On Tuesday, September 29th at MacDonald Stadium, Avery's two middle school programs met for the 27th annual showdown in what has become one of the greatest and longest-lasting fundraisers in the area, the Brad King Bowl.The contest between the Avery Middle School Panthers and the Cranberry Middle School Wildcats closed out the regular season in Toe River Conference football, but more importantly, it allowed local folks to give back financially to assist people in need. This year's annual benefit, began 26 years ago to both raise funds locally and to honor the life and legacy of former youth football player Brad King. Since that time, the football game has raised tens of thousands of dollars to assist terminally ill children and others in great need.
This season the proceeds from the Brad King Bowl was donated to a college trust fund set up for Ciara and Carrie Laws, the daughters of Avery County Schools employee Chris Laws who passed away suddenly in early September. By the end of the evening, an announced amount of $2,530 was raised to help the family.
As for the game itself, the two teams played a competitive contest that didn't disappoint the huge crowd in attendance to root the teams on. The Panthers started the game with a fortunate break as an intended sky kick rolled along the ground. Avery's Chase Buchanan fell on the loose football to give the Panthers the first offensive possession.
Avery took advantage of the break and pieced together a 38-yard scoring march that elapsed nearly half the first quarter clock. Buchanan finished what he started with a 13-yard ramble to pay dirt. The two-point conversion failed, but the Panthers led 6-0.
Cranberry looked to get its offense with is punishing rushing game. The team found success moving the football with its wishbone offense, behind the running of the tandem of Jonah Tenge, Tyler Pittman, and Cody Clawson. Avery's defense bent but would not break, however, keeping the Wildcats from making a serious scoring threat for the first two quarters. Cranberry's defense also buckled down, keeping the Panthers out of the end zone for the remainder of the half. Statistically the contest was as close as the score indicated, as a single yard of total offense separated the clubs.
As was the case in the first half, the Panthers scored on its first offensive series, eating up most of the third quarter clock to march 46 yards for a second touchdown. Avery quarterback Ty Polsgrove capped the drive with a one-yard plunge into the end zone. The two-point conversion quick pass from Polsgrove to wide receiver Wade Smith was successful and staked the Panthers to a 14-0 advantage with
Cranberry's first series ended horrendously as the team fumbled. Avery recovered the ball, then proceeded to add an insurance touchdown as Chase Buchanan, who rushed for 98 yards on nine carries, split the Wildcats defense on a 48-yard touchdown dash. The score and subsequent two-point conversion pass from Polsgrove to wideout Daniel Childress, increased the Avery lead to 22-0 as the third period expired.
As has been the case throughout the season, the Cranberry Wildcats continued to display great heart and the will to win. The offensive line opened holes for the Green Machine of running backs to take turns netting chunks of yardage. Cranberry made the work pay off for six points as running back Jonah Tenge scored on an 11-yard tote to put the Cats on the board. The two-point try was unsuccessful, but the Panthers lead was cut to 22-6 midway through the fourth period.The teams exchanged turnovers late in the contest, but the Wildcats could mount no further offensive attack to claw closer in the contest, as Avery garnered the victory by the 22-6 final score.
Chase Buchanan was named the Avery Panther Most Outstanding Player for the second consecutive year, collecting 158 yards in total offense and scoring a pair of touchdowns. Jonah Tenge captured Most Outstanding Player honors for the Cranberry club, with 10 rushes for 77 yards and a touchdown.
“I thought we played really well tonight and closed the season strong. We’ve been improving a bit in each game and it looked like tonight we’ve come full circle,” Avery Panthers head coach Donnie Johnson said after the win. “With Chance going down last week, we had to approach the game differently. We made them honor Ty with the option from the quarterback position, and along with Chase Buchanan in the backfield you have multiple threats on the edges. We wanted to hit them on the perimeter to set up running up the middle, and we were really more run-oriented.”
The Panthers defense played a solid contest against
a potent Wildcats rushing game, making big plays when needed. “”We bent but didn’t break today. Holding them from scoring on the big drive at the end of the half was huge,” Coach Johnson added. “They had hit the double-reverse on us, but we were able to bounce back and get the stops when we needed them. They had big boys who just kept coming, but we kept fighting and clawing back.”Although the Wildcats were on the short end of the scoreboard, the team has many positive points to build uponleading into its final game of the season and next year’s club.
“I’m excited about being a part of this game. It is exciting to be an
Toe River Conference playoff action begins tonight with semifinal action. Avery travels to East Yancey in a battle of Panthers for the right to play in the Tri-County Bowl. Cranberry takes on Bowman Tuesday night in Bakersville. Congratulations to both teams for terrific seasons! seasons!
