Avery Tennis Concludes Season with State Duals, Regional Championships

The Avery tennis team wrapped up a highly successful 2008 season last week with team dual meet action at Lees-McRae College against North Stokes, as well as regional singles and doubles competition.

On Tuesday the Lady Vikings welcomed the Vikings from North Stokes High School to Lees McRae College for first round state duals action. Avery performed valiantly, but was unable to advance in tournament play as North emerged with the team victory.

In singles action, Avery’s Anna Melton defeated Amber Nelson 6-4,6-1, while Morgan Yackey defeated Jordan Wilkins 2-6,6-3, (7-4 in tiebreaker) to provide Avery with its two points for the afternoon.

Judi Dillishaw was defeated by North’s Holly Whitener 4-6, 4-6, while Hayden Blackburn fell to Haley Pack 1-6, 3-6, Leah Powell was defeated by Taylor York 0-6, 1-6, and Morgan Stout fell to Alysha Hutchins 1-6, 0-6.

In doubles play, the team of Yackey and Melton were defeated by North’s team of Whitener and Hutchins 5-10, mathematically eliminating the Vikings from the tournament. Avery’s team of Dillishaw and Blackburn led their opponents 7-4 and the Avery team of Lauren Avery and Leah Powell trailed 4-7 when the dual match was declared over.

“I hated to see the season end. The girls played the best they could against North Stokes, and I was pleased with how we competed,” Avery head tennis coach Rhiannon Manis remarked after the matches. “There were a few close matches that could have changed the ending result, however it is such an achievement for the girls and program to have gotten this far.”

This past weekend Avery’s doubles team of Dillashaw and Blackburn competed in regional competition, as did Avery junior Anna Melton for her third consecutive year.

In singles action Melton defeated Albemarle’s Sophia Pastorini in straight sets by the scores of 6-1 and 6-1. Melton was defeated in the second round by Jessica Curtis of Gray Stone High School by the final of 2-6, 1-6.

In doubles play, senior Judi Dillashaw and junior Hayden Blackburn, undefeated the past two seasons, made their first doubles appearance in regional competition, taking on Alysha Hutchins and Holly Whitener from familiar foe North Stokes High School, falling in straight sets 6-2 and 6-2.“

All three ladies represented Avery County well. Traveling, trying to deal with the weather, and then playing tennis is not easy to do,” Coach Manis said of the girls’ performances at Regionals. “The girls adjusted and met the challenges head on and gave it everything they had. They ended their individual season on a high note, and I am very proud of their accomplishments.”

Berry, Defense Shines In Volunteer Victory

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

KNOXVILLE- The Volunteers were tired of losing. Eric Berry and the Tennessee were determined to avoid a 0-4 league start.

Berry intercepted a Mississippi State pass with 10:37 left in the contest and returned it for a touchdown that put Tennessee (3-4, 1-4) up 20-3, and swung the momentum to the Volunteer side as Tennessee took a 34-3 victory over the struggling Bulldogs.

"It's almost indiscernible the difference between winning and losing,” Coach Phillip Fulmer said. “I want to say a special thanks to the team who did one heck of a job this week preparing, staying the course and working. To the coaches, for the work they did during the week and especially tonight we got some really nice work done. Overall, it was just a fantastic win for us. That win is something to build on."”

The game was suppose to be a lackluster affair between two of the SEC’s worst, and for the first half it appeared to be headed in that direction. The Vols scored on two Daniel Lincoln field goals, and took a 6-3 lead into the locker room.

However, Nick Stephens and the Volunteer offense answered the call as they marched down the field on the opening possession in the second half. Austin Rogers appeared to catch a Stephens’s 21-yard touchdown pass, but was ruled down at the one yard line.

However, the offense would not be shut out of the end zone as Montario Hardesty jumped over the pile into the end zone.

The Tennessee defense continued to shut down the Bulldogs offense. Berry electrified the Neyland Stadium crowd as he returned an interception 72 yards.

“I don't know if I've ever seen anybody like Eric Berry,” Fulmer said. “It's amazing what he does when he has a football in his hands and the spirit that he brings to the team.”

Berry finished the game with 10 tackles, one tackle for loss, one sack, and an interception for a touchdown. With the interception, Berry became the SEC’s career interception return leader as a sophomore.

"On the interception I was headed to the ball and I think Ellix (Wilson) tipped it and it went downhill from there,” Berry said. “As far as breaking the record, I feel like it's really a team effort as well as an individual effort. We're getting great pressure up front week-in and week-out and doing great blocking down the field after the interception."

On the next Bulldog possession, it was Dematrice Morley’s turn to get an interception as he sprinted 32 yards for the touchdown. The Vols then put the game in Lennon Creer’s hands as he carried the ball for 12 straight plays for 51 yards, and Creer got into the end zone from one yard out.

Creer ended the game with 17 carries for 68 yards and one touchdown. Stephens ended the game 10 of 20 for 136 yards, and Adrian Foster added 40 yards on 11 carries.

The Volunteer defense had five sacks on the night, and limited Mississippi State’s offense to 189 yards.
However, Coach Fulmer knows that the victory was important, but UT still have work to do.

“There is still much to be done, but I think this is something we could build-on and build the confidence of the football team,” Coach Fulmer said. “The energy from the team and the stadium in the second half when we finally started making plays (was great). We have sometimes been our own worst enemy. We had no turnovers tonight and one penalty for the evening, and if nothing else, that's great progress.”

The Vols host #2 Alabama on Saturday evening.

Apps Survive Wild One

STATESBORO, Ga. – Writing perhaps the most dramatic chapter in the always-thrilling Appalachian State-Georgia Southern rivalry, No. 2 Appalachian took the lead with 2:36 to play and stood up GSU in the red zone twice in the final two minutes to hold on for a 37-36 win on Saturday afternoon at Paulson Stadium.

Armanti Edwards almost single-handedly led Appalachian (5-2, 3-0 SoCon) in the heart-stopping triumph, accounting for 333 of ASU’s 454 total yards and all five touchdowns in the win.Edwards capped off his amazing performance by flying over the Mountaineer front for a one-yard touchdown dive on fourth-and-goal that gave the Apps a 37-34 advantage with 2:36 to go in the ballgame. The fourth-down conversion was the second of the drive for the Mountaineers, as Edwards eluded several would-be tacklers in the backfield on fourth-and-five from the GSU 43 before finding CoCo Hillary for a 15-yard gain to keep the possession alive.Immediately following Edwards’ score, Georgia Southern (3-4, 1-3 SoCon) marched 69 yards in four plays to the ASU 13 yard line. On third-and-eight, defensive back Travis Dowdaintercepted GSU quarterback Antonio Henton at the goal line to seemingly seal the Appalachian victory.

However, the officials ruled Dowda down inches outside the goal line and on ASU’s first play after the turnover, GSU’s Larry Beard stopped Edwards for a safety that cut the Mountaineer advantage to 37-36.After the free kick, the Eagles took over on their 42 yard line and moved all the way to the Mountaineer 27 before a huge sack by Anthony Williams pushed the Eagles back to the ASU 39. After two incomplete passes, safety Mark LeGree intercepted Henton at the goal line on fourth-and-22 with 14 seconds remaining. The officials again spotted the the ball inside the one yard line, but after a brief discussion, the ruling to a touchback and Edwards took a knee on the final play to run out the clock.

The fourth-quarter was a microcosm of the entire game, as the affair featured eight lead changes. Appalachian opened strong with a nine-play, 80-yard drive that was capped by an acrobatic catch in the corner of the end zone by B.J. Frazier on an option run-turned-pass from Edwards, giving ASU a 7-0 edge less than five minutes in.After GSU kicked a field goal on its initial possession and forced an ASU punt on the next series, the Eagles took their first lead of the game when Raja Andrews returned the Mountaineer punt 84 yards for a touchdown. The touchdown return was the fourth allowed by Appalachian this season (two kickoffs and two punts).Georgia Southern extended its lead to 13-7 on a 37-yard Adrian Mora field goal early in the second period, but Appalachian regained the advantage on its ensuing possession when Edwards directed a six-play, 62-yard drive, capped by his five-yard touchdown run that made it 14-13, ASU.

It remained 14-13 until the Eagles put together their first sustained drive of the afternoon, a 10-play, 80-yard series that culminated with a four-yard touchdown run by quarterback Antonio Henton that gave GSU a 20-14 halftime advantage.

The Mountaineers started fast again in the second half, turning the halftime deficit into a 24-20 lead on a 14-yard touchdown pass from Edwards to Brian Quick and a 22-yard Jason Vitaris field goal.The advantage flip-flopped three more times over the next 7:13, with Michael McIntosh’s 15-yard touchdown catch from Henton giving Georgia Southern a 34-31 lead with 9:46 left in the game and setting up the wild flurry at the finish.

In all, Edwards ran 33 times for 157 yards and three touchdowns and completed 12-of-22 passes for 176 yards and two more scores. Josh Johnson was his top target, hauling in four receptions for 49 yards. Devin Radford chipped in with 76 yards on the ground and one catch for seven yards.Defensive, the Mountaineers were paced by Williams, who had one-and-a-half sacks among his five tackles and forced a fumble. Linebacker Jacque Roman tallied a team-best 11 stops and cornerback Cortez Gilbert notched seven tackles and broke up three passes.Henton finished with 292 yards through the air and 99 on the ground in the loss.

Appalachian’s triumph marked the first time it has ever won back-to-back games at Georgia Southern, while its 37 points were the it has ever scored in Statesboro. For the first time in the series that dates back to 1932, the visiting team has won three-straight decisions.

Standing at 3-0 in Southern Conference play for only the 11th time in their 37 years in the league, the Mountaineers host longtime rival Furman next Saturday at Kidd Brewer Stadium. The “Black Saturday” kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m.

Tennessee vs. Mississippi State

6:00: We are in Knoxville for tonight's SEC showdown as the Tennessee Vols are hosting the Bulldogs of Mississippi State for a 7:07 kickoff. We will not be blogging during tonight's game, but will have a recap and game photos up later this weekend. The Bulldogs are coming off a major upset of Vanderbilt last week, while the Vols are just trying to pick up a victory. It looks to be a fun night and we will have you covered here on the Avery Journal-Times Sports Blog.

AJ-T Sports Blog LIVE FROM.... Mars Hill College

It's Saturday afternoon, and that means LIVE coverage of college football here on the blog. My colleague Matt Laws will be at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville later this evening for tonight's SEC showdown between Mississippi State and Tennessee.

But first, I'll be posting live updates here from the Press Box at Mars Hill College for this afternoon's tussle between the Mars Hill Lions (4-3, 1-2 in South Atlantic Conference play) and the Brevard Tornadoes (1-5, 0-3 SAC).

A pair of former Avery Vikings standouts, senior quarterback Ricky Spradling and redshirt sophomore linebacker Zach Johnson, will be starting today for the Lions.

I'll be periodically updating the game with stats and drive summaries, as well as odds and ends. Mars Hill is providing live stat updates real-time as well, and you can check that out by clicking the following link: http://sports.mhc.edu/football/Livestats/xlive.htm

1:35 PM - Brevard takes the opening kickoff on a cool, cloudy afternoon from Meares Stadium, and breaks off a 55-yard quarterback run from Trey Wilburn. Zach makes a hit on the quarterback on a third and goal carry to initally keep the Tornadoes out of the end zone. Brevard earns and first-and-goal and cashes in on a carry by running back John Taylor for the first score of the game. The PAT is good and the Tornadoes take the early 7-0 lead.

1:40 PM - On the Lions' first possession, Spradling carries the ball 15 yards for a first down on the first offensive play across midfield. Spradling converts a third down with a ten yard scramble to the Tornadoes 37. Spradling converts another third down on the drive with a screen pass to RB George Washington. A quick pass to former Murpy standout receiver Tyrea Allen set the Lions up with third and short, but a holding penalty pushed Mars Hill outside the Brevard red zone. Another pass completion leaves Mars Hill with fourth down from the Brevard 18, which the Lions decided to gamble and try to convert. On fourth down Ricky Spradling finds RB George Stripling out of the backfield with a pass that goes for a touchdown. PAT fails with 6:02 left in the opening quarter, Brevard leads 7-6.

1:55 PM- On Brevard's second possession, Zach Johnson is in on a pair of tackles as the Tornadoes are held to three-and-out and punts back to Mars Hill. The Lions keep the ball on the ground for the first four plays and advances to midfield. Spradling completes a pass to his tight end inside the 20 yard line as the first quarter concludes. Brevard leads 7-6 after the first period. Ricky Spradling is 5 of 7 for 70 yards and a touchdown after one period. Zach Johnson with three tackles, one for loss.

2:05 PM - George Washington carries the ball for a five-yard touchdown to put the Lions on top for the first time in the game. The point after try is good, capping an 11-play, 70-yard scoring drive. Mars Hill leads 13-7 with 13:40 left in the half.

2:15 PM - Brevard's next possession consumed over three minutes off the second period clock, but the drive stalls when a fourth down play inside the Lions 20 is fumbled away, giving the Lions back the football on offense. The Lions give the football back as a long pass from Spradling is intercepted by Brevard's Chase Waldo at the Tornado 20-yard line.
Brevard drives the ball using its option running attack, and the help of a personal foul penalty moved the ball into Mars Hill territory, but the defense stiffens to force a Brevard punt back to the Lions. 4:14 2nd period, 13-7 Mars Hill leads.

Mars Hill is unable to move the football and punts to Brevard to close the first half of play. 13-7 Mars Hill at intermission.
Halftime Stats:

QB Ricky Spradling: 8 of 11, 85 yards, TD, INT

5 rushes, 32 yards
RB Zach Johnson: 6 tackles (1 TFL)


3 PM - Mars Hill fumbles the ball with its first possession of the third quarter in Brevard territory. Brevard drives the football for over six minutes of clock time and scores on a Matthew Gaines four yard touchdown run, capping a 13 play-55 yard drive. The successful PAT puts the Tornadoes back in the lead 14-13 with 6:35 left in the third quarter.

3:20 PM - Mars Hill opens its ensuing drive at its own 29 yard line, moving downfield with a couple of key runs, including a 22 yard touchdown run by RB George Washington off the right guard. The play capped a 10 play, 71-yard drive to give the Lions the lead at 19-14. Spradling completed a 2-point conversion pass to Elroy Harris to put Mars Hill ahead 21-14 with 1:41 to go in the third quarter. Brevard takes possession to close out the third period and the Lions leading by a touchdown.

3:35 PM - The Tornadoes were held and forced to punt back to Mars Hill, who began a drive from its own 28-yard line. With 8:14 left Spradling pump faked and hit Tyrea Allen with an 18-yard touchdown pass to cap a 11 play, 72 yard drive. The PAT is successful to stake the Lions to a 28-14 lead.

The Mars Hill defense holds the Tornadoes to three-and-out and must punt back to the Lions with 6:21 left in the contest. The Lions look to melt away the clock, but a fumble turns the football back over to the Tornadoes at its own 40-yard line with 4:11 remaining. An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty gives the Lions a first down just inside Lions territory with 3:11 to play. Brevard trailing by two scores does not appear to be in a hurry, huddling with under three minutes left. Brevard continues to go with its option running game and faces a fourth and ten with 2:06 to go.

The Tornadoes have been held to under 200 yards rushing and no passing yards in the game, while Mars Hill has 359 yards in total offense. Spradling is an efficient 13 of 18 in the game for 145 yards and a pair of TD passes. Mars Hill forces a sack on the Brevard QB to turn the ball over on downs with 1:37 remaining. Spradling has been replaced at quarterback for the final drive as the Lions have sealed a 28-14 win to move to 5-3, and a 2-2 mark in SAC play.

We'll try to have some audio comments from both Spradling and Johnson later this afternoon.

Wolverines Devour Vikings on Homecoming at Polk

The Avery Vikings fell 28-7 at Polk County on Friday night. Avery scored its lone touchdown in the game's final ten seconds on a two-yard touchdown run by sophomore quarterback Taylor Potter.

Click the link above for a quick game recap courtesy of the Avery Vikings Sports Network's Phillip Greene with Go Blue Ridge.

Vikings Look for Elusive Victory at Polk County

Following a disappointing 35-6 loss at home to Hendersonville, the Avery Vikings (1-6, 0-2 WHC) travel to Polk County to take on defending conference champion and surprisingly surging Wolverines (5-3, 2-1 WHC). Polk County outlasted the Mitchell Mountaineers in a 26-20 come-from-behind victory in Ledger last week. Polk County defeated Avery 26-6 in Newland last season.

Scouting the Wolverines:
The Polk County Wolverines are led by seventh-year veteran head coach Bruce Ollis (141-105 overall record, 58-24 at Polk). Polk advanced to the state 1A playoffs a season ago, losing 20-14 to Hendersonville in the first round.

In its rich history the Wolverines have made ten playoff appearances since 1972 and is 6-10 all time in postseason play. The Wolverines have won at least 10 games in four of the past five seasons, marking the best five-year period in school history.

Polk returned six starters on both sides of the football to open the season, but lost one of them in quarterback J.P. Ruth when he fractured his hand in three places in the team’s loss to Chase.
The loss of Ruth compounded the other holes that the team needed to fill at season’s dawn, as all-conference players Derrick Overholt and Regis Bittle were among players lost to graduation from last season’s conference championship squad.

Three weeks into the season, Polk reverted from the spread offense to a run-heavy option style of offense, using the talented feet of coach’s son senior Jordan Ollis (102 rushes, 396 yards, 7 TD) to set the pace. However in recent weeks, the team has went more to a balanced blend of run and pass, as Ollis has gotten comfortable in the pocket (54 of 114 passing, 787 yards, 4 TD, 6 INT).

Senior wide receiver Kamron Kerr has remained a constant in the Polk offensive attack, racking up 31 receptions for 416 yards and a pair of touchdowns this season. Sophomore wide receiver Andre Overholt has seen his playing time and contributions increase of late, catching 10 passes for 204 yards and a touchdown (caught last week at Mitchell).

The Wolverine defense has proven stern through the season to date, surrendering only 13.5 points per game in 2008.

Nine of the 11 defensive starters ran 4.7 40-yard dashes or better at the start of the season, but the lack of defensive girth could hurt Polk in a smashmouth contest. The Wolverines will employ multiple defensive looks in an attempt to compensate for their weaknesses.

“We’re very multiple defensively” Polk head coach Bruce Ollis told a Hendersonville newspaper during summer camp. “You’ll see us in five-man fronts, six-man fronts, four-man fronts, multiple coverages and we also do a lot of stunting. One thing we like to do is keep people guessing on both sides of the ball.”

Leading tackler Ollis is anchored at linebacker and Kerr has developed into a frontline playmaker at the free safety position.

The Low Down:
For Avery to pull out a victory on Friday night, they will need to establish its power running game. The Vikings unveiled a new power-I formation offensively last week using three bruising backs in the backfield in Zac Hall, Jon Clark, and Cole Blackburn.

The Vikings had early success running this tandem on the Bearcats last week, but was unable to sustain the attack once the team trailed on the scoreboard.

Defensively, Avery must do a similar job of limiting the speed of Polk as it did in the first half of last Friday’s loss to Hendersonville. Pass defense has to improve should Polk quarterback Ollis choose to take to the air, however.

The Big Red must also avoid turning the football over, especially on its own end of the field as Hendersonville made Avery pay for its mistakes in last week’s loss.

By the Numbers:
2 – rushing touchdowns by Polk County QB Jordan Ollis in last week’s victory over Mitchell.
3- number of successful third down conversions by Avery (out of 11 attempts) in last week’s loss to Hendersonville.
5 – number of completions by Avery quarterbacks in last week’s contest for a total of 83 yards.
37- rushing attempts by the Vikings last week against Hendersonville.
47- rushing yards by Avery’s Cole Blackburn to lead the Vikings last week.
110 – receiving yards by Polk WR Andre Overholt in last week’s win over Mitchell.
215 – number of passing yards by Polk County quarterback Austin Ollis last week.

Tennessee Coach Phillip Fulmer Media Comments from Tuesday

Courtesy of Utsports.com

"It goes without saying that no one is happy at all with the season to this point. We all know and understand that winning cures a lot of things: frustration, confidence level, and those kinds of things that come with having a disappointing season. As I told our football team--and we talked about it as a staff--anybody that has played this game for any length of time has had their struggles at times when things didn't come together like you would have expected them to. Going back to high school or my time as an assistant here or as an assistant at Wichita State, there have been lots of battles to fight. As a head coach, at different times, there have been a few (seasons) like this one where you'd have to persevere and overcome. We've been able to do that in the past and certainly expect to do that again.

"We look at our football team every Sunday as we grade the tape and make evaluations of whose doing well and what schemes are working. We've certainly done that to a greater degree now more than ever. We're looking at our personnel, looking at our practice schedule, looking at our schemes, anything that we can do to do better and change what's going on. We have changed some of the practice schedule routine going into this week with a little bit more game-like situations and full-speed type things to get some of that carryover--for an inexperienced quarterback for example--from practice to the games. Our plans, we feel like, have been good, but our execution has not been there. How can we help, whether it be a guard be better or a tight end be better or a quarterback be better or a safety be better? We have certainly looked and adjusted that some starting today.

"The good thing is that we don't have an effort problem. Our guys are busting their rears if you watch the game on Saturday or go back and watch the tape. There's a lot of really good effort on both sides of the ball. Our defense is flying around but made some mistakes in the course of the ballgame and gave up some big chunks of yards. But I don't see our team making excuses or having a lack of effort. I saw a lot of them come around yesterday to watch tape on their own. I saw a group of quarterbacks and receivers out there on their own throwing and catching in the indoor facility. Those are positive signs that our guys are really listening and staying the course and are anxious to get this turned around like we all want to"I have to credit the staff some for that, the energy and their character of how they've approached this, having to work through the disappointment and frustration that comes with not having the kind of season that you would like to have.

"We have a number of issues that we have to address. Early in the season, we were a very good running football team. What has happened to that is people are daring us to run the ball against numbers that are not in our favor. That makes things more difficult. Down and distance becomes a problem, and we haven't been very good in any kind of third-and- medium or third-and-long situation of consistent execution. However, we have in the last two ballgames made people pay for those efforts to play man-to-man and we have to continue to make them pay for it. Denarius Moore has made a couple of really nice plays and Nick (Stephens) has a knack for finding those guys and getting the ball to them with accurate throws. We'll continue to work toward those kinds of plays.

"Mississippi State is a good team. They had a nice win versus Vanderbilt. The tailback is a good player and the quarterback is making plays for them. I think he's given them a lift, much like Nick has for us. The offensive line is physical and they have a good group of receivers and tight ends. They're a real challenge for our defensive football team. Last year they might have been the most physical team that we played, and we're expecting the same kind of football game this year.

"Defensively, they're a very aggressive team that will challenge you. I think Vanderbilt had 107 total yards, which is really not very good at all but good for their defense. We've got to work at it, have a great week of preparation and take that preparation and be as good as we can possibly be in the game. Hopefully, that preparation, some of the full-speed things, will carry over for us."

CHS Schedule Change

The Highlanders last regular season contest with Hampton has been moved to Thursday, October 30th. The game was orginally scheduled for Halloween Night. More Details will be available in the print edition of the Avery Journal-Times and Sports Blog as it becomes available.

The 'Landers host Unaka Friday night before traveling to Grace Christian next Friday night.

Johnson Named SAC Defensive Player of the Week

ROCK HILL, S.C. - The South Atlantic Conference Football Players of the Week have been announced for the week ending Oct. 11, 2008. Tusculum quarterback Corey Russell was named the SAC Offensive Player of the Week, while Mars Hill linebacker Zach Johnson was named the SAC Defensive Player of the Week. Wingate return specialist Antonio Cotton was named the SAC Special Teams Player of the Week.

Russell, a 6-4, 190-pound senior from Speedwell, Tenn., accounted for six of his team's eight touchdowns in Tusculum's 55-42 win over Brevard. Russell passed for four touchdowns and ran for two. He went 22-for-29 for 328 passing yards, while also churning out 73 yards on seven carries. This marks the fourth time this season Russell has been named the SAC Offensive Player of the Week.

Johnson, a 6-2, 230-pound sophomore from Newland, N.C., was Mars Hill's leader on defense as the Lions posted a 27-6 win over No. 25 Newberry. Johnson tallied nine tackles, including a pair of sacks and an interception. His pick led the Lions to their first score of the game. He also accounted for a pair of quarterback hurries and a pass break-up.

Cotton, a 6-1, 165-pound junior from Tampa, Fla., returned a punt for 71 yards and a touchdown in Wingate's 35-27 win over Lenoir-Rhyne. He also made five receptions for 89 yards, giving him 160 all-purpose yards on the day. Wingate is 7-0 for the first time in school history and ranked No. 15 in NCAA Division II.

The South Atlantic Conference Football Players of the Week are selected by a vote of the league's sports information directors.

Lady Vikings Fall at Madison, Host Senior Night

As the regular season winds down, the Avery Lady Vikings hit the home stretch of the conference schedule last week, facing a pair of tough challenges in a Tuesday match at Madison and the team’s home finale against Mountain Heritage on Thursday.

In Tuesday’s match the junior varsity squad pulled out a thrilling three-game victory, coming from behind to win in three games by scores of 17-25, 25-18, and 29-27.

The varsity team played a grinding match against the Lady Patriots. Avery came up short in the first game 20-25, but showed dominance in running away with the second game 25-14. Madison regrouped quickly, however, and captured the final two games 25-13 and 25-17, respectively.

Katie Ellis sparked the offense with 23 kills and eight digs, with 13 service points from fellow senior Brittney Hagie. Cassie Bumgarner added 31 assists, with three kills and 10 digs by Savannah Dellinger, seven digs from Rachel Buchanan, two kills and a block by Megan Tennant, and four kills from freshman Shelby McKinney.

“Madison is a very scrappy team, and we just couldn't get it going,” Avery head volleyball coach Kim Hayes said after the match.

On Thursday the Lady Vikings celebrated Senior Night, honoring a quintet of players who have made great contributions to the Avery volleyball program. Prior to the varsity match, Rachel Buchanan, Katie Ellis, Brittney Hagie, Sara Singleton, and Kiley Webb were recognized along with their families.

Prior to the varsity match, the junior varsity fell in two games by scores of 15-25 and 25-27.
Once the varsity contest began, the visiting Lady Cougars of Mountain Heritage made it a point to play the role of spoiler for the evening.
The Lady Vikings played three nip-and-tuck games against Heritage, but good fortune was not with the home team, as the Lady Cougars picked up victories in three straight hotly contested affairs by scores of 23-25, 24-26, and 25-27, respectively.

Katie Ellis had 21 kills, eight digs, and three blocks, with 11 assists from Sara Singleton, six digs from Rachel Buchanan, and two kills from Brittney Hagie. Cassie Bumgarner had 11 assists, with a pair of blocks from Megan Tennant.

“I felt the effort was much better against Mountain Heritage. We were so close every game, actually ahead, but just couldn't finish,” Coach Hayes said following the match. “I really wanted a win for the girls and our fans since it was senior night.”

Despite the loss, the evening was a celebration of the senior players whose contributions to the Lady Viking program have made an impact on the school as well as the coach who was regretful to only coach them for their final season.

“It has been hard for me coming back into coaching and not being with these girls the other three years. That makes a huge difference, and I wish I could have coached them,” Coach Hayes explained. “It has been trying at times for them as well, learning about me and my coaching style. My expectations for all my players are high and I expect things to be done and done correctly. I expect them to play harder than the time they played before.”

In just a brief time the players and coach have formed a tight-knit family-like atmosphere.
“The seniors and others have given me all they could give and I thank them for that. Brittney and Sara both have worked very hard this year and contributed many great things to our program, and Kiley has as well. Kiley had to fight a couple of illnesses this season that caused her to miss over a week of school and volleyball. Rachel has impressed me so much this season. She has played some incredible defensive games, made some awesome digs, and some I never thought she could do. Our defense will miss her tremendously,” Coach Hayes reflected.

“Then there is Katie. I can't imagine what it will be like without her. She has more natural ability than I have ever seen before and by far is the most talented player I have ever coached. She had such an awesome game against Heritage, and I was so happy for her because Lenoir Rhyne’s volleyball coach Dave Markland was there recruiting her. He was my first coach who introduced me to Junior Olympics, the state games, and national competition, and I finished my career with him as coach at ASU. It was very special.”

Avery concluded the regular season with a match Tuesday at Mitchell, and hopes to be able to shore up areas where the team needs to strengthen heading into potential poseason contests.
“I feel like some players have come on in the hitting aspect. But for some reason our defense has let down. I have been waiting for both aspects to come together on the same night,” the coach shared. “At this point, we need to be playing more together as a team and playing for each other.”

By week’s end the Lady Vikings will know whether they have earned a state playoff berth.
“I am not sure what our chances are for the playoffs. We can play with Polk and Hendersonville. I feel we are a legitimate contender for the playoffs,” Coach Hayes said. “I would love to see us go and, even better, win the first round.”

Second Half Surge Lifts Bearcats over Vikings

Fresh off its Homecoming victory last Friday night, the Avery football team hoped that the momentum from the win would carry over into its conference contest with Hendersonville on a damp night for football at MacDonald Stadium.

Avery began strong with the first touchdown of the night, but the Bearcats answered with a bang, using big plays on offense for 35 unanswered points in a 35-6 Avery loss.

Offense was at a premium through the opening quarter as neither team could put points on the board. Avery used the final possession of the period to march downfield, and on the third play of the second quarter struck for the first points of the game. On fourth down from the Hendersonville 32-yard line, Avery chose to roll the dice and go for a conversion. Vikings quarterback Adam Pate found wide receiver Dylan Aldridge in stride, who outran the Hendersonville defense for a touchdown. The extra point kick was unsuccessful, but Avery held a 6-0 advantage.

Avery’s hard-fought lead lasted all of 18 seconds, as Hendersonville’s Cedrick Allen received the ensuing Viking kickoff and raced 90 yards to put the Bearcats on the board. The point after try was good and the Bearcats led 7-6.

Throughout the first half, the Avery offense found success running the football, but was not able to drive deep into Hendersonville territory. Late in the first half Avery committed its first turnover when a fumbled snap was recovered by the Bearcats in Viking territory. The Bearcats cashed in on the opportunity when quarterback Ben Walgenbach threw a 27-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Daniel Orr. The Will Roper extra point kick gave the Bearcats a 14-6 halftime advantage.
Avery doubled Hendersonville in total offense for the first half, but still found itself on the short end of a deficit.

Hendersonville tacked on 21 second half points while holding the Vikings to 19 yards of offense over the final two quarters of play. The Bearcats received the opening kickoff of the second half and drove 84 yards over 12 plays to reach the end zone again. Almost six minutes was consumed off the third quarter clock when Walgenbach connected with Orr for a second touchdown pass, a seven-yard dart to give the Bearcats a 21-6 edge.

Avery turned the ball over via fumble on its first offensive play of the second half. The Bearcats capitalized just three plays later when Walgenbach ran seven yards for a score to up the lead to 28-6 with 3:42 remaining in the third period.

With its second and final possession of the period, Avery was held to a three-and-out and punted the ball away to the Bearcats. Avery ran only four offensive plays in the entire third quarter as Hendersonville dominated the time of possession battle.

Following the punt, the Bearcats continued to grind out yards as well as the clock. A nine-play, 79 yard drive which elapsed almost five minutes off the clock was capped by Walgenbach’s second touchdown run, a 24-yard scamper to close out the game’s scoring.

Avery was unable to find an answer for the Hendersonville defense, while injuries continued to hamstring the Big Red’s chances of victory.

Colton Blackburn led the Vikings rushing attack with 11 carries for 46 yards, while Adam Pate was 4 of 7 passing for 76 yards and a touchdown. Chris Childress, Taylor Potter, and Travis Thomas each recorded six tackles in the contest. Cedrick Allen led the Bearcats with 16 carries for 81 yards, while Ben Walgenbach was 5 of 10 passing for 139 yards.

The Vikings fall to 1-6, with an 0-2 conference mark. Avery travels to Columbus to take on Polk County in Western Highlands Conference play on Friday night.

Men's Soccer Coach Leaving Avery High School

Avery High School French teacher and men’s head soccer coach Lou Brancourt is resigning from Avery effective in November to pursue a career in Salt Lake City, Utah.

“I am writing you today to let you know that I am headed out of Avery County High School. I made the decision to leave a few months ago, and I am paying attention to my little voice who is telling me, “why not, why not?””, Brancourt wrote in a letter sent to his soccer players and parents last week.

Brancourt came from France to Avery County High School as a student in 1989 and was a two-year player on the men’s soccer team. Beginning in 2002, Lou began working with the high school women’s soccer program as an assistant under head coach Tom Evaul. Brancourt assumed the head coaching duties of Avery’s men’s soccer program in 2005.

Several factors have contributed to Coach Lou’s decision to make this move. “I was ready to move this summer but I didn't want to leave without one more season with those boys,” Brancourt commented regarding the decision in an interview over the weekend. “Now I am leaving in November before the end of the semester so I can have a little time to find a teaching position in Salt Lake City for next semester.”

Chief among the coach’s reasons to move is consideration for someone he deeply cares for, his girlfriend Una. “Why am I leaving? For a girl (I told you that the French were romantic)”, Brancourt wrote in his letter. “This is an opportunity for me to explore more of this amazing country and I feel that it is not a bad time in my life to do so. You may think that I am crazy, and you are right, I am a little crazy…but I really feel good about this move. I need some new spices in my life; I need to face some new challenges and I need to be in harmony with my heart.”

Although his decision was made, the coach was honest in expressing the difficulty with making such a choice. “It's always hard to move and to leave behind you family and friends, but I am a little nomad inside,” Brancourt stated. “I am always excited to make a move. I left home in France when I was 16, almost twenty years ago.”

As far as the state of the soccer programs are concerned, Coach Brancourt is certain that the program will continue to thrive and improve.

“I’m leaving the team in a good position. We are getting better and better, our record is showing progress in scoring and on defense, our numbers are increasing, we are moving up in the conference standings each year. The boys are doing an excellent job in the classroom and in the community, and next year, if everybody returns and we can add some key player who didn't play this year, plus a really good freshman class, the team will be able to compete in the state playoffs,” Brancourt shared. “It's going to be hard to not coach the girl’s team with Coach Evaul. They are going to be a very, very strong. Polk and Hendersonville need to watch out as the girls are ready to play.”

Brancourt expressed deep appreciation to a number of people in his letter, including the parents and families within the program through the years, of whom he said “no coach is capable to make an impact on a team without”, and specifically Coach Tom Evaul of whom the coach wrote “Coach Evaul, you have been a coach, a teacher, a boss, a mentor, a father at times, and a great friend. I will miss you dearly.”

Coach Brancourt was quick to admit the lessons learned from his years of coaching and teaching at Avery High School. “I learned one just last week: you just really never know who you impact in life, who you help out, or even emotionally hurt,” the coach explained. “Every semester, every season, you deal with so many students or players. You can never treat anybody the same, you can never coach or teach the same. It's always different and you are always learning.”

Vols Look To Carry Over Practice Effort

Courtesy of UTSPORTS.com

Tennessee head coach Phillip Fulmer wasn't shy Sunday night when discussing the Vols current state of performance.

"There's a lot of frustration by a lot of people," Fulmer said after the team's practice inside the Neyland-Thompson Sports Center. "Our frustration as coaches right now is just finding that consistency we know is there. We see it in practice enough, but (in games) we are not making plays and that ends up costing us opportunities or even ballgames.

"Especially offensively the inconsistency we have had, it's not one particular person or position or anything like that. It's one here and one there enough that we've not been -- and this is an understatement -- very efficient."

The Vols have a chance to turn things around during a stretch of three home games in their next four, beginning Saturday with a 7 p.m. kickoff against Mississippi State. VideoSeat is providing the pay-per-view telecast.

"We're working at it," Fulmer said. "We had good energy tonight. If we can bring that energy on Tuesday -- that's absolutely the only way I know to get where we need to be and that's consistently practice well, take the practice into the game and play well."

ASU Outlasts Samford

Courtesy: Appalachian Sports Information

No. 2 Appalachian State University rebounded from a sluggish start to defeat Samford, 35-24, on Saturday afternoon at Seibert Stadium. A combination of Appalachian miscues and Samford trickery accounted for ASU falling into an early14-7 hole. ASU turned the ball over twice in the first quarter (one which led to SU’s first score) and Samford opened up the bag of tricks with attempts at an onside kick, direct snap to the halfback, halfback pass to the quarterback and, most notably, a fake field-goal that extended the Bulldogs’ second touchdown drive.

The damage could have been even worse, as a fumbled kickoff return gave the Bulldogs possession at the ASU 24 late in the opening period. However, after the Mountaineers’ special-teams mistakes in the first quarter, it ironically was a special-teams play that turned the tide, as Cortez Gilbert blocked a 32-yard Samford field-goal attempt on the third play of the second period to keep the Apps’ deficit at just one touchdown.

The second quarter was all Appalachian (4-2, 2-0 SoCon), as quarterback Armanti Edwards directed scoring drives of 78, 67 and 52 yards and the Mountaineer defense held Samford to 16 yards and no first downs to take a 28-14 halftime lead.

In the first half alone, Edwards completed 18-of-20 passes for 258 yards and three touchdowns.Samford cut the ASU advantage to 28-17 with a 22-yard field goal with 5:30 to play in the third quarter, but Edwards put the game away with a 25-yard touchdown run just over three minutes into the final period. Samford added a one-yard touchdown run by quarterback Dustin Taliaferro with 2:02 to go to account for the final margin.

Edwards finished with a season-high 370 yards of total offense and four touchdowns (three passing, one rushing) on 22-of-29 passing for 307 yards and 13 rushes for 63 yards. His top target was CoCo Hillary, who caught eight balls for 78 yards and two scores.Defensively, linebacker D.J. Smith led the way with a game-high 16 tackles, 12 of which were solo. Fellow ‘backer Jacque Roman added 10 stops, including a 13-yard sack, and broke up a pass while Gilbert made eight tackles to go along with two pass break-ups and the critical field-goal block.

Chris Evans led Samford (3-3, 1-2 SoCon) with 144 yards and a touchdown on the ground.Appalachian closes out its only two-game road trip of the season when it travels to Southern Conference rival Georgia Southern next Saturday. The contest, which will be televised across the Southeast on SportSouth, kicks off at 3 p.m.

NOTES: With a 16-yard completion to T.J. Courman in the first quarter, Edwards became just the seventh player in NCAA Division I history (FCS or FBS) with 5,000 passing yards and 3,000 rushing yards in a season, joining Louisiana-Lafayette’s Brian Mitchell (1986-89), Morehead State’s David Dinkins (1997-2000), Indiana’s Antwaan Randle El (2001-04), Texas’ Vince Young (2003-05) and Missouri’s Brad Smith (2002-05) ... the game was Samford’s first-ever SoCon tilt at home ... Saturday’s attendance of 10,670 was the third-largest in 6,700-seat Seibert Stadium history ... ASU has played in front of capacity crowds in 23 of its last 28 regular-season games ... after not registering a receiving touchdown in the first 19 games of his career, Hillary now has three touchdown catches in the past two games ... senior Billy Riddle made his first start in two years at safety in place of injured Mark LeGree ... Riddle missed the entire 2007 season while doing missionary work in war-ravaged Sudan ... Appalachian is 2-0 in SoCon play for only the third time in the past six seasons and the 18th time in its 37 years in the conference.

Avery Tennis Completes Regular Season, Competes in State Duals and Conference Tournaments

The Lady Vikings had Senior Night on Tuesday night, but came up short against Mountain Heritage.

“Mountain Heritage came to play, and that they did,” Avery Tennis Coach Rhiannon Manis said. “However we held our own much better this time, but we just fell short. Even though the scores don't show it there were long close points in each game.”

In single action, Judi Dillishaw defeated Shanna Hensley 10-2, while Anna Melton, Morgan Yackey, Hayden Blackbrun, Leah Powell and Echo Wise all fell in their matches.
In doubles action, the teams of Dillishaw and Blackburn and Powell and Lauren Avery took their matches. Melton and Yackey came up short in their match.

“All of the girls worked hard and wanted this win more than ever, and that's what matters most to me,” Coach Manis said. “They really made Mountain Heritage this match. Tennis is not an easy sport, and no ordinary person can do what each of these girls accomplish, day in and day out. They have made the tennis program come a long way, and I'm very proud of their success this season.”

The Lady Vikings took on Cherryville in opening round State Duals action on Monday, defeating the Ironmen with five combined match victories in singles and doubles play.

Anna Melton and Morgan Yackey each were defeated in singles action in third set tiebreakers. Judi Dillashaw, Hayden Blackburn, Leah Powell, and Morgan Stout each won their singles matches, setting the Lady Vikings up to only need one doubles match victory to take the overall match.

The team of Dillishaw and Blackburn did the honors of clinching the match by winning their doubles match by a resounding 8-2 final score.

“This was a very even match all around. We knew nothing about this team, yet all the girls came to give it all they had, and showed tremendous determination and focus,” Coach Manis stated after the win. “To have many unknowns, play the matches different from the way the conference is usually done, and then have the pressure beginning doubles needing one match to win, the girls showed why they deserved to be there playing Cherryville and how badly they wanted this win. I am very proud of the girls and this accomplishment.”

The team returned to action on Tuesday, traveling to the Hendersonville Racquet Club for the conference tennis tournament. Three players, Yackey, Stout, and Melton, each advanced to the semifinal round, with Melton and Stout meeting in the semifinals. Melton was the only player to advance to the finals, and was defeated by Maddie Fahnley of Polk County.

In doubles action, the team of Leah Powell and Lauren Avery defeated Kristen Lastein-Emalee Robertson of Hendersonville 8-4, but fell in the semis to the Hendersonville team of Olivia Schoeff and Alice Colhoun. Avery’s duo of Judi Dillashaw and Hayden Blackburn defeated Polk’s team of Burgess and Magin in the other semifinal match. In the finals, Dillashaw/Blackburn captured a doubles conference championship by winning 8-7 (7-0 in tiebreaker) over Schoeff/Colhoun.

Melton, Dillashaw, and Blackburn will competed in regional tennis championships October 17th and 18th.

Vikings Carry Momentum into Grudge Match against Hendersonville

Looking to build off its first victory of 2008, the Avery Vikings (1-5, 0-1 WHC) welcome to town the Hendersonville Bearcats (6-1, 2-0 WHC). Avery defeated the West Henderson Falcons 31-30 on Homecoming last week, while Hendersonville also celebrated a victorious Homecoming last Friday, routing Madison 42-21.

Hendersonville defeated Avery 30-24 in a controversial overtime contest in Henderson County last season.

Scouting the Bearcats:
Hendersonville is coached by B.J. Laughter and utilize a version of the wishbone offense. The Bearcats were 7-6 overall last season, with a 2-4 mark in conference play, but have improved dramatically as its young players from a season ago have matured.

Hendersonville has experience at most skill positions. Leading the charge for the Bearcats is senior running back Cedrick Allen (107 rushes, 828 yards, 16 TD in 2008). An All-Western Highlands Conference player last season, Allen ran for over 1,500 yards in 2007 and scored 23 touchdowns.

“Cedrick’s the first kid I’ve ever appointed as a captain as a coach,” Hendersonville head coach BJ Laughter told the local newspaper in Hendersonville over the summer. “He has all the intangibles you want in a football player.”
Allen broke his nose in the first half of last week’s win over Madison. Rather than sit on the bench, he illustrated his heart by playing hurt and helping lead his team to victory.

Alongside Allen in the Bearcat backfield are seniors Darryl Demps and Darren Perry, who combined for 900 rushing yards last year and nine touchdowns.

“The chemistry is there and everybody knows what their role is,” Laughter said about the returning backfield. “There’s no dissension. They all share the load.”

Triggering the offense for Hendersonville is junior quarterback Ben Walgenbach (31 rushes, 220 yards, 2 TD; 32 of 54 passing for 917 yards with 11 TD). Walgenbach has already matched this season his 11 scores from a season ago. He is a player the coach calls one of the best quarterbacks he has ever coached, describing him as “a true field general.”

When the Bearcats choose to go to the air, the ball often falls into the hands of receivers Daniel Orr, Tory Sitton, and James Foster. The offensive line is anchored by 6’8”, 263-pound senior Wesley Cook.

The Low Down:
It is obvious that the Bearcats football program has been down the past couple of years, but this year’s team is one which many argue is its best since its 2003 team that went deep into the state 1A playoffs.

Although the Bearcats have talent and speed, the one team in the Western Highlands Conference that seems to fare well against them since 2005 has been the Vikings. If not for the travesty of the officials allowing a field goal to tie the game after time had expired at Dietz Field a season ago, Avery would have three straight victories in this series.

The Vikings showed a week ago that when they have all their players on the field and are able to avoid the injury bug, they can be both diverse and difficult to stop offensively.

For Avery to have an opportunity for victory this week, the defense will improve overall from last week’s performance, while maintaining the ability it showed last week to make momentum-changing plays. The team must also take care of the football.

Avery senior quarterback Adam Pate may be the X-factor on Friday night. If he is healthy enough to play at a high level this week, the two-headed attack of he and Chris Childress behind center will prove treacherous for the Hendersonville defense.

The wild card for Hendersonville this week will be their quarterback Walgenbach. He showed he can be a threat with both his arms and legs last week. The Big Red defense will have to keep him in check to improve its chances Friday night.

Finally, a number of Avery players remember well the debacle that occurred last season in Hendersonville which many say robbed them of a victory. This year’s squad has momentum and should be hungry to put that memory behind them by upending the Bearcats this week.

By the Numbers:
2- turnovers in Avery’s win last week over West Henderson, as well as touchdown rushes by Travis Thomas last week.
3- fumbles forced by the Viking defense last week.
4 – Avery players with multiple pass catches in last week’s 31-30 win.
18- cumulative tackles by Avery’s pair of Taylor Potter and Chris Childress in last week’s Homecoming victory.
224- Yards of total offense (124 passing, 100 rushing) by Hendersonville QB Ben Walgenbach in last week’s win over Madison.
292- rushing yards given up by the Hendersonville defense in last week’s win over the Patriots.

Vikings Football Breaks Through on Homecoming

The evening had a distinct fall chill in the air, but the gridiron action was anything but frigid. Using a late defensive stand and its highest offensive output of the season, Avery held on for a narrow 31-30 victory over the visiting West Henderson Falcons.

Avery opened the game with an impressive 71-yard drive encompassing ten plays and just over five minutes of the first quarter clock. The possession netted points as quarterback Adam Pate fired a fourth down pass to Chris Childress for a 27-yard score. A Sutton Stanley PAT staked the Big Red to a 7-0 lead.

West Henderson was also impressive once its offense possessed the pigskin, taking only seven plays to march 67 yards for a touchdown. Falcon fullback Kevin Thomas rumbled across the goal line from a yard out for the score, but West was unable to tie the game as Avery’s Jordan English blocked the point after attempt to allow Avery to keep a one-point edge at 7-6 with 4:05 to go in the opening period.

Late in the quarter the Vikings were able to again move the football with offensive efficiency, but the Falcon defense tightened and turned the Big Red away as a fourth down pass fell incomplete to turn the ball over on downs to West.

The Falcons relied heavily on its running game throughout the night, and the ground game moved West into Avery territory. A fumble by Kevin Thomas was recovered by Avery, however, to stop a potential scoring threat.

A five-minute drive ensued following the turnover, highlighted by a 40-yard pass play from Pate to wide receiver Tyler Blalock and capped off by a Pate two-yard scoring run. Stanley’s point after surged the Vikings to a 14-6 lead.
West Henderson sought out ways to move the ball downfield and looked for power and results from its running attack. Running back Kagan Williams broke away for a 50-yard run before being tracked down at the Avery 14. Four plays later, quarterback Dillon Baker bullied his way into the end zone from three yards out for a Falcon touchdown. A two-point run conversion was successful, knotting the score at 14 apiece with 2:28 left before intermission.

The teams traded possessions before Avery again had the football near midfield with 50 seconds left in the half. Over the course of five plays the Vikings moved the football into field goal range, where Stanley booted a 32-yard field goal attempt through the uprights for a 17-14 halftime lead.

During intermission, the Avery Homecoming court was introduced, with the announcement of Shaun Creech and Sara Singleton as 2008’s Homecoming King and Queen.

When action resumed for the second half, West was held to a three-and-out on its first series. A poor snap on the punt attempt resulted in excellent field position for Avery. The Vikings took advantage when running back Travis Thomas scored on a four-yard run. The extra point made the score 24-14 in favor of Avery with 8:42 left in the third period.

Both teams traded punts following the touchdown, but West got untracked offensively with a nine play, 44-yard drive. Kagan Williams raced into the end zone from two yards out for a touchdown, but a missed extra point left West trailing Avery 24-20 as time expired in the quarter.

In the final twelve minutes of action, high drama arose. On the first play of the quarter an Adam Pate pass was intercepted by West’s Gary Simpson and returned to the Viking 10-yard line. The Falcons were unable to score any points from the gaffe, however, as the team went four-and-out on a stellar defensive stand to turn the football over on downs to Avery.

With such poor field position the Vikings found it hard to advance upfield. The difficulty turned disastrous as Viking quarterback Chris Childress was called for intentional grounding in the end zone to award a safety to the Falcons and cut the Avery lead to only a pair at 24-22.

Following the free kick, Avery’s defense held again by forcing a West punt. With the football the Vikings again marched downfield poised to pad its lead. A pair of completions from Pate to tight end Colton Blackburn moved Avery into the West red zone, but an interception stalled the drive. A turning point in the contest arrived during West’s subsequent offensive series. A pass by Dillon Baker was anticipated and intercepted by defensive back Chris Childress, who cut through tacklers and was stopped four yards short of the goal line. The next play from scrimmage added to Avery’s lead as Thomas ran for his second four-yard touchdown of the night. Another PAT from Stanley gave the big Red a 31-22 advantage with only 2:06 left in the game.

In desperation mode, the Falcons abandoned its running game and took to the skies with an aerial assault. Baker completed two passes for 52 yards to move the visitors to the Avery 11-yard line. One play following a Viking penalty, Baker found receiver James Tracy for a five-yard touchdown pass. A two-point conversion succeeded to cut the Avery lead to a single digit at 31-30 with 1:27 still left on the clock.

West attempted to regain the football for the offense with an onside kick, but the Vikings recovered the bouncing ball. The Falcons held Avery to a three-and-out while conserving time using a pair of timeouts. Avery punted the ball to West, giving the Falcons one final shot to win the game with 59 seconds left.

A 33-yard pass completion from Baker to Keenan Young advanced the Falcons into field goal range at the Avery 14, but a shaky kicking game seemed to dissuade head coach Jeff Bailey from attempting a game-winning field goal.

Instead the Falcons attempted to score a touchdown and the Avery defense made one final stand, topped off by a fourth down quarterback sack by senior defensive lineman Christian Montgomery. A final kneel down by Avery shut the door and sent a large crowd gathered for Homecoming happy with a first Viking win on the season.

“Our defense had a little bit more of a letdown tonight than we’ve been used to, but they held when it counted most. West did a great job of shutting our run down. We want to be able to do that and couldn’t, but to be able to put 31 points on the board was good to see,” Avery Vikings head coach Darrell Brewer said after the thrilling victory. “I’m proud of the boys and how they just hung in there all night to win this one. It was especially great for those boys on the team who haven’t had a win for a year and a half to break through and get a win here tonight.”

Avery players and fans, as well as the coaching staff are aware of the significance of finally getting a victory this season. “Wins can cover up a lot of hurts and a lot of pain,” Coach Brewer added. “We’re looking at it now as 1-0, and we’ve got to keep rolling.”

Avery returns to Western Highlands Conference action next week when it hosts the Hendersonville Bearcats Friday night. Kickoff is slated for 7:30 p.m. at MacDonald Stadium.

Former Vikings Shine in Weekend's College Action

It was a stellar Saturday for a trio of former Vikings football standouts last Saturday.

Avery grads Ricky Spradling and Zack Johnson were outstanding for Mars Hill College in a 61-49 shootout loss to Carson-Newman.

The Mars Hill offense was equally impressive, piling up 547 yards. Mars Hill quarterback Ricky Spradling was 15-of-31 through the air for 247 yards and four touchdowns. He also ran for a score. Zack Johnson led the Lions defense with 11 tackles (5 solo) in the contest.

Meanwhile, the Appalachian State Mountaineers easily handled the Citadel 47-21. Former Avery receiver Josh Johnson had a pair of receptions for 38 yards, including a 24-yard touchdown reception from quarterback Armanti Edwards to account for the only second half points in App's rout of their Southern Conference foe.

Apps Cruise Past Citadel

Courtesy of Appalachian State Sports Information

BOONE, N.C. — Second-ranked Appalachian State University jumped out to a 41-7 halftime lead and never looked back en route to a convincing 47-21 win over No. 12 The Citadel at Kidd Brewer Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Appalachian (3-2, 1-0 SoCon) racked up 363 yards of offense in the first half alone and found the end zone on its final six possessions of the half to take the commanding halftime lead.

Quarterback Armanti Edwards, who overcame an ankle injury suffered in last Saturday’s win over Presbyterian, highlighted ASU’s first-half dominance by rushing 11 times for 79 yards and two touchdowns and completing 10-of-12 passes for 177 yards and three more scores before the break. The junior, who became only the 12th player in NCAA Division I history (FBS or FCS) with 3,000 passing yards and 3,000 rushing yards in a career, finished the contest with 225 yards and a career-best four touchdowns on 14-of-18 passing and 80 yards on 15 carries.

The Mountaineers scored just once in the opening quarter on Devin Radford’s 29-yard touchdown run just under 10 minutes in. However, the second period was all Black and Gold, as the Apps scored five times to take the 41-7 advantage into the break. Edwards accounted for all five second-quarter touchdowns with runs of 16 and three yards and passes of 25 yards to Matt Cline, four yards to CoCo Hillary and, the back-breaker, a 68-yard screen pass to Radford with 15 seconds to go in the half.

Not to be overlooked in the impressive performance was the effort turned in by Appalachian’s defense. ASU limited The Citadel (3-2, 1-1 SoCon), which came into the contest with the Southern Conference’s second-ranked scoring offense at 35.5 points per game, to just 245 yards on the afternoon, 170 below its average. The Citadel managed only 82 yards in the first half.The Bulldogs tried to make it interesting by cutting the deficit to 41-21 midway through the fourth quarter on a 50-yard punt return by Andre Roberts and a nine-yard scoring connection from Bart Blanchard to Alex Sellars.

However, after recovering an onside kick, the Mountaineers iced the triumph on a 24-yard strike from Edwards to Josh Johnson. Besides Edwards, Radford was Appalachian’s offensive star with 72 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries to go along with the 68-yard touchdown reception. Cline chipped in with 74 all-purpose yards (49 rushing, 25 receiving).Cortez Gilbert paced the Mountaineers defensively with 11 tackles and two pass break-ups. D.J. Smith added nine tackles and a pair of pass break-ups and true freshman Lanston Tanyi made seven stops and hurried the passer four times. Appalachian continues SoCon play next Saturday when it travels to league-newcomer Samford. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. (EDT) at Seibert Stadium in Birmingham, Ala.

UT Squeaks By Northern Illinois

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

Avery Journal-Times

KNOXVILLE, TN- Tennessee desperately needed better quarterback play just as badly as they needed a victory. On Saturday night, they finally got both as they defeated Northern Illinois 13-9 at Neyland Stadium.

“We'll take the win,” Tennessee Coach Phillip Fulmer said. “We've been on the short end of a couple of those like that. It was a good football team we played tonight.”

The Volunteers named Nick Stephens the starter on Friday night, and he did not disappoint the coaching staff.

“He was extremely poised,” Fulmer said. “There are still a couple of things. The clock was really close a couple of times managing it. It was his first big game. Early especially, I thought he was really in rhythm. I thought he did a nice job.”

Stephens ended the game 10 of 17 for 156 yards with one touchdown. Stephens’ 52-yard strike to Denarius Moore was the only offensive touchdown of the game, and was also the longest play of the year for the Volunteers. Stephens also found Gerald Jones for a 43 yard strike that electrified the Tennessee crowd.

“Like everyone in the stadium pulling for Tennessee, I was very excited about the two big plays we made (offensively),” Coach Fulmer said. “Great play, great throw, outstanding call. It's something for us to build on.”

Despite Stephens’s successful debut, the offense still struggled to find a rhythm.

“Offensively, we made some steps, I think, in the right direction,” Coach Fulmer said. “We're still not as efficient as we need to be. It seems like everything we do is really hard for us.”

The Volunteers only managed 69 yards rushing with a majority of that coming in the closing quarter, and only had 225 total offensive yards. Foster led the way on the ground for the UT as he had 73 yards, but the team recorded losses of 34 yards to Northern Illinois. The offense only had nine first downs in the game.

Despite the offensive woes, the Tennessee defense stepped to the plate and once again played an outstanding game as they only allowed 190 offensive yards, and had four sacks.

Despite the lower attendance, Coach Fulmer was quick to thank the fans that were in Knoxville on Saturday.

"First of all, I want to say a really special thank you to all the fans,” Coach Fulmer said. “At the Vol Walk, I was taken aback at the encouragement and energy of that group and really appreciate the same thing all night long.”

The attendance was announced at 99,539, almost 2,500 short of a sellout. The Volunteers must get ready as they must travel to Athens to take on Georgia on Saturday. Coach Fulmer knows it will be a tough game.

"We'll take the film, look at it, correct it, learn from it,” Coach Fulmer said. “And obviously we've got a big challenge next week at Georgia."

Part 2: Vols host Northern Illinois

6:45: We are the Tom Elam Press box at Neyland Stadium. First, thanks to Jamie for his excellent coverage of the App game. I am hoping to bring you some of the same coverage (following regulations of course). With 20 minutes until kickoff, a sign that times are tough in Volunteer land are that Neyland may not reach 70,000 fans tonight. Of course, looks can be deceiving. The ones that are here are loud and proud and anxious to see Nick Stephens under the helm.

7:00: IT'S FOOTBALL TIME IN TENNESSEE! Neyland has filled in nicely as the Pride of the Southland Band is getting ready to welcome the Vols onto the field. Keep checking back as we will update as we can. Thanks!

8:00: UT and Northern Illinois are tied at 3 with 5:35 remaining in the first half. Tennessee had a promising drive stopped at midfield on a fumble midway through the first.

8:30: HALF tied at 3

9:30: End of the third and the Vols lead 13-9.

10:15 Final Vols 13-9. More to come to later.

1:00am: Home Sweet Home! I am back home after a great day of football. We will have a story and some photos from the UT game up tomorrow if all goes according to plan. It was a great night. The fans that were there were amazing, a fact Coach Fulmer noted. They really helped the Vol defense. After kickoff, Neyland looked like its normal packed self. I guess the fans were watching the earlier games as long as possible. The Huskies were peskier than most imagined, but UT found a way to win and a way to keep it. However, UT will have a tough week as they must travel to Athens to take on the Bulldogs next week. For more information on UT and App State, keep checking the Avery Journal-Times Sports Blog. Thanks for reading!

Mountaineers Host Citadel for Homecoming @ Kidd-Brewer

On a beautiful Saturday afternoon in Boone, the ASU Mountaineers will host the Citadel Bulldogs for Homecoming. The #2 Mountaineers are 2-2 on the season as they open Southern Conference play against the #12 Bulldogs who are 3-1 this year.

Quickie Preview:
For the Mountaineers, the team must find a way to get consistency out of the offense. Armanti Edwards has completed less than 50% of his passes, and also suffered an injury in last week's win. Edwards has been cleared to go today and will need a superb effort to hold off the most talented Citadel squad to visit Boone since a win here in 1992.

Avery HS product Josh Johnson has six catches over his past two games, but has been scrutinized by some for putting the ball on the ground against Presbyterian last week. He, T.J. Courman, CoCo Hillary, and the remainder of the receiving corps must make themselves available and make plays if the Apps want to hold serve at home and get off to a good conference start.

The running tandem of Robert Welton and Devin Radford have picked up where Devin Moore left off when he suffered a broken ankle. They and Edwards, the team's leading rusher, will need

The Citadel is paced by quarterback Bart Blanchard (832 passing yards, seven TDs, six interceptions) and one of the nation's best wideouts in Andre Roberts (26 receptions, six TDs). But the Bulldogs will look to establish the run with Asheton Jordan (268 yards, three TDs) to give Blanchard time to pass.

The Citadel had the Southern Conference's best defense last season, but has slipped to third in total defense (322 yards per game, 150 yards rushing). Leading the Bulldogs on defense is linebacker Reggie Rice, who has accounted for 27 tackles.

3:05 pm - ASU receives the opening kickoff on a sun-drenched Kidd--Brewer Stadium. The Mountaineers pick up a first down and advance near midfield before taking a timeout. Two running plays net an additional three yards, but ASU is forced to punt from the Citadel 47. The Bulldogs take over for their first offensive series at its own 15 yard line.

Blanchard to Roberts has been a connection on a number of occasions on the Bulldogs' first series. The Mountaineers hold on third down after a holding penalty negated a large gain. Citadel punts to the Mountaineers, and Appalachian sets up first down on its own 9-yard line. No score.

3:25 PM - THe Mountaineers are trying to establish the run on its second possession of the game. Radford and Edwardsd have had great success on this drive. Edwards scrambles for a 16-yard gain, and had gained several yards on an option run two plays earlier.

Appalachian gets on the board first as Devin Radford makes a great cut to the outside and scampers 29 yards for a Mountaineer touchdown. The successful PAT gives the Mountaineers a 7-0 lead at the 5:26 mark of the first period.

The ASU defense forced a three-and-out from the Bulldogs on their second series of the game, forcing them to punt from their own 20 yard line. A terrific kick plus an ASU illegal block penalty pushed the Mountaineers to begin their third offensive series at its own 11 yard line. App drives to just over midfield as the first quarter expires. Mountaineers end the first period leading 7-0.

The second quarter begins and three plays in Armanti Edwards hits running back Matt Cline with a 25-yard touchdown pass. Vitaris misses the extra point, however, leaving the Apps up 13-0 at the 13:57 mark of the period.

3:55 PM - The Bulldogs appeared to be going three and out, but a personal foul penalty against ASU gave the Citadel new life. The defense stepped up and stopped the Bulldogs again. On fourth down, a high snap over Citadel punter Mark Caspar's head. It results in Appalachian getting a first down at the Citadel 11-yard line. A huge blunder by the Bulldogs on special teams.

The Mountaineers immediately capitalize as Armanti Edwards scampers 16 yards around left side for a touchdown. A successful PAT makes the score 20-0 Mountaineers at the 11:05 mark of the second period.

4:05 PM - The Citadel takes advantage of a 55 yard kickoff return to drive a short field on the ASU defense. The Bulldogs get on the goard with a two yard touchdown run by Andre Roberts. An extra point by Sam Keeler makes the new score ASU 20, Citadel 7 at the 6:55 mark of the first half.

4:10 PM - The Mountaineers are back on the board again, taking advantage of a long Coco Hillary kickoff return. The Mountaineers score on an Armanti Edwards touchdown pass to make the score 27-7 in favor of ASU with 4:41 remaining in the half.

The offense has looked sharper today than at any point thus far in the season. The Citadel defense almost looks to be in slow motion compared to the Mountaineers' speed.

4:20 PM - Citadel started its next drive from the 20, but a Blanchard pass on third down was tipped and intercepted at the Citadel 34-yard line and returned to the 13. Three plays moved the Mountaineers to a first and goal at the one yard line. Armanti Edwards runs in a three-yard touchdown to boost the lead to 33-7. The point-after made the score 34-7 with 1:14 remaining in the half.

The Bulldogs have shot themselves in the foot several times this half, and the Black and Gold has made them pay every time. A dominating half of football against a team that came to Boone ranked #12 in the latest FCS poll. When the Mountaineers are clicking, they are next to impossible to stop.

Following the ASU kickoff, the Bulldogs are held to a three-and-out. Appalachian uses a time-out on fourth down with 41 seconds left before intermission, looking to get the football back for one more opportunity to score. App regains possession on offense with 28.4 seconds to go at its own 37-yard line.

4:25 PM - On the first play following the punt, a screen pass to Devin Radford was busted open by the WR, hurdling a tackler at the 15 yard line on the way to a 63-yard touchdown play with 15 seconds to go. The PAT gives the Mountaineers a commanding 41-7 lead. A single play indicative of the quick-strike nature of the ASU offense. Team morale for the Bulldogs can't be high at this point.
Halftime - ASU 41, Citadel 7 at the half.

Appalachian has 38 plays for 363 yards of total offense, to go with 65 kickoff return yards, while the ASU defense held Citadel to only 82 yards on 35 plays. Armanti Edwards rushed 11 times for 83 yards and a pair of scores, while throwing at a 10 for 12 clip for 177 yards and three touchdowns.

4:50 PM - The Bulldogs receive the opening kickoff, execute a successful fake punt, but still end up punting to the Mountaineers. The punt pins ASU at its own 1 yard line. The Citadel defense forces ASU to punt from its own end zone, where Andre Roberts returned the kick 50 yards for the Bulldogs' second score of the game. 7:58 remaining in the third qtr. 41-14 ASU

5:15 PM - Josh Johnson picks up his first catch on the next ASU drive, picking up a first down near midfield. The Mountaineers are held to three-and-out after the catch and are forced to punt the ball. Punter Neil Young coffic corners the punt to the Citadel's 4-yard line. Citadel cannot advance the football and kicks it back to App., where the Black and Gold take over at the Citadel 41 yard line leading 41-14. The clock expires with the Mountaineers holding the football and the same lead.

5:30 PM - The Mountaineers drive into Citadel territory, but are forced to settle for a field goal attempt. Vitaris is unable to make the 42-yard attempt, giving the football back to the Bulldogs with 12:56 left in the contest.

On a side note, in today's contest ASU QB Armanti Edwards became only the third quarterback in Division 1 (FCS and FBS) history to run and throw for 3,000 yards in his career, joining the likes of Nebraska's Heisman Trophy winner Eric Crouch to accomplish that feat.

5:38 PM - The Bulldogs get on the board with a nine-yard TD pass from Blanchard to Sellers. The PAT is good, with 8:52 remaining, the Mountaineers lead 41-21. Appalachian has given up a few wide open receptions this afternoon, something I'm sure the coaches will discuss and address in practice next week.

The Apps are on the board again... a 24-yard touchdown pass from Edwards to Josh Johnson. Johnson ran a sideline pattern and was open to haul in the pass as he crossed the end zone giving the Mountaineers a 47-21 lead with 8:09 remaining in the game.

The Citadel is stopped when it attempts a fourth down conversion at its own 30 yard line. The pass is short of the marker, giving the Mountaineers the football at the Citadel 38. DeAndre Pressley enters the game at quarterback, and ASU fumbles on its first play following the possession change, giving the Bulldogs the football back.

6:00 PM -- The Mountaineers deny the Bulldogs another score by turning them away on a fourth down conversion attempt near the Appalachian 35 yard line with 3:35 left in the contest. The Josh Johnson touchdown catch has been the only points of the half for the Mountaineers to this point, and a number of ASU substitutes are in to close out this first Southern Conference victory.

6:10 PM -- ASU wins it 47-21 to start the SoCon season with a win and move to 3-2 overall. We hope to have final stats for this one before we close out for the night. ASU returns home of October 25th when they host the Furman Palladins.