"Some Wish For It, We Work For It"--Avery Lady Vikings Basketball Active Throughout Summer

Although basketball season concluded well before leaves appeared on area trees, the Avery Lady Vikings basketball team continues to work on improving for the upcoming season.

In mid-June the Lady Vikings took five junior varsity players and eight varsity players to the Battle of the Border Team Basketball Camp at Pfeiffer University. Avery played a number of top-notch opponents and more than held their own against them.

“The Pfeiffer camp was great for us. We had went there several years ago and decided to go back. We have a new group of girls playing together, including three players we’ve added to our varsity including Mercedes Bentley, Logan Johnson, and Savannah Dellinger. Putting those girls with our returning players was a good combination,” Lady Vikings varsity head coach Missy Lyons. “I asked for us to be put with the 3A and 4A teams at the camp to challenge us and get the toughest competition we could. There were about 35 teams at the camp.”

During the event Avery had the opportunity to tangle with a host of squads from North and South Carolina, including North Stokes, North Stanly, Lee County (SC), Marlboro (SC), Carrboro, North Surry, Union Pines, and Eastern Alamance, finishing 6-4 over the course of ten games played at camp. The squad lost no game by greater than three points.

“Our close games all seemed to come down to the wire. The game was played where fouls counted for points so it wasn’t completely a real-life game situation, but I think the girls handled themselves well. Every team we played was excellent competition,” Coach Lyons added.

From the camp and summer work, the Lady Vikings are establishing an identity and character which will carry them into the 2009-10 campaign with the hopes of exceeding the successes of the previous seasons that have most recently included a regional appearance, a conference tournament title, and multiple district finals appearances.

“I think an area of strength for this team is their passing. They set each other up well and work as a team to get good shots” Coach Lyons said. “If there is something we will need to work on, it will be running the ball. The girls played great help defense, and I believe our defense will be a strong point for this team as well. Our junior varsity team also was 8-2 during the camp and looked extremely well.”

The Lady Vikings will miss the recent graduation of seniors from the squad, but Coach Lyons hopes that the remaining varsity players can step up their level of play and that the players who are new to the squad can make positive contributions to help the club.

“We’ll definitely miss Katie Ellis down on the post. We’ll be counting on our returning players like Katelynn (Eudy) to take up some of the hustle and hard rebounding and getting to the basketball off the glass. Sara Wiseman has come along really well in the post,” Coach Lyons stated. “Having Lauren Avery in the backcourt and adding Mercedes to the varsity will give us someone to go to with a consistent perimeter jumper to hurt defenses when they pack in the zone on us. That will help open it up for our big girls inside.”

For the past few weeks the Lady Vikings have been participating in summer leagues featuring teams from Watauga, Wilkes, Ashe, and beyond. Avery performed well during the summer league play and has logged many games on the floor.

“The summer leagues have been great. We traveled to Wilkes Central a couple of Saturdays ago and played Ashe, Watauga, Forbush, and Wilkes Central. We played all day long, back-to-back-to-back-to-back,” Coach Lyons elaborated. “We went one evening to play at Watauga and played Watauga and Ashe in both JV and varsity games. Ashe and Watauga will both be really strong teams next year, so that gave us a good indication of where we were before we went to team camp.”

Throughout the summer the Lady Vikings have been holding open gym, holding clinics on Monday evenings at Viking Gym for middle school players as varsity players work with the younger ladies to help them improve their game.

“We’ve been letting our older girls do a clinic with the middle school players, going over some drills and helping them see and go through what a high school practice looks and feels like,” the coach said. “We’ve done the clinics throughout May and June, and in those times we’ve had anywhere from 15 to 30 girls in 7th through rising 9th grade. We have some really good younger talent, so we’ve been really excited about having them join us and working out with us.”

CHS Unveils Schedule

The ‘Landers recently released next season’s schedule with notable changes from last year. Since 2009 is the first season with the new TSSAA realignment, Cloudland finds a new face in their conference and some new foes on the schedule. Hancock County joins the ‘Landers conference replacing Knoxville Grace Christian and Jellico while Happy Valley and Johnson County join the ‘Landers schedule for out of conference battles.

To get ready for the season, the ‘Landers will host a jamboree on August 14^th at Orr Field. That jamboree will feature the ‘Landers, Avery, Unaka, and Hampton.

The ‘Landers will then open the regular season with a trip to Tri-Cities Christian on Thursday, August 20th. Last season’s contest with the ‘Landers was the Eagles first ever 11-man football game with the ‘Landers coming out on top 34-0. The game will be played at Lynn Garden Middle School in Kingsport, TN.

The next Friday night sees the ‘Landers travel to Mosheim where they will face an improved West Greene squad. On September 4^th, Cloudland will open the conference schedule with the home opener against North Greene.

September 11^th will see the ‘Landers clash with the Avery Vikings in the 3^rd annual Avery Journal-Times^th of September will see the ‘Landers play another conference game as they travel to county rival Unaka. Border Battle in Newland. In that contest, Cloudland looks to break the trend of the hosts coming out on top as in the previous two years. Avery won in Newland 35-14 in 2007 while CHS took the 43-21 victory in Roan Mountain last season. The 18th of September sees the 'Landers travel to county rival Unaka in another conference showdown.

The next week, Cloudland will see the return of another county school to the schedule as Happy Valley returns to the Cloudland schedule for the first time since the 2000 season and a 57-7 'Lander victory that still stands out in the minds of Carter County football fans.

The first Friday in October, the ‘Landers will hit the road again as they travel to Cosby to get revenge on the Eagles for last season’s nail biting loss in Roan Mountain. Johnson County will make their return to the CHS schedule when they pay the ‘Landers a visit on October 9^th.

The next week will be homecoming for Cloudland when Hancock County makes their first visit to Roan Mountain on October 16^th. The ‘Landers will take the next week off before the annual Thursday night showdown with Hampton in Roan Mountain to close out the regular season.

Avery All-Star Softball Teams Remain Alive in District Tournament

Both Avery All-Star softball squads began District tournament play with games earlier this week. On Tuesday the 9-10 year old All-Stars played host to a tough Ashe County ballclub.

Bri Cuthbertson started inside the circle for Avery and pitched well through the first three innings of the contest, holding the Ashe club to only four runs total.

Avery had difficulty dialing in Ashe starter Brianna McCoy, as she struck out the side in each of the first two innings of work. The Avery club adjusted, however, and picked up a pair of runs in the bottom of the third frame to cut the Ashe advantage to 4-2 after three innings of play.

Ashe began to grasp control of the game in the fourth and fifth frames when they added four in the fourth and burst out for 11 runs in the top of the fifth to take a 19-2 edge. Avery would not give up, however, rallying to mount a two-out rally to plate a run to provide for the final 19-3 margin at Hodge Turbyfill Complex.

"Our girls gave a maximum effort. You couldn't ask for a better effort from a group of girls," Avery All-Stars coach Robert Garland said after the game. "Their first pitcher was really tough. Our girls are used to the speed from a machine, but aren't as used to the motion of the pitcher from the mound. We made a couple of bad plays and it got us down a little. Bri did a great job pitching before her arm started hurting her. She only pitched a couple of times during the season, but she'll get it. Kesha followed her up and threw well also."

11 and 12 Softball Upends Caldwell, Tangles with Lady Huskies

The Avery 11-12 year old Softball All-Stars picked up a postseason victory on Monday night, defeating the West Caldwell All-Stars by a final score of 21-14 in Collettsville Monday evening.

Ashley Yoder got the starting nod inside the circle, while Ellie Lecka came on in relief to help seal the win. Avery trailed by a pair of runs after the first inning of play, but the ladies rallied to score three runs in the top of the second to take their first lead at 3-2.

West Caldwell continued to battle, as the home team plated a pair to regain the advantage at 4-3. The early runs were indicated an offensive shootout, which proved to be true by game's end.

Avery grabbed the lead for good in the top of the fourth inning, taking a four-run edge at 10-6. Caldwell refused to fold, manufacturing a pair of runs to cut the deficit to two runs after four innings. Avery kept its hot bats going as the sun set on the horizon. Five runs in the top of the frame pushed the visitors' lead to its largest of the game at 15-8.

Avery's defense took charge in the bottom of the frame as it held West to only a single run, taking a six-run bulge into the final inning of the contest.

The teams combined for 11 runs in the sixth and final inning, with Avery crossing six of runners home for a 21-9 edge in the top of the frame. West Caldwell did not give up, however, as the squad cut the lead to seven at 21-14, but Avery buckled down and recorded the final out to advance to the second round in the winner's bracket of the District Tournament.

"We had a good breakout inning which helped us get out on them," Avery All-Stars softball coach Kevin Brown stated. "We made good contact hitting the ball and we didn't walk in a single run in the game. All the girls were hitting the ball well."

On Wednesday evening the 11-12 year old Avery Softball All-Stars matched up with Ashe County in a second-round tournament contest.

The Ashe team came out swinging off Avery starter Emily Brown, rallying to put up four runs in the opening frame. The Avery squad retired Ashe with runners on base to close the frame, however. Avery added a run in the bottom of the first when Clark stole home plate to narrow the deficit to 4-1.

Ashe turned the tide in the game in the top of the second when it scored six runs in the inning, six of which occurring with two outs. Hannah Blevins had the big hit of the inning with a bases-clearing, 3-RBI triple which staked the visitors to an 10-1 lead.

Avery's best opportunity to get narrow its deficit came an inning later in the bottom of the third. After pitcher Brown worked out of a bases-loaded jamp to hold Ashe's offense scoreless in the top of the frame, Avery plated a pair of runs in their time at bat. Kaitlyn Suddereth and Makayla Clark each scored runs, but the team also stranded three runners to close the inning behind by the score of 10-3.

Ashe County put the contest away for good in the top of the fourth as they scored four runs on seven hits to push its lead to 15-3. Avery was unable to close the margin within ten runs in the bottom of the fourth, which invoked the ten-run mercy rule to end the contest.

"Ashe is playing really good softball right now," Avery All-Stars softball coach Kevin Brown said after the game. "They have good pitching, and I think our girls were a little intimidated and backing out of the box or watching strikes go by due to the speed of the pitches. Our defense hurt us a little tonight."

The loss dropped the ladies into the consolation bracket, where they took on a Lenoir All-Star squad on Friday afternoon at Watauga High School.

Avery drew first blood with a run in the top of the first inning, but Lenoir rallied in the bottom of the frame, using a pair of bases loaded walks and a two-run single to take a 4-1 edge after one inning.

In Avery’s second time at-bat, the team scored on an RBI groundout by Allie Moody. Ellie Lecka singled and Emily Brown reached base via walk. Both runners moved up on a wild pitch, and Lecka scored on a second wild throw by the pitcher to narrow the deficit to 4-3.

Following a pitching change by Lenoir, Jerica Reiger came on with a pair of runners on base and belted a two-run double on the first pitch she saw from the reliever to help Avery regain a 5-4 lead that they would never relinquish. Kaitlyn Sudderth laced an RBI groundout for the fifth run scored by Avery in the inning. Avery batted around in the inning as Ashlie Yoder drove in a run with a hit and later scored herself. Once the third out was finally recorded by Lenoir, Avery scored a total of nine for the frame and held a 9-4 lead.

Lenoir proved they weren’t going to lose quietly, however, plating three runs in the bottom of the second to draw within a pair at 9-7.

Avery’s bats stayed warm in the top of the third inning to extend its lead. The highlight of the five-run frame was a three-run, inside-the-park home run from Yoder, helping stake Avery to a 14-7 edge.

Yoder pitched her strongest inning of the contest in the bottom of the third when she allowed only four players to bat for Lenoir, retiring three of them to hold the Caldwell County squad scoreless for the inning.

Avery went back to work in the top of the fourth with five additional runs, including a double from Rieger and multiple-RBI home run from Yoder. Lenoir scored one run in the bottom of the fourth, but the Avery defense retired the side to end the game due to the ten-run mercy rule by the final score of 19-8.

“The pitching was a lot similar to the West Caldwell team. We’ve got some girls who have played middle school ball and are able to hit some of the faster pitches. When we see the slower pitching like today, the several girls who had not seen faster pitching took advantage and hit it well,” Coach Kevin Brown said following the victory. “We were able to put base runners on ahead of our hitters and they produced.

“Whoever we play next, we’ll feel like we’ve done well. Another week for us to practice together as a team will help us greatly,” fellow All-Stars coach Craig Rieger said post-game. “It’s amazing how much better a team gets when they have the extra time to work together, so practicing for several days will be good for us.”

Avery’s 11 and 12 year old softball All-Stars will next play this Saturday, July 11^th.

9-10 Year Old Baseball All-Stars Fall to Pair of Wilkes Clubs in Tournament Play; 11-12 Boys Baseball Drops Opener

Avery assistant coach Bill Daniels gives last-minute instructions

to the Avery 9-10 Baseball All-Stars before taking the field
against Wilkes American Monday night.

(WILKESBORO) Avery County Little League District Tournament play is underway in four separate divisions. On Monday night, the 9-10 year old baseball All-Stars traveled to Westwood Park in Wilkesboro to take on a team from the Wilkes American League, falling in five innings by a 10-0 final score.

Wilkes struck early for a pair of runs off Avery starter Brett Smith, and rallied in the bottom of the 2nd inning to score three runs with two outs to grab a 5-0 lead. Avery put a runner on base in each of the first two frames, but could not drive them in.

Smith settled down in his final inning of work and worked out of a jam to hold Wilkes scoreless. Avery meanwhile looked to cut into the lead in the bottom of the third. Luke Crowe led off with a base hit, and Josh Cook followed up with a walk to put two runners on. The Wilkes pitching staff showed poise, however, striking out the final two hitters to get out of trouble and hold Avery without a run.

The contest got away from the Avery club in the top of the fifth frame. Avery reliever Josh McClellan came on to pitch and had difficulty with finding the strike zone.

Wilkes benefited from four walks and a base on balls to score a pair of runs. Jordan Lecka was called on by head coach Kevin McClellan to pitch, and the right hander was able to throw strikes. Wilkes unfortunately was able to connect on the pitches with a couple of hits to score three additional runs.

Avery could have found themselves in deeper trouble had it not been for periods of great defense. Catcher Daniel Hartless gunned down two separate runners trying to steal third base, and the Avery club turned a 1-3-2 double play to deny a Wilkes runner coming home on a bunt.

Avery could not rally in the bottom of the fifth for a run to extend the contest, as Wilkes took the five-inning win by the ten-run mercy rule.

"We just couldn't hit the ball tonight," Avery head coach Kevin McClellan said after the loss. "The boys played really good defense, but we just weren't able to put the bat on the ball and score runs. It's something we'll definitely work on before our next game."

Avery returned to action on Wednesday evening and fell 8-7 in a hard-fought, close contest against the Wilkes County American 2 club. A bases loaded walk in the bottom of the sixth proved to be the game-winner in Newland as the Avery team hit the ball well but came up just short.

"You hate to lose a game that way. I'd almost rather lose a game by 15 runs than lose a game like that. It's heart-breaking for the kids and for me," Avery coach Kevin McClellan admitted after the contest. "We worked on our fielding a lot, and it showed. Jacob (Daniels) was unreal in the outfield today. We caught balls and played good defense, and hit the ball well. It just wasn't our night tonight."

On Wednesday evening the Avery 11 and 12 year old boys baseball All-Star team played its opening contest in Collettsville against perennial power Morganton. The game was scoreless for the first two innings of play, but Morganton's bats heated up in the third frame to the tune of nine runs. Avery was unable to answer the onslaught with its own bats. Morganton added a tenth and final run in the fourth frame and Avery was unable to plate a run, forcing the enforcement of the ten-run mercy rule.

The 11-12 year old baseball squad drops to the consolation bracket and will return to action the week following the July 4th holiday.

Yackey Accepts Women's Head Softball Coaching Position at Lees-McRae College

Avery head softball coach Merritt Yackey, pictured here during Senior Day
with son Brock, wife Sara, and daughter Morgan,
has accepted the head softball position at Lees-McRae College in Banner Elk

With a string of unprecedented success with the Avery High School Lady Vikings softball program, it was only a matter of time before others took notice of Merritt Yackey's ability to move a team with hard work in the right direction.

Coach Yackey and Lees-McRae College announced this week that Yackey will be leaving as Avery head coach to take the reins of the Lady Bobcats softball program.

"It is a wonderful opportunity and a great challenge," Coach Yackey said following the announcement. "I truly enjoyed my coaching tenure at Avery High School and working with tremendous girls. The greatest joy was watching the improvement of the girls individually as well as a team due to their good work ethic in practice. That improvement was seen from two perspectives, during the course of the season as well as from one year to the next."

Yackey has coached a number of quality players while at Avery, including a pair of All-State selections and four All-District players from this past season.

"To have the opportunity to add someone like Merritt Yackey to our athletic department was crucial to our growth. He is a proven success in every aspect of his life," said Lees McRae College Director of Athletics Craig McPhail. "A great role model for everyone in the community, a respected father, husband, businessman and employee were all qualities I appreciated and needed in a coach. I am looking for him to continue the progress of our women's softball program, but also help guide me in our quest to make this one of the best athletic programs in the southeast."

Coach Yackey has over 25 years of experience in higher education. He was Director of Development/Special Giving at Albion College from 1988-1993, Director of Development at Converse College from 1995-1996, Director of Major Gifts and Planned Giving at Catawba College from 1997-2000, Special Assistant to the President/Campaign Director at Limestone College from 2000-2002, Vice President for Development at Mansfield University from 2002-2004, and Vice President for Advancement at Lees-McRae College from 2004-2007.

Yackey has been the head softball coach at Avery High School since 2007, where he has coached a host of all-conference, all-district, and all-state players, including his own daughter Morgan, a 2009 graduate who has committed to play softball at Muskingum College next season.

Coach Yackey takes over for former coach Julie Kennedy, who spent six seasons at the helm of the Lady Bobcats, leading them to their first winning season in ten years with a 22-20 overall record and 8-10 record for seventh place in Carolinas Conference play in 2009.

“Merritt is a class act, a proven success, and we are very fortunate to have someone like him join our athletic department, McPhail said. “I believe he possesses a unique and diverse skill set which is so valuable to small college athletics. I am looking to Merritt to continue the growth of our softball program, where Coach Kennedy has built it up to this point and be able to take these young women who come to Lees-McRae to new heights in our conference.”

“I have grown to know Lees-McRae as a college that takes care of her students and provides the education they need to make a difference in the careers of their choice,” Yackey said. “Having an opportunity to nurture student-athletes through the softball program and improve upon the groundwork that has been laid is exciting. Additionally, I look forward to working with an excellent and committed athletic staff.”

Coach Yackey also hopes to see some local high school players have the opportunity to be a part of the Lady Bobcats program in the future.

"At the College there is both fall ball and the scheduled season in the spring, as it is a commitment to being a good college student-athlete. As college student-athletes, the softball players bring developed skills with them allowing my focus to be on the enhancement of those skills and spending adequate practice time preparing for game situations," the coach added. "Coaching collegiately will be a great challenge and opportunity. Hopefully at some point we will have girls from Avery High School recruited to play at Lees-McRae!"

Vikings Basketball Camp Stresses Fundamentals, Fun of Game to Area Children

The Avery High School basketball coaching staff, in conjunction with the Avery Parks and Recreation Department, held a youth basketball camp from June 22-25th at Viking Gym in Newland.

Children from kindergarten through rising 9th graders were eligible to attend, with a morning session each day for the kindergarten through rising 4th grade students, and an afternoon session for students from 5th through 9th grade. Between 30 and 35 students attended during each day of the camp.

“I think the kids enjoyed the experience. It can be hard to tell sometimes, but I could see them smiling and they were learning a lot,” Avery Vikings varsity boys head basketball coach Bo Manis said regarding the recent camp.

This year’s camp is the first at Avery for Coach Manis and his staff of assistants Reggie Oakes and Kent Hayes, and their desire was to pass along to students the fundamentals of the game of basketball, facets of the game that go deeper than simply shooting baskets over the proverbial garage door.

“It’s much like Coach Oakes told the kids at the start of camp; we wanted to teach the kids about the three L’s: Look, Listen, and Learn. I think they really soaked it up and they had a good time,” Coach Manis said. “We also tried to stress to the students at camp some “old school” basic fundamentals. We worked on areas like basic bounce passing, defensive positioning where players see the ball and the man and staying between the player and the basket. We wanted to concentrate on fundamentals because when a game comes down to crunch time, you have to have those fundamentals to be successful.”

Throughout the four days of camp, the Vikings coaches worked to help the campers understand the importance of the smaller, less glamorous aspects of the game, such as dribbling, shooting, rebounding, footwork, and especially defense.

“We stressed defense to the campers because it’s true that defense wins championships. Defense is what allows you to score points. Without defense you can’t get the ball. So we worked with the kids on playing good defense and working hard to stop the other team’s offense,” Coach Manis added. “Not many kids go home and work on defense or rebounding, which is why we wanted to focus on areas that the kids can’t necessarily work on at home. We hope they picked up drills that they can now take home with them and work on.”

A number of young athletes played well at the camp and showed glimpses of how they may have a bright future ahead in basketball. “Several players looked really good on the floor. We’ve seen more than a handful, and as a high school coach I’m tickled to death to see that. Several players stood out with good fundamentals,” Coach Manis stated. “In my opinion and from speaking with others, building a program starts with reaching the younger kids and helping them develop the skills and passion for the game. I’m blessed with a couple of assistants in Reggie and Kent who have had experience with middle school and younger players, and they’ve been great to offer perspective when it comes to helping to follow the progression of our local players. It’s great to see a hometown kid do well that you’re working with.”

Campers had the opportunity to learn from not only the coaching staff, but members of the Avery basketball team, who assisted as camp instructors. The camp gave the players the chance to teach the lessons they’ve learned as players, and offered a perspective from the other side of the coaching whistle.

“The players did really well with the kids at camp. I believe their work here will carry over into practice and the regular season,” Coach Manis said.

Campers not only learned drills, but took part in 1-on-1 contests as well as other individual and group competitions which promoted teamwork and unity. While the purpose of the camp involved learning skills and having a good time, the coaching staff hopes that those who attended were able to come away with basic yet crucial characteristics which they can use both in basketball and in life.

“I believe my players better understood the word “humility” this week. The guys learned a lot about the attention span of younger kids and how it isn’t always easy to teach them,” Coach Manis said. “By being part of the camp, I think it’s helped our players pick up the principles of the game better, and I really believe the campers learned the importance of working together and teamwork. I hope that we taught both our players and the campers the importance of humility and playing as a group.”

The Avery Basketball Summer Camp was one of several sports camps being offered locally for children throughout this summer. For more information on upcoming camp dates, prices, and deadlines, check out the Journal-Times Sports Blog at www.ajtsports.blogspot.com or contact Avery Parks and Recreation at 733-8266.

Golden Knights Continue Building Process as Team Hosts Catawba

On a warm and clear Saturday evening, the Carolina Golden Knights played host to the Catawba Hornets, a squad who has been part of the Semi-Pro football scene for many seasons and plays often in higher-level leagues above the current NSAFL league in which the Knights participate.

In the early going of the 2009 NSAFL season, the Knights have continued to overcome adversity. From player injuries, uniform and pad shortages that come with increased interest and roster numbers, from integrating exciting new players to soaring temperatures and grueling weather conditions, the Golden Knights continue to overcome obstacles and prove that, despite a 48-0 final score defeat at the end of Saturday’s game, the team is moving in the right direction.

The Hornets featured speed to burn and great athleticism, traits they displayed early and often in Saturday’s game. After a three-and-out from the Knights, Catawba struck on its first offensive play with a 65-yard reverse flea flicker pass for a touchdown. The Knights blocked the extra point to make the score 6-0 in the game’s first four minutes.

Carolina found the going difficult on the offensive end against Catawba, struggling to get first downs against a swarming Hornets defense. The Knights had difficulty finding the answer to the Hornets’ speed on the edges.

Catawba held a 14-0 advantage through one quarter and boosted its lead to 26-0 at intermission. The Hornets returned the second half kickoff for a touchdown which effectively sealed the contest.

During the second half, it became obvious that the Knights players were at par with the Hornets reserve players, as the second half proved to be a more competitive contest at the line of scrimmage. The Knights defense stiffened, making hard hits and forcing Catawba to have to drive the football downfield rather than use one big play to score as they had done earlier in the game.

Despite the outcome of the contest, Knights head coach Mark Beach continues to see improvement in the expansion Knights and is proud of the effort of his team.

“We’re doing better and am improving, and we just have to stick together. We have to stick together and have fun,” Coach Beach told his team in the huddle following the game. “Let’s keep working on getting better and we’ll be all right.”

Although the team is three games into its season, playing the Hornets was a large step up in competition for the club. “I played with these boys in the Newton-Conover and Hickory area,” Coach Beach said. “They were fast, and they like to play the game and have fun. They probably have two or three players who run in the low 4’s in the 40.”

Although Carolina is still seeking its first triumph of the season, the team believes in itself and the good home crowd who turned out on Saturday is behind its local squad.

“We’ve got great people, awesome specialty players, and we have a line that does great. It’s going to take time to build up this program. The Hornets have been together since I was four or five years old. When they lose someone they may gain five or six. They have a lot of kids who have the talent to play college or pro ball. But I think our whole group is doing what we need to do to continue to get better.”

With an influx of players, the team keeps working to secure assistance with equipment and other areas to help the team be the very best it can be.

“We can definitely use some help with some of our basic needs, like helmets, shoulder pads, and pants. Some folks may be hesitant to help out because they don’t think this thing’s gonna last. But we are going to make it last,” Coach Beach stated. “My wife has been a great help, and the coaches have been so generous to help with some equipment. Every small thing helps, and I hope those who can help us with meeting some of our needs can step up and do so.”

For more information on the Carolina Golden Knights, information about joining the Carolina Golden Knights as a player, or for more information on the team can contact head coach Mark Beach at 733-2397 or 828-217-3231. Fans can also check out the team website at www.leaguelineup.com/carolinagoldenknights or find the team’s link at the Avery Journal-Times Sports Blog site at www.ajtsports.blogspot.com.

Avery Cheerleading Holds Youth Camps

The Avery cheerleading teams have stayed busy over the past week with a pair of five-day camps, running from June 15-19 and from June 22-26 at the Avery Parks and Recreation Rock Gym. Members and coaches from both the junior varsity and varsity cheerleading squads worked with campers on various facets of cheering.

“The camp has been fantastic,” said Avery cheerleading coach Cary Dominguez during the camp festivities. “The JV girls have really come together, and the camps have been great for team bonding. With only two returning girls, it’s like a whole new squad for the most part, and the girls have done a great job.”

Each day of camp was broken into two sessions, with the junior varsity cheerleaders serving as counselors during the morning and varsity team members instructing in the evening session.

“Our varsity girls had a hard time with the morning because of Mayland and online classes,” Coach Dominguez added. “We did have a couple of girls pull double duty and work both sessions.”

The Avery cheerleading camp instructors and students were scheduled to put on a performance last Friday, but scheduling conflicts preventing the squads from doing so. The group will perform on Friday, September 4^th, however, prior to the “Battle for the Bucket” varsity football game between Watauga and Avery.

Knights Fall Short to Hornets

Carolina Golden Knights fall to Catawba by a 48-0 final score in Cranberry on Saturday. The team has a bye next weekend and will host the High Point Ravens on Saturday evening, July 11th at the Athletic Complex at Historic Cranberry High School.

Hornets take the opening kickoff of the 2nd half and takes it 80 yards for a TD. 2 point conv war good. 42-0 Catawba. 3rd qtr.

Hornets lead 34-0 at the half.

Catawba RB scores on a 4-yard run. 2-pt pass play good. mid 2nd qtr: 28-0 Hornets

Hornets struck first on a flea flicker. 14-0 after one qtr. Catawba scored on a FB dive. 20-0 2nd qtr.

It's the NASFL game of the week as the Carolina Golden Knights hosts the Catawba Hornets. We'll be updating the game through the evening.

Avery Little League Announces Fund Raiser Winners, All-Star Selections

On a cool and drizzly evening at the Hodge Turbyfill Complex in Newland, the Avery County Little League announced the winners of its recent Vidalia onion sales fund raising competition. The league also released the names of players who have been selected by coaches to represent Avery County and participate on the four district all-star teams. All-Stars begin play at the end of the month.

Preceding the All-Star announcement, League President Jerry Moody announced the players who were the top three individual sellers of Vidalia onions and earned lucrative prizes, as well as overall team winners who will receive their own pizza party as part of the league’s season-long fund raising efforts to assist with making payments on the complex’s lighting system.

The Marlins Minor League Baseball team sold 260 boxes with earned first-place overall. Finishing in second place was the Giants Tee Ball squad, who sold 219 boxes as a team. The third place team, selling 140 boxes, was the Rangers Hybrid League Softball squad. Since the first and second place teams finished in such a close race, league officials decided to award a pizza party to both teams.

Top selling individuals who sold Vidalias received prizes for their efforts. Finishing in first place overall with 119 boxes sold was Logan Stout of the Tee Ball Giants club. Stout and his family received a weekend vacation package for four to Gatlinburg on behalf of the league.

Second-place seller overall and receiving a $50 prize was Josh Cook from the Minor League Baseball Marlins, and the third place individual seller receiving a $25 prize was Nicholas Johnson, also of the Minor League Baseball Marlins.

In all, a total of 68 children sold at least 10 boxes of Vidalia onions and 1,633 total boxes were sold in the community to help raise funds to be used to help with the annual payment for lighting at the baseball and softball fields.

Following the onion announcements, President Moody shared the names of the players who have been selected to participate in district All-Star competition beginning the last week of June and first week of July. Selections were made collectively by league coaches. In the week since the names of players were announced, a number of changes have taken place due to player unavailability due to vacations or other conflicts, therefore alternate players with the highest vote totals from league coaches were added to the rosters.

As of June 23^rd, the following players have been selected to all-star rosters for 2009 district competition:

All-Star girls softball (9-10 years old): Cassie Harris, Elizabeth Philips, Lillie Wiseman, Veronica Clark, Millie Bumgarner, Bethany Jones, Kesha Garland, Bri Cuthbertson, Charity Ollis, Paige Moody, Zoe Daniels

All-Star girls softball (11-12 years old): Ellie Lecka, Morgan Lecka, Kaitlyn Suddereth, Ashley Yoder, Christian Burleson, Destiny Ollis, Jerrica Rieger, Makayla Clark, Stacie Brewer, Allie Moody, Emily Brown, Abby Thompson

All-Star boys baseball (9-10 years old)

Jacob Daniels, Austin Dugger, Josh McClellan, Deacon Heath, Jordan Lecka, Caleb Hicks, Josh Cook, Lane Johnson, Andrew Knowles, Daniel Hartless, Brett Smith, Luke Crowe

All-Star boys baseball (11-12 years old)

Canaan Singleton, Kobe Pittman, Austin Phillips, Jeremiah Vance, Dale Russ, Gabriel Stanley, Austin Daniels, Eddie Yates, Wade Smith, Kyle Hoffman, Preston Childress, Jerry Lunsford

Once All-Star tournament play concludes, the league will begin a summer baseball and softball for the first time in league history. The new summer league will consist of minor and major league baseball, hybrid softball, and major league softball. It will offer local kids the chance to play in additional contests they would not ordinarily have, plus afford them more chances to bat and play innings.

“Children in leagues off the mountain are playing two and three times as many games and getting two or three times more at bats,” League President Jerry Moody said. “We have discussed this issue and as a league we feel if we want to improve the quality of our tournament and league play, we have to increase the quantity of at-bats, innings, and games that our kids are receiving. Since we start so much later than other leagues because of our weather and climate, we want to set up a situation in the summer where kids receive more quality playing time.”

As a whole this season, the Avery County Little League has had its share of ups and downs, but continued to complete yet another successful season of Tee-Ball, baseball, and softball leagues.

“This season has been different from all the rest. We’ve had more challenges this year than in the past, but I hope we have served the parents and children well despite the challenges,” Moody said. “We hope the league helps kids to learn to handle situations both good and bad in a positive fashion, and that it has helped instill good citizenship, courage, and fair play to them both on and off the field.”

Avery County Little League will hold its annual general meeting and board officer elections on Thursday, August 20^th. The meeting is open to the public.

Avery Football Holds Youth Skills Camp

From June 15-17 the Avery Vikings football staff and around a dozen players, in conjunction with the Avery Parks and Recreation Department, worked with around 30 youngsters at MacDonald Stadium during this year’s Avery Youth Football Camp.

Despite periods of inclement weather, campers were able to learn skills and useful principles about the game of football, as well as valuable lessons about how similar lessons, like teamwork and striving to be successful, can apply beyond the football field and in everyday life.

Camp staff worked to help youths develop in several specific skill areas, using drills to hone campers’ speed, line stance, strength, footwork, agility, and technique. Abiding with recent tradition, campers were also treated to popsicles from the staff in appreciation for their efforts.

“I think the kids have had a lot of fun. That’s what we always strive for,” Avery head football coach Darrell Brewer said regarding the camp. “Of course you always want to have as many kids as possible be part of the camp, but the biggest thing for us with the kids that are here is that we want them to leave our camp with a genuine love for football and having a lot of fun.”

For the first time, the camp was held on the synthetic surface at MacDonald Stadium, which prevented muddy conditions or any cancellations due to the recent rainy weather endured by the High Country.

“It took the least time to prepare for the camp, that’s for sure,” Coach Brewer added. “In the past, we’ve had to take several hours to find paint and mark the field. It only took about 45 minutes for setup this year, and it’s been awesome.”

One by-product of the camp is that not only do the campers absorb knowledge and love for the game, but the high school players who volunteer to work the camp get to serve as role models and also brush up on their own skill sets.

“To the youngsters, watching these high school players is like watching college players. They’re bigger than life, and the kids really enjoy our players being out here, It’s also good for our high school players to be put in a position where they are teaching,” Coach Brewer explained.

“They hear so much from us as coaches, it’s good for them to be on the other side of things and pass those principles on to the younger generation. It helps them learn a little more and makes the players think a little more about what they’re doing, and is really a win-win situation for everybody involved.”

A number of high school players who helped with this year’s camp, including Ethan Hagie, Hunter Shields, Taylor Potter, Lane Smith just to name a few, were once in the shoes of the youths who were being taught. Their presence served as proof positive of the effectiveness and long-range impact that each year’s camp has on Avery County kids.

“Several of our players were once campers here, and it’s great seeing them giving back to the campers today,” Coach Brewer added.

The youth football camp was one of several different sports camps being held for children throughout this summer. For more information on camps taking place this summer, check out the Journal-Times Sports Blog at www.ajtsports.blogspot.com or contact Avery Parks and Recreation at 733-8266.

Golden Knights Take Field for Semi-Pro Football Season Debut against Burke

Before a crowd of fans filling the bank and bleachers surrounding the Historic Cranberry High School, the Carolina Golden Knights took the field for the first time in its North South American Football League (NSAFL) season and home opener against the Burke Storm.

The game was competitive throughout the first half as the Knights put forth a great performance on the defensive side of the football, but a strong second half propelled the Storm to a 41-0 victory.

Much of the first quarter was a defensive struggle. The Knights forced a turnover on Burke’s opening drive as linebacker and former Mountain Heritage Cougar Kyle Burris dropped back into coverage and intercepted a pass for the team’s first takeaway. The team also recovered a Burke fumble later in the half.

Carolina was its own worst enemy in the first half which contributed to over half of Burke’s points for the first two quarters. A fumble near the Knights’ own goal line was recovered by the Storm in the end zone for the first points of the contest. The PAT gave Burke the 7-0 advantage through one quarter.

The score remained unchanged until midway through the second quarter. On the first play following a Knights turnover, a tall Burke receiver out-leaped a Knight defensive back in a “jump ball” at the end zone to come down with the football and a touchdown.

The Knights blocked the extra point to keep the lead at 13-0, a score which remained unchanged through the rest of the half.

In the second half the Knights, who fielded a team of just over 20 players, appeared to slightly wear down with the combination of the warm weather and the deep Storm rotation of players. Carolina continued to play hard on every down, however, much to the delight of the home crowd who were solidly behind the Knights club.

Burke scored on its first two possessions of the second half, then chewed up ground with its running game in the second half, while the defensive line was able to put pressure on both Knights starting quarterback Stephen Whittington and backup Ryan Whelan.

In spite of the game’s final score, the team was thrilled to see its dream of fielding a semi-pro squad in the High Country become a reality and to see the support from the community.

“I thank Cranberry for the ability to use the field, and there were a lot of people here today to sit on the bank and tailgate. It was great seeing fans here a couple of hours before the game,” Knights head coach Mark Beach said in the post-game interview.

“We had some issues on the line and our quarterbacks took some hits. We had several schools help us with equipment, like Avery High and Hampton High School, and Mars Hill College sold some of their used equipment to us to help out. The players really enjoyed it out here today.”

“They said it couldn’t be done, and we did it,” Knights quarterback and team founder Stephen Whittington said after the contest. “We knew it would be tough because we’re a little short on players, and we’re still accepting players who want to be part of the team. My teammates played great today, and I’m proud to play alongside of them.”

Over 300 tickets were sold for the game, with the game’s proceeds going to the Cranberrian Corporation. Gate receipts from each home game this season will go to a different charity.

The Knights travel to Kernersville on Saturday evening for a road contest against the 2-0 Carolina Renegades. Anyone interested in joining the Carolina Golden Knights as a player, or for more information on the team can contact head coach Mark Beach at 733-2397 or 828-217-3231.

Cranberry Middle School Holds Athletics Banquet

On Tuesday June 9th Cranberry Middle School held its annual awards banquet in the school cafeteria. A total of 74 athletes were recognized during the evening for their excellence both in the athletic arena and in the classroom.

A total of 74 athletes participated in at least one of the 11 sports offered by the school, with 30 of those competitors participating in more than one sport during the sports year.
Students, parents, and teachers enjoyed dinner together prior to the awards ceremony before a number of awards were doled out to the student-athletes.

Cranberry principal Kim Davis opened the festivities by presenting the Robin Austin Scholar-Athlete Awards. The awards are given to one boy and girl in eighth grade who participate in multiple sports while maintaining a high grade point average. This year’s male recipient of the award was Ian Franklin, while MacKenzie Thomas was the female recipient of the honor.

Gwen Clark, horticulture teacher at Avery High School and with Future Farmers of America, informed those in attendance of the excellence of Cranberry’s students who participated along with Avery Middle School students with the Hunter Safety Team.

Clark announced that a number of Cranberry students received trophies through the Hunter Safety program, which included rifle, skeet, and archery among other activities. She presented three permanent trophies to Principal Davis for the school’s trophy case for hunting skills, skeet, and overall.

Wildcat team members Dakota Guy and Ty McCoury joined Avery Middle School’s Jordan Benfield and Walker Carswell to form this year’s middle school squad.

Each middle school coach presented ribbons and certificates of participation to athletes in attendance, while coaches also presented special awards for outstanding individual achievement.
The following students received outstanding individual award plaques or recognition in their respective sports:

Softball: All-Conference- MacKenzie Thomas & Holly Cook; All-Tournament: Kota Turbyfill; Hustle Award- Destiny Finley; Most Improved- Ashley Botelho and Autumn Church

Soccer: Coach’s Award- Graham Avery; Most Improved- Peter Tufts

Football: Sportsmanship-Cody Clawson; Most Valuable Player-Bryce Pittman

Cheerleading: Coach’s Award-Krishelle Pearson; MVP-Chelsey Kirkpatrick

Boys Basketball: MVP- Shea Buchanan and Bryce Pittman

Wrestling: Most Improved- Ethan Webb

Baseball: Coach’s Award-Alex Barker; Most Improved-Jake Hinshaw; MVP-BJ Ruppard

Golf: Coach’s Award-Harley Foster

Volleyball: MVPs-Dani Carpenter and Arizona Clawson

Girls Basketball: MVPs-Kristen Burleson and MacKenzie Thomas

Track: Coach’s Awards- MacKenzie Thomas and Andrew Burleson

Following the awards ceremony, Principal Davis concluded the evening’s festivities by sharing a few brief words of thanks and presenting a hanging flower basket and card to Cranberry Middle School Athletic Director Patti Franklin, who will not be returning in the capacity of athletic director next school year.

“I want to thank Patti for all she’s done for our sports. Everything has ran so smoothly this year, parents were contacted, the kids knew when and where they were supposed to be,” Davis said during the presentation. “Patti has just been a phenomenal athletic director and we appreciate all she’s done.”

Athletic Director Franklin was grateful for the honor and expressed her gratitude to those she has served this season. “When I first started at the beginning of the year, I thought “Oh my gosh” because I have not played sports in a really long time and was never much of an athlete. This has been a wonderful experience for me because I know how important this is to your children,” Franklin said as she addressed the parents and students. “We need to keep helping this program grow so that Cranberry has all the sports that it now offers.”

Congratulations to the Wildcats and Lady Wildcats on a great sports year!

Burke 41 Carolina Golden Knights 0 final score. Solid effort by the Knights in their franchise debut. Next week's game is Sat. @ Kernersville @ 7pm

4th qtr from Cranberry: Burke Storm leads the Golden Knights 34-0 with under 10 minutes to play in the game

3rd qtr score update: burke leads carolina 28-0

Carolina Golden Knights trail the Burke Storm 13-0 in the 2nd qtr.

Appalachian Athletics News and Notes

"Appalachian Agrees to Football Series with Montana, McNeese State"
(Appalachian Sports Information)
Traditional NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) powers Appalachian State, Montana and McNeese State have entered into a six-game agreement that will have Appalachian host Montana in 2012 and travel to face the Griz in Missoula, Mont. in 2013, the three schools announced on Thursday.

ASU’s previously announced home-and-home series with McNeese State has been moved back one year as part of the arrangement, with games now scheduled for 2014 in Lake Charles, La. and 2015 in Boone. Montana and McNeese will square off in 2016 and ‘17 to round out the six contests.

Each home team is providing the visiting squad with a $100,000 guarantee to help offset travel expenses and there is a $250,000 buyout clause for each program.

Appalachian, Montana and McNeese State have combined for 48 Division I-AA/FCS postseason appearances and five national championships (Montana in 1995 and 2001; ASU in 2005, 2006 and 2007). They represent three of the nation’s top FCS conferences — the Southern, Big Sky and Southland, respectively.

The Mountaineers have faced the Griz just once before, a 19-16 overtime thriller won by Montana in the 2000 I-AA national semifinals at UM’s Washington-Grizzly Stadium. The Apps square off with McNeese for the first time on Sept. 12 of this season when the Cowboys visit Kidd Brewer Stadium.

SERIES DETAILS AND QUOTES
2012: Montana at Appalachian (Sept. 1)
2013: Appalachian at Montana (date TBA)
2014: Appalachian at McNeese State (Aug. 30)
2015: McNeese State at Appalachian (Sept. 5)
2016: Montana at McNeese State (Sept. 3)
2017: McNeese State at Montana (Sept. 2)

“This agreement is great for everyone associated with these three excellent football programs. It gives our student-athletes and coaches the opportunity to compete against the best competition and in the best atmospheres that FCS has to offer. For the students, alumni and fans of all three schools, it provides four marquee non-conference games to each of our schedules that are sure to be among the nation’s most talked-about showdowns each year. We hope that this agreement serves as a catalyst for more intersectional matchups between high-level FCS programs in the future.”
— ASU director of athletics Charlie Cobb

“This is good for Appalachian, but it’s especially good for all of FCS football. People look forward to games like Ohio State-Texas and Notre Dame-USC on the FBS level, so it’s great to give fans of our programs and FCS in general the opportunity to have games of a similar magnitude to look forward to as well. Also, I’ve always been a believer that to become a good football team, you have to play good football teams and these matchups certainly fit the bill in that regard.”
— ASU head coach Jerry Moore

“This is an exciting venture for all three programs. I know our coaches, players and Griz fans everywhere think very highly of these two football powers, and it will be great for the FCS to have six non-conference games featuring top-tier schools from different parts of the country. Special thanks should go to the administrators at Appalachian State and McNeese State, who worked hard with us to find a way to make this series happen. These game should generate a lot of national interest.”
— Montana director of athletics Jim O’Day

“Scheduling quality non-conference opponents is critical to the mission and vision of what we’re trying to do. It’s exciting to our fans, our community and to our institution. This is exciting for FCS football. It has national interest. Among the three of us there have been 10 national championship appearances and that speaks for itself.”
— McNeese State director of athletics Tommy McClelland


"Dowdy Becomes ASU-Record Fourth MLB Draftee"
Appalachian Sports Information

Pitcher Josh Dowdy became the fourth Appalachian State University player selected in the 2009 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft when the Baltimore Orioles tabbed him with their 38th-round pick (1,136th overall) on Thursday. He joins teammates Zach Quate, Rand Smith and Isaac Harrow, who were drafted on Wednesday by the Tampa Bay Rays, Florida Marlins and New York Yankees, respectively, to give Appalachian a school-record four MLB draftees this year.

In 20 appearances in 2009, Dowdy posted a 6-3 record and 5.07 earned run average over 76.1 innings, proving to be one of the staff’s most reliable arms with seven mid-week relief appearances to go along with his normal spot in the weekend rotation. The right-hander held opposing hitters to a .288 average and struck out 68 batters while allowing just 19 walks.

Dowdy overcame a shaky start in ‘09 to go 14-straight appearances (including eight-consecutive starts) without a loss, a stretch that covered two months (March 15-May 15) and continued a trend of late-season success that spanned his two years at ASU. In 20 post-April 1 appearances during his two seasons with the Mountaineers, the East Carolina transfer was 9-2 with a 4.45 ERA.

In all, Dowdy struck out 123 and walked just 36 as a Mountaineer, good for a 3.4-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

Amazingly, eight players that either were seniors or would have been seniors at Appalachian this past season went on to become MLB draft picks — Dowdy, Harrow, Quate and Smith, 2008 draftees Jason Rook (Orioles), David Rubinstein (Pittsburgh Pirates) and Garrett Sherrill (Milwaukee Brewers) and Ben Billingsley, who played at ASU as a freshman before finishing his collegiate career at Lenoir C.C. and being drafted by the Seattle Mariners last year. Prior to last year, no Mountaineers had been drafted since 1996.

Avery High School Celebrates its Student-Athletes during Annual Awards Ceremony

Avery High School celebrated its 41st season of prep athletics last Friday evening with its annual athletic awards banquet held in Viking Gym The best and the brightest student-athletes were recognized during the ceremony for their successes both on the field and in the classroom.

Athletic Directors Matthew Bentley and Jay Smith served as the Masters of Ceremonies as team, individual, and coaching achievements were honored.

A total of 18 athletes were recognized by being named All-Conference selections in sports during the 2008-09 school year, while a number of individual athletes were recognized for additional notable outstanding accomplishments during the past school year. Those honored for individual achievements included:

Chase Arrowood – Track and Field State Qualifier
Emily Banner – Soccer All-Region Selection
Hayden Blackburn – Tennis State Qualifier
Rachel Buchanan- Volleyball Blue/White All-Star Selection
Caroline Crenshaw – Track State Qualifier
Katie Ellis – Blue/White All-Star selection (volleyball & basketball), Western Highlands Conference Basketball All-Tournament Team
Kyle Griewisch – Track and Field State Qualifier, Soccer All-Region
Daniel Huff – Soccer All-Region
Andrew Ingram - Track and Field State Qualifier, Soccer All-Region
Anna Melton- Tennis State Qualifier
Samantha Shook – Western Highlands Conference Basketball All-Tournament Team
Mary Chesnut Smith- Track and Field State Qualifier, Cross Country State Qualifier, Cross Country All-State Selection, Track and Field All-State Selection, Soccer All-Region
Alex Villanueva – Track and Field State Qualifier
Brock Yackey – Wrestling State Qualifier
Morgan Yackey- Three Softball No-Hitters Pitched, Softball All-District, Softball All-State

Several additional special awards were doled out during the evening’s festivities. Avery teacher Gwen Clark was presented with a special award for her work during the conference basketball tournaments held this season at Avery, as well as for her help in framing and preparing the awards for the athletic banquet.

A pair of Avery coaches and a duo of Lady Vikings were recognized with Western Highlands Conference special awards. Rhiannon Manis was presented with a plaque for being named WHC Tennis Coach of the Year, while first-year men’s golf coach Boe Barinowski received the WHC Men’s Golf Coach of the Year award. A pair of Avery student athletes were also recognized as WHC award winners, as senior Morgan Yackey nabbed Conference Player of the Year for tennis during the fall season, and senior Cailan Calloway was honored with the WHC Goalkeeper of the Year Award for her record-breaking success during the Lady Vikings soccer season.

Avery High School Assistant Coach and Head Coach of the Year Awards were also given on Friday night. Varsity boys basketball assistant coach Reggie Oakes was named Assistant of the Year for his time and dedication to his sport and to the school. “This coach will do anything that is asked or called upon to do. He has been a success anywhere he has been,” said Athletic Director Bentley during the ceremony.

The Avery County Head Coach of the Year honor was awarded to Rhiannon Manis for the tremendous season her ladies tennis squad enjoyed in 2008-09. In the words of Avery Athletic Director Matthew Bentley, “This coach has built the program from the ground up, and has worked in all aspects of the program.” Coach Manis’ résumé from this past season included being named the Western Highlands Conference Coach of the Year, as well as coaching three state qualifiers and the conference’s player of the year.

A number of students were recipients of special individual awards. Senior Katie Ellis received the Western Highlands Conference Academic Athlete of the Year award for her terrific year on the court and in the classroom.

Former Avery County Teacher of the Year Roger Wise presented this year’s Sportsmanship Awards to seniors Sara Singleton and Jordan English for their displays of exemplary sportsmanship both on and off the field.

English also was the male beneficiary of the Avery Scholar-Athlete of the Year award, which was presented by Avery High School Principal Mark Garrett to him and fellow senior Katie Ellis for their merit in the classroom while also excelling in the athletic arena.

The final individual awards of the evening were the Avery Athletes of the Year. Sutton Stanley was the male winner of the award, while there were co-female recipients of the award in senior standouts Katie Ellis and Morgan Yackey.

While numerous sports accolades were lauded for the 2008-09 school year, Avery students were also outstanding in the classroom setting. In addition to the aforementioned individual scholar-athlete awards, a total of eight teams were recognized for their academic excellence, honored by being named North Carolina High School Athletic Association Scholar Athlete Team Award winners.

An impressive total of 58 athletes earned NCHSAA Scholar Athlete Awards, where athletes must maintain a 3.5 or higher grade point average.

The only bump on the road during the event was the accidental omission of a pair of All-Conference basketball student-athletes in senior Allison Vance and junior Lauren Avery to the original naming of All-Conference team members. The ladies’ names were called and recognized at a later portion of the program, but Athletic Director Bentley wished to personally express his apologies for the oversight. “I want to apologize to Allison and Lauren for not being originally mentioned with the All-Conference team members. I’m very sorry for that,” Mr. Bentley said after the ceremony.

Bentley went on to discuss the event and the student-athletes who have achieved so much this season in academics and athletics.

“We’ve had a very good group of kids this year and I really hate to see them go. I wish we could keep them around a couple more years,” Bentley stated at the event’s conclusion. “Academics translate straight to the athletic field. If you look at our teams, the ones who have the most scholar-athletes are among our best teams. Kids that work hard in the classroom work hard on the field. I appreciate everyone’s support and it has been a great year for Avery High School.”

Carolina Golden Knights Set to Open Regular Season This Sunday at Home

After weeks of practice, hours of sweat and hard work, and the hundreds of gallons of Gatorade, the Carolina Golden Knights are ready for their first game of 2009.

This Sunday the Knights, based in Newland, host the Burke Storm of Drexel in this Early Season contest. This is the opening game for the Knights, with the Burke Storm standing at 0-1, after a loss to the Carolina Renegades 32-8 in Winston Salem this past weekend.

Gates will open at 3:00 pm at the Cranberry Sports Complex located at the Historic Cranberry High School site, with a kickoff slated for 4:00 pm. Both teams are members of the NSAFL of Chapin, S.C.

“From where we started in January, looking back on everything these guys have done to get us here, from money invested to the hours of lost family time they have given in practice, no matter what the score reads Sunday evening I am proud to be a part of this team. Just by taking the field Sunday when so many said It would never happen, to me they have already won.” Golden Knights Team Director and quarterback Steve Whittington said when asked about the upcoming game.

The Knights wish to thank Boone Drug, Nick's Deli, Time Square Diner, Screen Print X-Press, Sears of Spruce Pine, and especially the Cranberry Corporation for their support and dedication to this idea.

So come out Sunday and support the High Country’s newest sports venue at the Cranberry Sports Complex. Tickets will be General Admission with a $5 charge, kids 10 and under are free. All ticket sales will be donated to local charities. There is open seating, so bring your lawn chair and blanket and spend an evening. Vendors will be on site as well as concessions and team merchandise for purchase.