Vols Weather Ohio to Get Back on Track

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

The Tennessee Vols needed to get their season back on track, and Saturday night was the perfect place to start. The Volunteers held off a pesky Ohio Bobcat squad to take a 34-23 victory to snap a two game losing streak and build confidence entering next week’s game when Auburn comes to town.

“It's good to get a win,” Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin said. “We haven't won since the opener. We talked about it. You can't get to 3-2 or 4-2 until you get to 2-2. So it's good to see the win.”

Kiffin and the rest of coaching staff brought in a game plan where they looked to build the confidence of beleaguered quarterback Jonathon Crompton. The result wasn’t the game that Kiffin had hoped to see.

"We're a long ways away from being a championship team, as you saw today,” Kiffin said. “You saw a different game plan. You saw us try to throw it around, I think, 28 times in the first half and we got back to what we do and threw it, I think, eight times in the second half. We've got a long ways to go."

The Vols started the game with an impressive drive that was capped off when Montario Hardesty dived in from 11 yards out in the Wild Vol formation. However, the Bobcats evened it up 13 seconds later as Chris Garrett took the opening kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown.

Crompton was intercepted on the next UT drive, and Ohio took advantage as Theo Scott found LaVon Brazil to take the early 14-7 lead.

The Vols got back on the board when Crompton hit Brandon Warren for a three yard pass, and when Chris Walker made an acrobatic interception on a screen play and ran seven yards into the end zone to give the Vols a 21-14 lead. Both squads added field goals in the closing minutes of the first half as UT took a 24-17 lead into the locker room.

Crompton found freshman sensation Bryce Brown for a 26-yard touchdown play that gave the Vols an 11 point lead entering the final frame.

The fourth quarter nearly saw the tables turn on UT as an Ohio touchdown off a Crompton fumble was wiped off the board after officials ruled that Noah Keller was out of bounds when he picked up the fumble. However, the Volunteers couldn’t take advantage as they were forced to punt.

The Bobcats managed to close the gap back to a one possession game halfway through the quarter, but that was as close as they could get as Daniel Lincoln added another field goal to secure the 34-23 victory.

Crompton ended the game with 17 of 34 passing for 222 yards and two touchdowns. The workhorse Hardesty had 140 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries while Brown added 56 yards on 11 carries plus the receiving touchdown.

Ohio ended the game with 319 passing yards on a Tennessee defense that is considered to be one of the best in the nation.

"We looked like a different defense today than what you're used to seeing.” Kiffin said. “We've got to make plays, it doesn't matter who's in there. There's no excuses. We've got to play better.

The victory didn’t come without a cost for the Vols however. Nick Reveiz was injured and most likely lost for the season adding to the injuries on the defensive side of the ball that saw Walker unable to play in the second half along with LaMarcus Thompson, Herman Lathers, and Wes Brown being banged up.

“We're pretty beat up over there, but we've got to get better,” Kiffin said. “We've got to improve our depth. That's why we have competition so that our depth is improving and our backups aren't sitting there."

Dennis Rogan was also unable to go on Saturday, but not because of injury as he was suspended.

The Vols host undefeated Auburn in their SEC home opener on Saturday night.

Middle School Football Tunes Up for Brad King Bowl

Last week was a key week in Toe River Conference action as both the Avery Panthers and Cranberry Wildcats were in action.

The Cranberry Middle School football team fell by a 34-14 final score last Tuesday, September 22^nd at East Yancey

Late in the first half the Wildcats had the opportunity to cut a 14-0 East Yancey advantage, but were unable to convert on a long pass play that would have cut the lead in half.

The Wildcats scored all 14 of its points in the second half. A touchdown pass and an electrifying kickoff return for a touchdown by Tyler Pittman, his second return for a score during this season, accounted for the Cranberry scoring.

“We played one of our better games of the season. At halftime we were close, only down 14-0 and we moved the ball well. On defense we buckled down and kept them from scoring at times, but our turnovers hurt us,” Cranberry head coach Richard Sheppard said after the game. “We lost a couple of boys to injury in the game, but I think our kids will be ready for Avery next week. They’ll have their work cut out for them if we can stop them defensively.”

The same evening Avery traveled to Spruce Pine to take on Harris. Avery held a 6-0 lead at halftime but could not hold on as Harris took the 14-6 win.

Throughout the first half the teams battled in a defensive struggle for field position. Harris was able to use its running game, but Avery would shut the Blue Devil attack down once it reached the red zone. Avery had difficulty running the ball, but relied on its pass attack to loosen up the opposing defense.

Avery scored a touchdown on its opening possession with a 20-yard touchdown play, but the score was called back due to penalty.

Late in the first half Panthers defensive back Tre Jackson intercepted a Harris pass attempt. Avery then moved with its final drive on offense during the remainder of the first half, scoring on the half’s final play when quarterback Ty Polsgrove, subbing for injuring starting quarterback Chance Watson, found Chase Buchanan with a 12-yard touchdown pass to lead 6-0 at the break.

Harris scored on its first series of the second half to tie the contest, but Avery quelled the two-point conversion try to keep the contest tied. Avery punted on its first series of the third quarter, and Harris struck again for a 50-yard touchdown play on a third down and long play. The two-point conversion was good and Harris led by the 14-6 score.

In the final period Avery continued to succeed in its pass game, as well as used a defensive stand on fourth down on one series to help keep the Blue Devils scoreless for the remainder of the game. Unfortunately, the Panthers could not cross the goal line to tie the score, dropping the club to a 2-2 record for the season.

“Harris had a big quarterback that was hard to bring down, but for the most part we held them in check,” Avery head coach Donnie Johnson said after the game. “We moved the ball pretty well during the night, but we dropped a number of passes. We lost Chance in the second quarter for the rest of the game and Ty stepped in for us. Ty is great with using the option running plays, but it hurts us that he isn’t out at receiver to be able to throw to him”

Seven different players had receptions in the game for Avery, but the turnover bug bit the Panthers to hamper any chance for victory.

Avery will take on Cranberry in the 27^th annual Brad King Bowl, to be played Tuesday, September 29^th at MacDonald Stadium. Both teams are excited about the game and look forward to the matchup that ends regular season Toe River Conference play.

“I basically told our boys if they don’t just naturally get up for this game, I can’t motivate them any more than that,” Cranberry’s Coach Sheppard said. “We try to keep things in perspective as feeder schools for the high school, but we want to be competitive as possible, and whatever happens will happen.”

“Win or lose, we’re in the playoffs, so we’re just working on trying to get better,” Avery’s Coach Johnson stated. “We feel we can build on the good things we did last week. We’ll have to catch the football against Cranberry and move the football better, and we’ll have to be able to stop their running because Cranberry has some athletic kids on their side. It should be a good game as you can throw out the records when the teams play.”

Proceeds from the game will benefit the Chris Laws’ family, as funds raised will be deposited into a trust set up with the State Employees Credit Union for Laws' daughters.

A full report on the Brad King Bowl can be found in next week’s Avery Journal-Times.

AJ-T Sports Weekly Pick 'em Winner and Week 7 games

Congratulations to Sam Burleson who correctly picked 14 out of 20 games in last week's AJ-T Weekly Picks Contest.

Sam will be entered in our end-of-season prize drawing. Special thanks again to Avery Tire and Service of Newland (Hwy 181 on the four lane), the Avery Journal-Times of Newland, as well as the Avery High School and Cloudland High School football programs.

Below are the slate of games for this week:

Week 7 games:

1. Avery @ Thomas Jefferson
2. Cloudland @ Cosby
3. South Caldwell @ Watauga
4. Mitchell @ Owen
5. Burns @ Freedom
6. Hendersonville @ Madison
7. Polk County @ Mt. Heritage
8. N. Bumcombe @ McDowell
9. LSU @ Georgia
10. Georgia Tech @ Mississippi St.
11. N.C. State @ Wake Forest
12. Virginia @ North Carolina
13. Oklahoma @ Miami (FL)
14. Auburn @ Tennessee
15. Appalachian State @ The Citadel
16. Carson-Newman @ Mars Hill
17. NFL: Tennessee @ Jacksonville
18. NFL: Buffalo @ Miami
19. NFL: Dallas @ Denver
20. NFL: Tampa Bay @ Washington

Tie Breaker: Oklahoma @ Miami (FL)
Total # of Points Scored: ____________

Faulkner and Yackey Named This Week's Edward Jones Scholar-Athletes of the Week

Kaley Faulkner (Cheerleading) and Brock Yackey (Soccer) are the Edward Jones Scholar Athletes of the Week. To qualify for the award, each student must currently participate in a varsity sport at Avery High School and maintain an unweighted GPA of 3.5 or better. The Scholar Athlete Award is given for outstanding performances not only on the playing field, but also in the classroom and in life. Congratulations to this week’s winners!

Home Sweet Homecoming: Vikings Trample Warhorses for Third Win of Season

Despite an early deficit and less-than-stellar weather conditions, the Avery Vikings made sure to send the Big Red faithful home happy last Friday night. Fourteen unanswered points and an inspired defensive effort led Avery to a 14-7 win last Friday on Homecoming night over the visiting Owen Warhorses at MacDonald Stadium.

In the game’s opening moments things looked up for the Big Red to draw first blood in the contest. Owen fullback Brennan Kirby fumbled on a handoff, and Taylor Potter recovered for Avery to set the Vikings up with prime field position. Owen held Avery to a three-and-out, however, and a Dylan Aldridge punt pinned the Warhorses inside their own 15-yard line.

Saddled with poor field position, the Warhorses used its ground game to chew up chunks of yardage with its second offensive series. A 39-yard Austin Myers run highlighted a drive where Kirby redeemed himself by rambling 23 yards to the end zone to give the Owen the lead. A Gerald Cruz extra point staked the Warhorses to a 7-0 lead at the 8:38 mark of the opening period.

The squads exchanged possessions by way of punt through the remainder of the first period that was marked by heavy rains. As the half wore on, Avery gradually began to win the field position battle. Senior punter Dylan Aldridge successfully pinned the Owen offense inside its own 20-yard line with kicks on three separate occasions in the half, the latter of which was a 58-yard effort which pinned the Warhorses on their own 1-yard line.

After forcing another punt that set an Avery drive to begin inside Owen territory, the Vikings marched 47 yards on 7 plays. Running back Colton Blackburn ran for 29 of his 101 yards for the half on the drive, which was capped by an Alex Villanueva one-yard quarterback sneak across the goal line. An extra point from Andres Castaneda knotted the game at 7-7 with 5:33 remaining until halftime.

On Owen’s ensuing series, the Warhorses drove the field to the Avery 19-yard line. Faced with a difficult decision, Owen head coach Ken Ford decided to go for the first down and opted for a fullback run with Kirby. Avery sniffed out the play immediately and downed Kirby for a loss of yardage to kill the threat and help the game remained tied at halftime.

During ceremonies at intermission Avery High School presented its 2009 Homecoming Court, with the naming of Hayden Blackburn as Homecoming Queen and Hunter Gossett as Homecoming King.

As rain continued to fall intermittently throughout the game, the Vikings turned the momentum of the contest for good with the opening drive of the second half. A 19-play, 89-yard drive consumed 8:48 off the third quarter clock. The drive included 16 running plays which systematically wore down the Owen defense, as well as four successful conversions on third down and a successful fourth down conversion inside the Owen 5-yard line. A four-yard scurry by Villanueva and Castaneda extra point gave the Vikings its first lead at 14-7 with 3:07 left in the period.

“We felt all week like we could run the football on them,” Vikings head coach Darrell Brewer said after the game. “With the weather conditions, it was going to be hard to throw the football, so we went to work running the football.”

On its ensuing possession the Warhorses looked to answer the Avery touchdown. As the fourth period began, fog began to settle in the valley and into MacDonald Stadium itself, eventually encompassing the facility. As visibility decreased, Owen quarterback Kaleb Fowler appeared to score on a six-yard quarterback sweep. A holding penalty negated the score, however. The call set the stage for a fourth and goal two plays later from the Avery 3-yard line. Fowler called his own number, but the Vikings stopped the Owen signal caller for no gain to turn the football over on downs.

Avery could not move the football away from its own goal line as it went three-and-out. One of the Big Red’s most valuable weapons of the evening, the kicking leg of punter Aldridge, came through again as he booted a punt through the mist and fog for 52 yards, forcing Owen to again drive the field for the tying score.

As visibility shrunk to mere feet on the playing field and virtually zero from the press box, the Warhorses advanced the football inside the Avery 25-yard line. Owen’s last credible opportunity to score was quelled when a Fowler pass in the right flat was intercepted by Avery’s Colton Blackburn.

The Avery defense held Owen one last time to a three-and-out in Warhorse territory, and kept possession of the football for the final 3:26 of the game. Due to the fog, the clock keepers could not operate the game clock, so the official on the field kept the time and eventually blew the whistle, igniting a raucous celebration and elation from the Avery bench.

“This was a good win. The kids outdid themselves and played extremely hard on both sides of the football,” Avery head coach Darrell Brewer said after the win. “Owen hurt us a little on their sweep plays, but overall I was very pleased with the defense. They stood up and we had two big fourth down stops, which is awesome for a defense.”

Colton Blackburn led an Avery attack that compiled 214 yards on 51 rush attempts. The junior ran 18 times for 148 yards. Avery committed no turnovers in the game

“We came out and executed very well. The line did a heck of a job,” Blackburn said after the Avery victory. “Our defense did excellent and the long drive to start the half kept the ball out of Owen’s hands. I think it’s a great accomplishment.”

Avery has already exceeded its win total from a season ago, and will look to extend its win streak to three games on Friday when it hosts Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy.

“What we’ve done so far is a credit to our kids,” Coach Brewer said. “We have a great group of kids who come to work every day and play hard. I’m proud to be their coach.”

Avery Tennis Sweeps Gryphons, Falls to Lady Cougars in Conference Play

Last week the Avery tennis team played a pair of matches as Western Highlands Conference action kicks into full gear.

On September 21^st, inclement weather forced the home match with Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy inside to the indoor courts at Lees-McRae College. With only a pair of hard courts available, the teams agreed to play only five matches, rather than the normal nine matches. Avery was dominant in sweeping TJCA by a 5-0 final match score.

In singles action, Lady Viking Anna Melton defeated Kasey Owen 8-6, while Avery teammate Hayden Blackburn upended Claire McCurry 8-1. In doubles play the team of Melton and Blackburn defeated the team of Owen/Claire McCurry 8-6. Avery’s Lauren Avery and Leah Powell defeated the team of Maimane/Gracie McCurry 8-0, while the duo of Morgan Stout and Haley Shell defeated the team of Folk/Sisk by an 8-0 margin.

“I didn't know what to expect with Thomas Jefferson. This is the first year we are playing them, and as we prepared for the match I told the girls to expect the unexpected and be ready to battle,” Avery head tennis coach Rhiannon Manis said after the win. “I feel like we played like we should, considering we were coming off a weekend, had never played this team before, and had to play indoors. Thomas Jefferson is a good team whom I expect will be even better the next time we see them towards the end of our season.”

The following afternoon, the Lady Vikings journeyed to Yancey County to take on a tough Mountain Heritage Lady Cougars tennis squad. The matchup was a battle throughout singles play, with the teams battling to a 3-3 deadlock, but Heritage took two of the three doubles matches to take the narrow 5-4 match win..

Anna Melton was defeated by Heritage’s Penny Lane Buckner 6-10, while Lady Viking teammate Hayden Blackburn fell to Alecia Babb 8-10. Leah Powell (A) fell to Lauren Street (MH) 9-10 (4-7 tiebreaker), but Lauren Avery (A) won over Alex Brost (MH) 10-3, Morgan Stout (A) defeated Brianne McFee (MH) 10-0, and Haley Shell (A) downed Lauren Reeler (MH) by a 10-4 final match score.

“We had some very close matches in the top three positions in singles that were tight all through the match,” Coach Manis said. “The games were close and the points were long and intense. We sometimes just let unforced errors occur on game points.”

In doubles play, the Avery team of Melton/Blackburn lost to the team of Buckner/Street 7-9, Avery’s tandem of Powel/Avery lost 6-8 to Heritage’s Babb/Brost, and the Avery team of Stout Shell earned a shutout 8-0 win over the team of McFee/Reeler.

“Mountain Heritage is a strong team, however I feel like we competed very well. I am very proud how the girls battled through and made their opponents earn each point and game,” Coach Manis said. “Haley and Morgan secured a win for us only needing one more. The number one and two doubles were also great matches played by both teams. They were also close from the beginning to end. Again I am pleased how we competed against Mountain Heritage in singles and doubles. Even though it is a loss, I don't feel like the team has anything to be ashamed of regarding how they all performed in the match.”

Despite the loss, the Lady Vikings are confident that they are still players in the conference title hunt.

“I know that the girls wanted the win over Mountain Heritage. I could see it in there body language and how they performed in each point. I believe that the match supports what I tell the girls, and that is that they are talented and are able to compete with every team that we play,” Coach Manis stated. “We have played each team once and I feel confident about how we have played thus this far, win or lose. However, the teams always improve throughout the season and when we start for round two against each one we are going to have to be ready. With the type of hard work and determination that I have seen the girls put forth so far in the season, I believe that we could be in the playoffs again this year in addition to individuals and doubles teams competing in the regional tournament.”

Avery takes the court this week in matches at Polk County on September 29^th, and a home match at Lees-McRae against Owen on Thursday, October 1^st.

Edwards Play Recognized by ESPN

Appalachian Sports Information has released the following regarding a play that took place during Saturday's ASU football win over Samford. It was a truly remarkable play to see. More magic from the 2008 Walter Payton Award Winner.

BOONE, N.C. — Perhaps the most spectacular play in the illustrious career of Appalachian State University quarterback Armanti Edwards (Greenwood, S.C./Greenwood) has been recognized by ESPN’s SportsCenter as the weekend’s No. 2 play in all of sports.

On a second-and-11 play early in the second quarter of Appalachian’s 20-7 win over Samford on Saturday at rain-soaked Kidd Brewer Stadium, Edwards escaped a sack, lost control of the slick ball, corralled the loose ball, escaped another sack and, while being dragged to the ground, completed a pass to Cedric Baker (Wilmington, N.C./New Hanover) for a 16-yard gain. The effort set up a field goal that gave ASU a 10-0 lead.

On Monday morning, SportsCenter’s “Top 10 Plays of the Weekend” segment tabbed the play as No. 2, behind only Brett Favre’s 32-yard touchdown pass to Greg Lewis on the final play of the Minnesota Vikings’ 27-24 win over the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.

Fans can vote for the play as the weekend’s top moment in the Gatorade “G Moments” poll at the bottom of the front page at ESPN.com.

Here is a link to the video of the recognized play (courtesy Appalachian ISP Sports Network)

AJ-T Sports Blog.... LIVE from KIDD BREWER STADIUM FOR APPALACHIAN FOOTBALL

It's football time in Boone! The Appalachian State Mountaineers return to the field at Kidd Brewer Stadium on this soggy Saturday afternoon to host conference rival Samford.

The Bulldogs are 2-1 on the season and enter today's game on a two-game win streak, upending Jacksonville and Miles on the past two weeks. ASU is looking to rebound from an 0-2 start to this season. ASU fell 40-35 to McNeese State two Saturdays ago and hope to earn win number one of thie 2009 campaign at the expense of the Bulldogs.

Players to Watch:
Samford quarterback Dustin Taliaferro has completed 43 passes in 79 attempts for 451 yards on the season, with four touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Chris Evans, a 1,000 yard rusher a season ago for the Bulldogs, has rushed for 311 yards on 59 carries so far this season, including two touchdowns. Riley Hawkins and DeMarcus Covington lead the receiving corps with seven and nine receptions, respectively. Hawkins has four TD receptions thus far in 2009, with one TD by DeMarcus Covington.

For the Mountaineers, look no further than quarterback Armanti Edwards and running back Devon Moore to provide the offensive spark this afternoon. The running game will be a priority as the rain heavily falls here at Kidd Brewer Stadium. A good number of brave souls made it out to battle the elements and support the Black and Gold. The Apps are taking the field and we're ready to roll from THE ROCK!

Update #1- The Mountaineer defense forces a Samford punt to open the game. ASU runs the option on its first offensive play from scrimmage to move the ball into Samford territory. The drive stalls, however, and punter Sam Martin pins Samford back at the 3-yard line with a terrific punt. We're scoreless four minutes into the contest.

Update #2- ASU is on the scoreboard following a drive of 7 plays, 73 yards, and 2:40 of clock time. Armanti Edwards races through the Samford defense for a 13 yard touchdown run. The PAT is good, and the Mountaineers lead it 7-0 midway through quarter #1.

Update #3- Appalachian forces another Samford punt, but turns the ball over on downs around the Samford 40 yard line. Rain beginning to fall steadily again after a brief hiatus. Three minutes left opening stanza with ASU leading by the 7-0 score.

Update #4- A fast first quarter wraps up here in Boone. ASU has possession following another Samford punt. 15 minutes in the books and ASU leads this one 7-0. On a side note, we may have some additional information from correspondent Matt Laws, who is at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville for the University of Tennessee/Ohio University football game. Hopefully his venue will be a little drier than this one.

Update #5- The Mountaineers are back on the offensive march toward the end zone. An acrobatic play by Edwards to escape a sack and convert a first down pass to Devon Moore kept the drive alive. Armanti Edwards scored his 50th rushing touchdown of his career for the Apps' first score, only the second player in Mountaineer history to achieve the feat. Appalachian could only get to the Samford 4-yard line before the Bulldog defense holds. ASU capped the 13 play, 76-yard drive that consumed over six minutes of clock time with a 21-yard field goal by Jason Vitaris to give the Mountaineers a 10-0 advantage.

Update #6 - Samford has pieced together its best offensive series of the game in the mid-second quarter. A roughing the punter penalty against ASU sustained the drive, as well as a personal foul face mask penalty. The Bulldogs are threatening in the red zone. ASU quells the drive when Ed Gainey intercepts a Taliaferro pass in the end zone and takes it 56 yards up to the Samford 44-yard line.

Appalachian uses the turnover to build momentum. The Mountaineers score on a 14-yard touchdown pass from Edwards to tight end Jordan Gary. The catch was Gary's first career reception for the Apps. The PAT is good and the Mountaineers lead 17-0 with 5:06 remaining before halftime.

Update #7 - ASU holds possession in the final minute of the half, driving inside the Samford 20-yard line. A penalty pushes Appalachian back to the Samford 40. The Mountaineers convert a quick pass play to the Samford 26, where it appears the Black and Gold will attempt a Vitaris 44-yard field goal. Samford takes a time out to ice the kicker as there are only four seconds left before halftime. The 8 play, 42 yard drive took 2:42 off the clock as Vitaris splits the uprights on his season-long field goal. Mountaineers lead at intermission 20-0 at the break. ASU has been dominant in the first half, specifically on the defensive side of the football. We'll have some stats to pass along shortly. Thanks again for reading!

Update #8 - Back at The Rock for second half action. Appalachian held Samford to only 71 yards of total offense in the first half, while gaining 283 yards themselves. ASU hurt itself with seven penalties in the first two quarters, but have receive solid offensive production from Devon Moore (80 yards rushing) and Armanti Edwards (146 yards passing, 34 yards rushing).

Update #9 - Four and a half minutes remain in the third quarter and the teams have been playing the field position battle. ASU RB Devon Moore has eclipsed the 100-yard mark for the seoond straight game, but neither team has threatened the end zone thus far in the period. Still a 20-0 ASU edge.

Update #10: End of the third quarter and ASU leads by a 20-0 score. Just a shade of 22,000 were in attendance for this afternoon's game, a credit to students and fans of the Mountaineers to withstand the rain and cheer on the Black and Gold.

Update #11: Three quarters in the books and the Samford Bulldogs have still yet to gain 100 total yards, while Appalachian State has 351 yards in total offense. Obviously the early season losses, particularly the loss in the game two weeks back to McNeese State, appeared to light a fire under the Mountaineer defense. They are looking as strong as seen in recent memory. Samford is averaging less than three yards per carry through three stanzas, while the Mountaineers are averaging close to five yards with each rush of the football. Just under 12 minutes to play from Boone and the Mountaineers are still pitching a shutout at 20-0.

Update #12: Samford has put together an impressive drive assisted by a couple of Mountaineer penalties. The Black and Gold defense was stingy at the goal line. Chris Evans barely gets the football across the goal line from one yard out to put the Bulldogs on the scoreboard with 6:16 remaining. It was a late call by the official on the field that received a hearty chorus of boos from the partisan crowd, but the drive of 10 plays and 80 yards allowed Samford to avert the shutout. The PAT was successful to cut the ASU lead to 20-7.

It's nearing the 5 minute mark in the fourth quarter, and that means traveling to the press conference room for postgame interviews. If there are any score changes we'll tweet the result on the home page. Thanks for reading the AJ-T Sports Blog!

Vikings Renew Rivalry with Warhorses for 2009

After an extra week to savor recapturing the Avery Journal-Times Border Battle Trophy in a 51-20 win over Cloudland, the Avery Vikings (2-2) venture into Western Highlands Conference play for the first time on Friday night when it hosts the Owen Warhorses on Homecoming night for the second time in three seasons. Owen (2-2) defeated Enka 35-7 on the road last week. The Warhorses used a second half rally a season ago to defeat Avery by a final score of 23-14 in Black Mountain a year ago.

Scouting the Warhorses:
The Owen Warhorses finished with a disappointing 4-7 record and 3-3 conference mark a season ago and are coached by long-time head coach Kenny Ford. The squad returns 12 lettermen, with five starters on offense and seven starters on the defensive side of the football.

Offensively, the Warhorses employ variations of its patented “I” formation (Straight I, Power I, and others) to chew up yards with a punishing rushing game, while also throwing in some spread formations. Defensively the Warhorses have used a 4-4 scheme, but at times will bring extra defenders to the line of scrimmage.

Owen hopes to rebuild its tradition of winning with a group of junior varsity players who won many games the past two seasons. Those youngsters are being counted on to immediately contribute to this year’s club.

Of the few returning skill players for the Warhorses, none are more welcomed than senior All-Conference running back Andy Coleman (5-11, 175 lbs.; 286 yards rushing in 2009). Fellow All-Conference senior Brennan Kirby (6-0, 210 lbs.) helps anchor the backfield as both a ball carrier as well as a lead blocker for Coleman. Triggering the Owen offense is junior quarterback Kaleb Fowler, who returns for his second season under center for the Warhorses. Fowler was injured early in the 2008 season and was lost for most of last season.

Other players who play key roles for the Warhorse attack are FB/LB Logan Newhouse, who racked up over 100 tackles in 2008, as well as senior lineman Seth Stewart (6-3, 265 lbs.).

The Low Down:
For the first time in recent memory, the Avery club has had a week off to prepare for its game with Owen. The Warhorses are often one of the most physical teams that the Vikings play during the entire season, and the team should expect nothing different from Coach Ford and his troops who invade Newland Friday night.

Avery committed a number of turnovers in its last game against Cloudland, turnovers that need to be limited to maximize the effectiveness of the Big Red offense. Sophomore quarterback Alex Villanueva threw three touchdowns in the win over the Highlanders, but threw three first-half interceptions. Owen converted four Enka turnovers into four touchdowns a week ago, proving its ability to capitalize on its opponent’s mistakes.

Avery should expect a healthy dose of Andy Coleman this week, as the senior was a force in the second half of last year’s battle with the Vikings.

In last year’s contest, the Vikings broke out the Wing-T offense and baffled the Warhorses for a halftime lead before turnovers sealed Avery’s fate. This week’s equation is a simple one: Protect the football + balanced offense = increased opportunity for victory.

By the Numbers:
1- rank in passing yards in Western North Carolina held by Avery QB Alex Villanueva.
4- number of touchdown runs by Owen RB Andy Coleman in last week’s win over Enka.
5- conference championships won by the Warhorses this decade (last one in 2005, shared with Avery)
9- wins over Avery in the last 10 meetings by Owen
86- yards of total offense allowed by Owen in last week’s win over Enka.
285- combined rushing yards this season for the backfield tandem of Colton Blackburn and Kenny Hicks.
341- average yards in total offense gained by Avery through four games this season.

Read next week’s edition of the Avery Journal-Times for a full recap of this week’s Homecoming game with Owen, as well as a preview of next week’s home game against Thomas Jefferson. Note: The October 2nd home game with the Gryphons will be Youth Football Night at MacDonald Stadium, where area youth football teams will be recognized and playing during the halftime intermission.

Jackson Takes Another Week in Picks Contest; Week Six Games

Congratulations to Thomas Jackson who correctly picked 15 out of 20 games to win Week Five of our Football Picks Contest. Thomas will be entered in our end-of-season prize drawing. Special thanks again to Avery Tire and Service of Newland (Hwy 181 on the four lane), the Avery Journal-Times of Newland, as well as the Avery High School and Cloudland High School football programs.

Below are the slate of games for this week:

Week 6 (week of September 25)

1. Owen @ Avery
2. Happy Valley @ Cloudland
3. McDowell @ TC Roberson
4. Shelby @ Freedom
5. Mtn. Heritage @ Hendersonville
6. Thomas Jefferson @ Mitchell
7. Madison @ Polk County
8. Hampton @ Johnson Co. (TN)
9. North Carolina @ Georgia Tech
10. Wake Forest @ Boston College
11. Pittsburgh @ N.C. State
12. Miami (FL) @ Virginia Tech
13. Rutgers @ Maryland
14. Ohio @ Tennessee
15. Samford @ Appalachian State
16. Mars Hill College @ Catawba
17. TCU @ Clemson
18. NFL: Denver @ Oakland
19. NFL: Tennessee @ N.Y. Jets
20. NFL: Atlanta @ New England
    Tie Breaker: North Carolina @ Georgia Tech

Total # of points scored: ___________

Send your picks via email to sports@averyjournal.com by noon on Friday, or drop off your picks at the Journal-Times offices on Highway 181 off the four lane in Newland.

Avery Tennis Continues Strong Showing this Season

The Avery girls tennis team took to the road for a pair of tough foes in Western Highlands Conference action last week.

Early last week the Big Red traveled to take on a talented Owen Warlassies club. Earning wins for Avery in singles play were Lauren Avery over Owen’s Julie Brandon (10-6) and Morgan Stout over Johna Slicker (10-8). Avery’s Anna Melton fell in a tie-breaker against Owen #1 Abby Slicker (9-10).

Doubles matches were led by a victory from the team of Hayden Blackburn and Melton, with strong showings by the teams of Leah Powell and Lauren Avery, as well as the duo of Morgan Stout and Haley Shell.

On September 17^th the Lady Vikings traveled to Jackson Park in Hendersonville for a 1A encounter with the Lady Bearcats. Avery was dominant in securing an 8-1 match victory.

Anna Melton bounced back from her tough defeat at Owen to defeat Shae Thurlby (10-5), while Hayden Blackburn defeated Shelby Caruso (10-4). Avery’s Leah Powell beat Hendersonville’s Emily Thomas (10-2), Lauren Avery upended Christian Bobek (10-4), and Morgan Stout handled Emalee Robertson (10-7).

In doubles action, Avery swept the three matches as the teams of Melton/Blackburn won by an 8-2 margin, Powell/Avery was victorious by an 8-0 score, and the team of Stout/Haley Shell earned an 8-5 triumph.

“The girls are continuing to improve and work hard. I feel like if we continue to play the rest of our matches the way we have started this season, we should be very successful in the conference,” Avery head tennis coach Rhiannon Manis said.

Avery boasts a number of veteran players, and their influence and leadership is being felt throughout the squad.

“My top four players have been with me for four years and know where this team began when I first came on. This really helps by allowing them to share how successful we can be,” Coach Manis added. “The first year we won only two matches and last year the girls made it to the second round of the dual team playoffs. We have a few other girls that this is their second year. They have chosen to return and they too see that we can compete with the other teams and be successful. It sets up a great competitive spirit amongst all the girls.”

This year’s tennis team has a variety of strengths to draw from and have already shown its ability to respond to adversity. At the same time, however, the team also knows it must become strong in other areas to reach its goals.

“Our girls have determination, spirit, and the skills we need to win. The girls don’t want to lose, and they continue to work hard at practice and want to learn from each match that we play so that they can improve and get even better for the next one,” Coach Manis said. “The girls tend to lose confidence in themselves if they get down in a match. Tennis is very much a mental sport as well as physical, and so you must have a clear mind at all times so that you may focus on what you are doing out on the court. With trying to balance being an athlete with academics, work, and a social life, it can all become overwhelming.”

Avery tennis hosted and defeated Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy at the indoor tennis complex at Lees McRae College on September 21^st, and travel to Mountain Heritage mid-week to highlight this week’s action.

Avery Volleyball Face Tough Trio of Foes as Conference Season Begins

The Avery Lady Vikings volleyball team met up with three tough opponents in action last week.

On September 15^th, the Lady Vikings traveled to Columbus to play the Lady Wolverines from Polk County. Arguably the strongest team in the conference this season, the Polk squad defeated Avery in three games by scores of 12-25, 16-25, and 9-25, respectively.

“We just couldn’t get going. Polk has a strong offense and a very smart service game,” Lady Vikings head coach Kim Hayes said.

Savannah Dellinger recorded six kills, with three kills each from Megan Robbins, Megan Tennant, and Johanna Pittman. Cassie Bumgarner tallied 20 assists.

The next evening Avery hosted the Draughn Lady Wildcats, falling in three tough games by scores of 13-25, 13-25, and 24-26, respectively.

“We made a lineup change and almost pulled a win out in the third game. The Draughn match was a much more exciting game than Polk. From the first time we played them until now, I could see 100 percent improvement,” Coach Hayes remarked. “As a coach you have to go away from wins and losses and really focus on the learning aspect of the game. I could see a huge difference with Avery volleyball than the first match we played them, and we competed with them the entire night.”

Jennie Elrod had six digs, with nine digs from Johanna Pittman, five digs from Melinda Eggers, and seven digs with 15 assists by Cassie Bumgarner. Savannah Dellinger, Megan Tennant, and Shayna Vance added three kills apiece.

On Thursday night Avery hosted conference rival Madison. The two teams played an even match that went the full five games. Avery won 25-20 to take the first game, but Madison tied the match with a 19-25 win. The Lady Vikings again pulled ahead in the third game with a 25-19 triumph, but Madison again rallied to knot the match at two games each in a 25-11 win. In the fifth and deciding game, it was Madison that grabbed an early lead and held off the Avery charge to win by a 15-7 final score.

“We totally had the momentum in this match. We just made some serving errors and hitting errors that cost us some critical points at critical times,” Coach Hayes said. “This is the first match that made it into a fifth game, much less past three games, so we are improving.”

Lacey Barrier had nine digs in the match, with 12 digs from Jennie Elrod, six digs from Savannah Dellinger, nine digs by Johanna Pittman, andfive digs by Melinda Eggers. Dellinger and Megan Tennant recorded seven kills each, with six from Megan Robbins, with 21 assists from Cassie Bumgarner.

“As the season is progressing we are getting everyone on the stat sheet. At the beginning, we would hardly have anything except errors and attempts. We finally have kids getting some kills and digs,” Coach Hayes added. “We will continue to keep working hard, and we will get to see these teams again in the second round.”

Avery volleyball played at Mountain Heritage this past Monday evening, and hosts McDowell and Mitchell on successive nights on Wednesday and Thursday.

Vikings Soccer Shuts Out Thomas Jefferson; Loses Heartbreaker to Hendersonville

The Avery men’s soccer team kept its recent string of strong play intact last week. On Monday, September 14^th the Vikings pitched a 6-0 shut out against the Gryphons of Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy. On Wednesday, September 16^th Avery battled tooth and nail with perennial 1A power Hendersonville in a matchup of top ten ranked squads. A goal in the final two minutes of the match ended as the difference as the Bearcats escaped MacDonald Stadium with a 4-3 win.

Monday’s home affair with the Gryphons was one of the strongest performances by the Vikings squad all season. Avery netted three goals in the opening 40 minutes to take a 3-0 advantage to the locker room.

In the match’s fourth minute, Avery’s senior offensive juggernaut Kyle Griewisch broke away to beat the Gryphon keeper to give the Big Red a 1-0 advantage. That man Griewisch escaped the TJCA defense again in the 17^th minute, as he peeled a second goal-scoring shot into the Gryphon net to put the Vikings ahead by a 2-0 score. As the match neared halftime, Avery’s Isauro Estrada took advantage of the Gryphon defense and scored to stake the Vikings their 3-0 bulge at intermission.

The second half continued to be a display of Avery dominance. Early in the second half of the match (43^rd minute), Estrada scored his second goal of the match, ripping a ball past the TJCA net minder to take a 4-0 lead. At the 47 minute mark, Viking Zack Strange scored his first goal of the season as he rebounded a header shot and placed it in goal to push the Vikings ahead 5-0.

The final goal for the match provided Kyle Griewisch with a second hat trick on the season, as he scored in the 65^th minute to provide for the final margin.

“I think at times we got sloppy, and our level of intensity and aggression wasn’t what I would have liked to see, but the guys did do some good stuff, not only preparing them for Hendersonville, but for the rest of the season,” Avery head soccer coach Tom Evaul said following the win. “We needed a win like this just to build team and individual confidence, but also because there are not going to be very many more opportunities this season to have the opportunities we had against Thomas Jefferson.”

On Wednesday the Vikings squared off with the Hendersonville Bearcats in a showdown of top-10 ranked clubs. Avery, ranked #10 in the most recent 1A poll, hosted the #4 ranked Bearcats in an intense and exciting soccer match.

The Vikings were thrilled to welcome back senior defender Daniel Huff, who had missed most of the regular season due to injury. His presence was a welcome sight against the tough Bearcats.

“It was great to have Daniel Huff back. Our intention was to only play him limited time in order for his knee to not be too strained all at once, but it didn’t happen that way. He was such a factor for us in the middle of the field and on defense that he wound up playing the entire game!” Coach Evaul said. “Daniel’s return gives us so much more flexibility in how we play the field. We have already discussed some options we have available to us with him in the mix which will mix things up a little more. It will also put more pressure on some of the players that maybe haven’t really worked as hard in practice or played as hard as they could in games. Now they will have to give it a little more effort if they want to remain a starter.”

For the first 70 minutes of the match, the Vikings went toe-to-toe with the mighty Hendersonville club. Both offenses proved they could find the back of the net. Hendersonville scored three times in the first half off a pair of goals from Ahmad Jarrar and a tally from Brayan Aguirre.

Avery countered the Bearcats attack with its own offensive flurry. Kyle Griewisch scored a pair of goals in the first half off assists from Isauro Estrada and Jorge Arreola. Estrada also blasted a shot past the Hendersonville keeper during the opening 40 minutes as the teams were knotted at 3-3 at halftime.

The second half was a battle of wills as each club looked for momentum and perhaps the game-winner. Avery fought tooth-and-nail with the Bearcats through the first 30 minutes of the second stanza, but the final ten minutes proved to be the difference in the match.

"We played really well against the #4 team in the state until the last 10 minutes. For some reason the intensity and focus we maintained throughout the first 70 minutes seemed to vanish, and we began to not play as smart,” Coach Evaul said. “We made bad, useless fouls, we gave them three corner kicks within a five-minute period, and instead of getting the ball down the field to our attackers, we just kept kicking it out of bounds repeatedly. If you offer nothing to your offense, you are stuck playing defense, and against a team that had three strong players up front, keeping them scoreless is pretty hard to do.”

With under two minutes remaining in the match Aguirre converted a free kick of around 35 yards which just slipped to the left of Vikings keeper Morgan Bounds and into the net to provide the winning margin.

“I would be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed, but the guys did play another game playing above their level: great intensity, determination, aggressiveness, which is what we will need for the remainder of the season,” Coach Evaul said of his team’s effort. “I believe that if we could have gotten the ball up to the front at least a few times the last ten minutes of the game, the result would have been different. We gained a lot of confidence in the first 70 minutes, and despite the final result I feel the team has a better concept of just what they are capable of accomplishing. Let’s hope that lesson will carry on throughout the season.”

The Vikings traveled to Polk County this past Monday afternoon and will host Madison on Wednesday the 23^rd. A full recap of Avery soccer action can be found in next week’s Journal-Times as well as at the AJ-T Sports Blog at: www.ajtsports.blogspot.com

Pair of Avery Outdoor Sports Begin Competition

Cross Country Starts Season

The Avery cross country team began competition last week with a pair of meets at Owen and at Freedom. On Wednesday, September 16^th, Avery traveled to Black Mountain for the Owen Invitational.

In ladies action, Caroline Crenshaw finished as the first Avery competitor with a time of 24.58. Taylor Lacey was the next Lady Viking to cross the finish line at a time of 28.11. Arizona Clawson followed just behind Lacey with a time of 29.18, and Teddy Jablonski completed the course in a time of 29.42.

In men’s competition, Mark Polsgrove finished as the first Viking and 68^th overall with a time of 21.25. Gary McFee was Avery’s next finisher at a time of 23.21, followed by Joey Potter, Dustin Clarke, Timmy Stewart, Thomas Dellinger, Dyllon Greene, Dillon Nelson, and Jordan McClellan.

On a warm day in Morganton last Saturday, Avery ran in the Freedom Invitational with six male runners. Junior Mark Polsgrove was the boys leading runner for Avery at a time of 20.30 minutes. Gary McFee followed next for Avery with a finish time of 21.35, with teammate Dyllon Greene nipping at his heels. Shea Buchanan finished with a time of 22.50, followed by Joey Potter and Timmy Stewart.

In the ladies event, Mary Chesnut Smith finished fourth overall. Smith is recovering from an ankle injury and ran partially as to test the injury. Caroline Crenshaw took honors as Avery’s second runner to finish, followed by fellow senior Taylor Lacey. Freshman Arizona Clawson was the fourth to cross the finish line.

Fellow Avery runners Christy Ray (illness) and Teddy Jablonski (SAT preparation) were unable to take part in Saturday’s event.

Women’s Golf Opens Inaugural Season
The Avery women’s golf team swung into action last week with a meet at Mount Mitchell Golf Course on September 17^th. Avery finished tied for second in the event with North Buncombe, while Mountain Heritage won the event.

“It was really good for the girls to get out there and play. They were nervous which showed for a couple of holes,” Avery women’s golf coach Boe Barinowski said after the event. “Their scores were high, but they got progressively well. Three of our girls, Noelle Henline, Catalina Lehmann, and Arden Stanley all shot well for us, with Noelle and Catalina finishing in the top ten. The weather conditions were so wet the ball was going anywhere. I would say the girls lost 10 to 20 yards off each stroke because the course was so wet.”

The team hopes to continue to build momentum and build the program throughout the year. “We’ll see the fruition of our efforts at the end of the season. Right now it’s good for the girls to see that they’re competitive. That was the biggest win of our first tournament,” Coach Barinowski said.

Monday’s event at Mountain Aire Golf Club was postponed due to rain.

Viking Soccer Blanks Madison; Comes Back to Defeat Mountain Heritage

The Avery Vikings were schedule to play two matches last week in Western Highlands Conference action. Avery’s matchup at Polk County early in the week was postponed due to the heavy rains, but the team made the most of the day off.

“The time off gave us an opportunity to heal and get over sickness, but the weather wasn’t good, so one of those days was a no practice day,” Avery head soccer coach Tom Evaul said. “We did some talking and going over things we needed to work on for the remainder of the season. I believe the time was well worth what we got out of it.”

The Vikings finally returned to the pitch on Wednesday, hosting the Madison Patriots. Avery was strong offensively from the outset and was too much for an overmatched Madison team, winning the conference affair by a 3-0 final score. Avery netted its first goal in the 12^th minute of the match, when Daniel Huff executed a throw-in from the five-yard line to the front of the Patriot net. Teammate Jorge Arreola was in the right place at the right time as the keeper mishandled the ball. Jorge pushed the ball into goal to spot Avery the one-goal advantage.

Huff, playing in only his second game since returning from a knee injury, has impacted the Avery club, affording them the ability to stretch the playbook and substitution options.

“We have played well with Daniel out of commission, but it is always good to have a player of his intensity and drive on the field,” Coach Evaul said. “It also gives us a little more depth and options on how to play the field.”

Avery further added to its lead in the 36^th minute as a cross by Arreola was again mishandled by the Patriot net minder. Zack Strange punched the ball into the net to give the Big Red a 2-0 halftime edge.

The Vikings closed out the scoring when Kyle Griewisch scored off an assist from Isauro Estrada in the 55^th minute. “We knew that Madison was going to be tough, they always are against Avery. Even in years when things aren’t going good for them, they still give Avery a run for its money. We also knew that they have only won two games and were going to come at us hungry for a win,” Coach Evaul said. “I told the guys, “Whoever was the hungriest for a win was going to come out on top.” I also told them that we couldn't have anymore lapses of extended poor play: not now, not anymore this season...We came out fired up and took our game right to them.”

Avery finished with 24 shots on goal to Madison’s ten. Viking keeper Morgan Bounds had five saves in the win, while Avery enjoyed an 8-2 corner kick advantage. “Our offense pretty much did its job of keeping the pressure on their defense, and our defense played probably its best game of the year thus far,” Coach Evaul said. “The players know they can play at any level they so choose. The majority of the guys are gaining more and more confidence not only in them, but also with the team, which is very important.

Avery traveled to Burnsville to take on the Mountain Heritage Cougars in a conference matchup. Avery struggled to contend with the Cougars, as Heritage tallied three goals in the first half of play.

Something said at intermission must have jolted the Vikings team, however. Within a 13-minute stretch to start the second half, Avery had tallied three goals to tie the match. Later in the half the Vikings found the way to score a fourth goal to take the narrow 4-3 edge.

Mountain Heritage was given a golden opportunity to tie the match on a foul in the box, giving the Cougars a penalty kick. Avery keeper Morgan Bounds rose to the occasion, however, and blocked the shot away to preserve and lead and eventual one-goal win. The Vikings will return to action Wednesday against Mitchell