The Carolina Golden Knights returned to action on Saturday evening following an extended holiday break for a rematch off the mountain with the Burke Storm, falling by a final score of 30-0.
Much like the first half of the first encounter between the teams during the opening week of the season, the Knights hung tough with the Storm. Late in the second quarter, a Golden Knights interception was returned for a touchdown, providing Burke with a 14-0 halftime edge.
Carolina found its greatest success all season running the football, as two players, including quarterback Jonathan Hughes, combined for around 70 yards rushing for the contest.
“We’re doing a whole lot better. We moved the ball fairly well, especially running the football,” Golden Knights head coach Mark Beach said following the game. “I was excited to see us moving the ball and being able to get first downs. We had some people, including two of my starting offensive linemen and one of our starting defensive backs and long snapper on vacation. Jonathan Hughes stepped in at quarterback and helped us a bunch.”
The Knights had one of their better opportunities for points come by way of field goal attempt, but the kick was blocked to keep the squad scoreless. “I was excited that we had the opportunity to put points on the board,” Coach Beach said. “It was 14-0 at halftime, but they had to have the punt run back to put them up by that score.”
The Carolina defense played strong in their best effort of the season to date. Clifton Braswell recorded a quarterback sack in the contest and a number of players made key hits and blocks. Carolina primarily kept the football on the ground offensively, choosing to focus on rushing the football.
“We threw the ball maybe three times for the game, but we want to get where we can be consistently successful running the football,” Coach Beach added.
A scary moment took place in the game’s final play, as Knights player Brandon Ward sustained a hit and was briefly knocked unconscious. Ward rode back up the mountain toward Avery County following the game and experienced after-effects from the blow, so he was airlifted to Johnson City, where he underwent a number of tests and observation.
“Brandon was hit and it just knocked him out. He was given a CAT scan and everything turned out good and he was released on Monday,” Coach Beach remarked. “I think the difference in elevation got to him, and we’re just glad that everything looked good.”
Carolina will return for a home game this Saturday at 7 p.m. at Historic Cranberry High School Athletic Complex, where they are scheduled to take on the Glade Spring Pirates.
“We hope to have a number of our players back from injury this week. We wanted to make sure they took their time in getting healed up so they would be 100 percent when they get out on the field,” Coach Beach said. “We hope to have a big turnout this week as I see us continue to improve.”
The Carolina Golden Knights are a non-profit group that wishes to use proceeds from home games to help local individuals in need. The team hopes to minimize expenses to this effect, which includes the need to find officials who may share the team’s vision and offer their services at a lower rate than what the team is currently having to pay.
“In these non-conference games we play, it is great if we can find five officials who can help us with calling these games, it will help us save money and be able to pass that along to folks who can definitely use it,” Coach Beach stated.
There were many triumphs by the AveryCounty sports teams in the past 12 months. From numerous all-conference players, state qualifiers, and conference player of the year awards in sports like tennis, track and field, and basketball to coach of the year awards in golf and tennis and multiple state playoff victories, the Avery athletics programs had much to celebrate.
With the closing of another school year in AveryCounty and the dawn of the 2009-10 sports seasons approaching, the AJ-T sports department wanted to look back at five memorable contests that shaped the year in sports. The game selections are listed in order of date, starting last August and advancing through the spring. Middle School Shootout: Cranberry Tops Avery in Brad King Bowl Last September’s Toe River Conference football regular season finale pitted the two county middle schools in the 26th annual Brad King Bowl at MacDonald Stadium. The two schools provided plenty of offensive fireworks in a 60-42 Cranberry Wildcats win to recapture the traveling trophy.
Cranberry led 22-6 at the half, but Avery narrowed the gap to 30-20 after three quarters behind the tandem of Chance Watson and Chase Buchanan, who connected for four touchdown connections.
The two teams went on to combine for 52 points in the fourth and final quarter, exceeding the combined output from the first three stanzas.
Cranberry’s Bryce Pittman scored an astounding seven touchdowns and gained over 300 yards on the ground, and added an interception on defense. The football fund raiser earned close to $2,400 for local families in need.
Home Sweet Homecoming: Vikings Football Slips by Falcons There weren’t a great number of bright spots for the Avery varsity football squad in 2008, but perhaps the brightest one of all was an exciting 31-30 victory over West Henderson on a chilly Homecoming night at MacDonald Stadium.
Avery led 7-6 after one period, and upped its margin to 14-6 on a two-yard run by senior quarterback Adam Pate. A Falcon touchdown and two-point conversion tied the game at 14 with under five minutes to play in the half.
In the final possession of the first half, Avery’s offense moved the ball into field goal range, where kicker Sutton Stanley booted a 32-yard field goal to stake the Big Red to a 17-14 halftime edge.
Avery took advantage of a West turnover early in the third quarter, scoring on a four-yard Travis Thomas run to build a 24-14 lead. West got back on the board in the final seconds of the period, however, capping a nine play drive with a touchdown run to make the score 24-20 after three quarters.
The Avery defense made two huge defensive stands inside the red zone in the fourth quarter to preserve its lead. An intentional grounding penalty called in the end zone against Avery resulted in a safety to cut Avery’s lead to a pair at 24-22. On Avery’s next offensive series the team scored on Thomas’ second touchdown run of the evening, padding the Viking lead to 31-22 with 2:06 left to play.
With little time remaining, West responded quickly with a three-play, 63-yard drive culminating in a touchdown pass. A successful two-point conversion cut the Big Red margin to 31-30.
Avery’s special teams recovered the ensuing onside kick and appeared to have the game in hand, but West Henderson’s defense forced Avery to punt with under a minute remaining. A long pass play from West quarterback Baker to wideout Keenan Young advanced the Falcons into field goal range, but West opted for the touchdown rather than rely on a shaky kicking game. A fourth down quarterback sack by senior lineman Christian Montgomery put the final nail in the Falcon coffin to seal the emotional Big Red win.
Tournament Thriller: Mitchell Holds Off Avery in WHC Women’s Varsity Basketball Tourney Championship Game The Western Highlands Conference women’s tournament final between Avery and Mitchell was surrounded by a lot of hype, considering both teams advanced into regional competition a season earlier and had played a pair of closely fought games during the regular season, with Mitchell capturing both victories. Avery was determined, however, hosting the tournament and having the advantage of playing on its home floor. An overflow capacity crowd cheered loudly for both teams through 32 minutes of heart-stopping action as Mitchell captured the crown with a 61-59 win.
The two teams were as equal in talent and desire as any game in recent memory. Neither team built a lead of greater than five points throughout the entire contest. The teams were knotted at 16 after one quarter, tied at 32 at halftime, and tied once again at 46 points apiece.
A brief scoring run by Avery gave the Lady Vikings a four point lead midway through the final period.
With a little over two minutes remaining in the game, Avery lost forward Katelynn Eudy due to fouls and senior Samantha Shook to injury.
A late free throw miss and rebound gave Mitchell an opportunity to hold for the final shot. The team held the ball and ran out the final minute of play with the teams tied at 59.
Conference Player of the Year Laken Norris served as surprise distributor with a pass to teammate Samantha Smith, who drained a 17-foot jumper with under three seconds left to give the Lady Mountaineers the win.
Sweet Victory: Lady Vikings Soccer Snaps Polk’s Undefeated Conference Record with 2-1 Triumph
Both Avery and PolkCounty brought top ten rankings into their first regular season showdown at MacDonald Stadium. Polk was undefeated in Western Highlands Conference play since joining the league back in 2005, but the Lady Vikings brought that streak to a screeching halt on a cool mid-April evening.
Polk scored the only goal of the first half in the 33rd minute on a tally from junior Anna Trakas. Avery roared back with resilience in the second half. Emily Banner headed a Mary Chesnut Smith corner kick into the goal to knot the score at 1-1.
Avery’s defense contributed heavily to the winning score. At the 54 minute mark, defensive pressure from forward Melinda Eggers forced a bad Polk pass that was stolen by Smith. The sophomore attacked the goal and slipped a low shot through the grasp of the keeper for what proved to be the winning goal.
The veteran Avery defense made the lead stand up for the final 25 minutes of action to seal the historic win.
Let’s Play Two! (days, that is): Avery Blanks Highlands in Opening Round of State Baseball Playoffs
On a sunny Friday morning the Avery baseball team ventured to HighlandsHigh School to play a first round contest in the 1A state playoffs. Little did the Vikings know they would be seeing more of the town of Highlands than they bargained for.
Leadoff hitter Chris Childress opened the top of the first inning with a solo home run. Brooks Oakley and Adam Pate also reached base before a lengthy rain delay and lightning forced the eventual postponement of Friday afternoon’s game until the following morning.
Avery stayed overnight in a local hotel and showed no ill effects from the unexpected circumstances, walloping the Highlanders by the final score of 10-0.
Daniels, Avery’s first hitter of the game, brought Oakley, Pate, and himself home with a long three-run homer over the fence to spot Avery a 4-0 lead when play resumed on Saturday morning.
Avery’s lineup mashed the baseball in the top of the second frame. Pate and Daniels went back-to-back with home runs to push the Avery lead to six runs. One inning later, Childress helped his own cause further by blasting his second home run of the game, a two-run shot which staked Avery to an 8-0 lead.
Two more runs plated for the Vikings in the final two innings. Daniels walked and was driven in by a Jack Buchanan single in the top of the fourth, and Pate smacked his second solo home run of the day to close the scoring. Nine of Avery's 10 runs scored jogged across the home plate due to home runs.
PHILADELPHIA — Appalachian State University quarterback Armanti Edwards, the 2008 Walter Payton Award winner, headlines the initial candidates for the 2009 Payton Award, The Sports Network announced on Tuesday.
The Payton Award is presented annually to the nation’s top NCAA Division I FCS (Football Championship Subdivision — formerly Division I-AA) player. In a departure from past years, this year’s official Payton watch list will include 20 candidates, as opposed to 16. Additionally, The Sports Network is spreading the announcement of its official candidates over five weeks, with four names added to the list each week. The full list will be revised in October and November before the final ballot is announced at the end of the regular season.
Last year, Edwards won the award in the landslide, easily out-distancing James Madison quarterback Rodney Landers with 398 total points and 53 first-place votes, compared to 290 points and 17 first-place nods for the JMU signal-caller. In doing so, Edwards became only the sixth underclassman in the 22-year history of the Payton Award to receive the honor. This season, the senior attempts to become the first player to win the award twice.
The consensus first-team All-American and Southern Conference Offensive Player of the Year racked up 2,902 passing yards, 941 rushing yards and a SoCon-record 41 touchdowns responsible for (30 passing, 11 rushing) in 2008. He ranked second nationally with a 170.19 pass-efficiency rating, seventh with 3,843 yards of total offense and 58th in rushing. He threw only two interceptions in 224 regular-season pass attempts, with a school-record string of 176 passes without an interception that spanned over two months — eight full games and parts of two others.
For his career, Edwards already owns 12 school and eight conference records, including the ASU and SoCon records for total offense (10,783 yards) and touchdowns responsible (109) in a career. The Mountaineers are 32-5 in games that Edwards has started behind center.
Appalachian is one of only two programs — Montana being the other — to boast winners of the Payton, Buck Buchanan (FCS Defensive Player of the Year) and Eddie Robinson (FCS Coach of the Year) awards.
Mountaineer senior linebacker Jacque Roman (Kingland, Ga./Kingland) and junior defensive back Mark LeGree are leading candidates to be included on the initial Buchanan Award watch list as it is unveiled over the coming weeks.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Mars Hill College football team is listed No. 24 in the 2009 Lindy’s Sports Preseason Poll. The Lions are one of four South Atlantic Conference teams listed in Lindy’s Preseason Poll.
Carson-Newman is listed ninth, while Catawba is holding down the No. 15 spot. Tusculum is 20th, while Mars Hill is ranked 24th in this year’s preseason listing.
Northwest Missouri State, last year’s national runner-up, is Lindy’s favorite to win the championship in December. Grand Valley State is second, followed by 2008 national champion Minnesota-Duluth. Delta State, who defeated Tusculum in the second round of the NCAA Playoffs, is listed fourth. California (Pa.) is fifth, followed by Pittsburg State, Bloomsburg, Abilene Christian, Carson-Newman and Valdosta State to round out the top 10.
Chadron State is 11th, followed by West Texas A&M, Ashland, North Alabama, Catawba, Tuskegee, West Chester, Nebraska-Kearney, Indiana (Pa.), Tusculum, Edinboro, Wayne State (Neb.), Seton Hill, Mars Hill and Central Washington.
Lindy’s Sports Preseason Division II Football Poll
Rk. Team 1 Northwest Missouri State 2 Grand Valley State 3 Minnesota-Duluth 4 Delta State 5 California (Pa.) 6 Pittsburg State 7 Bloomsburg 8 Abilene Christian 9 Carson-Newman 10 Valdosta State 11 Chadron State 12 West Texas A&M 13 Ashland 14 North Alabama 15 Catawba 16 Tuskegee 17 West Chester 18 Nebraska-Kearney 19 Indiana (Pa.) 20 Tusculum 21 Edinboro 22 Wayne State (Neb.) 23 Seton Hill 24 Mars Hill 25 Central Washington
The Asheville Citizen-Times is reporting that the NFHS has ruled to change the distance of the softball pitching rubber nationwide beginning in 2011.
Added safety and scoring could be the result of a major change coming to North Carolina high school softball as soon as next spring.
The National Federation of State High School Associations has mandated that the pitching rubber be moved back from 40 to 43 feet in 2011. States have the option of doing it in 2010.
The NCHSAA will make a decision later this month and have an announcement at the N.C. Coaches Association Clinic, NCHSAA assistant executive director Carolyn Shannonhouse said Friday.
Shannonhouse said the NCHSAA is leaning towards making the change next season.
Tommy Burleson Basketball Camp July 20-24 9-11:30 am - boys & girls 3rd-8th grade 6:30-8:30 pm- high school boys Cost: $50 before day of camp; $60 day of camp
Baseball Camp
July 27-31 for K-9th graders 9am-noon: K-5th grade 1-4 pm: 6th-9th grade Cost: $45
Avery Volleyball Camp July 28th - 31st for K-High School 9:00 - 11:30 3rd - 5th grade 9:30 - 12:00 6th - 8th grade 2 -4 pm and 6-8 pm high school
Elementary: $55, Middle: $70, High Sch.: $85 Discounts for families with 2 or more kids.
Cost includes College Coach Instruction and camp t-shirt. For more information, contact Avery HS volleyball coach Kim Hayes at 733-0151.
Dance Camp August 3-7 for K-rising 9th graders 8am-noon Cost: $60 (registration deadline July 20th)
A total of three Avery County Little League Baseball and Softball All-Star teams were in action across the High Country on Saturday afternoon.
9 and 10 Softball: The 9 and 10 year old Little League Softball tournament reconvened at Hodge Turbyfill Baseball Complex in Newland as Avery faced a tough Wilkes American squad. Avery was unable to find an answer for the well-rounded Wilkes team, falling in four innings by the final score of 17-0.
In the early going the contest remained close as Avery starter Bri Cuthbertson held the Wilkes club to only a pair of first inning tallies in the top of the first inning. Avery threatened to narrow the gap as the squad put two runners on base. A caught stealing at third base ended the rally and the frame with Wilkes up by a pair.
Wilkes was unable to explode offensively through the first three innings but still managed to manufacture runs to build its lead. Wilkes plated three runs in both the second and third innings, taking advantage of seven walks during the stretch to build its lead to 8-0.
Offense against the Wilkes pitching staff was hard to come by for Avery, as the team managed only a pair of hits for the game. Wilkes put the contest away with nine runs in the top of the fourth inning to provide for the final margin.
11 and 12 Softball: Avery’s 11 and 12 year old softball All-Stars hoped to stave off elimination when they took the diamond at Watauga High School in Boone against a Watauga National squad. Watauga was too tough to tame in the contest, however, defeating Avery 15-0 in four innings.
Starting pitcher Ashlie Yoder ran into early difficulty against Watauga, surrendering a pair of runs. The right hander worked out of a bases-loaded jam, however, to surrender no further damage in the inning.
Avery’s bats found the going tough against Watauga pitching. Offense was at a premium for the squad, as Stacie Brewer provided a base hit in the second inning and Kylie Polsgrove reached base in both her turns at bat for the contest.
Watauga scored five runs in the second inning to increase its edge to seven runs, then put the contest out of reach with an eight-run third inning to provide for the final margin.
Overall, the Avery coaching staff felt their team performed admirably in this year’s All-Star tournament. “To sum it up, we beat the teams we were supposed to beat and lost to the teams that we should have also,” Avery coach Craig Rieger said after the contest. “We didn’t play our best, and wished things could have been closer.”
“We didn’t make the outs on plays that we needed to, and we made some errors,” Coach Kevin Brown added.
11 and 12 Baseball: Despite a long layoff of around ten days between games, the Avery 11 and 12 year old Baseball All-Stars took the field on a sunny Saturday afternoon at Optimist Park to play a Watauga National ballclub in District 7 tournament action. Avery managed to put runners in scoring position multiple times in the game, but Watauga’s hit parade was too strong as the Nationals took a 17-1 win in four innings.
Southpaw pitcher Gabe Stanley got the starting nod for Avery in the contest, but the Watauga bats began to hit early. A pair of solo home runs started the flurry for the Nationals club, and the team continued to put the ball in play, scoring six runs in the frame to take an early lead.
Avery best scoring chance came early in the game, as the team loaded the bases in the top of the first with no outs as Jerry Lunsford singled, Kyle Hoffman drew a walk and Wade Smith was hit by a pitch. Watauga pitching worked out of the trouble however, as a fielder’s choice and pair of strikeouts prevented Avery from plating a run in the inning. Avery held Watauga to a lone run on a sacrifice fly in the top of the second, but Watauga increased its bulge to 7-0. Watauga put the contest out of reach in the top of the third inning. The team rallied with two outs in the inning to score three runs for a 10-0 lead.
Avery threatened for its own big inning in the bottom of the third, again loading the bases. A bases-loaded walk plated Avery’s first run, but Watauga again retired the Avery club before further damage could be inflicted.
The proverbial door was slammed by the Nationals in the top of the fourth with a seven-run frame. The big blow for Watauga was a two-run home run by Matt Lambert. Avery could not rally to keep the contest going in the bottom of the inning, enforcing the ten-run rule to end the contest.
“We got off to such a bad start. When you give up home runs early and walk a few runners, you find yourself in a mess. But after the first inning we played all right. We made an error or two, but it is what it is,” Avery coach Jerry Lunsford said after the game. “As far as doing what they needed to do in practice and in games, this has been the best team in the three years that I’ve coached All-Stars. We were a little inexperienced, but the players wanted to come to practice and work hard to get better together.”
Overall, the Little League season for Avery County has been a successful and fun time for all. “We had a great year. The all-stars represented Avery County well,” League President Jerry Moody said. “The Board of Directors are very proud of all of the kids, parents, coaches and volunteers.”
Congratulations to all the Avery All-Stars for great effort throughout their respective district tournaments.
On July 6 and 7, the Avery Vikings welcomed a number of visiting teams to MacDonald Stadium for a 7-on-7 passing league. Joining the Big Red in the activities were the Highlanders from neighboring Cloudland (TN), as well as another neighbor in the Mitchell Mountaineers. WestWilkesHigh School, who held a team camp throughout the week in AveryCounty, took part in the action. A pair of additional schools, DraughnHigh School during Monday’s events, and PattonHigh School, who participated on Tuesday, took advantage of the close proximity to BurkeCounty and picture-perfect AveryCounty weather.
Teams took part in what amounted to round-robin competition as schools took turns playing one another. The goal of the offense was to drive the football to the end zone through the air from 40 yards away against an opposing defensive secondary.
Multiple teams played without key contributors at times due to family vacation and other summer activities, but players who participated left everything on the field as they worked to improve both themselves and their team.
“This has been really good for us. It has allowed our receivers to run some sharp routes on offense, and it makes your secondary concentrate solely on defending the ball and defending the pass,” Avery head football coach Darrell Brewer said regarding the event. “It is competition, and you can see the kids out there competing hard and wanting to win. We have got a team of competitors this year, and I’ve been really proud of them.”
On Monday Avery was without a number of regulars who had been participating and contributing throughout the spring and summer. However, those players in attendance stepped up admirably, and the group who worked together the following day ran like a well-oiled machine.
“We had several kids missing on Monday who had attended the Gardner-Webb camp and we were out of sync a little with out new kids. But we came together Tuesday and didn’t miss a beat,” Coach Brewer continued. “I was proud of the team’s focus, especially on that second day.”
The Vikings continue to build up to the season-opener at Robbinsville, working to improve in all areas and erase the sour taste of a 2-10 campaign in 2008.
“Going into spring practice, I knew that most of the varsity team this year would be players from last year’s junior varsity team, with the exception of about five returning players. It’s a whole new group of young kids, but you really forget how young they really are,” Coach Brewer explained. “The players are such competitors and play with such passion, that you look at them and sometimes forget that they’re just pups. We’ve been pleased with their progress.”
Following the event, it was obvious to see the respect the competing teams had for one another, as well as the desire to help each other improve as the fall approaches. It allowed the Vikings a unique opportunity to watch and compete against partial squads from three of their opponents in the upcoming season.
“I think both Mitchell and Cloudland had a few kids missing and was in kind of the same boat we were in. Both of them are teams we know as rivals but we know that neither team takes a play off. You always expect them to play disciplined, hard-nosed football,” Coach Brewer added. “West Wilkes had brought their entire team up for camp, and they basically had all hands on deck.”
Although the Vikings may not quite possess the offensive firepower in years past, this year’s squad is out to prove it can achieve great things, executing offensively in a variety of ways, whether by running or throwing the football.
“Alex (QB Villanueva) is one of those kids that you forget is only going to be a sophomore. The way he’s handled himself throughout the summer doesn’t give any indication that he’s just in his sophomore season,” Coach Brewer added. “He’s just got an air about him, and we believe we will throw the football with success.”
The recent 7-on-7, as well as activities such as the upcoming six-squad scrimmage in August, are events the Avery coaches hope can take place annually given the ability to use the stadium’s Field Turf surface in greater volume than the natural surface of years past.
“Having the field we have, the sky’s the limit to the things we can do. We’ve never had anything like this in the past because we’ve had to stay off the field as much as possible to allow the ground to recover and grass to grow,” Coach Brewer said. “I would love for us to have a huge passing tournament with a lot of schools coming in, doing t-shirts and trophies and that type of thing. With what we enjoy now, we’re able to have six-team scrimmages and the 7-on-7s that we just had no way of doing before.”
Avery’s next large-scale team event will be a scrimmage that will take place in the second week of August, a final tune-up as teams prepare for opening night on August 21st.
The Avery 11 and 12 year old Little League Baseball and Softball All-Stars returned to the diamond on Saturday afternoon in Boone.
In softball action, the Watauga team played well and took advantage of limited openings by the Avery defense to take a 15-0 final score in four innings. Unfortunately for the Avery faithful, the 11 and 12 baseball team had difficulty shutting down a hot hitting Watauga National club, leading 6-0 after one frame and went on to take a 17-1 win in four frames.
Congratulations to both Avery teams on a great All-Star tournament run!
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.”
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 14th 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 4th, Cloudland will open the conference schedule with the home opener against North Greene.
September 11th will see the ‘Landers clash with the Avery Vikings in the 3rd annual Avery Journal-Timesth 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 9th.
The next week will be homecoming for Cloudland when Hancock County makes their first visit to Roan Mountain on October 16th.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.
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 victoryon 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 topof 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 WataugaHigh 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 CaldwellCounty 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 11th.
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.
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!"
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.
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,” CoachBeach 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,” CoachBeach 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,” CoachBeach 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 siteat www.ajtsports.blogspot.com.
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 4th, however, prior to the “Battle for the Bucket” varsity football game between Watauga and Avery.
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.
The Carolina Golden Knights returned to action on Saturday evening following an extended holiday break for a rematch off the mountain with the Burke Storm, falling by a final score of 30-0.
