Unbeaten No More: Second Half Owen Rally Deals Vikings First Loss

Avery QB Dustin Childress made his first start for the Big Red Friday night.

For the first half of Friday night’s conference opener in Swannanoa, the Avery Vikings kept the Owen Warhorses guessing and dominated most statistical categories. Unfortunately for the Vikings, there are two halves to a football game.

A combination of key Avery second-half injuries, a resurgent Owen rushing offense and stiff Warhorse defense served to doom the Viking chances of spoiling Owen’s Homecoming as the home team rallied to defeat the Big Red 24-21.

The most intriguing question entering Friday’s matchup surrounded the Avery quarterback position, as Dustin Childress earned his first career varsity start after Vikings starting signal-caller suffered a broken collarbone in Tuesday’s practice.

In their first series, the Vikings displayed an immediate wrinkle: a variation of the Wildcat offense known to the team as “Wild Potter”. Rather than Childress taking snaps from center, direct snaps were made to the backfield to either running back Taylor Potter or running back Colton Blackburn, who would either hand off the football or run the pigskin.

Avery’s offense caused confusion among the Warhorse defenders and opened up holes for the Viking running game. Despite an Owen timeout during the drive, Avery marched upfield with little resistance.

Avery struck first on the scoreboard when the drive concluded with a 24-yard touchdown pass from Childress to fellow senior Andy Gonzalez. The extra point gave Avery a 7-0 lead with 7:24 left in the first period.

Owen was unable to gain back momentum as the Warhorses turned the ball over with a Taylor Potter interception on its first offensive series.

On the first play of the second quarter Potter wrapped up a second Avery scoring drive with a seven yard touchdown run. The extra point from Dustin Clark resulted in a stunned and silent Owen fan section and a 14-0 Avery lead.

After Avery’s defense forced a Warhorse punt, the Vikings appeared poised to make the game a rout. The Vikings marched the football from the Avery 47-yard line to the Owen 16-yard line over the course of over six minutes of clock time. However, the drive stalled when a Childress pass on third and goal was intercepted in the end zone by Owen’s Cory Watkins.

The turnover seemed to energize the downtrodden Warhorses, as Owen marched 82 yards over nine plays and scored its lone touchdown of the half on a 30-yard touchdown run by quarterback Kaleb Fowler. The Gerald Cruz PAT cut the Avery lead in half at 14-7, which remained unchanged through the remainder of the half.

With the first possession of the second half, Owen made it count, moving 57 yards over 11 plays. An Austin Davis four-yard touchdown run capped the series and tied the game at 14-14.

In desperate need of momentum, Avery regrouped and organized its strongest drive of the second half, a 7-play, 55-yard scoring march culminating in a 10-yard reception by Andy Gonzalez for his second score of the night. The touchdown put the Vikings back on top at 21-14 with 4:29 left in the third period.

On its ensuing series, the Warhorses showed their mettle by driving offensively on an Avery defense that was less than 100 percent. Owen converted on three key pass plays, and used its rushing attack to cover the remaining ground. Fowler dashed into the end zone from two yards out, and the extra point tied the game at 21 entering the fourth quarter.

Without a healthy Colton Blackburn and with a banged-up offense, Avery was held to three-and-out on its ensuing possession and punted the football to Owen.

The Warhorses continued riding its momentum on its ensuing offensive series until the Viking defense stonewalled the Owen drive at the Avery 6-yard line. Faced with a choice, Owen head coach Kenny Ford chose to kick a field goal, which proved wise as the Gerald Cruz 23-yard field goal gave the Warhorses back the lead by a slim 24-21 margin.

With under six minutes to play, Avery had one final drive to tie or win the game. Starting from its own 24, the Vikings picked up yardage quickly with a pair of Taylor Potter carries which netted a total of 37 yards and put the Vikings in Warhorse territory. Avery ran the ball on every play of the drive and was forced into a 4^th and 2 decision at the Owen 31. Head coach Darrell Brewer decided to go for the first down, but try to draw the Warhorses offside with a hard snap count. The plan appeared to work, but the officials did not blow a whistle or throw a penalty flag. Owen forced an Avery fumble and recovered the football.

The Warhorses held possession of the football with an 8-play drive that forced Avery to use all its remaining time outs and served to run out the remaining time to preserve the 3-point win.

“It was one of those games where you hated for either team to lose. I really felt like the kids left it all out there on the field. As a coach, this has probably been the easiest loss I’ve had to swallow because the kids absolutely played their hearts out,” Vikings head football coach Darrell Brewer said after the game.

Colton Blackburn led the Avery rushing attack with 108 yards on 13 carries, while Taylor Potter had a superb game with 15 rushes for 71 yards and a touchdown, to go with an interception on defense and numerous tackles.

In his first start, Dustin Childress was an efficient 6 of 8 for 116 yards and threw two touchdowns.

“I told the kids that there are a lot of schools across the state who don’t have a quarterback as good as Dustin. The only drawback against Dustin was time in the backfield taking snaps. For where he came in and stepped up and played, he really impressed all of us,” Coach Brewer said of his senior quarterback’s performance.

The Vikings look to get back on the winning track this Friday night, October 1^st when they host the Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy Gryphons for Homecoming 2010 at MacDonald Stadium in Newland. Kickoff is slated for 7:30 p.m.

Viking Football Opens Conference Play Against Improved Warhorses

Editor's note: This week's preview was published prior to the injury suffered by Viking quarterback Alex Villanueva.

After a two-week break in the schedule due to last Friday’s open date, the Avery Vikings (4-0) kicks off Western Highlands Conference gridiron action against an old familiar foe in the Owen Warhorses. The Vikings were impressive in a 43-24 victory on September 10th in the Avery Journal-Times Border Battle Classic, while Owen (2-2) trailed at halftime this past Friday against the Enka Jets before a strong second half propelled the Warhorses to a 49-21 win in Swannanoa.

A season ago, Avery hosted Owen for Homecoming and defeated the Warhorses 14-7 on a rainy, foggy night in Newland.

Scouting the Warhorses:
The Owen Warhorses are led by long-time head coach Kenny Ford and finished with a 4-3 record in conference play a season ago and 6-6 record overall. The record was an improvement from the 2008 campaign where Owen finished with a 4-7 record overall, its worst since the year 2000. Owen returned four starters on defense and three on offense from the 2009 season.

Traditionally, the Warhorses have employed a Pro I formation on offense, but this season the team has also utilized a single back offense as well as a Spread formation to move the football downfield. Owen is adept at using both its running back and fullback as active members in the offense, whether blocking or carrying the football.

Defensively the Warhorses use a 4-4 defense, but will at times line up only three linemen and blitz linebackers or other secondary members to force a bad decision by opponents. As displayed in last week’s win over Enka, Owen can drop as many as eight players into coverage when facing the Spread offense.

The Warhorses are led on the field by their senior quarterback Kaleb Fowler, who passed for 900 yards and rushed for 500 yards in 2009. This season Fowler has picked up where he left off, passing already for 614 yards on 34 of 59 passing with seven touchdown passes. The signal caller has also rushed for 258 yards on 39 carries and three touchdowns through the team’s first four games in 2010.

“Our starting quarterback returns with an experienced backfield due to playing time. We have a group of kids returning that did get a lot of playing time last season at a number of positions on offense and defense,” Coach Ford said prior to the opening of the 2010 season.

Senior running back Austin Davis has been a stalwart in the running game (68 rushes, 374 yards, 7 rushing touchdowns), as well as junior Jordan Littlejohn (24 rushes, 156 yards, 2 rushing touchdowns).

Austin Myers and Matt Marino are among the favorite receiving targets in the Owen passing game.


The Low Down:
This week’s showdown is the most difficult task for the Vikings to face thus far in 2010. Avery must go on the road this week and defeat an improved Owen team to prove to the doubters that this team is a contender and not merely a pretender.

Avery has had two weeks to heal up from any bumps and bruises and prepare for a more diversified Owen team than the Western Highlands Conference has seen in recent years. Although the head coaches share a good friendship, neither Coach Brewer nor Coach Ford would like nothing more than to get the upper hand with a win over the other.

In a loss to Erwin a little over three weeks ago, the Warhorse defense surrendered 379 passing yards to Erwin quarterback Garrett Brown. Aside from the Warriors, the Viking passing game offers comparable diversity and big-play ability. A key to Friday night will be how well the Warhorse secondary can contain the stable of Avery pass catchers and an emerging star in junior quarterback Alex Villanueva.

The Viking defense must also continue its streak of strong play. Against Watauga and Cloudland, Avery’s front seven has been active and limited opponents from gaining large chunks of yardage by ground. Continued consistency in that area will go a long way to helping the Big Red’s shot for victory.

A win this week would give the Vikings an early upper-hand in the Western Highlands Conference title chase, while a loss will not mean the end of the world, but could make the prospects of a conference championship somewhat slim.

By the Numbers:
2 – wins by the Vikings in the previous 10 matchups between Avery and Owen.
7 – margin of victory in points in both Avery’s wins over Owen since the turn of the 21st century.
10 – touchdown passes by Viking quarterback Alex Villanueva through four games in 2010.
39 – rushing attempts by Owen in its win last week over Enka, gaining 337 yards for the game.
100 – yards rushing by Austin Davis on 17 carries in Friday’s 49-21 Warhorse win last week.
245 – receiving yards by Avery receiver Remington Austin this season, including a season-high 108 receiving yards in the 43-24 win over Cloudland September 10th.

Read next week’s print edition of The Avery Journal-Times for a full recap of this week’s conference game at Owen, as well as a preview of next week’s Homecoming game against Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy. For more information on Avery sports, log on to The Avery Journal-Times Sports Blog at: www.ajtsports.blogspot.com

Villanueva to Undergo Surgery after Breaking Collarbone at Practice

The prospects of the Avery varsity football team capturing the 2010 Western Highlands Conference championship were dealt a crippling blow Tuesday afternoon when Avery junior quarterback Alex Villanueva was injured during practice, suffering a broken right collarbone.

Villanueva was participating in a 7-on-7 drill when the injury occurred after falling to the turf at MacDonald Stadium midway through practice. According to his family, Villanueva undergoes surgery for the broken bone on Thursday afternoon and is expected to miss a minimum of four weeks of action.

Senior Dustin Childress and sophomore Lane Smith have been taking snaps in practice, with Childress likely to start under center for the Big Red Friday night when the team travels to Swannanoa to open Western Highlands Conference play against the Owen Warhorses.

Through four games this season, Villanueva was 56 of 102 passing for 949 yards with 10 touchdowns and only three interceptions, to go with 143 rushing yards on 27 carries.

Vikings Soccer Triumphs at TJCA, Shut Out at Hendersonville

The Avery soccer team has had a tumultuous pair of weeks on the pitch. After a week that included a win over North Henderson and a conference loss to Owen, the Vikings bounced back early last week with a 3-2 win at Thomas Jefferson Academy.

Last Wednesday Avery met its most talented foe to date, traveling to Dietz Field to play at top-ranked and defending 1A state champion Hendersonville. The Bearcats were as strong as advertised, defeating the Vikings by an 8-0 final score.

Avery appeared to show no lingering effects from the previous week’s home defeat to Owen, as the Vikings netted all three of its goals in the first 40 minutes of play.

The Vikings played the match without the services of leading scorer Daniel Lusk, who was still sporting an injured knee. Due to the loss of firepower, the Vikings adapted its offensive formation, changing to a 4-2 offense rather than the usual 3-3 formation.

Ten minutes into the match, Heraclio Flores scored off an assist by Isauro Estrada. Around 10 minutes later, Estrada got into the scoring spree, netting a goal off an assist from Javier Bravo to give the Big Red a 2-0 advantage.

“Our offense seemed to be clicking, and the defense was holding its own,” Avery head coach Tom Evaul said after the match..

Just three minutes after the second score, Forrest Sickler pealed a shot inside the woodwork, scoring off an Estrada assist to increase the Avery lead to 3-0.

Thomas Jefferson took advantage of some miscommunication and decision-making which set up a direct kick. The Gryphons scored off the kick around the 28-minute mark to cut the Viking lead at halftime to 3-1.

“The team came off the field frustrated that their level of play in the first 20 minutes of play had dropped drastically in the second 20 minutes,” Coach Evaul stated after the match. “The cohesiveness we had at North and lost against Owen was fading away quickly, and the team just didn’t respond to what the coaches were trying to get them to do in the second half. We resorted to a game of “kickie ball”…no passing, no talk, no support. It was just a second half that was atypical of what Avery had been doing earlier in the season.”

Thomas Jefferson managed to score one goal in the second half to cut the Viking lead to 3-2, but Avery regrouped and was able to hold on to secure its seventh win of the season.

Later in the week, the Vikings ventured to Hendersonville for a matchup of top ten state ranked 1A schools. The matchup proved to be a one-sided affair as Avery was again without Daniel Lusk for the contest. The team also played without Jorge Arreola for the first half, and was dealt another blow with an injury to senior defenseman Brock Yackey.

The Vikings surrendered four goals in each half, and was unable to crack the scoreboard offensively. Nevertheless, the Viking head coach was pleased that his team played hard for the entire match against a strong and talented club in Hendersonville.

“I really thought we would give Hendersonville a better game than we did, but it wasn’t to be. They are obviously a much stronger team than they were last year, with more weapons, more speed, more aggression, and are a bigger and confident team compared to last year,” Coach Evaul stated. “The score could have been much worse, as Hendersonville’s coach didn’t take out his starters until the 73rd minute mark. Here lately, their scores have been 10 goals or better against opponents. Despite the barrage and humiliation, the guys played as hard as they could to the bitter end, not giving up nor getting so frustrated that it took their heads out of the game. I was proud of their effort against an excellent Hendersonville team…I’m truly surprised they have even lost a game.”

Coach Evaul was proud of the effort of his freshman goalkeeper Alex Magner, who faced a flurry of Bearcat shots all match long, and continued to fiercely defend between the pipes for the duration of the match.

“Alex stopped over 40 shots on goal, while allowing just the eight by Hendersonville. As a freshman goalie who has only played goalie for three months to take what he had to take at Hendersonville, and still stay focused and intense throughout that game, he made the coaching staff and his teammates admire him all that much more,” Coach Evaul shared.

The Vikings continue to battle in the thick of Western Highlands Conference action this week with a home match against Polk County and a road confrontation with the Madison Patriots mid-week in Marshall.

Mountaineers Roll over Blackhawks for Homecoming

The Mitchell Mountaineers forced four turnovers and rolled up 44 first-half points en route to a 50-23 pasting of the North Buncombe Blackhawks at Memorial Stadium in Ledger last Friday night.

The pageantry of the day-long celebration of Homecoming at Mitchell High culminated in the crowning of Ben Duncan and Ashley Greene as Homecoming King and Queen, respectively. In the meantime, Mitchell’s football team provided the punch to go with the evening pomp.

After a slow start to the first quarter, the purple-and-black clad Mountaineers club opened the scoring when Isaac Edwards booted a 26-yard field goal at the 5:21 mark to give Mitchell the early 3-0 lead.

In the second quarter, everything that could go right did for the Mountaineers. Troy Self scored the first touchdown of the night when he galloped across the goal line from three yards out, with the extra point giving the home team a 10-0 lead.

Following a Blackhawk turnover, Mitchell scored less than a minute later as Justin Hughes hit pay dirt with a one-yard plunge. The PAT put the Mountaineers ahead 17-0.

On the next series, the Blackhawks offense was victimized yet again by the Mitchell defense. After marching inside Mountaineer territory, a pass by North quarterback Christian Jewkes was picked off by Self, who took the interception 55 yards for a touchdown to boost Mitchell’s advantage to 24-0.

Mitchell went on to score 20 additional points in the final eight minutes of the first half. Hughes scored his second touchdown of the half with a five-yard run. Halfback Shawn Jackson got into the act as well when he crossed the goal line on a five-yard run of his own. Finally, Self found the end zone again for a third time when he reached the end zone on a two-yard run with just six seconds left in the first half. North Buncombe scored on an 86-yard touchdown pass at around the two minute mark of the second quarter, but the half was all Mitchell, as the Mountaineers took a 44-6 halftime lead.

Mitchell was never threatened by North in the second half, but the Blackhawks made the final score somewhat more respectable with 17 points over the final two stanzas well after the Mountaineers had begun playing its reserves.

Self ended the game with 197 yards in offense, while Hughes had nine carries for 95 yards and three touchdowns in the victory.

The win improved Mitchell to an even 2-2 on the season as the club opens Western Highlands Conference play next Friday night with a trip to Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy.

Middle School Football Roundup

Wildcats Defeat Harris for Second Conference Win

On Tuesday, September 14^th the Cranberry Wildcats played host to the Harris Blue Devils. The Wildcats ground game punished the Blue Devils defense and controlled the time of possession for a majority of the contest. A pair of Cranberry touchdowns staked the Wildcats to a 12-0 lead, and the team held off a late rally to defeat Harris by a 12-8 final score.

The Wildcats hit pay dirt early in the second period as running back Caleb Stansbury took a pitch play, and after momentarily losing possession of the football, the runner scooped up the pigskin, raced down the left sideline and scurried 70 yards for the first points of the ballgame. The conversion attempt failed, but the Wildcats held a 6-0 lead, a margin they kept until halftime.

Neither team could get past their opponent’s defense in the third quarter. Early in the fourth stanza, CMS added a key insurance touchdown when Canaan Singleton scored on a fullback dive to put CMS ahead by a 12-0 score.

“That was a big touchdown for Canaan. He was really excited about scoring his first touchdown,” Cranberry Middle School head football coach Kent Hayes said after the game.

Despite trailing, the Blue Devils refused to fold. With two minutes left to play, Harris scored its first points of the game and was successful on its two-point conversion to cut the Cranberry lead to 12-8. Harris tried an onside kick to get possession back for its offense, but the Wildcats covered the bouncing football to retain possession, run out the clock, and seal its second Toe River Conference victory this season.

“We had a lead and pushed Harris up and down the field the entire game. We had some trouble sealing the deal, you could say, as we started slowly,” Coach Hayes said after the win. “Our defense played great. It was really our first game where our defense played up to its potential. I’m proud of the kids.”

The Wildcats can finish as high as in second place in the TRC, and the team continues to work toward achieve its goals for the season.
“We’ll have a tougher challenge the next couple of weeks with East Yancey and Avery, but we want to finish strong,” Coach Hayes added. “We’re getting better every week and we’re trying to get lined up for the tournament coming up.”

For Cranberry the victory was a team effort, as the squad continues to grow closer together and has adapted from the loss of its starting quarterback Tyler Pittman, rallying around one another to play hard and play well.

“It’s a great group of kids. They’re a really good team and there are no individual mentalities. I’ve been impressed at practice with how some of our backs will hop back up and run with our linemen and some of our last players to finish when we run sprints or banks,” Coach Hayes stated. “The players are really committed to each other. It’s more than football a lot of times with this group. These guys are going to be fine young men.”

Shane Carpenter has stepped up at the quarterback position for Cranberry and has evolved into a team leader who displays toughness for the Wildcats on the field.

“Shane has done a fantastic job. He’s a tough kid. He took a lot of hits in the Bowman game and had to get stitches on his arm, but he kept playing. He also took some hard shots against Harris,” Coach Hayes said of his signal-caller. “He’s a smart kid who does what we ask to the best of his abilities. It was tough losing Tyler, but it’s been good having Shane step in and do what he’s done.”

Second Half Rally Rolls Rebels Past Panthers

The Avery Middle School football team had a tough task last Tuesday, September 14^th at MacDonald Stadium when it tangled with the Rebels from Cane River Middle School. The game was a close contest through the first half, but the Rebels used a 30-point second half to pull away for a 46-16 win.

Avery scored first in the contest with a three-yard quarterback keeper from Austin Phillips. Phillips also ran in the two-point conversion for an 8-0 Panther lead at the 5:40 mark in the first quarter.

Cane River answered with an eight play, 65-yard drive capped off by a one-yard run from Ben Rice. The two point conversion pass attempt was good, tying the game at 8-8 with 2:37 left in the first period.

AMS was held to three-and-out and punted the ball away. On the first offensive play following the punt, Cane River gave the ball back to its workhorse Rice, who galloped 75 yards for a Rebel touchdown. Another two-point conversion pass play was complete, giving Cane River a 16-8 lead with 22 seconds left in the opening stanza.

On its ensuing offensive series, Avery wasted little time driving downfield. A Phillips scramble netted 15 yards near midfield, and four plays later Pittman found Kobe Pittman on a 38-yard touchdown pass. Phillips ran in the two-point conversion to tie the contest at 16-16 with 6:03 left in the first half.

The Rebels appeared poised to regain the lead, driving inside the Panthers 5-yard line and elapsing over four minutes off the second quarter clock. Avery’s defense rose to the occasion with a goal-line stand, however, leaving the teams knotted at 16 at halftime.

Cane River opened the second half with the first offensive series. Avery held the Rebels to a fourth and short from its own 43-yard line, but a quick pass to Rebels tight end Blake Fox resulted in a 57-yard touchdown play, swinging the momentum of the game in favor of Cane River for good. The two-point conversion failed, but Cane River led 22-16 midway through the third period.

Following an Avery three-and-out, Cane River running back Ben Rice broke out for a 48-yard touchdown run. A penalty called back the score, however. The disappointment did not last long for the Yancey County fans, however, as Rice raced through the Panthers on the next play for a 38-yard touchdown run. The two-point conversion pass was complete to give the Rebels a 30-16 edge with 41 seconds to play in the third period.

The Panthers were again denied on its next series by the Rebels defense and turned the football over on downs. Cane River’s offense continued its assault in the final eight minutes of the game, scoring twice more in the period to provide for the final margin in the 46-16 victory.

Cranberry hosted East Yancey this past Tuesday, while Avery hosted Harris. Avery and Cranberry will square off against one another in the 28^th annual Brad King Bowl next Tuesday, September 28^th at 6:30 p.m. at MacDonald Stadium. The game serves as a benefit contest to assist a local resident or family in need. This year’s contest will benefit Carolina Sky Odom, daughter of Anthony and Amanda Odom. Avery Middle School won last season’s game by the final score of 22-6.

Avery High School Prep Roundup

Junior Varsity Football:

Last Thursday evening the Avery Vikings junior varsity football team hosted the Elizabethton Cyclones freshman team in a non-conference matchup. In an exciting game that thrilled to the finish, the Vikings fell behind but mounted a huge fourth quarter comeback. Avery had one final opportunity in the final two minutes to win the game, but the Cyclones defense held stout as the Vikings came up just short in a 19-13 loss.

Elizabethton struck first with its opening possession of the contest, when quarterback Caleb Bailey found fullback Jacob Woodby for a 10-yard touchdown pass play. The extra point by kicker Cody Guess gave the Cyclones a 7-0 lead at the 4:00 mark of the opening stanza.

The Vikings wasted little time answering the Elizabethton score, marching downfield with the running game and behind the arm of quarterback Stetson Stafford. The key play of the Avery scoring drive came on a 18-yard pass completion which moved the Vikings inside the Cyclones 10-yard line.

Stafford completed the drive with a one-yard quarterback sneak. An extra point by Heraclio Flores was good, tying the game at 7-7 with 2:56 remaining in the first period.

As the first half transpired, both teams worked to move the pigskin downfield, but both defenses turned away offensive drives.

In the final minute of the half, Elizabethton used a hook-and-lateral pass play to advance the football to the Avery 3-yard line. On the next play Bailey put the Cyclones ahead with a three-yard run. The extra point kick failed, but Elizabethton held a 13-7 lead over the Vikings at halftime.

During the third quarter Elizabethton used a time-consuming drive after starting a possession deep in its own territory. The possession ended with a three-yard touchdown tote by Cyclones running back Landon Pearson. The two-point conversion pass play failed, but the Cyclones increased its lead to 19-7 with 3:19 left in the period.

Following the touchdown, Avery continued to show flashes of its ability to move the football on the Elizabethton defense. The Vikings advanced one series into Cyclone territory, but turned the football over on downs.

As the fourth quarter clock ticked away, Avery’s defense was faced with the task of needing to stop the Cyclones to get the football back into the hands of the offense. The defense did its job and forced an Elizabethton punt.

Having already hit one big play earlier through the air, the Vikings struck pay dirt in a hurry when Stafford connected with wide receiver Lane Smith on a 70-yard touchdown pass down the Avery sideline. The point after kick was unsuccessful, but Avery drew to within 19-13 with 3:19 to play in the contest.

Needing one final stop, Avery held the Cyclones to a three-and-out on its next series, forcing a punt with under two minutes remaining. Avery marched from its own 38-yard line to the Elizabethton 41, but could get no closer as Jacob Woodby intercepted a pass in the final 30 seconds of play to preserve the Cyclone win.

The Avery junior varsity football team will open Western Highlands Conference action this Thursday evening at MacDonald Stadium when it hosts the Owen Warhorses. Kickoff time is slated for 7 p.m.

Cross Country:

The Avery boys and girls cross country runners ventured to Buncombe County last week to race in the Owen Invitational.

A total of three Viking ladies competed at last week’s race, with Avery senior runner Mary Chesnut Smith setting the pace for the team in the girls event, completing the course in 13^th place overall with a time of 22:00. Catalina Adams (29:32) and Teddi Jablonski (30:56) also represented the Lady Vikings running at the event.

A large number of Vikings ran in the boys race. Some of which, including Justin Gragg (boys soccer), Mark Polsgrove (basketball, baseball) Dustin Clarke (basketball), and Joey Potter (basketball) are running on the boys team and hope to excel as they have in other sports for the Big Red.

Gragg was the first Viking to cross the finish line as all the male runners ran better times than the team’s opening meet, cutting anywhere from a minute to two and a half minutes off their times.

With a strong turnout of runners, head coach Reggie Oakes is excited about the potential for the team, and is also impressed with the effort of the student-athletes.

“The cross country kids have been working really hard in preparing for the season,” Coach Oakes said following last week’s event. “We have some work to do, but the kids are committed to getting better, and I expect to see the runners continue to improve their times as the season goes on.”

Ladies Golf:

The Avery High School girls golf team is just beginning to tee off for the 2010 fall season. The team, in just its second year of existence, opened its season last week in Black Mountain.

This year’s club has a new head coach, as Kaitlyn Mattox takes over the helm from Coach Boe Barinowski, who is still helping to advise the team. The squad lost a number of talented players from last season, but returns a number of returning experienced players in Kelli Burleson, Noelle Henline, Kendra Puckett, and Nikki Wright.

The Lady Vikings will host the team’s first home match on September 27^th at Sugar Mountain Golf Course in Banner Elk. The team will also host a match in Newland at Mountain Glen Golf Club in early October, with the season concluding with the state tournament in early November.

Brotherly Bond: Gonzalez and Villanueva Share Lifelong Friendship On and Off Field

Editor’s Note: The following is the first of a two-part interview with Avery Vikings quarterback Alex Villanueva wide receiver Andy Gonzalez. Part one highlights the pair’s relationship with one another and influences growing up in Miami, Florida

For local fans, the duo of Avery Vikings football senior wide receiver Andy Gonzalez and junior quarterback Alex Villanueva bring excitement to the gridiron and a renewed pride and passion.

The best pitch-and-catch combination since the duo of Garrett Sutphen and Josh Johnson in Avery’s storybook 2005 season that led the Vikings to the third round of the state playoffs, the current signal-caller and wideout have been lifelong friends dating back to the youth growing up on the same street in Miami, Florida. In fact, the pair considers each other to be about as close to brothers as a pair can be without the bloodline.

“Our parents have always been close. My dad was there when he was born, and his mom was there when I was born,” Gonzalez said of how long the pair had been connected as friends.

The pair played in Pop Warner football from the age of five or six years of age, but due to their size difference, they didn’t compete as teammates. “I was heavier than Andy so I was always on the older team,” Villanueva said. “He was old, but he had to stay on a different team because of being smaller, so I was always a year ahead in the league.”

Andy and Alex’s parents were best friends in high school, so their friendship has deep roots. Because of their long-time friendship, the pair knows each other extremely well on the field. It’s that familiarity that proves helpful when under the Friday night lights.

“Andy isn’t the biggest player, but he has great hands and we trust each other. He’s an all-around great player who never gives up. When something goes bad he gets back up and does what he has to do to make the team better,” Villanueva said of Gonzalez.

“Ever since we were little in Miami, Alex was a kicker. He grew up as a kicker in little leagues, and I played nose guard at 65 pounds. Over the years, we played almost every position on the field. As we grew older, he became a better athlete and in middle school he decided he wanted to be a quarterback. He worked hard, went to camps and has dedicated himself to becoming the best quarterback he could be,” Gonzalez said of his friend. “He started his first high school game as a freshman in the state playoffs and made a huge jump. He’s a tough kid and has taken some hits and is an aggressive player with a lot of heart.”

Off the field, the tandem spend a vast amount of time together and have a good idea of what makes the other person tick.

“We fight a lot and argue, but it’s good because in a way it brings us closer together. We get along well enough that we can have our arguments, but we can let them go and move on as if nothing ever happened,” Villanueva shared. “Andy is a nice guy that always has something good to say about people.”

“People are different, and sometimes Alex can be a little hard-headed. But I know Alex like a book, and I know what makes him angry and what doesn’t. He gets into a mode sometimes where I have to ignore him, but off the field we spend a lot of time together hanging out and watching game film. We walk out of practice together and work out together more out of habit than anything else,” Gonzalez said.

Alex and Andy were blessed to have family members and football coaches in their formative years that loved football and cared about them, and those relationships positively impacted their lives.

“Growing up, we played at a park called Tamiami Park. We played two or three years, and the head coach that coached us opened up an Optimist Park at another location. The first year we joined at that park we played together and had a couple of other really good players. We went on to go undefeated for three or four straight years, but lost in championship games,” Gonzalez shared.

“Football has made us like brothers. Without football I don’t think I would have known him,” Villanueva added.

Growing up in Florida meant playing the game of football with a different style and pace. That difference has served the pair well as they help lead the Vikings against the rough and tumble foes of the Western Highlands Conference and eventually into state playoff competition.

“In Florida the game was much faster. The game was all about speed there, where up here the game is more about power,” Villanueva explained. “I think playing there helped us. When we play teams up here the schools have these reputations of being undefeated and beating everybody, but that doesn’t bother us. We grew up playing in camps and against other teams that were so much better than we were, so we’re accustomed to rising to play that level of competition.”

Coming to Avery County has brought a sense of rescue to both Andy and Alex from an area where their lives could have taken different and less healthy paths.

“I came up here and started playing football using the talents from living in Miami and from the camps and playing with my buddies there. Up here I have earned these achievements that have made my family proud,” Andy shared. “Nobody thought down there that I could be successful here as I have. I wasn’t such a great student in middle school. I used to just care about football and didn’t care about school, but coming up here to Avery has changed my thinking and focus and I’ve been able to take it to another level.”

“The atmosphere here is so much different,” Alex added. “Down there drugs were prevalent and you were pressured from a very young age. It was a rough city to be around. You had all your friends close by and there were things to do. You were always able to hang out, but there were times where you had to choose between hanging out with your friends and doing the right thing. Fortunately, all my friends and I stayed together through football and we were pretty good kids. Football kept us together on and off the field and we were all close. Coming here it was a little hard for both of us to blend in, not being from here. But we’ve both met most of our friends the same way as in Miami, which was through sports.”

Phillips Takes Reins of Viking Baseball Program as New Head Coach

The Avery County Board of Education approved the hiring of Samuel Phillips as the new varsity head baseball coach at Avery High School in a meeting held last week.

Phillips replaces Benny Wellborn, who led the Vikings to multiple state playoff berths during his tenure as coach with the club and stepped down last summer for family reasons. Phillips served as an assistant under Wellborn and worked with the junior varsity team as head coach last season.

“As a local kid growing up in Avery County, I feel like my feet definitely got wet in the program. Working alongside Benny was very helpful, and he has been there for me since I got the job,” Phillips said in an interview last week. “I am excited, I’m blessed and very thankful for the opportunity to have this job.”

“We’re delighted to have Samuel as our new baseball coach. I think he is a fine young man and he has always been a student of the game. Not only is he a student of the game, but he loves the game. He comes from a baseball-crazed family and he played for one of the best college coaches around in Ashley Lawson. With his enthusiasm for the game, I believe he will continue the progress in the baseball program that has been made the past several years,” Avery High School Director of Athletics David Wright said regarding the hiring of the new coach. “He’s identified some problem areas here in Avery County with the baseball program, such as the weakness between Little League and high school and affording opportunities for our kids to play baseball during that time, as well as the need for our kids to play baseball during the summer and outside baseball season. He has a good baseball mind and he sees what we need to do to improve and get better.”

Coach Phillips is looking forward to putting his own stamp on the program and plans to get to work quickly building Avery into a perennial 1A baseball contender.

“I see two programs at Avery: the way things are, and the way they could be. We had some great teams in recent seasons and had great success, and I’m thankful to Benny and his work in making the program what it is today,” Phillips shared. “This job has been a lifelong dream of mine. I told my parents when I was younger that I wanted to come back to this area and become a coach. My former college coach Ashley Lawson and I have spoken several times, and he now works as an assistant coach at the University of Tennessee. He encouraged me to “make this job my Tennessee”. Those words hit home with me, and I want to make this position the best it can be.”

Phillips knows that for the Big Red baseball program to be successful, it will take a lot of dedication both in the classroom and on the diamond.
“If I can get our kids to do their best in the classroom, in the community, and on the baseball field, I believe success will follow,” Coach Phillips added. “But there’s no replacement for hard work. We’re going to work hard, no matter what.”

Phillips plans to meet this week with returning and potential players, integrate an off-season weightlifting program, and he also plans to become involve in aspects of baseball indirectly connected to Avery High School.

“I really want to involve myself with Little League Baseball here in Avery County. I want the kids to know my name and understand that I care for them and their baseball future. I want them to know that they are the future of the baseball program at Avery and that they mean as much to me as any other aspect of growing our baseball program locally,” Phillips explained. “The future and building a tradition is vital. I don’t want us to be good one year and then bad for five years. I want to have a program built where every year opponents know that when they have to play Avery they have to lace ‘em up tight and play.”

The coach doesn’t plan on, in his words, “re-inventing the wheel”, but does intend on helping players with aspects of the game which will strengthen the team dynamic in the weeks, months, and years to come, as well as hold high expectations for those who play for him.

“In my two years as a high school coach I’ve learned if you have a high school pitcher who can throw strikes, you can have success. If a pitcher has two pitches that he can throw for strikes, he can be dominant. In college, if you have a pitcher with three pitches that can be thrown for strikes, you can be dominant. You can be really successful at the high school level if you can throw two pitches for strikes,” the coach said.

“In the wintertime we will hit, hit, hit, and we will pitch, pitch, and pitch. I hope we can do some cage work and some tee work, but we will focus a lot on pitching, since I pitched in college and have some wealth of knowledge to pass along to pitchers. It will be tough on our pitchers. They’ll be the first ones at practice and the last to leave, and that’s just the way it is, as they have to do the extra legwork to really be successful.”

Avery baseball fans can expect a head coach who will expend every ounce of energy to make Viking Baseball the best it can possibly be, as well as something the community can be proud of.

“I can’t make any promises the first season that we’ll have some great measure of success,” Coach Phillips said. “But I can promise that I will give 110 percent every time out in every area of the job. That’s how I played the game, and that’s how I will coach.”

AJ-T Sports LIVE FROM...MacDonald Stadium (Avery Men's Soccer)

9:14 PM - Despite valiant efforts by both clubs, neither school was able to put a shot in net. Great goaltending by Avery's Alex Magner and solid defense results in a 0-0 tie. Good action by both teams. Avery moves to 7-3-2 for the season and will be back in action later this week. Thanks for reading!

9:00 PM - We've played through the first 10-minute overtime session and the match is still scoreless. Ten more minutes for a team to break through and pick up a conference win!

8:45 PM - At the end of regulation the match is tied at 0-0. We'll have two 10-minute overtime periods to try to determine a winner in this one.

8:40 PM - With 7 minutes left in regulation, Polk had its best scoring chance of the night, with the ball inside the box. The scrappy Viking defense kept battling, and benefited from an errant shot by Polk from up close, keeping the match scoreless.

8:25 PM - Midway through the second half and neither team has broken the ice and scored. Polk has had a couple of chances, as has Avery, but the keepers have had clean sheets thus far. Twenty minutes left in regulation and it's still 0-0.

7:55 PM - It's halftime and the match is scoreless. Avery had a scoring opportunity late in the half, but could not cash in for the first goal of the match. 0-0 at intermission.

7:30 PM - We're about halfway through the first half and there is no score. Polk had a scoring chance in the first 8 minutes or so but the shot was turned away. Avery just had a corner kick opportunity but it was staved off by the Wolverines.

We're LIVE from the press box at MacDonald Stadium on campus at Avery High School for this evening's men's soccer match between the Polk County Wolverines and the #10 ranked Avery Vikings.

The Vikings are coming off a difficult 8-0 loss at Hendersonville this past Wednesday evening and stand at 7-3-1 for the season. We'll have updates throughout our match this evening as the Big Red looks for their 8th win of 2010!

MIddle School Football Roundup

The Avery Middle School Panthers continued their winning ways last week with a 30-20 win at MacDonald Stadium over the Bowman Bulldogs.

Avery used a punishing ground game to pound the Bulldogs into submission in the early going. Wade Smith opened the scoring for the Panthers when he scurried into the end zone on an 11-yard touchdown jaunt to give Avery an early lead. The Panthers turned a single point opportunity into a two-point conversion when the snap on the extra point sailed into the hands of kicker Tre Jackson, who raced around the left side for the conversion and an 8-0 lead.

Bowman answered on the first play from scrimmage after the Avery score with a 53-yard touchdown run to cut the margin to 8-6. The Panthers defense turned the Bulldogs away on the two-point try to preserve its slim lead at the 6:09 mark of the first period.

On its next offensive series, Avery again struck pay dirt with a quarterback sneak off left guard from a yard out by Vikings signal-caller Austin Phillips. The extra point kick failed, but Avery led 14-6.

Two plays into its ensuing series, Bowman’s running game continued to churn out yardage as the Bulldogs again slipped through the hands of the Avery offense for a 69-yard touchdown run, this time by the Bowman quarterback. The two-point conversion was successful to tie the game at 14-14. The score remained unchanged through the remainder of the first half.

In the third quarter, Avery regained the lead on a 17-yard touchdown pass play from Phillips to wide receiver Wade Smith. The two-point running play was successful to put the Panthers ahead 22-14 with 2:09 to play in the third period.

Avery’s defense made a fourth-down stand on Bowman in the early fourth quarter to turn away a possession, then five plays later scored on a nine-yard quarterback run off the right side by Austin Phillips, padding Avery’s lead with 3:30 left in the contest. The two-point conversion run by Phillips was also good to give Avery a 30-14 advantage.

Avery surrendered a final touchdown on a 77-yard kickoff return following its score, but took the conference win as the final horn sounded for the team’s second consecutive
Also the same evening the Cranberry Wildcats traveled to take on conference leader Cane River.

The Rebels, who have been strong this season, continued to show its strength as Cranberry sought its second conference victory of the season.

Cane River proved too much for the Wildcats, who were playing without the services of its offensive juggernaut Tyler Pittman, who was lost for the season previously with a broken collarbone. The Rebels came away with a 40-8 victory.

Avery played Cane River in conference action this past Tuesday, while Cranberry hosted Harris Middle School. A recap of these contests can be read in next week’s edition, as well as online at the Avery Journal-Times Sports Blog at www.ajtsports.blogspot.com

This Week in Avery Soccer

The Avery soccer team continued its busy schedule with a trio of games this past week.
On Tuesday, September 7th the Vikings journeyed to North Henderson High School and came away with a 4-2 win

Vikings senior Daniel Lusk picked up where he left off the previous week as he netted a pair of goals in the win, while Isauro Estrada and Jorge Arreola also scored goals for Avery. The Vikings were victorious as freshman keeper Alex Magner faced 20 shots on the evening from the Knights.

Last Thursday evening the Vikings played host to Owen in the first conference contest of the season. It was a disappointing evening at MacDonald Stadium for the home fans, as Avery was shut out for the first time this season, losing the match by a 2-0 final score.
The loss was just the second suffered by the Big Red this season, as the team fell to 6-2-1 overall.

This past Monday evening the Vikings looked to rebound from its defeat at the hands of Owen when they traveled to Mooresboro to play the Thomas Jefferson Gryphons. Last season the Vikings manhandled TJCA, defeating them by scores of 6-0 and 11-0 in the two encounters during the Gryphons’ inaugural season as members of the Western Highlands Conference.

Monday evening, however, the Gryphons showed much improvement. Avery jumped out to a 3-0 lead, but TJCA rallied with a pair of second half goals. Avery emerged victorious, but the competition was much stronger as the Vikings won by a final score of 3-2.

Avery received balanced scoring in the victory. Heraclio Flores, Forrest Sickler, and Isauro Estrada were each able to find the back of the net for tallies. Avery led the match late and defended its slim margin against a strong attack from TJCA.

The victory improved Avery to 7-2-1 overall, and 1-1 in Western Highlands Conference play. The Big Red travels to Hendersonville this week, and will host Polk County on Monday, September 20th at 6 p.m. at MacDonald Stadium.

County Middle School Volleyball Teams Clash

Last Thursday evening was a battle of the cats on the hardwood as the Avery Middle School Lady Panthers volleyball team invaded Cranberry to tangle with the Cranberry Lady Wildcats. Both teams have had solid starts to their respective seasons and played a hard-fought three set match that went to the wire. When the smoke cleared, it was Cranberry who defended home turf and came away with a thrilling match victory by scores of 18-25, 27-25, and 25-23, respectively.

Avery took the preliminary set by a 25-19 score prior to the beginning of the conference tilt.
When the best-of-three sets encounter began, Avery grabbed an early 7-4 advantage and extended its lead to 12-6. Cranberry battled back behind the play of Bethany Burleson to erase the margin and take the lead at 16-15 before an Avery timeout.

The stoppage of play seemed to motivated the visitors, as Avery went on to win 10 of the final 12 points of the game. Avery was paced by Raina Wiseman, who finished the game serving strong, scoring the team’s final eight points in the set to pull away from the Lady Wildcats and take the 1-0 set advantage.

Avery looked poised to win the match in two straight sets when it scored three of the first four points and 6 of 8 to take a four-point advantage. Cranberry rallied back to tie the game at 6-6. Avery then went on another scoring run to take a 13-8 lead, but the Lady Wildcats refused to fold. The Lady Panthers grabbed a 20-13 edge, but Cranberry finally broke serve, then came all the way back to tie the game at 22-22. The Lady Wildcats leaned on the service game of Brandy Banner and the scoring of Elizabeth Pittman to spark the comeback, one which swung momentum in the favor of Cranberry.

Although they gave up the lead, Avery hung tough and even had a match point opportunity, serving with a 24-23 lead. Cranberry turned the Lady Panthers away with a point and extended the match. Both teams played strong volleyball with extended rallies before the Lady Wildcats finally emerged victorious with a 27-25 win to tie the match at a set apiece.

In the third game, the squads were rarely separated by more than a couple of points on the scoreboard. Cranberry held its largest lead early on at 8-4, but Avery scored four consecutive points to tie the game at 8 apiece.

The teams continued to play a nip-and-tuck game as the team were tied on multiple occasions. Late in the game, the Lady Wildcats slowly pulled ahead at 23-18, forcing Avery to take timeout. Following the stoppage, the Lady Panthers scored five consecutive points, including the final two from Kylie Polsgrove, to tie the game at 23-23. Although they surrendered the lead, Cranberry showed its mettle and pride by scoring the final two points to win the set and the match.

It was a great effort and display of volleyball by both squads, indicative of the play they’ve employed throughout the season thus far.

For Avery, the loss the dropped the club to 2-3 for the season. Despite the defeat, the defending Toe River Conference champions have shown that they have the ability to play with any team in the conference and are a threat to take the title again this season.

“We have four returning players this year, and the rest have never played before. They’ve come a long way since early August and everyone has improved. We’ve had some tough games with Cane River, East Yancey and now with Cranberry,” Lady Panthers head volleyball coach Stephanie Huff said after the match. “Cranberry is a good team and a really scrappy club. I thought we played pretty equally today. There is a lot of promise for this team this season. I see us doing a lot of good things and seeing girls moving up and playing well for us. They all get along, and I’m really proud of them.”

The win vaulted the Lady Wildcats to 2-2 overall on the season, and the team looks to be a force for the remainder of the regular season and the upcoming conference tournament.

“We have two girls returning from last year and we’re mainly a seventh-grade team. The girls really pulled together tonight. Our serves have been down and have cost us in our other games, but tonight our serve was really good. We set the ball up and had a lot of teamwork,” Lady Wildcats head coach Hannah Trivett said after the win. “We have played to our level of competition this season. We had a lead in the first game, but we let up. The girls really served well in the last two games, and you could tell they wanted the win really badly. Our girls don’t care to hit the floor for a ball and I’m really proud of them.”

Both teams had home matches early in the week and will square off with one another in a rematch at Avery on Monday, September 27th.

Vikings Clain AJ-T Border Battle Classic over Highlanders

The Avery Vikings used their high-powered offense to take a 43-24 victory over border rival Cloudland on Friday night at Orr Field in the fourth annual Avery Journal-Times Border Battle Classic. The victory keeps the Border Battle trophy in Newland for the second straight year, as well as keeps the Vikings undefeated on the year.

“Cloudland did exactly what I knew they were going to do,” Avery Head Coach Darrell Brewer said. “They came out and tried to smash us and keep the football away from us, and they did a great job. They really got after us. I felt like they outplayed us in the first half. When our offense got the opportunity to score, they did. That says a lot about our football team.”

The Vikings wasted no time moving the ball after they received the opening kickoff as they embarked on an 11-play drive. That drive was capped off when Alex Villanueva scampered in from six yards out for the touchdown. Dustin Clark’s extra point gave Avery the early 7-0 lead with 8:30 left in the first quarter.

The ‘Landers responded with their own impressive 14-play drive, all running plays, ending when Matt Cole ran in from nine yards. Cloudland took the lead when Luke Childress scored on a two-point conversion with two minutes remaining in the quarter.

It took the Vikings all of 21 seconds to find the end zone as Villanueva hit Remington Austin for a 60-yard touchdown. The two-point conversion attempt was unsuccessful as Avery led 13-8 at the end of the first quarter.

The ‘Landers continued their ground attack as they ran to the Avery 25 on the legs of Cole and Childress, but was unable to convert a fourth and one that turned the ball over to Avery. The Vikings took advantage of the opportunity as they answered the call with a 57-yard touchdown pass from Villanueva to Andy Gonzalez with 5:16 left in the half. The duo hooked up again on the two-point conversion to improve their lead to 21-8.

Cloudland once again started driving, but was stopped when Avery recovered a CHS fumble. The Vikings took full advantage as Villanueva ran 47 yards into the end zone, and Taylor Potter punched in for the two-point conversion to give Avery a 29-8 lead at the break.

The second half saw Avery quickly add to their lead after recovering a Cloudland fumble at midfield. On the first play after the fumble, Villanueva hit Gonzalez for a 49-yard touchdown throw, and Clark’s extra point pushed the Avery lead to 36-8.

The ‘Landers kept fighting as they continued to have success moving the ball as CHS crossed midfield again, but was forced to punt. Avery moved the ball, but had their lone turnover of the night as Michael Hyden recovered a fumble for the ‘Landers on their own 2-yard line. However, Cloudland was unable to get anything going as they were forced to punt.

With 1:20 remaining in the third, Taylor Potter gave the Vikings their final score of the night when he ran in from nine yards out after having a 26-yard gain the play before. The extra point by Clarke gave Avery a 43-8 lead at the end of the third quarter.

Despite the score, the ‘Landers kept fighting as Taylor Whitehead scrambled into the end zone from five yards out. The ensuing two-point conversion was successful on a Tyler Shell run. Cloudland also scored in the fourth when Shell ran in from six yards out, then hit Colby Guinn to reach the final score. Both Avery and Cloudland allowed younger players to get experience in the final quarter.

For the Vikings, Villanueva was 12-for-20 passing for 281 yards and three touchdowns. He also added 55 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. Potter was the leading rusher for the Vikings with 76 yards on seven carries. Gonzalez had five catches for 134 yards and two touchdowns, while Austin had 108 yards on three catches and a touchdown.

The ‘Landers were led by Cole who had 144 yards on 30 carries and a touchdown. Whitehead had 77 yards on nine carries and was 3-of-4 for 55 yards passing. Childress gained 63 yards on 11 carries while Shell gained 29 yards on six carries and had 55 yards through the air. Ronald Banner had three catches for 74 yards.

“I felt like we could sustain drives, but when you sustain drives, you have to be able to score,” ‘Lander Head Coach Robbie Turbyfill said. “The fourth down we didn’t get and the fumble were two plays where we sustained drives, but couldn’t punch it in. I think Avery has a dang good football team, and most of the teams we play, they (Avery) would give them a fit.”

Cloudland had 464 total offensive yards on 67 plays, while Avery had 420 yards on 42 plays. The ‘Landers had the ball a total of 32 minutes and Avery had possession for 16 minutes.

For Brewer, the win had a special meaning.

“It is a very emotional game for me as a coach,” Brewer said. “I have very fond memories of the people in Roan Mountain and they have always been nothing but good to me. It is a hard game for me. It’s like playing your brother, and I am tickled to death to come out of here with a win. I feel for them and I hope they win the rest of them. This is the one game I hope they lose all year.”

Cloudland hosts county rival Unaka on Friday night while Avery will be off before going to Owen on Sept. 24.

AJ-T Sports LIVE FROM... Kidd Brewer Stadium

6:40 PM - Appalachian runs out the final five minutes with reserves on the field as the Mountaineers take a convincing 45-14 win over Jacksonville. The Mountaineers move to 2-0 on the season and will host North Carolina Central at The Rock next Saturday afternoon. We'll have some photos from today's game posted in a bit. Thanks for following along here on the Blog!

6:23 PM - After holding the Dolphins and forcing another punt, the Mountaineers again knock on the door of the end zone. Jamal Jackson, now quarterbacking in the game for Presley, hits Washington for a long pass play, then Jackson dives over the goal line from three yards out for the score to up the lead to 45-14 with 5:58 to play. The drive of four plays, 42 yards culminates in the first career touchdown for Jamal Jackson.

6:11 PM - Appalachian running away with this one in the fourth quarter. A Presley six-yard TD pass to Ben Jordan ups the lead to 38-14 with 10:18 left in the game. The drive consumed 11 plays, 83 yards, and 4:02 off the clock. It's the first time in school history a quarterback has over 300 yards of total offense three times over his first four starts, as Presley pulls off the trick this afternoon, currently with 386 yards in total offense. Mountaineers was a little slow starting off, but have kicked it into overdrive in the second half.

6:04 PM - Mark LeGree with an ASU interception, his 18th career pick, good for fourth in team history. The interception comes off a double reverse pass attempt by Jacksonville. The trickeration doesn't work for the Dolphins and the Mountaineers get the football back early fourth quarter leading 31-14.

6;00 PM - After three quarters, the Mountaineers lead it 31-14.

5:56 PM - DeAndre Presley connects with a fully-extended Brian Quick for a diving 41-yard touchdown reception in the end zone. The Vitaris PAT makes the score 31-14 capping the six play, 82-yard drive that took 1:39 off the clock. It's Quick's 5th 100-yard receiving game and his fourth multi-touchdown game in his career. The talented wideout has six receptions for 132 yards and three scores today.

5:50 PM - Appalachian holds Jacksonville to force a punt on its ensuing series, then blocks the Dolphins punt. Blalock gets his hands on his second punt of the game, recovered by Trevor Sawyer. Unfortunately, there was a penalty against the Mountaineers that negated the terrific block. Instead, ASU takes over at its own 18 yard line after a long Jacksonville punt.

5:45 PM - The Mountaineers drive the ball downfield on its ensuing offensive series. A pass interference penalty places the ball at the Jacksonville 10-yard line. Two plays later Devon Moore is in the end zone from two yards out. The drive took 11 plays, went 88 yards over 4:11 on the 3rd period clock. Appalachian now leads it again by 10 points at 24-14 with 5:45 left in the third quarter.

5:32 PM -- Appalachian gets the first possession of the second half, but is forced to punt the football. Jacksonville drives the football inside ASU territory and down to the App 10 yard line. A pass interference call against ASU gives the Dolphins the football at the Mountaineers 2-yard line. Two plays later JJ Laster blast the ball across the goal line for Jacksonville to cut the lead. The PAT makes the score 17-14 ASU with 10:02 left in the third quarter. Drive Summary: 8 plays, 78 yards, 3;02


5:00 PM - Jacksonville's ensuing possession takes them into ASU territory, but they cannot convert on a long third down pass play, forcing a punt with under 40 seconds to play in the half. ASU takes over on offense for the final 30 seconds of the first half leading 17-7. Appalachian hands off the football to close the half leading the game 17-7 at intermission.

4:45 PM - The Mountaineers fumble again on its next series (the fourth of the half) but manage to keep possession. The Apps marched inside the Dolphin. Deandre Presley's creativity at the QB position keeps a play alive that moves the Mountaineers to the Jacksonville 14 yard line. Two plays later Presley connects with Brian Quick for an 15-yard touchdown strike. The drive took 12 plays over 80 yards and elapsed 3:56 off the second quarter clock. Mountaineers start to take charge, leading 17-7 with 2:45 left in the half.

4:35 PM - Appalachian QB DeAndre Presley is hit and fumbles the football on ASU's ensuing offensive series. The ball was recovered by the Dolphins' Layne McCombs at the ASU 37 yard line. ASU's defense holds, however, forcing JU to punt back to ASU. Miscues hurting the Apps thus far in this first half as the Black and Gold leads 10-7 .

4:30 PM - Jacksonville QB Josh McGregor connects on a 30-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Rudell Small. The drive, which was 6 plays, 43 yards, and took 2:43 off the second quarter clock, was capped by a PAT to draw the Dolphins to within 10-7 with 7:56 left in the opening half.

4:24 PM - The Mountaineers get the football back on a punt and drives to near midfield, but a Devon Moore fumble forced by the Dolphins was recovered by Jacksonville's Leonard Smith at the ASU 43-yard line. Jax football trailing by 10.

4:10 PM - Appalachian's Patrick Blalock partially blocks a punt by Jacksonville and ASU takes over at the 41 yard line of the Dolphins. ASU immediately strikes with a 41-yard pass from Presley to wide receiver Brian Quick on the first play from scrimmage. ASU leads 10-0 with 4.4 seconds left in the opening period.

Also, congratulations to Dixon Wright and the JMU Dukes on a stunning 21-16 upset win this afternoon over Virginia Tech! Great win for the former Viking and his teammates in Harrisonburg, VA!

4:05 PM - Appalachian moves the ball effectively downfield on the feet of DeAndre Presley to
set up first and goal at the 3-yard line. Appalachian has three shots from the five-yard line but can't score a touchdown. Jason Vitaris comes on for a field goal of 22 yards, which he converts to put the Mountainee
rs on the board. ASU's drive amounts to a 13 play, 72 yard drive that ends with the Apps leading Jacksonville 3-0 with 1:38 left in the first period.

3:55 PM - Jacksonville picks up one first down after getting the football back, but the Mountaineer D clamps down to force a punt. Appalachian takes the ball back over offensively at its own 24-yard line.

3:45 PM - Jacksonville gets the football on offense to start the game and is held to a three and out, forcing a punt. Appalachian sets up shop near its own 40 yard line. ASU moves the ball downfield with a pair of pass plays. A personal foul facemask moves the pigskin inside the Dolphin 30-yard line. The Mountaineers go for a first down on fourth and short, and the Dolphin defense holds to turn the football over on downs. Strong stand by the JU defense in the opening five minutes of the contest.

On a side note, former Avery Vikings placekicker Dixon Wright, now currently placekicking at James Madison University, is playing in Blacksburg this afternoon against the Virginia Tech Hokies. Wright and the Dukes lead Va. Tech by a field goal early in the fourth quarter.

3:30 PM - We've had a very moving pre-game ceremony honoring the victims and service personnel lost in the tragedy of September 11, 2001, complete with the playing of "Taps", moment of silence, and a 21-gun salute. Appalachian is preparing to hit the field in full force to open the 2010 home schedule against Jacksonville. The wait is over and it's time to get the game underway!

We are LIVE from Boone for the Appalachian State football home opener vs. the Jacksonville Dolphins. Appalachian enters this afternoon's game at 1-0 off a thrilling come-from-behind victory last Saturday afternoon at UT-Chattanooga, while Jacksonville University won last week 35-25 over Old Dominion last Saturday. The Dolphins are 17-7 since their last visit to Boone when the were thumped 56-7 by the Mountaineers in 2008.

Below is a link to the full set of game notes in .pdf format for today's contest. Special thanks to Appalachian Sports Information for the news and stats leading up to this afternoon's football contest.

Appalachian-Jacksonville Game Notes

Mountaineer quarterback DeAndre Presley, last week's National Player of the Week as well as SoCon Offensive Player of the Week, will look to repeat a 22 of 29 passing performance for 340 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

We'll be back at 3:30 pm this afternoon for the opening kickoff. Rain has been falling steadily throughout the morning and early afternoon at the stadium, so hopefully the weather will clear out in time for today's ballgame. Thanks for following along!

Pioneers Hold Off West Stokes for Bounce Back Win

Watauga generated just enough offense to beat West Stokes 10-9 at Jack Groce Stadium Friday night.

The Pioneers (2-2) got a touchdown from Kyle Chambers when he recovered his own fumble just after it looked like he would score on an 6-yard run. He lost control of the ball as he approached the goal line, but managed to fall on it, giving the Pioneers a 9-3 lead over the Wildcats (2-2).

The touchdown was set up when Jake Gilliam sacked West Stokes quarterback Austin Fleming, who fumbled the ball. Watauga’s Daniel Trivette recovered at the West Stokes 18-yard line.

Alex Parsons kicked the extra point, which proved to be the difference in the game. With 4:25 left in the fourth quarter, West Stokes quarterback Alex Fleming found Luke Bowen for a 26-yard touchdown pass. However, the Wildcats missed the extra point, leaving the Pioneers in
front 10-9.

Earlier in the game, specifically with 3:11 left in the first half, Parsons converted a 23-yard field goal after the Pioneers started a drive at the West Stokes 35-yard line. Trey Kavanaugh had returned a kickoff to the 50-yard line, and the Pioneers benefited from a West Stokes personal foul penalty.

Watauga thought it had a touchdown when Baker Stanley scored from four yards out, but the Pioneers were called for aiding the runner — the official said a Pioneer pulled Stanley into the end zone, according to Watauga coach Tim Pruitt — and a 5-yard penalty was assessed.

Watauga rushed for 129 yards, the first time the Pioneers have rushed for over 100 yards all season. Quarterback Caleb Watson led the Pioneers with 89 yards on 18 carries. Stanley gained 23 yards on three carries, but had a key 12-yard gain wiped out because of a holding penalty.
Stanley stayed down because of an injury to his right leg, but the extent of the injury was not immediately known.

Fleming provided most of the offense for the Wildcats. The senior ran the ball 23 times for 82 yards and completed 12-of-19 passes for 110 yards, including a 36-yarder to Bowen in the second quarter that set up a 35-yard Scott Leonard field goal.

Of the 56 plays West Stokes ran, Fleming either ran or passed in 42 of them.

Watauga’s passing game struggled. Watson completed his first attempt, a 19-yarder to Matt Scott in the first quarter, but did not complete any more. He finished 1-for-5 for 19 yards and no interceptions. Ethan Green did not complete the two attempts he had.

Watauga’s special teams helped with the victory. Not only did Parsons make both kicks he attempted, but punter Mo Gore averaged 36.4 yards on seven points. That included a 71-yarder that he unloaded just before halftime when rushed by the Wildcats’ defense.

He also got off a punt late in the fourth quarter that West Stokes tried to block with less than a minute remaining in the game.

Watauga plays at defending 4-A state champion A.C. Reynolds next Friday.

AJ-T Sports LIVE FROM...Orr Field (Avery Football at Cloudland)

11:35 PM - Cloudland scores one final touchdown in the final two minutes off Avery's reserves to provide for the final score of 43-24.

9:50 PM - Avery puts in a number of reserves as both teams work to play out the final eight minutes of action. It's time to give away the Border Battle Trophy soon so it's time to head to the field for the presentation. Thanks for reading tonight as the Vikings move to 4-0 for the season heading into its bye week. Cloudland falls to 2-2 overall.

9:39 PM - Cloudland on the board with a five-yard run by quarterback Whitehead to cut the Avery lead to 43-14. A Tyler Shell two point conversion run makes the score 43-16 Avery with 9:56 remaining in the game.

9:35 PM - End of the third period and Avery leads it 43-8.

9:25 PM - Avery forces Cloudland to punt on its next offensive series, and the Vikings drive the football into Cloudland territory. Avery looked to score but a fumble inside the five yard line gave the ball back to Cloudland. The Vikings defense forced another Cloudland punt and Avery again moved the football inside the 10-yard line in the final two minutes of the third quarter. Potter scores on a 9-yard run to cap a two-play drive. The Clark PAT is good and Avery now leads 43-8 with 1:04 to play in the third period.

9:11 PM - Cloudland gets the first possession of the second half, but the Avery defense forces a fumble near midfield, recovered by Tyler Calvert. On the first play after the turnover, Villanueva airs it out to Andy Gonzalez for a 49-yard touchdown pass. The PAT is good and Avery leads it 36-8.

8:47 PM - 29-8 Avery leads Cloudland at halftime.

8:37 PM - A scary moment in the final minute of the first half, as Avery defensive back Trent Mitchell collided while making a tackle and collapsed to the turf. Medical personnel have been summoned onto the field to take the young man off the field with extra care and precaution. There are 48 seconds left in the first half and Avery leads 29-8, but those figures are secondary at the moment. Our hopes and prayers are with Trent and are hoping that everything is ok.

8:28 PM - After a Cole fumble, Avery scores on a 53-yard scramble and run by Alex Villanueva. After an encroachment penalty on the extra point kick, Avery chooses to go for two points. The conversion run by Taylor Potter is good, and the Vikings lead 29-8 with 1:55 left to play in the first half.

8:20 PM - After a fourth down defensive hold, Avery connects on a long TD pass from Villanueva to Gonzalez. The pair connect on the 2-point play to set Avery up with a 21-8 lead with 5:16 left in the half.

8:00 PM - at the end of the first quarter in the Border Battle Classic, Avery leads Cloudland 13-8 as a drizzle begins to fall at Orr Field.

7:55 PM Avery answers fast as well with a 65-yard drive, 60 of it coming on a pass connection from Villanueva to tight end Remington Austin. The two-point conversion failed, but Avery leads 13-8 with 1:49 to play in the first stanza.

7:50 PM - Cloudland answers with an 80-yard drive with all running plays, capped by a 9-yard touchdown tote from Matt Cole. The Luke Childress two point conversion run gives the Landers the 8-7 lead with 2:10 to play in the first quarter.

7:39 PM - Alex Villanueva scores on Avery's first drive of the game, capping a 72-yard drive. Avery leads it 7-0 with 8:30 left in the first half.

We are LIVE in Roan Mountain, Tennessee this evening for the 4th Annual Avery Journal-Times Border Battle Classic between the Avery Vikings and the Cloudland Highlanders.

A season ago the Vikings took advantage of numerous penalties and 'Landers mistakes to win 51-20 and take back the Border Battle Trophy. The Vikings enter tonight's game with a perfect 3-0 mark, while the 'Landers are riding in with a 2-1 record in 2010.

Avery hopes to remain unbeaten on the season, but will be missing a number of key cogs to the Viking engine. Absent from tonight's matchup will be both Colton and Spencer Blackburn, as well as linebacker Tyler Buchanan and Hunter Shields.

Cloudland is coming off a shutout of North Greene and has already beaten one North Carolina high school this season when they upended the Hayesville Yellow Jackets 20-12 in week one of the season.

We'll be here throughout tonight's game to bring score updates, as well as updates of scores from across the conference and area throughout this evening.

As a side not for informational purposes for blog readers who also follow along with the radio broadcasts on Saturday afternoons, there will be no radio rebroadcast of this evening's game due to a business decision made by Glory 1130's management team in Boone. There is hope to revive the broadcasts following the Avery bye week if sponsorships for the broadcasts can be found, but nothing is guaranteed at this time.

On a personal note, I would like to thank so many of the Avery fans, administration, and friends for their well-wishes as I continue to battle through my recent illness. It's good to FINALLY be back at high school football on a Friday night!

Best of luck to both Avery and Cloudland tonight!

Vikings, WHC Represented in Latest AP Football Polls

The Avery Vikings have moved up the ranks in the latest Associated Press 1A NC state high school football rankings. Avery was ranked 6th by the writers in this week's poll, the team's highest ranking since the 2005 season.

Fellow Western Highlands Conference foe Hendersonville is ranked 7th in this week's rankings. Polk County is ranked 6th in the 2A high school football poll, while Mountain Heritage and Owen both were listed in the "others receiving votes" category.

The full polls are listed in their entirety below:

Class 1-A
Record TTL 2009
1. Albemarle (7) (3-0) 128 4
2. Wallace-Rose Hill (6) (2-0) 103 8
3. Southwest Onslow (1) (3-0) 97 2
4. Pender County (2-0) 67 6
5. Plymouth (3-0) 62
6. Avery County (3-0) 61
7. Hendersonville (2-0) 57 10
8. Swain County (2-1) 40
9. Manteo (2-0) 29 5
10. Mt. Airy (1-2) 16 1
Others receiving votes: Hobbton 15, Murphy 13, North Edgecombe 13, Kernersville McGuinness 12, Williamston Riverside 12, Warsaw Kenan 10, East Surry 9, West Montgomery 9, Monroe 6, Chocowinity Southside 6, Robbinsville 5.


Class 2-A
Record TTL 2009
1. Reidsville (10) (3-0) 128 1
2. SouthWest Edgecombe (3) (3-0) 100 2
3. Tarboro (1) (3-0) 80 4
4. Lincolnton (3-0) 76
5. Shelby (2-0) 52 8
6. Polk County (3-0) 40
(tie) Kinston (3-0) 40 9
(tie) Newton-Conover (2-0) 40 4
9. East Duplin (2-0) 35 3
10. Boonville Starmount (3-0) 32
Others receiving votes: Thomasville 32, East Bladen 28, Burnsville Mountain Heritage 17, Canton Pisgah 16, Salisbury 12, Jacksonville Northside 10, Catawba Bandys 6, Winston-Salem Carver 6, East Lincoln 4, Whiteville 3, Charlotte Berry Tech 3, Siler City Jordan-Matthews 3, Roanoke Rapids 3, South Iredell 2, Black Mountain Owen 1, North Brunswick 1.

Steady Hand of Villanueva Leads Vikings to Win over Pioneers and Unbeaten Mark

By Steve Behr
sports@wataugademocrat.com

Last year, things did not go so well for Avery quarterback Alex Villanueva when the Vikings played Watauga.

Villanueva, then a sophomore, tossed three interceptions and Watauga cruised to an easy victory. It was Watauga’s fourth straight win over its border arch-rival and Avery went on to a 5-7 season,

Now a junior, Villanueva seemed to personally make sure that would not happen again.

Playing with the maturity of a senior, Villanueva passed and ran the Vikings to a 28-14 victory over Watauga last Friday at Jack Groce Stadium.

When Villanueva was not scoring touchdown runs of three and five yards, he was passing them. His 24-yard strike to Andy Gonzalez that more or less put the game out of reach looked like a Nolan Ryan fastball that buzzed by two Watauga defenders and right into Gonzalez’s mitts.

“It’s kind of set up to be a short play, but we can run it with the post,” Villanueva said. “I was ready for it and he was in the right moment in the right spot. I threw it there and we got a touchdown.”

Not every pass Villanueva threw reached its target. He tossed two interceptions, one that didn’t seem to be intended for anybody.

But he also made the throws when he had to. He made the plays when asked in key situations.

He also faced a Watauga pass rush that knocked him around on occasion.

On a drive that signaled the beginning of the end, Villanueva led the Vikings 91 yards on 10 plays. He connected on 3-of-4 passes, including a 32-yarder to Hunter Shields, an 11-yarder to Taylor Potter and a 12-yarder to Kody Hughes. Villanueva scored on a 3-yard run to cap the drive and put Avery in front 21-7.

“I just put trust and faith in my defense and my offensive line,” Villanueva said. “They played pretty well. When I had time, everything opened up and we were able to move down the field. Everything worked out well.”

Caleb Watson, one of two Watauga quarterbacks, answered with his best drive of the game, marching the Pioneers 71 yards on 11 plays before scoring on a 1-yard run. Watson, who also led the Pioneers on a good scoring drive in their loss to Shelby, converted a third-and-two with a 10-yarder to Trey Kavanaugh, ran for 16 yards on the next play and 14 more yards two plays later.

He then found Baker Stanley for an 11-yarder before scoring from 1-yard out.

But it was Villanueva who stole the show. He threw for 293 yards passing and shook off the interceptions.