Apps Set to Host Elon for Last Regular Season Home Game

No. 2 Appalachian State University (8-2, 6-0 SoCon) can clinch at least a share of its fourth-consecutive Southern Conference championship and earn the league’s automatic berth in the NCAA Division I Football Championship with a win over No. 11 Elon (8-2, 6-1 SoCon) on Saturday. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. at Kidd Brewer Stadium.

In addition to the title implications, Saturday's game also marks the final regular-season appearance at The Rock for 14 Appalachian seniors: LB Pierre Banks, OL Jonathan Bieschke, OL Brad Coley, WR T.J. Courman, WR Anthony Cruver, DB Josh Davis, TE Trey Hennessee, WR James Hill, WR Brandon Knox, DB Leonard Love, WR Clay McKnight, DB Billy Riddle, TE Brandon Simpkins and P Neil Young. Since 2005, when all but one of the 14 seniors were playing their freshman or redshirt-freshman campaigns, ASU is 47-8 overall and 29-1 at home.

Additionally, the class is striving to become only the second in NCAA football history (post-1900) to win four national championships. The only class to ever accomplish the feat was the 1986 senior class at Augustana (Ill.), which won Division III national titles from 1983-86.

NOTING SATURDAY'S MATCHUP:• Appalachian rides a seven-game winning streak into the game, which is tied for the second-longest streak in NCAA Division I FCS, behind only top-ranked James Madison (8).

• ASU has also won 10 conference games in a row, which is the third-longest string in the nation, behind only Dayton’s and Albany’s 12-straight wins in Pioneer and Northeast Conference action, respectively.

• ASU has won 12-straight games over Elon, including five in a row in Boone. Elon has not won a game in the series since 1964.• In five games since Elon joined the SoCon in 2003, the Apps have outscored the Phoenix by a combined 228-86, good for an average final score of 46-17.

• However, laying claim to its fourth-straight SoCon title and the automatic spot in the 16-team postseason field certainly won’t come easy to ASU, as Elon brings perhaps the best team in school history to the High Country this afternoon. The 11th-ranked Phoenix have been tabbed as high as No. 3 in The Sports Network’s national FCS poll this season. Their only losses have come at the hands of a pair of top-10 foes in Richmond and Wofford.

• The matchup features the unquestionable front-runners for first-team all-conference accolades at quarterback this season in ASU’s Armanti Edwards and Elon’s Scott Riddle. Edwards leads the league in total offense (278.5 yards per game) and pass efficiency (174.1) by wide margins while Riddle is tops in passing yardage (247.1 yards per game). The duo is tied for the conference lead with 22 touchdown passes apiece.

• Edwards has thrown just two interceptions all season and has attempted 157-consecutive passes without being picked off. On the other hand, Riddle has been picked off a SoCon-high 14 times and ASU’s defense leads the league with 17 INTs.

Volunteer JVs set to clash with Hargrave Military Academy

Courtesy of UTSports.com

Tennessee head coach Phillip Fulmer described Wednesday's mood as "business-like" as the Vols completed their brief open date practice schedule with a 90-minute session at Haslam Field.
UT is off this weekend before completing the 2008 season with games at Vanderbilt on Nov. 22 and home against Kentucky on Nov. 29.

"The team periods against each other were good," Fulmer said. "I think we've gotten a good start on Vanderbilt on both sides of the ball. I?hope by Monday we're healed up physically a lot better and emotionally ready to go, which I expect us to be.

"Nine weeks in a row with (six) of them SEC ballgames -- that's a tough road for anybody. It will be great to get a little bit of a break. They need it and the coaches need it. Hopefully, we'll come back refreshed and ready to go on Sunday."

Next on the agenda, however, is Thursday's junior varsity contest against undefeated Hargrave Military Academy of Chatham, Va. The Tigers enter Neyland Stadium 10-0 and looking to close out a perfect season, while also gaining a measure of revenge for last year's 37-20 setback to the Vols.

Fulmer expects another good outing from his reserve units, including starting quarterback B.J. Coleman.

"B.J. will do fine. He certainly will have great demeanor on the field, good leadership and management of the huddle and the clock. The last four or five weeks that we've been going with the full-speed stuff at the end of practice, that's helped him as much as anybody. It's not scrimmage, but it's really close to scrimmage.

"You can see him getting better, getting more confident and getting fundamentally better. B.J.'s one of those guys who has that personality you really like being around if you're a player or a coach. He's always patting guys on the back and helmet, encouraging everyone -- all those things you enjoy being around."

Musings and Ramblings: Is the High School Playoff System Broken?

This year the Avery Vikings football team finished the regular season with a record of 2-9, and a 2-8 record for playoff seeding, since a team can drop one non-conference loss for playoff seeding purposes. The team travels to Hendersonville Friday night for a rematch of a game played October 3rd in Newland. The Bearcats won that contest 35-6, and enter Friday's game as a #3 seed taking on the #14 seed Vikings.

A total of 64 teams in the 1A class are 'eligible' for the two levels (32 in the 1A and 32 in the 1AA classification) of playoff tournaments. By current count, there are only a grand total of 74 teams in the entire 1A classification, meaning that only ten schools will be kept out of playing a postseason game.

In other words, if a team is class 1A and goes winless for the season, there is a slim chance that team might STILL qualify for postseason play, despite earning ZERO wins.

There are proponents of the current high school playoff format who say that it is nice for give teams an opportunity to play an additional game to end the season. And there are others, like me, who question why football playoffs should be watered down by "rewarding" a team with little or no chance of upsetting a state-ranked team with a road trip (normally to play one of the top 3 to 5 teams in the state), which normally doubles as a financial loss for the school.

From my experience, it comes down to one simple reason: the color green, as in money. As I understand it, the NCHSAA web site spells out that schools that host a playoff game submits 15% of its gross proceeds from that contest back to the Athletic Association BEFORE deducting expenses. More eligible teams for playoffs equals additional playoff games, which... VOILA! Provides additional revenue to the NCHSAA to fund the championships for non-revenue sports.

With the current system, I can't help but wonder why teams who qualify for postseason play must be forced to travel long distances to serve as sacrificial lambs to top-ranked teams. Since moving to the 1A class in 2005, Avery has made the playoffs with 9 wins, 5 wins, and 5 wins, respectively, hosting a playoff game on two of those occasions. The first occasion was in 2005, when both Midway High School and West Columbus High School were forced to drive to Newland for playoff games. Midway, located near Dunn, was an over five hour drive by bus, with West Columbus taking over six hours by bus to travel to the High Country, arriving home at 5:30 a.m. after its second round loss to the Vikings.

In 2004, Avery's final season as a 2A playoff team, the squad traveled on Thursday to Tabor City (that's about 30 minutes north of Myrtle Beach, SC) to play South Columbus High School in a first-round playoff game. Does driving SIX HOURS ONE WAY for a playoff game make sense? I don't think so, even if a trip to the beach is a fringe benefit of the deal.

If a watered-down system is inevitable, why drain these small schools of high dollar amounts for gasoline, food, and other expenses, as well as take those students out of what can potentially amount to a day of class work to drive multiple hours to be a cupcake opponent for a team favored to win by 30 or 40 points?

My father taught me that if you're willing to complain and gripe, you'd better provide suggestions, answers, or at least feasible solutions to remedy the issue. Here are a couple of suggestions for the folks in Chapel Hill:

1. CLOSER REALLY IS BETTER.

If such a vast number of teams and games is a necessity (and if it is, I believe a piece of the football pie should be distributed to other school programs, BOTH ATHLETIC AND ACADEMIC), then why not make the matchups more travel-friendly and save the longer road trips for later rounds? This minimizes the dollar amounts that teams which will be 'one-and-done' have to invest, it maximizes the amount the schools will get to keep for their respective schools, plus it may boost attendance at those matchups of teams of closer proximity.

2. RECOGNIZE THE SENSITIVITY OF SCHOOL NEEDS AND CONCERNS

This issue ties in somewhat with the first point. I believe the problem of what is in the best interest of schools and student-athletes goes beyond football.

Look at the case in point of high school basketball. Last season the Avery ladies team played home playoff games against schools that had to make three-hour bus rides to Newland. If you're the home team, that's a great advantage. If you travel, it isn't easy.

Basketball's Western regionals have taken place the past few seasons in Winston-Salem, in a building where some of the games had to be shifted to the Joel Annex with minimal notice due to what was can only be perceived as lack of forethought. Scheduling the dates for the regional high school games to NOT conflict with the home games of the building's normal occupant, the Wake Forest University basketball team, seems to make better sense.

In my travels I speak often with other sportswriters and administrators at schools during sports regional and state events. During the regionals at Winston-Salem last spring, I spoke with representatives from Robbinsville High School, a team that traveled between 4 and 5 hours for their one regional game with Bishop McGuinness, the eventual state girls 1A champion. They were glad to advance as far as they did, but they and their fans were unhappy with the distance they had to travel to play a regional round.

In the past, games were played in a more central location for Western regionals: the greater Hickory area. With such a vast number of teams traveling from areas in southwest NC such as Swain, Cherokee, or Graham, or from the northwest such as Ashe, Caldwell, McDowell, or Burke, it appears that an area like Hickory would serve as a location fairly equidistant for schools from Boone, Winston-Salem, and the Asheville area alike.

I know the job of determining playoff teams, travels, locations, etc. can be and often is difficult. But for the sake of the student-athletes, the schools, and fans, it seems more can be done to alleviate this issue which often crops up at playoff time.

Have a thought about this issue? Leave a comment or drop an email to sports@averyjournal.com

Apps Crush Mocs

Courtesy of Appalachian Sports Information

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – Appalachian State University quarterback Armanti Edwards racked up 328 yards of total offense in just one half of work to lead the second-ranked Mountaineers to a 49-7 rout over Chattanooga on Saturday afternoon at Finley Stadium.

Edwards, who topped 100 rushing yards on Appalachian’s second possession, finished with 152 yards on nine carries and 176 yards and two touchdowns on 9-of-17 passing. He was lifted after directing ASU to five touchdowns in seven first-half series and a commanding 35-7 halftime lead.

Four of the Mountaineers’ five first-half scoring drives went 80 or more yards. Edwards wasted no time in making his presence known, as he broke off a 28-yard run on the first play of the game. Four snaps later, Robert Welton scored on an 18-yard run to make it 7-0. The teams swapped punts on the next two series before Chattanooga knotted the contest at 7-7 on a 28-yard touchdown pass from Jare Gault to Clint Woods.

However, that would be the only bright spot of the half for UTC.On the first play after the Mocs’ score, Edwards ran 76 yards all the way to the UTC 4 yard line. The 76-yard rush more than doubled Edwards’ previous long carry of the season (35) and set up a one-yard touchdown dive by Welton two plays later that gave the Mountaineers the lead for good.

The Apps went on to score on three of their final four possessions of the first half to grab the 28-point halftime advantage. After UTC fumbled the kickoff following Welton’s second score, ASU only needed to go 35 yards to make it 21-7 on a 16-yard pass from Edwards to CoCo Hillary. On its next possession, Appalachian covered 86 yards in only five plays, highlighted by a 26-yard Edwards rush and 38-yard completion to tight end Ben Jorden and capped by a one-yard touchdown run by Welton – his third of the afternoon – which made it 28-7, ASU.

It looked like the three-touchdown lead would stand going into the half when the Mountaineers got the ball back on their own 5 yard line with 1:31 remaining in the second quarter. However, the Apps needed only 1:10 to march 95 yards in seven plays and stretched the advantage to 35-7 on a 48-yard connection from Edwards to a wide-open T.J Courman down the left sideline.

With the majority of first-teamers on the sideline, Appalachian’s reserves scored on two of their first three possessions in the second half to account for the final margin. True freshman quarterback DeAndre Presley did the majority of the damage after the break, rushing 12 times for 101 yards and a touchdown and completing 3-of-3 passes (ASU’s only three passes of the second half) for 51 yards and another score, a 38-yard strike to Blake Elder.

In all, the Mountaineers out-gained the Mocs, 655-227, including a 428-110 on the ground. The Apps had three 100-yard rushers – Edwards, Cedric Baker (107) and Presley. Defensively, linebacker D.J. Smith led ASU with eight tackles, including one for loss. Mark LeGree matched a 45-year-old school record with his NCAA Division I FCS-leading eighth interception of the season.

Appalachian can clinch at least a share of its fourth-consecutive Southern Conference championship and the league’s automatic berth in the NCAA Division I football championship with a win next Saturday over No. 11 Elon (8-2, 6-1 SoCon). Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. at ASU’s Kidd Brewer Stadium.

Rocky Top Low: Vols Fall to Wyoming For Homecoming

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

KNOXVILLE- Everyone associated with the Tennessee Football program wanted to send Phillip Fulmer out a winner in his last three games. However, the Wyoming Cowboys did not get the memo.

The Cowboys defeated the outgoing Fulmer’s Volunteer squad 13-7 in a less then happy homecoming at Neyland Stadium.

“The players don't owe me any kind of apology,” Fulmer said. “If anything, I should be apologizing to the fans and everybody for this whole week coming about. You get beat if you turn the ball over.”

On Monday, it was announced that Fulmer would not return next season as head coach of the Volunteers in an emotional press conference.

The loss was a painful one for the Vols, who had not lost a Homecoming game since the 2002 season.

“We're not going to make excuses,” UT Defensive end Wes Brown said. “It's been a tough week, but there's no excuse for how we played. No one wanted anything more than to win these games for coach Fulmer and these coaches. That's all I can say, it's been a tough week."

Tennessee quarterback Nick Stephens threw two interceptions, one that was returned for a touchdown and another that was returned to the Volunteer five-yard line, and that proved to be the difference. Right before halftime, Stephens was benched in favor of Jonathon Crompton, who started the season at quarterback for the Vols.

"Our quarterback play has been less than what we would like to have,” Fulmer said. “I did think Jonathan (Crompton) came into the game and threw it around and competed and kept us in the game.”

Stephens ended the game 3 of 9 for 27 yards and two interceptions, while Crompton was 11 of 27 for 91 yards and a touchdown.

The four touchdown underdog Cowboys entered the game as one of the lowest scoring teams in college football, but scored just enough to keep the Vols and their struggling offense in check.

“We did a great job today and I thought we deserved a victory,” Wyoming Coach Joe Glenn said. “We worked hard and went out and played hard and came away with a hard fought victory.”

Wyoming’s Mike Neuhaus intercepted Stephens on the Vols opening drive and returned it 55-yards. The Cowboys wasted no time in scoring as Chris Stutzriem hit Greg Genho on the next play for a four-yard touchdown.

Ward Dobbs intercepted a Stephens’s pass and returned it 24-yards for a touchdown to give the Cowboys a 13-0 lead. The ensuing extra point was blocked.

Tennessee’s offense showed signs of life at the start of the second half. Lennon Creer had a 23-yard run before Crompton found Gerald Jones in the end zone for an eight yard touchdown. The Vols had the ball at the end of the game, but the drive ended on fourth down at midfield with less than two minutes remaining.

“We're trying to make plays to win the game,” Crompton said of the last drive of the game. “You have to give credit to Wyoming. They played their game. I don't really know what to say because we're out there busting our butts."

Creer ended with 86 yards on 16 carries while Tauren Poole has 11 carried for 44 yards. Arian Foster and Montario Hardesty did not play due to injury.

Tennessee has two games to improve on their 3-7 record with a trip to Vanderbilt and a home contest with Kentucky. The Tennessee program has never lost eight games in a season

Vikings Get Second Crack at Bearcats in High School State Playoffs

The Avery Vikings (2-9, 1-5 WHC) received a #14 seed in this week’s opening round of the state high school football playoffs. The silver lining to the otherwise dark cloud of a disappointing season is that the Big Red gets to take on a familiar foe this week for a second time in the Western Highlands Conference champion Hendersonville Bearcats (10-1, 6-0 WHC).

Avery is coming off a 38-14 loss to Mitchell at home last week, while Hendersonville took care of rival Polk County 28-13 to clinch its first conference championship since 2003.

Scouting the Bearcats:
Hendersonville is coached by B.J. Laughter and utilizes a version of the wishbone offense. The Bearcats have been successful in 2008 largely due to their experience at most skill positions. Leading the charge for the Bearcats is senior running back Cedrick Allen (171 rushes, 1285 yards, 24 TD in 2008), good enough for fourth in rushing yards and second in scoring in all of Western North Carolina.

An All-Western Highlands Conference player last season, Allen ran for over 1,500 yards in 2007 and scored 23 touchdowns.

Triggering the offense for Hendersonville is junior quarterback Ben Walgenbach (54 for 93, 1,464 yards, 17 touchdowns in 2008). He is a player the coach calls one of the best quarterbacks he has ever coached, describing him as “a true field general.”

When Walgenbach throws the football, look for him to target a pair of talented receivers in Daniel Orr (26 receptions, 736 yards, 10 receiving touchdowns) and James Foster (15 receptions, 498 yards, 7 receiving touchdowns).

The offensive line is anchored by 6’8”, 263-pound senior Wesley Cook.

The Low Down:
For the Vikings to pull off the upset in Hendersonville on Friday, they must first win the battle between their collective ears and believe they have the talent on the field to defeat the Bearcats. Prior to the loss earlier this season, the Vikings had beaten this group of Bearcats twice and were robbed of a third win at Dietz Field in 2007.

The Avery offense will need to find a way to score more than six points against Hendersonville this time around, bucking the recent trend of struggles to get the football into the end zone.
Out of its possible opponents this week, Hendersonville was viewed by most as the “best case scenario”. Now that the Avery has the advantage of having already played its opponent once this season, perhaps it can learn from its earlier loss and shock the football pundits who have written off the Big Red.

Avery may very well be without a number of key starters this week, including Christian Montgomery, Travis Thomas, Paul Townsend, and Chris Eggers, so those players stepping into their shoes will have to step up and play with pride as well as a chip on their shoulders.

The best chance for Avery to win Friday will be if they can find the way to dominate the time of possession in much the way they were dominated last week by their opponent Mitchell. Long drives will not only keep the potent Bearcats offense off the field, but will force the Bearcats to play more plays on defense than they would like.

This week is the time for the Avery squad to rally alongside Darrell Brewer and the coaching staff, giving them its best effort of the season to date.

By the Numbers:
2 – fumbles lost by the Bearcats in last week’s gain against the Wolverines. Also the number of rushing touchdowns scored by Avery’s Adam Pate last week.
3 – rushing touchdowns by Cedrick Allen in last week’s win over Polk County.
241- yards in total offense gained by Avery in last Friday’s loss to Mitchell.
258- rushing yards by Hendersonville on 37 carries last Friday night.

Junior Varsity Trounces Mountaineers to Secure Strong Finish in 2008

The Avery junior varsity football team used an opportunistic defense and a relentless offensive attack to double up the Mitchell Mountaineers jayvees 40-20 in Ledger on Thursday night.

It was the Mountaineers who drew first blood in the grudge match to take a 6-0 lead but failed on its two point conversion attempt. Avery answered on its ensuing possession to knot the score on a 15-yard touchdown from quarterback Alex Villanueva to wide receiver Andy Gonzalez. The successful PAT by Dustin Clark gave Avery the narrow one-point advantage at 7-6.

Mitchell counter-punched with its own offensive attack, using the running of quarterback Troy Self and halfback Cody LaPlante to march the football downfield on the Viking defense. Mitchell used the combination in earnest as it scored a second touchdown, regaining the lead at 12-7.

Despite giving up the lead, the Avery offense proved time and again that it could strike with potency all evening long. Avery’s punishing ground game, combining the talents of running backs Nathaniel Buchanan, Kenny Hicks, and Thomas Moore was devastating. That, in addition to the athleticism out of the pocket by Villanueva to both run and pass spelled trouble for the Mitchell squad.

Villanueva did the honors of putting te Vikings back on the scoreboard. A drive was highlighted by a Villanueva carry which dragged Mitchell tacklers for a number of yards to inside the Mountaineers 10-yard line. The quarterback then capped the drive three plays later with a one-yard quarterback sneak with 32 seconds left before halftime. Clark’s second extra point staked the Big Red to a 14-12 edge.

The momentum-changing moment of the contest occurred on the final play of the first half when a pass by Mitchell’s quarterback Self was intercepted at the 15-yard line by Andy Gonzalez. The defensive back picked up blocks from teammates, raced by the Avery sideline, and outran would-be tacklers for an 80-yard touchdown. Avery’s conversion attempt failed, but the Vikings led 20-12 at halftime.

The Vikings seized firm control of the contest, using a seven play, 59-yard drive to again reach the end zone. The drove was highlighted by a 37-yard Villanueva pass and a five-yard scamper across the goal line on back-to-back plays. An extra point by Clark pushed the Viking lead to 27-12 with 6:32 left in the third period.

Mitchell answered the Avery score with its final touchdown on the evening when Self scored on a seven-yard keeper with 1:48 left in the quarter. The two-point conversion narrowed the Big Red advantage to 27-20.

Each time it appeared the Mountaineers could engineer a comeback, the Avery offense snuffed it out. Avery scored on the first play of the fourth period on a 52-yard touchdown pass from Villanueva to Colton Blackburn, making the score 34-20 with just over nine minutes left in the game.

Avery’s defense forced a key turnover on Mitchell’s ensuing drive which drained major air from the Mountaineers’ proverbial balloon. A strong hit by defensive back Taylor Potter jarred the football from a Mitchell receiver, which the Vikings recovered.

The Big Red used the opportunity with the football to run time off the fourth quarter clock by keeping the football on the ground. Avery eventually was forced by the Mitchell defense to punt, giving the Mountaineers the ball with three minutes remaining and trailing by two scores.

On Mitchell’s first play following the change of possession, Vikings sophomore defensive end Blackburn made an athletic play when he sacked quarterback Self, forced a fumble with the hit, and then recovered the football to again stymie the Mountaineers offense.

On the first play following the turnover Avery put the ball in the end zone, using play action to perfection as Villanueva threw a 25-yard touchdown strike to Gonzalez. The PAT failed, but the score provided the final margin in the 40-20 doubling of the Mountaineers.

The win marked the fourth in Avery final six contests, giving Avery a final season record of 4-6, with a 3-3 conference record. The record was a respectable one, considering the Vikings began the season losing its first four contests.

“I told these kids that I had never been prouder of a bunch of kids than I was with them,” Avery JV coach Mikey Laws said on the field following the win. “The kids never complained and did exactly what we asked, and they have improved every single week. They play their tails off, they execute, and their fundamentals have gotten better. The future for football looks bright for these kids.”

The victory was a particularly sweet one for Coach Laws, as his brother C.L. stood across the field from him Thursday night as a coach for the Mitchell squad, making for an interesting week for the family.

“Honestly, my brother and I have looked to this game all year long. I probably prepared for this game and watched more film on them than anyone this year. We knew what they wanted to do, and he knows what I like doing offensively as well,” Coach Laws elaborated. “We’ve really enjoyed it and had a good time with it. Both teams played hard and we parted in good ways. So needless to say, we’ve both had some sleepless nights over this one, but our team will take this one and enjoy it.”

Congratulations to the junior varsity football team on an entertaining and successful season.

Avery Senior Night Spoiled by Mountaineers

On Friday night at MacDonald Stadium, the Avery Vikings honored its 16 football seniors and members of the cheerleading and band squads. Unfortunately the game ended on a sour note for the Big Red faithful, as the visiting Mitchell Mountaineers used a ball-control offense to dominate Avery 38-14 in the regular season finale for both clubs.

The rivals struggled to build offensive momentum in the game’s early stages as the teams traded punts. It was the visitors from Ledger who drew first blood in the game, however, when Mountaineers junior quarterback Logan Jensen took a quarterback draw play and skirted through the Avery defense, speeding for an 84-yard touchdown run. The point after touchdown by kicker Jesse Mimken put Mitchell on top 7-0 at the 4:09 mark of the first quarter.

On the ensuing possession the Vikings held the football for the remainder of the period. The team was forced to make a fourth down decision with the opening play of the second quarter. Avery could attempt a field goal or try to convert a first down on 4th and 6 at the Mitchell 24-yard line. The Vikings tried a fake, but the Mountaineers managed to prevent quarterback Adam Pate from reaching the first down marker, turning the ball back over to the Mitchell offense.

With possession of the ball, Mitchell consumed over nine minutes of the second quarter clock on a 17-play, 68-yard scoring drive. The club converted a trio of third or fourth down plays to keep the drive alive, culminating the series with a seven-yard touchdown pass from Jensen to tight end Austin Burleson. The PAT gave the Mountaineers a 14-0 advantage with 2:35 left in the first half.

The momentum built from its last offensive possession continued as Avery used its next drive to hit pay dirt. Avery capitalized on a 67-yard run by quarterback Pate to get into the Mitchell red zone, and scored three plays later on a Pate one-yard sneak. Sutton Stanley’s PAT cut the Mitchell lead in half at 14-7 at halftime.

Mitchell took momentum of the game for good during the third quarter of action. The Mountaineers received the opening kickoff of the second half and trudged downfield to the tune of a 10-play, 61-yard drive that was capped off by five-yard head-over-heels jaunt into the end zone by Jensen, again moving the Mitchell lead to 14 points at 21-7 at the 7:35 mark in the third quarter.

Avery held the pigskin for only two plays with its first series of the half. Pate completed a 17-yard pass to receiver Colton Blackburn, but was intercepted one play later by Mitchell QB-turned-defensive back Jensen.

Mitchell’s offense went back to work, pounding relentlessly on a tiring Viking defense that was on the field for long intervals all evening. An 11-play drive was completed in the final minute of the third quarter with a two-yard scoring run by Jensen, his third touchdown of the night pushed the Mountaineers further ahead at 28-7 after three quarters.

The two teams traded punts in the early moments of the fourth quarter, but the Mitchell defense, specifically linebacker Burleson, made a play that sealed Avery's fate when he intercepted a Pate pass and ran untouched for a 21-yard touchdown. Mitchell led 35-7 and tacked on a field goal midway through the period to up its lead to 38-7.

Avery refused to lay down in the game’s final minutes, however. The offense mounted one final drive in the game’s final three minutes, marching 80 yards over eight plays. Pate crossed the goal line for his second one-yard touchdown of the game with six seconds left, and the Stanley extra point closed the scoring.

The Vikings improved on its offensive performance from a week earlier, gaining 241 yards of total offense. The defense was unable to slow the Mountaineers, however, as the visitors gained 261 yards on the ground and 332 yards of total offense.

Senior Adam Pate paced the Big Red with ten rushes for 92 yards and a pair of touchdowns, with 33 yards on nine carries by fellow senior Chase Arrowood. Logan Jensen led Mitchell with 161 yards on 20 carries and three scores.

Mitchell improved to a final record of 3-8 on the season, but failed to qualify for the 2A high school playoffs. The loss dropped Avery’s final regular season record to 2-9.

Due to a total of only 74 total 1A high school teams across North Carolina, the Vikings qualified for the North Carolina high school playoffs as a number 14 seed, traveling this Friday night to take on a familiar foe in the #3 seeded Hendersonville Bearcats. Hendersonville defeated Avery 35-6 earlier this season in Newland.

North Carolina Prep Brackets Released

2008 STATE FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS
FIRST ROUND
NOVEMBER 14
CLASS 1-AA EAST

(10) Pamlico (6-4) at (7) Hampstead Topsail (9-1)
(15) Gates (2-8) at (2) East Bladen (10-0)
(11) Southeast Halifax (6-4) at (6) Pender (6-4)
(14) Rocky Point Heide Trask (3-7) at (3) Louisburg (10-0)
(9) North Johnston (5-5) at (8) Newton Grove Midway (9-1)
(16) Wallace-Rose Hill (2-8) at (1) Warsaw James Kenan (10-0)
(12) East Columbus (5-5) at (5) Ayden-Grifton (8-2)
(13) Dixon (4-6) at (4) Camden (9-1)

CLASS 1-AA WEST
(10) Polk County (7-3) at (7) East Surry (9-1)
(15) West Wilkes (2-8) at (2) Murphy (10-0)
(11) West Columbus (5-5) at (6) Siler City Jordan-Matthews (9-1)
(14) Avery (2-8) at (3) Hendersonville (10-0)
(9) Kernersville Bishop McGuinness (7-3) at (8) West Montgomery (7-3)
(16) East Wilkes (2-8) at (1) Thomasville (10-0)
(12) Swain County (5-5) at (5) Cherryville (4-6)
(13) South Stokes (3-7) at (4) Albemarle (10-0)

Mountaineers Look to Keep Rolling

(Graphic courtesy of GoAsu.com)

After gaining firm control of the driver’s seat in the Southern Conference championship race, No. 2 Appalachian State University (7-2, 5-0 SoCon) looks to move one step closer to its fourth-straight conference title when it travels to face Chattanooga (1-8, 0-5 SoCon) on Saturday. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. at Finley Stadium.

NOTING SATURDAY'S MATCHUP:
• Appalachian has won four-straight games at Finley Stadium, but UTC has been the foe for just one of those games, as ASU won the 2005, ‘06 and ‘07 NCAA Division I national championships in Chattanooga.

• ASU is 6-2 all-time at Finley Stadium, but just 3-2 versus UTC at the venue.

• Saturday’s game is the Mountaineers’ fifth at Finley Stadium in the past 35 months.

• ASU has won 20 of the last 23 games in the series.

• Three of the Apps’ eight highest scoring outputs in head coach Jerry Moore’s 20 seasons at the helm have come against UTC — 62 points in 1999 and 56 in 2004 and ‘06.

• Appalachian leads the SoCon in scoring offense (40.4 points per game) and ranks fourth of nine teams in scoring defense (24.0 ppg). Chattanooga is last in the league in both categories (13.1 and 39.0 ppg, respectively).

• Appalachian quarterback Armanti Edwards has accounted for as many touchdowns in the past three games (14) as Chattanooga has scored as an offensive unit this season. Edwards has nearly as many yards of total offense this season (2,017) as the Mocs do as a team (2,034).

• UTC running back Erroll Wynn rushed for 115 yards in last year’s 37-17 Mountaineer win in Boone. The 115 rushing yards were the seventh-most surrendered by the Apps in ‘07.

• ASU needs two wins in its final three games to clinch at least a share of its fourth-straight SoCon championship. With wins over Chattanooga and No. 11 Elon on Nov. 15, Appalachian would also clinch the league’s automatic NCAA postseason berth with a week to go in the regular season. ASU closes the regular season on Nov. 22 at archrival Western Carolina.

• If the Mountaineers were to win out, they would almost assuredly secure one of the top two seeds in the 16-team NCAA championship field, which would guarantee the Apps home-field advantage for up to three games through the national semifinals. The national championship game is set for Dec. 19 at Finley Stadium.

For more on Saturday's game, including links to live video, audio and stats, stadium and ticket information, both teams' rosters, statistics and game notes and much more, visit GoASU.com's Gameday Central page.

Vikings End Regular Season with Senior Night against Mitchell

Avery will look to conclude its regular season on a winning note Friday night when it plays host to the rival Mitchell Mountaineers for Senior Night at MacDonald Stadium. Avery (2-8, 1-4 WHC) defeated Mitchell (2-8, 1-4 WHC) 28-27 in a thrilling contest in Ledger a season ago.

Avery was shut out at Mountain Heritage 42-0 last Friday night, while Mitchell defeated Madison 29-16 last Friday night.

Scouting the Mountaineers:
The Mitchell Mountaineers are coached by second year head coach Russell Barnett (8-14 overall) and return three offensive and five defensive starters from last season’s club.

Mitchell is led on the field by quarterback Logan Jensen, who has rushed for over 1,000 yards this season and thrown for over 800 yards and ten touchdowns prior to last week’s win. The junior played at the wide receiver a season ago, but was moved to quarterback following the graduation of Joe Hoilman, an all-conference performer who threw for 2,900 yards and ran for 1,200 yards.

The Mountaineers continue to run the spread offense, but look to run more than in 2007, using quarterback draws to take advantage of Jensen’s speed in the backfield. The team also uses two-back formations that highlight the skills of Jensen as well as senior running back and team leader Jake Jarrett (5’8”, 151 lbs.).

Wide receivers Billy Bomar and Austin Burleson hold down receiver slots, but the Mountaineers also utilize their tight end position with Zach Stamey and Corey Green. The offensive line returned only one starter from last year in Casey Peterson.

Defensively the team will use its speed and athleticism to get to the football with linebackers Burleson and top returning tackler Willie Hughes, as well as Taylor Hall and Billy Boone.

The Low Down:
If Avery plays with the intensity and effort it displayed a week ago against a talented Mountain Heritage team, the seniors may leave the field unhappy Friday night.

For the positives the team displayed against Madison, especially on the defensive side of the football, fortunes turned quickly the other way last week.

The Vikings will have to stop the running of Jensen and Jarrett to win Friday’s contest, and must show the intestinal fortitude to shrug off last Friday’s performance.

Offensively, the Vikings must find a way to get into the end zone, as the team has struggled to score points in recent weeks.

Mitchell will look to concentrate its efforts on slowing down the big play ability of quarterback Adam Pate, who has looked as healthy as he has all season coming off a hamstring pull earlier in the season.

This is a rebuilding year for both ballclubs, but the Avery/Mitchell rivalry always seems to come down to the team who makes the fewest mistakes and the biggest key plays on offense. Mitchell is coming off a big win over Madison in much the same way Avery did two weeks ago.

There are 16 seniors on the Avery roster who wish to finish their final regular season with a win over its bitter rival, but it will take an impressive effort to hold off the Mountaineers this week.

By the Numbers:
0- points scored in Avery’s loss last week to Mountain Heritage.
5- first downs earned by the Viking offense in last week’s 42-0 contest.
6- rushing touchdowns surrendered by Avery in last week’s game.
18.3 – number of points per game averaged by Mitchell in games this season.
56- total yards gained by Avery last week, after gaining over 200 on the ground the prior week.

Read the Avery Journal-Times next week for a full recap of Friday’s Senior Night contest against Mitchell, as well as a preview of any possible opponent that Avery may face the following week in the NCHSAA 1-AA state playoffs. For up-to-date scores and news anytime, visit the Journal-Times Sports blog at: www.ajtsports.blogspot.com

Avery JVs Fall in One-Point Thriller

On Thursday evening at a chilly MacDonald Stadium, the Avery Vikings junior varsity team squared off against an undefeated junior varsity club from Mountain Heritage High School.

Avery led the 8-0 JV Cougars by a touchdown until the waning moments of the contest, but a late touchdown pass and two-point conversion proved the difference in a 15-14 Heritage victory.

The Cougars had been dominant in their performances throughout the regular season, outscoring opponents 261-87 during the season, and had not allowed a single point in the first quarter of any game all season long.

Mountain Heritage scored on its opening drive with an 8 play, 80-yard drive that expired over four minutes off the first quarter clock. Heritage quarterback Tyson Tomberlin found Dalton Woodie for a 19 yard scoring strike to give the Cougars an early 7-0 lead.

Avery showed that it would not be intimidated by the unbeaten visitors from Burnsville. The offense immediately answered the touchdown by scoring on an 8 play, 72-yard drive of its own. Vikings quarterback Alex Villanueva found wide receiver Andy Gonzalez for a 36-yard touchdown pass play. The successful extra point tied the game at 7 apiece with 1:19 left in the first period.

For the remainder of the half, the contest was a field position and defensive battle. Avery held the Cougars offense, forcing it to turn the football over on downs on two separate drives and forcing a fumble for a turnover in the half’s closing seconds. The Vikings fared similarly against the Heritage “D”, turning the ball over on an interception to kill one drive and punting on another. The half ended with the teams knotted 7-7.

On the second play of the third quarter the Vikings committed a costly turnover when Villanueva was intercepted in the flat by Heritage’s Dalton Woodie at the Avery 30-yard line. The Big Red defense again rose to the occasion, however, holding the Cougars on downs inside the red zone to get the football back for the offense.

Avery’s second possession appeared to have promise, but the Cougars stripped the ball from the hands of Gonzalez after a completed pass, recovering the football to stifle Avery momentum. Avery held Heritage to a three-and-out after the turnover, however, and a bad snap on the punt attempt again gave the Vikings an opportunity to seize momentum.

For the vast majority of the contest Thursday night, Avery looked to be the team that was undefeated rather than its opponent, stopping the potent Cougar offense time and again. With its last drive of the third quarter, the Vikings capitalized on the Heritage mistake. Taking only four plays to cover the short field of 35 yards, Villanueva found Gonzalez again on a 22-yard touchdown.

For the next nine minutes of play, the clubs exchanged possession by either turning the football over on downs or punting the football. With under three minutes left, Avery was faced with a difficult 4th and 2 decision: whether to attempt to get the first down to maintain possession, or punt the football and rely on the defense to make one final stand. Avery chose the latter option, pinning the Cougars back to its own 27-yard line with 2:25 left to play and needing a touchdown.

Mountain Heritage proved why it had not lost a contest this season in orchestrating a final scoring drive. The offense took to the air as quarterback Tomberlin was 4 for 7 passing on the possession, capping off a dramatic effort with a 40 yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Drew Letterman. The Cougars rolled the dice and went for a two-point conversion to take the lead and was successful as Tomberlin completed a pass to Woodie to give Heritage the one-point edge at 15-14 with 1:04 remaining.

Avery had one final opportunity to drive for the winning score in the final minute. On a drive that began from its own 20-yard line, the Big Red marched across midfield after a 22-yard pass play from Villanueva to Kenny Hicks.

Heritage dug in from that point, however, forcing an incompletion and sacking Villanueva. On fourth down, Avery mistakenly thought following the sack that it was third down and spiked the football to kill the clock. The play resulted in a turnover on downs back to the Cougars, who then took a knee to run out the clock and escape with the win.

Avery quarterback Villanueva was 9 of 23 passing for 161 yards and a pair of touchdowns, while he and running back Kenny Hicks each had 24 yards rushing. Wide receiver Andy Gonzalez caught five passes for 102 yards and a pair of scores. Tomberlin was 9 for 17 passing for 147 yards with two touchdown passes for Mountain Heritage, while Matthew Kardulis led the Cougars with 72 yards on nine carries.

Avery’s junior varsity record stands at 3-6 on the season. The squad will look to end the year on a winning note this Thursday when it concludes its schedule in Ledger against the Mitchell Mountaineers.

Pain, "Ballew-s", and Agony for Big Red Last Friday in 42-0 Shutout Loss

On Friday night at E.L. Briggs Stadium in Burnsville, the Avery football team met a Mountain Heritage team that was not flashy or flamboyant in name or style. Rather, the Cougars were a hungry, talented, and relentless team that dominated both sides of the football. Avery found the going tough all evening long, amassing a mere 56 total yards in a 42-0 blowout loss.

The Cougars took the opening kickoff and marched 70 yards over 12 plays to get on the scoreboard first. The recurrent theme of the night was on display early and often. Heritage senior running back Jesse Ballew rushed seven times on the drive, including the final nine yards to give the Cougars an early 7-0 lead.

Avery’s best drive of the entire night was its first, as the split-back formation led by Taylor Potter at quarterback ran the ball at the teeth of the Cougars defense. A total of 48 yards was gained on the drive, but the Vikings were turned away from the red zone as the Big Red failed to get a first down on a 4th and 1 conversion attempt at the Heritage 21-yard line.

Mountain Heritage seized momentum from the stop and kept a stranglehold on it for the rest of the contest. Just two plays after gaining possession, running back Casey Randolph galloped 63 yards on a cross-field run to the end zone. The PAT staked the home team to a two-touchdown advantage.

Avery looked to cut into the Cougars lead with its second offensive series, pushing the football across midfield with a combination of run and pass. A center-quarterback exchange miscommunication resulted in a fumble which Heritage recovered at midfield to stall the possession.

The Cougars struck pay dirt again following the turnover. A 25-yard pass from quarterback Kirk Burnette to wide receiver Dylan McMahan placed Heritage in scoring position. Ballew finished the drive with a ten yard touchdown gallop. The successful PAT extended the Cougars lead to 21-0 with 10:47 left in the half.

Avery continued to struggle to hold on to the football as a smothering Cougars defense made things difficult. On the third play of the series Viking quarterback Adam Pate’s pass attempt was picked off by defensive back Josh Laws. Four plays after the turnover, all runs by Ballew covering 43 yards, the Cougars had another touchdown to add to their lead, holding a 28-0 edge with 9:07 left before halftime.

Avery was forced to punt on its next two possessions of the half, but the Big Red defense stifled the Cougars, forcing them into their first and only punt of the night.

Heritage added a final touchdown in the half when Ballew capped off an 81 yard drive with a 20-yard touchdown carry, providing the Cougars with an overwhelming 35-0 lead at intermission.
Mountain Heritage amassed 359 yards of total offense in the first half of play alone, as Ballew ran for 247 yards on only 22 carries. Avery was held to only 74 total first half yards.

In the second half, fortunes were no better for the Big Red. The Cougars defense held the Vikings to -18 yards of total offense over the final two quarters, while Mountain Heritage kept its star runner on the sidelines for the second half. Complementary running back Casey Randolph accounted for the final score of the contest, a 38-yard touchdown in the waning seconds of the third period to account for the final margin of victory.

Avery was led in rushing by running back Ethan Sluder who gained 19 yards on 12 carries, with 12 yards rushing by Colton Buchanan.

The Vikings drop to 2-8 on the season, 1-4 in conference play. Mountain Heritage improves to 8-2 overall, with a 4-1 mark in conference contests. Avery welcomes the Mitchell Mountaineers to Newland for its home finale and Senior Night at MacDonald Stadium this Friday night. Kickoff is slated for 7:30 p.m.

Condrey Earns 2nd Team All-SAC Cross Country Honors

Former Avery High and current Wingate University cross country standout Ashley Condrey earned 2nd team All-South Atlantic Conference honors this season.

Her best time this year is 20:33 and has managed to maintain third and fourth place finishes for her team despite racing with a foot injury this season. Ashley will compete in a 6K event at regional competition on November 8th at Wingate University.

From The Student Section: Goodbye Phil

The University of Tennessee Football program is changing. When the Vols split the "T" next season, there will be a new head coach leading the charge. The decision to some was warranted, and to others it was too soon. No matter how you look at it, you have to feel bad for Phillip Fulmer. He was a man that gave his heart and soul to the University of Tennessee. He was a man who gave 30 plus years of his life to the program. Fulmer is as Tennessee as anyone could be.

The situation surrounding the resignation is not known at the moment, but this was a difficult situation. It looks that the University may have pushed him out of the job, especially considering the rumors last week that the South Carolina game would decide his fate. Fulmer went as far as to say that he agreed with the University's decision. However, Tennessee had to ask themselves the tough questions.

Do you fire a man who took the program to new hieghts, but fell onto hard times? Or do you give him another chance to redeem himself? At some point, you have to ask yourself if you should be loyal to a man who gave his all to the program or did you give him a fair shake? Tennessee and more importantly Athletic Director Mike Hamilton felt it was time for a change. However, did Hamilton have a choice?

College football, especially Tennessee, is a multimillon dollar industry. The bottom line is determined by wins and losses, and this season has been heartbreaking to say the least for the Vols. Fans have shown their displeasure through various ways, but the most important was not coming to the games. One has to wonder if donors were threatening not to donate and the slow ticket sales were the final straw. At some point, Hamilton has to look out for himself as the CEO of the company despite friendships and loyalty.

Despite where you stand on Fulmer's resignation, you should admire the man for what he has accomplished at the helm of the Volunteer football program. He did so with class. Coach Fulmer embodied what Tennessee football is about. He knew and respected the traditions of Tennessee football and loved the rivalary games such as with Alabama. As a person, Fulmer is well respected. To his players, he was often considered a father figure. Fulmer got the opportunity to live his dream by coaching the team he so deeply loved. However, all good things must come to an end, and for Fulmer the end is at the end of this season.



5:05 PM -- Shelldog's Take: I gotta agree with Bill Meade over on SportsLine on WXSM who feels Tennessee's next head coach SHOULD be Mike Leach from Texas Tech. They need a big name to compete with the Meyers, Richts, Miles's, and Spurriers in the conference, especially recruiting in kids' homes. It would denote a definitive turning of the page for the program. I like David Cutcliffe at Duke, but I believe the Vols did him wrong when they would not commit to informally considering him the heir apparent in Knoxville. Anyways, saw this on the blog list and thought I'd throw in a penny or two.

Edwards, ASU Dominate Wofford

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

BOONE- On Halloween Night, Armanti Edwards wore his normal Mountaineer uniform, but played like Superman as Appalachian destroyed Wofford 70-24 in front of a record setting Kidd Brewer Stadium crowd and a national TV audience.

Edwards tied a school record with five touchdown passes and accounted for 440 yards of total offense. With Friday’s performance, Edwards set the Southern Conference record for total yards that was previously held by former Mountaineer Richie Williams. Edwards completed 17-of-19 passes.

The battle between SoCon rivals appeared like it was going to be a shootout in the first quarter. The teams traded touchdowns as Ben Jorden caught two touchdown passes as the Terriers answered on their following possessions.

"In the first quarter, I thought who ever had the ball last would win,” Mountaineer Coach Jerry Moore said. “It was a great night. We had a great week of preparation. In the coaches’ locker room before the game there was a lot of electricity. It was a nationally televised game on ESPN2 there was a lot of hype so we just felt as a coaching staff that things were really pointing to a great night for us.”

After Robert Melton gave App a 21-14 lead, Mark Legree and the Mountaineer Defense stepped up as LeGree intercepted a Terrier pass. After that, the Mountaineers never let up as they raced out to a 42-14 lead, and never looked back.

“We felt like we had to go out and keep putting up touchdowns on them because field goals are ok but it’s not enough against a team like Wofford, “ Mountaineer Tight End Ben Jorden said. “Even when they’re down two or three touchdowns they’re never out of the game, so we felt like we couldn’t let up on them.”

For the Mountaineers, it was a crucial game that put them in control of their own destiny in the race for the Southern Conference title. It was also a game to prove that the Mountaineers are worth the hype that the game and the team is receiving.

“This was our chance to show the country what it looks like when we put together a complete game,” Jorden said. “We haven’t done that so far this season so we felt like we could use this stage to show everybody what we can do.”

“I had a lot of people at school come up and ask me if I thought we had a chance, we’re the No. 2 team in the nation so I feel like of course we have a chance,” Edwards said. “Nobody gave us a chance to win this game so we really took that to heart.. Of course we had a chip on our shoulders, they beat us last year and a lot of people were expecting the same thing again so we felt like we had to come out and make a statement."

Brian Quick was Edward’s main target as he had four catches for 172 yards and three touchdowns.

Avery County’s Josh Johnson had two competitions for 18 yards in the contest for the Mountaineers. In all, the Mountaineers had a staggering 620 yards of total offense.

Watauga’s Eric Britenstein led the Terrier rushing attack with 157 yards.

Appalachian will travel to Chattanooga next Saturday to take on the Mocs of UTC.

Fulmer To Step Down

(Courtesy of UTSports.com)

University of Tennessee head coach Phillip Fulmer announced Monday he will step aside as the Volunteers head coach at the end of the season. Fulmer is the second winningest coach in school history with a record of 150-51 and has spent 28 years on Vols coaching staff - 11 years as assistant coach and 17 years as head coach.

"Coach Fulmer has been, and will continue to be, a great representative of the University and the athletics department," said UT athletics director Mike Hamilton. "He has dedicated a majority of his life to our program and brought home two SEC championships and a national championship. He has secured his place as the second winningest coach in Tennessee history behind Gen. Neyland. I personally appreciate everything he has done for Tennessee."

The dean of Southeastern Conference coaches, Fulmer has claimed a national championship, two conference titles and seven divisional crowns while winning nearly three-quarters of his games. He also retains his standing among the winning coaches with at least 10 years experience in major college football.

"I am proud of what we've done at Tennessee. We've won a lot of games, we've won championships, we've done it the right way, we've helped a lot of young men grow up and we've been a credit to our university every step of the way," said Fulmer. "For as long as I can remember, even as boy growing up in Winchester, Tennessee football has been something that brought our university and even our state together. East Tennessee, Middle Tennessee, West Tennessee...people from all walks of life and people of different opinions on everything else could agree on one thing - the Volunteers. I love Tennessee too much to let her stay divided."

Fulmer also joined an elite coaching list last season when his career record improved to 100 games over the .500 mark joining Bobby Bowden, Joe Paterno, Jim Tressel, Steve Spurrier, Chris Ault and Frank Beamer as the only active coaches in that fraternity. With three games remaining, Fulmer has a chance to spring back above that plus-100 milestone before calling it a career.

Fulmer's coaching record also includes these accomplishments:
• Selection as National and SEC coach of the year in 1998.• The first Tennessee team to post 13 victories in a single season, a record in 1998 that included an SEC championship and Tostitos Fiesta Bowl win for the national title.• Back-to-back SEC titles in 1997-98 and five Eastern Division crowns in the last 10 years. The Vols have won or tied for the division title seven times under Fulmer.• A record of 45-5 from 1995-98, the most victories over a four-year span in school history.• Six seasons finishing in the top 10 nationally and 13 seasons ranked in the top 25.• Seventeen Tennessee players earning first-team All-America honors.• Sixteen first-round NFL selections since 1993 and a total of 90 players selected overall. The team's five first-day 2007 NFL Draft picks were the most of any school and UT has led the SEC with the most players on opening-day NFL rosters in two of the last three seasons.• Fifteen bowl games have welcomed the Vols, including 13 January bowl invitations.• In two of the last three seasons, Tennessee football has led the SEC in Academic Honor Roll recipients.

Fulmer was an offensive guard at Tennessee from 1968-71. He began his coaching career at Tennessee before stints at Wichita State (1974-78) and Vanderbilt (1979). Fulmer returned to Tennessee in 1980 and was promoted to head coach in 1992. He has been enshrined in both the Tennessee Sports and Knoxville Sports halls of fame.

In honor of Fulmer's contributions to the university, UT announced that Fulmer's last home game versus Kentucky on Nov. 29 will be "Phillip Fulmer Appreciation Day."

Tennessee will begin a national coaching search immediately.

Report: Fulmer to Resign As Head Coach of Volunteers

The University of Tennessee has announced that there is going to be a 5:00pm press conference this afternoon with Athletic Director Mike Hamilton and Current Volunteer football head coach Phillip Fulmer at Neyland Stadium.

The AP and ESPN.com's Chris Low reports that the University and Fulmer reached a mutual agreement that Fulmer will not return next season and will end Fulmer's 17 year tenure as head coach. The Avery Journal-Times Sports Blog will have continuing coverage of this situation.

UTSports.com will have streaming audio and video of the press conference.

Vikings Shut Out By Cougars 42-0 in Burnsville Friday Night

The Avery Vikings fell to 2-8, 1-4 in conference play in a 42-0 loss to the Mountain Heritage Cougars on Friday night. The Vikings could only muster 56 yards of total offense while the Cougars racked up 610 yards, 563 of them on the ground.

Heritage running back Jesse Ballew ran for 247 yards on 22 carries and scored four times in only two quarters of action. Ethan Sluder led Avery with 22 yards rushing.

A full recap can be found in this week's edition of the Journal-Times, with a full story also here on the Blog!

AJ-T Sports Blog: LIVE FROM...Meares Stadium

On a beautiful Saturday afternoon for football, the Mars Hill College Lions host Senior Day for its home finale against the Pioneers of Tusculum College. Both teams enter today's game with identical 6-3 overall record and 3-2 records in South Atlantic Conference play.

Today is the final home game for former Avery Viking standout and current Lions quarterback Ricky Spradling (son of Stan and Marty Spradling of Roan Mountain), as well as 17 other seniors for the Mars Hill ballclub. Ricky is 91 for 178 overall with 1,607 yards on the season with 13 touchdowns and 8 interceptions. Also playing today will be redshirt sophomore Zach Johnson, who leads the Lions with 78 tackles, in addition to three sacks and an interception this season.

Mars Hill leads the overall series 14-8-2, but lost the last two contests to the Pioneers by a score of 15-12 a season ago and 24-17 in 2006.

A number of local Avery representatives are in attendance at today's game, including Avery Vikings head football coach Darrell Brewer and head baseball coach Benny Wellborn. Also in attendance today is Appalachian State junior wide receiver Josh Johnson, whose team is fresh off last evening's shellacking of the Wofford Terriers.

We'll be here all afternoon with updates on today's game, as well as photos, details, and commentary.

1:35 PM: Tusculum is on the board with a 53-yard touchdown run by quarterback Corey Russell on the third play of the game. The PAT is no good, but the Pioneers take the early 6-0 lead.

1:45 PM: Mars Hill was forced into a three-and-out and punted on its first drive. Zach Johnson makes a sack on the ensuing Tusculum drive, but the Pioneers get back on the board again with a quick scoring drive. A five play, 68 yard drive results in a touchdown pass from Russell to wide receiver Jarrell NeSmith. The extra point gives the Pioneers a 13-0 advantage at the 10:20 mark of the opening period.

Mars Hill was unable to move the football with its second possession, but a personal foul roughing the punter penalty resulted in a Lions first down. Mars Hill could not move the ball further however, forcing another Lions punt with 5:30 left in the opening period and the Pioneers up by a baker's dozen.

2:00 PM Tusculum is held for the first time today by the Lions defense to get the football back via punt. Mars Hill moves downfield, as Spradling becomes a pass receiver on a throwback pass from receiver McDowell to Ricky for a 17-yard gain. The Lions cap the drive with a 26-yard touchdown pass from Spradling to receiver Tyrea Allen. The PAT by Pinkerton is good, cutting the Tusculum lead to 13-7 at the conclusion of the first quarter of action.

2:20 PM -- Tusculum punted the ball back away to the Lions, who have driven to the Pioneers 25-yard line. Once down 13 points early, Mars Hill has made a fast comeback as Spradling just fired a 25 yard touchdown pass to wide receiver John Brown. The Pinkerton PAT gives the Lions the lead at 14-13 with 9:34 left in the opening half.

Tusculum doesn't waste time in answering the Lions score. A 21 yard touchdown pass from Russell to WR Calvin Britt caps off a 5-play, 55 yard scoring drive, helping the Pioneers regain the lead at 20-14 with 7:56 left in the half.

2:35 PM - Mars Hill drove to the Tusculum 26, but a fourth down pass into the end zone by Spradling to Allen was incomplete. The Mars Hill crowd, coaches, and players contended for a pass interference penalty against the Pioneers DB, but no flag was thrown, giving possession to the Pioneers with four minutes left before halftime.

Tusculum takes advantage of the opportunity with a 67 yard touchdown pass from Russell to wide receiver Nate Binder. The point after try is good, and the Pioneers extend their lead to 27-14 with 2:30 left before halftime.

2:50 PM - The Lions take the ensuing drive into Tusculum territory, but the drive stalls, forcing the Lions into fourth down. Tusculum takes a time out to ensure they get the ball back with a little over a minute remaining on the clock. A great punt pins back the Pioneers at their own 3 yard line with 1:18 left before intermission. Tusculum decides to kneel on the football with the poor field position, protecting its 27-14 lead going into halftime.

Halftime stats:

Ricky Spradling -- 8 for 17, 121 yards, 2 TD
Zach Johnson - 3 tackles and a sack

Tusculum leads 27-14 at the half. Back for second half action in a bit!


3:15 PM - Mars Hill takes the second half kickoff and drives inside Pioneers territory. Spradling rushed for 24 yards on the drive which culminated with a two yard plunge by fullback Elroy Harris at the 9:09 mark of the third period. The successful PAT cut the lead to 27-21 Tusculum in the third quarter.

Tusculum drove with the ensuing drive but was held to a field goal attempt by the Lions "D". The field goal attempt by Tusculum was wide left, keeping the lead only at six points at 27-21 at the six minute mark of the third.

3:55 PM - Mars Hill moved the football to near midfield but was forced to punt. The Tusculum defense made a big play as Tagon Richard blocked the Mars Hill punt attempt at the Lions 31 yard line. Tusculum drives to the 22 yard line and face a 2nd and 7 at the end of the third quarter. Tusculum leads 27-21 after three complete.

4:00 PM - Lots of action has ensued as the fourth quarter begins. A Tusculum pass play was intercepted by Deshun Nesbitt in the end zone to prevent a Pioneer score. Mars Hill fumbled the football back to the Pioneers only two plays into the subsequent possession. Tusculum capitalized as Russell found wide receiver NeSmith for a 10-yard touchdown pass. The PAT failed, leaving the Pioneers ahead 33-21 with 12:00 remaining.

Mars Hill moves the football following the touchdown with the help of a pass interference as well as a personal foul penalty assessed against Tusculum. A pitch play to Tyrea Allen is good enough for a three yard touchdown run, drawing the Lions back to within single digits. The PAT is good, making the score 33-28 with 7:02 left in the game.

On the ensuing kickoff the Lions forced a fumble by the ball returner. The Lions' Jermaine Johnson recovered the fumble to give Mars Hill the ball at the Pioneers 20 yard line. Big break for the Lions. Mars Hill is unable to advance the football on its first three plays and are faced with a fourth and nine call from the 20 yard line. The Lions appear set to go for it on fourth down, but call a timeout to talk it over. Mars Hill trails 33-28 with 5:20 to go.

Jeremy Thompson intercepts Spradling's pass near the end zone and returns it to the 27 yard line. Tusculum makes the defensive play of the game thus far to preserve its lead. Mars Hill is out of timeouts and Tusculum looks to run out the clock. The team picks up a first down on a QB sneak by Russell and continue to churn out yardage. Russell sneaks for a second first down, which effectively will allow the Pioneers to run out the clock and take a hard fought win over Mars Hill by the final score of 33-28.

Ricky Spradling was 12 of 27 for 157 yards and two touchdowns and one interception for the contest. Zach Johnson finished the contest with a team-high 7 tackles.

Thanks for following the Blog for this afternoon's game.

LIVE FROM "THE ROCK" ON HALLOWEEN NIGHT

(We are having some technical issues tonight. To see current updates, please click on this post's title.)

6:30: Happy Halloween to everyone out there. We are live at Kidd Brewer Stadium for tonight's NATIONALLY televised SoCon showdown between the #3 nationally ranked Wofford Terriers and the #2 nationally ranked Appalachian State Mountaineers. Why wait for Texas-Texas Tech tomorrow when you have a special Halloween treat tonight on ESPN2 (8:00pm kickoff)? Kidd Brewer has a special atmosphere that probably can not be found anywhere else. Throw in that it is Halloween Night, and you have the recipe for a night like any other. Of course, we will have updates throughout the game (at a reduced rate however), and will even update the Avery game when possible. We will be updating less than normal so that we can give you a full taste of the game atmosphere in pictures and words, as well as a full game recap found only on the Avery Journal-Times Sports Blog! (Graphic courtesy of GoASU.com)

6:45: Some quick game notes. The winner of this contest will have the advantage in the SoCon race. Former Watuaga running back Eric Breitenstein returns home to Boone in a Wofford Terrier uniform after graduating last year. Outside "The Rock," there is treat-treating for the kids. This place is rocking. Stay tuned for the game!

7:30: We are 30 minutes to kick off, and what a game atmosphere we are going to have. It's a beautiful night for football. I just came from the field, and it is wild seeing Elvis, a football playing gorilla, the Heisman trophy, and Fred Flintstone among others together in the stands. If you can imagine it as a costume, someone here has it. This is a must watch game if you can not be here. (The Avery game has just kicked off).

8:30: What a game so far. I mentioned Texas-Texas Tech, and this game has been wild. App leads 21-14 with 1:46 remaining in the first quarter. The Mountaineers have just intercepted the Terriers. Both teams have marched up and down the field. This game may come down to who has the ball last.

8:41: END OF THE FIRST App 21, Wofford 14. Mountaineers driving.(Avery trails Mountain Heritage 35-0 at the half)

8:48:Quick Update: 13:08 App scores again as they take a 28-14 lead. Through one quarter of play Armanti Edwards already has 150 yards passing and was 7 of 8.

9:30: Well, I might have spoke too soon about how it might come down to the team with the ball last. The Mountaineers defense has stepped up and the offense led by Armanti Edwards has jumped into control. Edwards is putting on a "frightening" performance as he is12 of 13 for 233 yards and has 3 passing touchdowns. Edwards has also rushed for 57 yards and an additional touchdown. Avery County's Josh Johnson has 2 catches for 18 yards. The atmosphere here at "The Rock" has turned into an all out party as the Marching Mountaineers are doing a special Halloween dance on the field.

9:46: High school update: Avery trails 42 to 0 with a little over 2 minutes left in the game. Cloudland has learned they will have to travel to Oneida next week for the first round of playoffs. The second half of our Halloween special is about to begin.

10:00: The Terriers drive and the Mountaineers taketh away. Mark LeGree intercepts a Terrier pass on the App five yard line. In return, the Apps are driving behind Edwards' arm.

11:00: WOW! The Mountaineers have hit 70 points to the crowd's delight as 1:34 remains as DeAndre Pressly flips over defenders into the endzone after a fumble recovery. Unless, Wofford can get something going we are done. The crowd is beginning to file out of KBS as the Mountaineers put on a dominating performance on Halloween night that should scare any team that is to face them. This is the best App has looked all year, and they did that in front of a record crowd of 30,000 and some, plus the national tv audience. It's great to be a Mountaineer tonight. Thanks for spending your Halloween with us, and hope you enjoyed. There will be more pics online sometime tonight or tomorrow.

(Avery falls 42-0 tonight)

Interview with Avery head coach Darrell Brewer re: Mountain Heritage game

Click the post title above for audio of this week's coach's interview between "Voice of the Vikings" Jamie Shell and Avery Vikings head football coach Darrell Brewer regarding tonight's matchup between Avery and Mountain Heritage.