Brandon Rawls, Brevard
LB - Stan Galbraith, Mars Hill
DB - Mario Russell, Carson-Newman
DB - Deshon Nesbitt, Mars Hill
DB - Kamaal McIlwain, Newberry
DB - Tylan Merkerson, Wingate
P - John Gregory, Tusculum
RS - Patrick Pinchinat, Wingate

Second Team
DL - Marqus Davis, Catawba
DL - Maurice Harris, Mars Hill
DL - Marcus Nelums, Newberry
DL - Brandon Kelley, Tusculum
LB - Lakeem Perry, Catawba
LB - Zach Johnson, Mars Hill
LB - Ben Hinson, Wingate
LB - Aaron Plyler, Wingate
DB - Marcus Shuford, Lenoir-Rhyne
DB - Andre Moyd, Newberry
DB - Michael Gist, Brevard
DB - Denares Waites, Carson-Newman
P - Chris Jones, Carson-Newman
RS - Reggie Hubbard, Carson-Newman

Carson Newman Picked to Win 2009 Football Title

ROCK HILL -- The Carson-Newman Eagles, who won their 20th conference championship in 2008, are the favorite to defend the conference title, in a vote of the league's head coaches.

The Eagles have won 20 conference titles under head coach Ken Sparks, including a share of the title each of the past two seasons. Carson-Newman received six first-place votes and 62 out of a possible 64 total points.

Catawba College and 2008 champion Tusculum College shared second place in the poll. The Catawba Indians, coming off a 6-4 record and fourth-place finish in the SAC, received one first-place vote. The Pioneers won their second conference title last season and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division II Playoffs.

Wingate University is picked to finish fourth. The Bulldogs finished in a tie for fourth place last season after a strong start to the season. The ! ! Bulldogs picked up 41 points.

Mars Hill College, another team involved in the fourth-place tie, received 35 total points for fifth place. But the Lions also received one first-place vote.

Newberry College, last year's other league champion, is picked to finish in sixth under first-year coach Todd Knight. Newberry received 34 total points.

Lenoir-Rhyne University received 16 points for seventh place, which is where the Bears finished last season.

Brevard College rounds out the preseason poll with eight points.

Coaches Preseason Poll

1. Carson-Newman (6) 62
2. Catawba (1) 46
2 (tie) Tusculum 46
4. Wingate 41
5. Mars Hill (1) 35
6. Newberry 34
7. Lenoir-Rhyne 16
8. Brevard 8
(First-place votes in parenthesis)

ETSU Mourns Loss of Seth Coy, 1989-2009

ETSU Athletics Press Release

ETSU rising sophomore Seth Coy (Montgomery, Ind.) was tragically killed early Wednesday evening in a single-car accident while driving through Kentucky on his way home to Montgomery, Ind.. Coy was 19 years old.

“Words cannot describe the sincere heartache everyone involved with ETSU athletics feels at this time, and our thoughts and prayers go out to Seth’s entire family,” said ETSU men’s basketball head coach Murry Bartow. “For those of us who worked with Seth on a day-to-day basis as part of the men’s basketball program here at ETSU, this is devastating news. He was such a great young man with a pleasant personality, a wonderful sense of humor, and a really bright future. He was so well-liked within our team, and it was obvious by the reaction during games last year that he was a fan favorite as well. This is just unbelievably heartbreaking.”

Coy, a 6-foot-11 center, joined the ETSU program last season after a high school career that included playing alongside highly-touted North Carolina signee Tyler Zeller. Coy and Zeller won a Class 3A Indiana state championship at Washington High School, where Coy averaged 13.6 points and 9.8 rebounds a game as a senior.

At ETSU, Coy played in 24 games as a true freshman, averaging 10.8 minutes a game, with 2.0 rebounds and 2.9 points a contest. He was expected to battle this preseason for a starting spot in the post during the upcoming 2009-2010 season.

Funeral plans and arrangements are not known at this time. ETSUBucs.com will provide updates when they become available.

Burleson Basketball Camp Teaches Fundamentals, Love for Game

Imagine learning about the game of basketball from individuals who reached the pinnacle of success in the sport. Now, envision those individuals taking time to offer encouraging words and instruction on both physical and spiritual levels to maximize the impact the game on a life.

For over 55 children in Avery County, imagination became reality last week as Avery County native and North Carolina State University basketball legend Tommy Burleson, in partnership with Avery County Parks and Recreation, hosted his annual basketball camp.

Boys and girls ranging from grades 3-12 spend five days at the camp learning fundamental skills such as dribbling, passing, shooting, and defense, but also acquire a wealth of knowledge from the former N.C. State University, U.S. Olympic basketball, and NBA standout.

“It was a great week. The kids seemed to have a really good time. I know I did,” Burleson remarked at camp’s end. “All my counselors were excellent. They were very emotionally tied in with the young kids and I could see they enjoyed working with them. They invested time and effort into it from coaching to refereeing and showing little idiosyncrasies and technique to help the kids with their game.”

This year saw an increase of enrollment, as a large group of around 55 campers received an official camp t-shirt quoting Scripture from Psalm 117:1, which reads “Praise the Lord, all ye nations. Praise Him all ye people.” The statement is also indicative of the importance Burleson has placed through the years of teaching campers moral truths in addition to basketball principles.

“We were able to give witness, and I hope what we spoke will impact the lives of the kids. If your message is able to reach at least one kid, it’s all worthwhile,” Burleson remarked. “I could see by some kids’ attitudes that we weren’t breaking through, but I also saw more kids whose attitudes changed about Christ and that we were getting through. I think we touched the lives of at least a half a dozen or a dozen kids, and I hope we reinforced the positive Christian messages that parents teach at home. Hopefully we also got the message out to kids who have never heard the message before.”

Each year the camp provides students with drills and techniques to help them improve their game. Whether a child is first learning about the game or has years of experience on the court, the camp offers something for every skill level.

A unique aspect of the camp each year is the presence of special guest speakers and instructors who share a testimony with the campers and teach specialized skills.

During Thursday morning’s camp session the students heard from Bobby Jones, former University of North Carolina basketball star who won an NBA championship with teammates Julius “Dr. J” Erving and Moses Malone with and the Philadelphia Sixers.

Jones shared Biblical examples Hezekiah and Samson to explain to the campers that the decisions they make will always involve consequences, regardless of whether the decisions are good or bad. He encouraged students to trust those positive role models in their lives who are telling them to do the right things in life, such as coaches, teachers, and parents. Jones also commended the campers on their skills that he witnessed earlier in the day and led them through a number of drills to improve agility, speed, and lateral movement on the floor.

On Friday morning the campers were visited by David Thompson, Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer, close friend and former teammate of Burleson at NC State. Thompson spent time speaking to the attentive group of campers, sharing the mountaintops and valleys in his life from being a top professional draft pick in both the ABA and NBA and the highest paid athlete in the game to his past difficulties with eventual conquest over substance abuse. Thompson shared how his Christian morals guide his life today.

“It’s important that kids understand the consequences and choices in their lives. I want to see kids make good choices and not have to go through some of the things I went through before I finally saw the light,” Thompson remarked after speaking to the group. “It’s important for me to tell the kids to keep God first in their life and they’ll be successful. Everybody might scrape their knee every now and then, but once you have that seed there’s a foundation to build on and come back to.”

The camp featured a number of boys and girls of varying ages who showed sound technical skills in areas such as dribbling, shooting, and playing tough on the defensive end of the game.

“We had a large, diverse group. There was a high number of players I could see who got better and took the fundamentals to heart, practicing them, and putting them into their game,” Burleson added. “We were able to show kids the proper technique and many of the kids picked it up well.”