Avery Tennis Completes Regular Season, Competes in State Duals and Conference Tournaments

The Lady Vikings had Senior Night on Tuesday night, but came up short against Mountain Heritage.

“Mountain Heritage came to play, and that they did,” Avery Tennis Coach Rhiannon Manis said. “However we held our own much better this time, but we just fell short. Even though the scores don't show it there were long close points in each game.”

In single action, Judi Dillishaw defeated Shanna Hensley 10-2, while Anna Melton, Morgan Yackey, Hayden Blackbrun, Leah Powell and Echo Wise all fell in their matches.
In doubles action, the teams of Dillishaw and Blackburn and Powell and Lauren Avery took their matches. Melton and Yackey came up short in their match.

“All of the girls worked hard and wanted this win more than ever, and that's what matters most to me,” Coach Manis said. “They really made Mountain Heritage this match. Tennis is not an easy sport, and no ordinary person can do what each of these girls accomplish, day in and day out. They have made the tennis program come a long way, and I'm very proud of their success this season.”

The Lady Vikings took on Cherryville in opening round State Duals action on Monday, defeating the Ironmen with five combined match victories in singles and doubles play.

Anna Melton and Morgan Yackey each were defeated in singles action in third set tiebreakers. Judi Dillashaw, Hayden Blackburn, Leah Powell, and Morgan Stout each won their singles matches, setting the Lady Vikings up to only need one doubles match victory to take the overall match.

The team of Dillishaw and Blackburn did the honors of clinching the match by winning their doubles match by a resounding 8-2 final score.

“This was a very even match all around. We knew nothing about this team, yet all the girls came to give it all they had, and showed tremendous determination and focus,” Coach Manis stated after the win. “To have many unknowns, play the matches different from the way the conference is usually done, and then have the pressure beginning doubles needing one match to win, the girls showed why they deserved to be there playing Cherryville and how badly they wanted this win. I am very proud of the girls and this accomplishment.”

The team returned to action on Tuesday, traveling to the Hendersonville Racquet Club for the conference tennis tournament. Three players, Yackey, Stout, and Melton, each advanced to the semifinal round, with Melton and Stout meeting in the semifinals. Melton was the only player to advance to the finals, and was defeated by Maddie Fahnley of Polk County.

In doubles action, the team of Leah Powell and Lauren Avery defeated Kristen Lastein-Emalee Robertson of Hendersonville 8-4, but fell in the semis to the Hendersonville team of Olivia Schoeff and Alice Colhoun. Avery’s duo of Judi Dillashaw and Hayden Blackburn defeated Polk’s team of Burgess and Magin in the other semifinal match. In the finals, Dillashaw/Blackburn captured a doubles conference championship by winning 8-7 (7-0 in tiebreaker) over Schoeff/Colhoun.

Melton, Dillashaw, and Blackburn will competed in regional tennis championships October 17th and 18th.

Vikings Carry Momentum into Grudge Match against Hendersonville

Looking to build off its first victory of 2008, the Avery Vikings (1-5, 0-1 WHC) welcome to town the Hendersonville Bearcats (6-1, 2-0 WHC). Avery defeated the West Henderson Falcons 31-30 on Homecoming last week, while Hendersonville also celebrated a victorious Homecoming last Friday, routing Madison 42-21.

Hendersonville defeated Avery 30-24 in a controversial overtime contest in Henderson County last season.

Scouting the Bearcats:
Hendersonville is coached by B.J. Laughter and utilize a version of the wishbone offense. The Bearcats were 7-6 overall last season, with a 2-4 mark in conference play, but have improved dramatically as its young players from a season ago have matured.

Hendersonville has experience at most skill positions. Leading the charge for the Bearcats is senior running back Cedrick Allen (107 rushes, 828 yards, 16 TD in 2008). An All-Western Highlands Conference player last season, Allen ran for over 1,500 yards in 2007 and scored 23 touchdowns.

“Cedrick’s the first kid I’ve ever appointed as a captain as a coach,” Hendersonville head coach BJ Laughter told the local newspaper in Hendersonville over the summer. “He has all the intangibles you want in a football player.”
Allen broke his nose in the first half of last week’s win over Madison. Rather than sit on the bench, he illustrated his heart by playing hurt and helping lead his team to victory.

Alongside Allen in the Bearcat backfield are seniors Darryl Demps and Darren Perry, who combined for 900 rushing yards last year and nine touchdowns.

“The chemistry is there and everybody knows what their role is,” Laughter said about the returning backfield. “There’s no dissension. They all share the load.”

Triggering the offense for Hendersonville is junior quarterback Ben Walgenbach (31 rushes, 220 yards, 2 TD; 32 of 54 passing for 917 yards with 11 TD). Walgenbach has already matched this season his 11 scores from a season ago. He is a player the coach calls one of the best quarterbacks he has ever coached, describing him as “a true field general.”

When the Bearcats choose to go to the air, the ball often falls into the hands of receivers Daniel Orr, Tory Sitton, and James Foster. The offensive line is anchored by 6’8”, 263-pound senior Wesley Cook.

The Low Down:
It is obvious that the Bearcats football program has been down the past couple of years, but this year’s team is one which many argue is its best since its 2003 team that went deep into the state 1A playoffs.

Although the Bearcats have talent and speed, the one team in the Western Highlands Conference that seems to fare well against them since 2005 has been the Vikings. If not for the travesty of the officials allowing a field goal to tie the game after time had expired at Dietz Field a season ago, Avery would have three straight victories in this series.

The Vikings showed a week ago that when they have all their players on the field and are able to avoid the injury bug, they can be both diverse and difficult to stop offensively.

For Avery to have an opportunity for victory this week, the defense will improve overall from last week’s performance, while maintaining the ability it showed last week to make momentum-changing plays. The team must also take care of the football.

Avery senior quarterback Adam Pate may be the X-factor on Friday night. If he is healthy enough to play at a high level this week, the two-headed attack of he and Chris Childress behind center will prove treacherous for the Hendersonville defense.

The wild card for Hendersonville this week will be their quarterback Walgenbach. He showed he can be a threat with both his arms and legs last week. The Big Red defense will have to keep him in check to improve its chances Friday night.

Finally, a number of Avery players remember well the debacle that occurred last season in Hendersonville which many say robbed them of a victory. This year’s squad has momentum and should be hungry to put that memory behind them by upending the Bearcats this week.

By the Numbers:
2- turnovers in Avery’s win last week over West Henderson, as well as touchdown rushes by Travis Thomas last week.
3- fumbles forced by the Viking defense last week.
4 – Avery players with multiple pass catches in last week’s 31-30 win.
18- cumulative tackles by Avery’s pair of Taylor Potter and Chris Childress in last week’s Homecoming victory.
224- Yards of total offense (124 passing, 100 rushing) by Hendersonville QB Ben Walgenbach in last week’s win over Madison.
292- rushing yards given up by the Hendersonville defense in last week’s win over the Patriots.

Vikings Football Breaks Through on Homecoming

The evening had a distinct fall chill in the air, but the gridiron action was anything but frigid. Using a late defensive stand and its highest offensive output of the season, Avery held on for a narrow 31-30 victory over the visiting West Henderson Falcons.

Avery opened the game with an impressive 71-yard drive encompassing ten plays and just over five minutes of the first quarter clock. The possession netted points as quarterback Adam Pate fired a fourth down pass to Chris Childress for a 27-yard score. A Sutton Stanley PAT staked the Big Red to a 7-0 lead.

West Henderson was also impressive once its offense possessed the pigskin, taking only seven plays to march 67 yards for a touchdown. Falcon fullback Kevin Thomas rumbled across the goal line from a yard out for the score, but West was unable to tie the game as Avery’s Jordan English blocked the point after attempt to allow Avery to keep a one-point edge at 7-6 with 4:05 to go in the opening period.

Late in the quarter the Vikings were able to again move the football with offensive efficiency, but the Falcon defense tightened and turned the Big Red away as a fourth down pass fell incomplete to turn the ball over on downs to West.

The Falcons relied heavily on its running game throughout the night, and the ground game moved West into Avery territory. A fumble by Kevin Thomas was recovered by Avery, however, to stop a potential scoring threat.

A five-minute drive ensued following the turnover, highlighted by a 40-yard pass play from Pate to wide receiver Tyler Blalock and capped off by a Pate two-yard scoring run. Stanley’s point after surged the Vikings to a 14-6 lead.
West Henderson sought out ways to move the ball downfield and looked for power and results from its running attack. Running back Kagan Williams broke away for a 50-yard run before being tracked down at the Avery 14. Four plays later, quarterback Dillon Baker bullied his way into the end zone from three yards out for a Falcon touchdown. A two-point run conversion was successful, knotting the score at 14 apiece with 2:28 left before intermission.

The teams traded possessions before Avery again had the football near midfield with 50 seconds left in the half. Over the course of five plays the Vikings moved the football into field goal range, where Stanley booted a 32-yard field goal attempt through the uprights for a 17-14 halftime lead.

During intermission, the Avery Homecoming court was introduced, with the announcement of Shaun Creech and Sara Singleton as 2008’s Homecoming King and Queen.

When action resumed for the second half, West was held to a three-and-out on its first series. A poor snap on the punt attempt resulted in excellent field position for Avery. The Vikings took advantage when running back Travis Thomas scored on a four-yard run. The extra point made the score 24-14 in favor of Avery with 8:42 left in the third period.

Both teams traded punts following the touchdown, but West got untracked offensively with a nine play, 44-yard drive. Kagan Williams raced into the end zone from two yards out for a touchdown, but a missed extra point left West trailing Avery 24-20 as time expired in the quarter.

In the final twelve minutes of action, high drama arose. On the first play of the quarter an Adam Pate pass was intercepted by West’s Gary Simpson and returned to the Viking 10-yard line. The Falcons were unable to score any points from the gaffe, however, as the team went four-and-out on a stellar defensive stand to turn the football over on downs to Avery.

With such poor field position the Vikings found it hard to advance upfield. The difficulty turned disastrous as Viking quarterback Chris Childress was called for intentional grounding in the end zone to award a safety to the Falcons and cut the Avery lead to only a pair at 24-22.

Following the free kick, Avery’s defense held again by forcing a West punt. With the football the Vikings again marched downfield poised to pad its lead. A pair of completions from Pate to tight end Colton Blackburn moved Avery into the West red zone, but an interception stalled the drive. A turning point in the contest arrived during West’s subsequent offensive series. A pass by Dillon Baker was anticipated and intercepted by defensive back Chris Childress, who cut through tacklers and was stopped four yards short of the goal line. The next play from scrimmage added to Avery’s lead as Thomas ran for his second four-yard touchdown of the night. Another PAT from Stanley gave the big Red a 31-22 advantage with only 2:06 left in the game.

In desperation mode, the Falcons abandoned its running game and took to the skies with an aerial assault. Baker completed two passes for 52 yards to move the visitors to the Avery 11-yard line. One play following a Viking penalty, Baker found receiver James Tracy for a five-yard touchdown pass. A two-point conversion succeeded to cut the Avery lead to a single digit at 31-30 with 1:27 still left on the clock.

West attempted to regain the football for the offense with an onside kick, but the Vikings recovered the bouncing ball. The Falcons held Avery to a three-and-out while conserving time using a pair of timeouts. Avery punted the ball to West, giving the Falcons one final shot to win the game with 59 seconds left.

A 33-yard pass completion from Baker to Keenan Young advanced the Falcons into field goal range at the Avery 14, but a shaky kicking game seemed to dissuade head coach Jeff Bailey from attempting a game-winning field goal.

Instead the Falcons attempted to score a touchdown and the Avery defense made one final stand, topped off by a fourth down quarterback sack by senior defensive lineman Christian Montgomery. A final kneel down by Avery shut the door and sent a large crowd gathered for Homecoming happy with a first Viking win on the season.

“Our defense had a little bit more of a letdown tonight than we’ve been used to, but they held when it counted most. West did a great job of shutting our run down. We want to be able to do that and couldn’t, but to be able to put 31 points on the board was good to see,” Avery Vikings head coach Darrell Brewer said after the thrilling victory. “I’m proud of the boys and how they just hung in there all night to win this one. It was especially great for those boys on the team who haven’t had a win for a year and a half to break through and get a win here tonight.”

Avery players and fans, as well as the coaching staff are aware of the significance of finally getting a victory this season. “Wins can cover up a lot of hurts and a lot of pain,” Coach Brewer added. “We’re looking at it now as 1-0, and we’ve got to keep rolling.”

Avery returns to Western Highlands Conference action next week when it hosts the Hendersonville Bearcats Friday night. Kickoff is slated for 7:30 p.m. at MacDonald Stadium.

Former Vikings Shine in Weekend's College Action

It was a stellar Saturday for a trio of former Vikings football standouts last Saturday.

Avery grads Ricky Spradling and Zack Johnson were outstanding for Mars Hill College in a 61-49 shootout loss to Carson-Newman.

The Mars Hill offense was equally impressive, piling up 547 yards. Mars Hill quarterback Ricky Spradling was 15-of-31 through the air for 247 yards and four touchdowns. He also ran for a score. Zack Johnson led the Lions defense with 11 tackles (5 solo) in the contest.

Meanwhile, the Appalachian State Mountaineers easily handled the Citadel 47-21. Former Avery receiver Josh Johnson had a pair of receptions for 38 yards, including a 24-yard touchdown reception from quarterback Armanti Edwards to account for the only second half points in App's rout of their Southern Conference foe.

Apps Cruise Past Citadel

Courtesy of Appalachian State Sports Information

BOONE, N.C. — Second-ranked Appalachian State University jumped out to a 41-7 halftime lead and never looked back en route to a convincing 47-21 win over No. 12 The Citadel at Kidd Brewer Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Appalachian (3-2, 1-0 SoCon) racked up 363 yards of offense in the first half alone and found the end zone on its final six possessions of the half to take the commanding halftime lead.

Quarterback Armanti Edwards, who overcame an ankle injury suffered in last Saturday’s win over Presbyterian, highlighted ASU’s first-half dominance by rushing 11 times for 79 yards and two touchdowns and completing 10-of-12 passes for 177 yards and three more scores before the break. The junior, who became only the 12th player in NCAA Division I history (FBS or FCS) with 3,000 passing yards and 3,000 rushing yards in a career, finished the contest with 225 yards and a career-best four touchdowns on 14-of-18 passing and 80 yards on 15 carries.

The Mountaineers scored just once in the opening quarter on Devin Radford’s 29-yard touchdown run just under 10 minutes in. However, the second period was all Black and Gold, as the Apps scored five times to take the 41-7 advantage into the break. Edwards accounted for all five second-quarter touchdowns with runs of 16 and three yards and passes of 25 yards to Matt Cline, four yards to CoCo Hillary and, the back-breaker, a 68-yard screen pass to Radford with 15 seconds to go in the half.

Not to be overlooked in the impressive performance was the effort turned in by Appalachian’s defense. ASU limited The Citadel (3-2, 1-1 SoCon), which came into the contest with the Southern Conference’s second-ranked scoring offense at 35.5 points per game, to just 245 yards on the afternoon, 170 below its average. The Citadel managed only 82 yards in the first half.The Bulldogs tried to make it interesting by cutting the deficit to 41-21 midway through the fourth quarter on a 50-yard punt return by Andre Roberts and a nine-yard scoring connection from Bart Blanchard to Alex Sellars.

However, after recovering an onside kick, the Mountaineers iced the triumph on a 24-yard strike from Edwards to Josh Johnson. Besides Edwards, Radford was Appalachian’s offensive star with 72 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries to go along with the 68-yard touchdown reception. Cline chipped in with 74 all-purpose yards (49 rushing, 25 receiving).Cortez Gilbert paced the Mountaineers defensively with 11 tackles and two pass break-ups. D.J. Smith added nine tackles and a pair of pass break-ups and true freshman Lanston Tanyi made seven stops and hurried the passer four times. Appalachian continues SoCon play next Saturday when it travels to league-newcomer Samford. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. (EDT) at Seibert Stadium in Birmingham, Ala.

UT Squeaks By Northern Illinois

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

Avery Journal-Times

KNOXVILLE, TN- Tennessee desperately needed better quarterback play just as badly as they needed a victory. On Saturday night, they finally got both as they defeated Northern Illinois 13-9 at Neyland Stadium.

“We'll take the win,” Tennessee Coach Phillip Fulmer said. “We've been on the short end of a couple of those like that. It was a good football team we played tonight.”

The Volunteers named Nick Stephens the starter on Friday night, and he did not disappoint the coaching staff.

“He was extremely poised,” Fulmer said. “There are still a couple of things. The clock was really close a couple of times managing it. It was his first big game. Early especially, I thought he was really in rhythm. I thought he did a nice job.”

Stephens ended the game 10 of 17 for 156 yards with one touchdown. Stephens’ 52-yard strike to Denarius Moore was the only offensive touchdown of the game, and was also the longest play of the year for the Volunteers. Stephens also found Gerald Jones for a 43 yard strike that electrified the Tennessee crowd.

“Like everyone in the stadium pulling for Tennessee, I was very excited about the two big plays we made (offensively),” Coach Fulmer said. “Great play, great throw, outstanding call. It's something for us to build on.”

Despite Stephens’s successful debut, the offense still struggled to find a rhythm.

“Offensively, we made some steps, I think, in the right direction,” Coach Fulmer said. “We're still not as efficient as we need to be. It seems like everything we do is really hard for us.”

The Volunteers only managed 69 yards rushing with a majority of that coming in the closing quarter, and only had 225 total offensive yards. Foster led the way on the ground for the UT as he had 73 yards, but the team recorded losses of 34 yards to Northern Illinois. The offense only had nine first downs in the game.

Despite the offensive woes, the Tennessee defense stepped to the plate and once again played an outstanding game as they only allowed 190 offensive yards, and had four sacks.

Despite the lower attendance, Coach Fulmer was quick to thank the fans that were in Knoxville on Saturday.

"First of all, I want to say a really special thank you to all the fans,” Coach Fulmer said. “At the Vol Walk, I was taken aback at the encouragement and energy of that group and really appreciate the same thing all night long.”

The attendance was announced at 99,539, almost 2,500 short of a sellout. The Volunteers must get ready as they must travel to Athens to take on Georgia on Saturday. Coach Fulmer knows it will be a tough game.

"We'll take the film, look at it, correct it, learn from it,” Coach Fulmer said. “And obviously we've got a big challenge next week at Georgia."

Part 2: Vols host Northern Illinois

6:45: We are the Tom Elam Press box at Neyland Stadium. First, thanks to Jamie for his excellent coverage of the App game. I am hoping to bring you some of the same coverage (following regulations of course). With 20 minutes until kickoff, a sign that times are tough in Volunteer land are that Neyland may not reach 70,000 fans tonight. Of course, looks can be deceiving. The ones that are here are loud and proud and anxious to see Nick Stephens under the helm.

7:00: IT'S FOOTBALL TIME IN TENNESSEE! Neyland has filled in nicely as the Pride of the Southland Band is getting ready to welcome the Vols onto the field. Keep checking back as we will update as we can. Thanks!

8:00: UT and Northern Illinois are tied at 3 with 5:35 remaining in the first half. Tennessee had a promising drive stopped at midfield on a fumble midway through the first.

8:30: HALF tied at 3

9:30: End of the third and the Vols lead 13-9.

10:15 Final Vols 13-9. More to come to later.

1:00am: Home Sweet Home! I am back home after a great day of football. We will have a story and some photos from the UT game up tomorrow if all goes according to plan. It was a great night. The fans that were there were amazing, a fact Coach Fulmer noted. They really helped the Vol defense. After kickoff, Neyland looked like its normal packed self. I guess the fans were watching the earlier games as long as possible. The Huskies were peskier than most imagined, but UT found a way to win and a way to keep it. However, UT will have a tough week as they must travel to Athens to take on the Bulldogs next week. For more information on UT and App State, keep checking the Avery Journal-Times Sports Blog. Thanks for reading!

Mountaineers Host Citadel for Homecoming @ Kidd-Brewer

On a beautiful Saturday afternoon in Boone, the ASU Mountaineers will host the Citadel Bulldogs for Homecoming. The #2 Mountaineers are 2-2 on the season as they open Southern Conference play against the #12 Bulldogs who are 3-1 this year.

Quickie Preview:
For the Mountaineers, the team must find a way to get consistency out of the offense. Armanti Edwards has completed less than 50% of his passes, and also suffered an injury in last week's win. Edwards has been cleared to go today and will need a superb effort to hold off the most talented Citadel squad to visit Boone since a win here in 1992.

Avery HS product Josh Johnson has six catches over his past two games, but has been scrutinized by some for putting the ball on the ground against Presbyterian last week. He, T.J. Courman, CoCo Hillary, and the remainder of the receiving corps must make themselves available and make plays if the Apps want to hold serve at home and get off to a good conference start.

The running tandem of Robert Welton and Devin Radford have picked up where Devin Moore left off when he suffered a broken ankle. They and Edwards, the team's leading rusher, will need

The Citadel is paced by quarterback Bart Blanchard (832 passing yards, seven TDs, six interceptions) and one of the nation's best wideouts in Andre Roberts (26 receptions, six TDs). But the Bulldogs will look to establish the run with Asheton Jordan (268 yards, three TDs) to give Blanchard time to pass.

The Citadel had the Southern Conference's best defense last season, but has slipped to third in total defense (322 yards per game, 150 yards rushing). Leading the Bulldogs on defense is linebacker Reggie Rice, who has accounted for 27 tackles.

3:05 pm - ASU receives the opening kickoff on a sun-drenched Kidd--Brewer Stadium. The Mountaineers pick up a first down and advance near midfield before taking a timeout. Two running plays net an additional three yards, but ASU is forced to punt from the Citadel 47. The Bulldogs take over for their first offensive series at its own 15 yard line.

Blanchard to Roberts has been a connection on a number of occasions on the Bulldogs' first series. The Mountaineers hold on third down after a holding penalty negated a large gain. Citadel punts to the Mountaineers, and Appalachian sets up first down on its own 9-yard line. No score.

3:25 PM - THe Mountaineers are trying to establish the run on its second possession of the game. Radford and Edwardsd have had great success on this drive. Edwards scrambles for a 16-yard gain, and had gained several yards on an option run two plays earlier.

Appalachian gets on the board first as Devin Radford makes a great cut to the outside and scampers 29 yards for a Mountaineer touchdown. The successful PAT gives the Mountaineers a 7-0 lead at the 5:26 mark of the first period.

The ASU defense forced a three-and-out from the Bulldogs on their second series of the game, forcing them to punt from their own 20 yard line. A terrific kick plus an ASU illegal block penalty pushed the Mountaineers to begin their third offensive series at its own 11 yard line. App drives to just over midfield as the first quarter expires. Mountaineers end the first period leading 7-0.

The second quarter begins and three plays in Armanti Edwards hits running back Matt Cline with a 25-yard touchdown pass. Vitaris misses the extra point, however, leaving the Apps up 13-0 at the 13:57 mark of the period.

3:55 PM - The Bulldogs appeared to be going three and out, but a personal foul penalty against ASU gave the Citadel new life. The defense stepped up and stopped the Bulldogs again. On fourth down, a high snap over Citadel punter Mark Caspar's head. It results in Appalachian getting a first down at the Citadel 11-yard line. A huge blunder by the Bulldogs on special teams.

The Mountaineers immediately capitalize as Armanti Edwards scampers 16 yards around left side for a touchdown. A successful PAT makes the score 20-0 Mountaineers at the 11:05 mark of the second period.

4:05 PM - The Citadel takes advantage of a 55 yard kickoff return to drive a short field on the ASU defense. The Bulldogs get on the goard with a two yard touchdown run by Andre Roberts. An extra point by Sam Keeler makes the new score ASU 20, Citadel 7 at the 6:55 mark of the first half.

4:10 PM - The Mountaineers are back on the board again, taking advantage of a long Coco Hillary kickoff return. The Mountaineers score on an Armanti Edwards touchdown pass to make the score 27-7 in favor of ASU with 4:41 remaining in the half.

The offense has looked sharper today than at any point thus far in the season. The Citadel defense almost looks to be in slow motion compared to the Mountaineers' speed.

4:20 PM - Citadel started its next drive from the 20, but a Blanchard pass on third down was tipped and intercepted at the Citadel 34-yard line and returned to the 13. Three plays moved the Mountaineers to a first and goal at the one yard line. Armanti Edwards runs in a three-yard touchdown to boost the lead to 33-7. The point-after made the score 34-7 with 1:14 remaining in the half.

The Bulldogs have shot themselves in the foot several times this half, and the Black and Gold has made them pay every time. A dominating half of football against a team that came to Boone ranked #12 in the latest FCS poll. When the Mountaineers are clicking, they are next to impossible to stop.

Following the ASU kickoff, the Bulldogs are held to a three-and-out. Appalachian uses a time-out on fourth down with 41 seconds left before intermission, looking to get the football back for one more opportunity to score. App regains possession on offense with 28.4 seconds to go at its own 37-yard line.

4:25 PM - On the first play following the punt, a screen pass to Devin Radford was busted open by the WR, hurdling a tackler at the 15 yard line on the way to a 63-yard touchdown play with 15 seconds to go. The PAT gives the Mountaineers a commanding 41-7 lead. A single play indicative of the quick-strike nature of the ASU offense. Team morale for the Bulldogs can't be high at this point.
Halftime - ASU 41, Citadel 7 at the half.

Appalachian has 38 plays for 363 yards of total offense, to go with 65 kickoff return yards, while the ASU defense held Citadel to only 82 yards on 35 plays. Armanti Edwards rushed 11 times for 83 yards and a pair of scores, while throwing at a 10 for 12 clip for 177 yards and three touchdowns.

4:50 PM - The Bulldogs receive the opening kickoff, execute a successful fake punt, but still end up punting to the Mountaineers. The punt pins ASU at its own 1 yard line. The Citadel defense forces ASU to punt from its own end zone, where Andre Roberts returned the kick 50 yards for the Bulldogs' second score of the game. 7:58 remaining in the third qtr. 41-14 ASU

5:15 PM - Josh Johnson picks up his first catch on the next ASU drive, picking up a first down near midfield. The Mountaineers are held to three-and-out after the catch and are forced to punt the ball. Punter Neil Young coffic corners the punt to the Citadel's 4-yard line. Citadel cannot advance the football and kicks it back to App., where the Black and Gold take over at the Citadel 41 yard line leading 41-14. The clock expires with the Mountaineers holding the football and the same lead.

5:30 PM - The Mountaineers drive into Citadel territory, but are forced to settle for a field goal attempt. Vitaris is unable to make the 42-yard attempt, giving the football back to the Bulldogs with 12:56 left in the contest.

On a side note, in today's contest ASU QB Armanti Edwards became only the third quarterback in Division 1 (FCS and FBS) history to run and throw for 3,000 yards in his career, joining the likes of Nebraska's Heisman Trophy winner Eric Crouch to accomplish that feat.

5:38 PM - The Bulldogs get on the board with a nine-yard TD pass from Blanchard to Sellers. The PAT is good, with 8:52 remaining, the Mountaineers lead 41-21. Appalachian has given up a few wide open receptions this afternoon, something I'm sure the coaches will discuss and address in practice next week.

The Apps are on the board again... a 24-yard touchdown pass from Edwards to Josh Johnson. Johnson ran a sideline pattern and was open to haul in the pass as he crossed the end zone giving the Mountaineers a 47-21 lead with 8:09 remaining in the game.

The Citadel is stopped when it attempts a fourth down conversion at its own 30 yard line. The pass is short of the marker, giving the Mountaineers the football at the Citadel 38. DeAndre Pressley enters the game at quarterback, and ASU fumbles on its first play following the possession change, giving the Bulldogs the football back.

6:00 PM -- The Mountaineers deny the Bulldogs another score by turning them away on a fourth down conversion attempt near the Appalachian 35 yard line with 3:35 left in the contest. The Josh Johnson touchdown catch has been the only points of the half for the Mountaineers to this point, and a number of ASU substitutes are in to close out this first Southern Conference victory.

6:10 PM -- ASU wins it 47-21 to start the SoCon season with a win and move to 3-2 overall. We hope to have final stats for this one before we close out for the night. ASU returns home of October 25th when they host the Furman Palladins.

Saturday Gameday

8:00am: Good Morning! We hope all is well on what is going to be a beautiful Saturday. It is second day of a very busy weekend for us at the Journal Sports. It is going to be hard to top last night's Avery victory, but we are going to try that today. The Mountaineers and Volunteers both have home games today, and we are going to have you covered. Jamie is going to be in Boone as the #2 Apps host #12 Citadel for Homecoming. That kickoff is at 3:00, and is going to be on Sportsouth. Jamie may have his famous game blog here. After that game, the Volunteers of Tennessee host the Huskies of Northern Illinois with kickoff at 7:07pm. That game is Pay Per View, but I will be there to bring you the story (an Avery Journal-Times Blog Exclusive). Due to NCAA and SEC regulations, we will be limited to how many times I can update, but I will do my best. Keep checking back for more analysis and updates. Thanks!

Some Notes:
Johnathon Crompton has been replaced as the starter for the Vols. The embattled quarterback will be the second string QB tonight as Nick Stephens got the nod. Coach Phillip Fulmer would not rule out that both QBs would see action, but stated it would be ideal if Stephens fit in nicely and they never look back. UT enters the contest 1-3 and 0-2 in SEC play.

CHS Update: A Look at the Stats Through Week Five

The Highlanders have hit the midway point of the season, and with that brings their bye week. Below are Stats of the Highlanders through last Friday's North Greene game. Thanks to the Cloudland coaching staff for the statistics.
Rushing

Matthew Tipton has 622 yards on 82 carries with 14 touchdowns. Randall Johnson has just under 100 carries with 99 and has 675 yards and 12 touchdowns. Lucas Clawson, who sat out of the North Greene game due to injury, has 95 yards on 19 carries and one touchdown. Logan Morgan has 102 yards on six touches with three touchdowns. WR/CB Nick Sluder has carried the ball three times for a gain of seven yards. Tony Chambers has two carries for 15 yards, while Seth Miller has 12 yards on three carries. Trey Hitechew had a breakout gain against North Greene as he had his only touchdown of the year, and has 49 yards on five carries. Matt Cole has 32 yards and Pritchard has 25 yards from the North Greene Contest.

Passing

Johnson has made the leap from wide receiver to quarterback successfully as he is 49 of 72 for 839 yards with eight interceptions and five touchdowns, in addition to his rushing statistics. Miller has two attempts with one completion for 12 yards.

Receiving

Seth Houtsma has been the favorite target of the season as he as 16 catches for 281 yards and two touchdowns. Houtsma has a long of 79 yards. Sluder has an impressive 134 yards on six catches with one touchdown, while Jacob Julian has 55 yards on four catches. Morgan is three yards short of 100 on the season with 97 yards on six catches and has added two touchdowns. Tipton has 86 yards on six catches. Oliver has 29 yards and Jacob McKinney has 26 yards so far this season.

The Highlanders are averaging 18 first downs per game, and have 90 so far this season. They have fumbled 12 times and lost them six times. Penalties has been a major problem Coach Turbyfill has had to address as the 'Landers have 46 penalties for 485 yards.

Defensive Stats

The 'Lander defense has allowed 925 yards on 181 carries and 97 points and 67 first downs. They have caused five fumbles and recovered two. The 'Lander secondary has forced seven interceptions including touchdowns by Johnson, Morgan and Sluder. Houtsma has four sacks, while Stevens and Tipton have 1 ½ sacks. Julian has two sacks while Chambers and Cody Presnell each have added one sack. Cloudland has 10 sacks so far this season.

Wildcats Defeat Panthers in Brad King Bowl Shootout

Tuesday night's 26th annual Brad King Bowl football contest between the Avery Middle School Panthers and the Cranberry Wildcats was an offensive showcase.

The two teams combined for the highest scoring game in Bowl history, lighting up the scoreboard at MacDonald Stadium for a whopping 102 points. Cranberry took the lead first and never surrendered it for the remainder of the evening as they upended the Panthers by the final score of 60-42.

Tuesday's game, the 26th game honoring the memory of former Avery County football player Brad King whose young life was claimed by cancer as a youth, was a showcase for the game's Most Valuable Players in Cranberry's Bryce Pittman and Avery's Chase Buchanan. Pittman scored a game record seven touchdowns in the contest, ranging from 11 yards to 47 yards and also had an interception on defense. The Wildcat running back gained 183 yards on touchdown carries alone. Avery's Buchanan found the end zone on four separate occasions with pass completions from quarterback Chance Watson.

Cranberry led 14-0 after the first quarter of action and 22-6 at halftime. Following the intermission highlighted by performances from the cheerleading squads of both schools, teams resumed play for the second half.

Avery cut the lead to 22-12 on its first drive of the third quarter as Watson connected with Buchanan for a five yard screen pass score. Cranberry's Dustin Ruppard added his name to the scoring column with a 12 yard touchdown run. A Jonah Tenge conversion run gave the Wildcats a 30-12 advantage.

The Panthers refused to fold as the Watson/Buchanan combo struck for a 54-yard touchdown strike. A conversion run was successful to reduce the lead to 30-20 at the end of three quarters.

For an already high scoring contest, the offensive fireworks were only beginning. A total of 52 points were scored in the final eight minutes of action. Bryce Pittman saved his best for last, racing for four touchdowns over the final quarter of play. After a 15-yard Pittman scamper to give the Wildcats a 36-20 lead, Avery's Rob Wood took the ensuing kickoff 68 yards for a score to narrow the lead back to one possession at 36-28.

The teams traded scores three additional times in the period before a 42-yard touchdown from Pittman and a Tenge conversion run accounted for the 60th and final points of the evening.

Both coaches were proud of their teams for continuing to play hard from the opening kickoff to the final whistle, and they hope the game will serve as a springboard as playoffs begin next week.

"I knew this would be a tough ballgame. This Avery team would be putting the ball in the air, and our pass defense wasn't the best in the world," Cranberry head coach Richard Sheppard said following his team's victory. "Bryce is an exceptional player for us and teams are keying on him, but he keeps running hard. We challenged him before the game to give us a great performance and he did so. Of course he couldn't have had the success without the line up front, and they did a great job opening holes. We look forward to seeing these eighth graders next year in high school. It is a special win to say that Cranberry won the Brad King Bowl, and I'm awfully proud of these kids."

"It was exciting to the end. Both teams played really hard," Avery head coach Donnie Johnson remarked after the game. "This was the best our boys played all season, and I believed they could do this all year. Tonight I think they did a good job, and I don't think they could have played any better than they played tonight. We need to do better defensively, and we made some plays, but they just seemed to outlast us."

The best part of the game Tuesday night was how players and fans were able to support a pair of local families. The Brad Jones family and the Cody Buchanan family have faced difficult medical predicaments, and a total of $2,389 from the game was split between the two families to assist with their ongoing medical expenses.

Cranberry travels to take on Cane River in the first round of the Toe River Conference playoffs next Tuesday, while Avery travels to take on Bowman Middle School.

Vols Start Open Quarterback Competition

Courtesy of utsports.com

Tennessee head coach Phillip Fulmer said Sunday that competition for the starting quarterback position is open.

The Vols are coming off a 14-12 loss at Auburn in which they completed 8-of-24 passes for 67 yards and fell to 1-3 overall, 0-2 in the Southeastern Conference.

"We are disappointed in the loss," Fulmer said after Sunday night's brief workout inside the Neyland-Thompson Sports Center. "Watching the tape, our guys laid it on the line and gave great effort. We just couldn't find a way to get 10-20 yards closer to kick a field goal.

"Daniel (Lincoln) was kicking the ball well and I'm just certain if we'd gotten it down there we would have had a chance to win that thing at the end."

The eight completions were the fewest by the Vols since completing eight in the 2004 SEC Championship Game against Auburn, and the 67 passing yards were the fewest since UT threw for only 64 in a 20-17 overtime win against Florida in 1998.

In addition, Tennessee gained only 191 total offensive yards for the program's lowest output since tallying 170 in a 10-6 win at Miami in 2003.

Fulmer said Jonathan Crompton is responding well to the renewed competition.

"The only way I know for sure is what they do on the practice field. He came out tonight, did just fine and operated very well. We've just got to be a lot better than 8-for-24 (as a team).

"We expect Nick (Stephens) to compete and he did fine. Both of them have their strengths and both of them need to use those strengths and minimize their weaknesses everywhere they can."

Tennessee hosts Northern Illinois (2-2) this Saturday at Neyland Stadium. Kickoff is 7 p.m., with the Vol Network carrying the radio broadcast and VideoSeat providing the pay-per-view telecast.

There's a lot of good football left to be played and certainly a good season yet to be had," Fulmer said. "If tonight's practice, and especially the two-minute drill, was any example of their concentration and focus, we'll be just fine. They got after it pretty good tonight."

Big Half Propels Mountaineers

Courtesy of Appalachian Sports Information

BOONE, N.C. — No. 3 Appalachian State University rolled up 407 yards of offense in the second half en route to 31 unanswered points and a 48-14 triumph over visiting Presbyterian at rainy Kidd Brewer Stadium.

Four dropped passes and lapses in all three phases of the game punctuated a sloppy first half for Appalachian (2-2), as it led just 17-14 at halftime. Walter Payton Award candidate Armanti Edwards was perhaps the lone bright spot for ASU in the first half as he surpassed his season high for passing yards midway through the second quarter on his way to 220 yards through the air before the break. His yardage total and completion percentage (12-of-21) would have been even higher if not for the four costly drops.

Despite the inefficient play throughout much of the first half, the Mountaineers rebounded from a 7-0 deficit less than two minutes into the game to take a 17-7 lead early in the second period. It appeared as though the Apps would take the 10-point advantage into the locker room, but the Blue Hose marched 80 yards in six plays, capped by a 31-yard touchdown connection from Tim Webb to Terrance Butler with 49 seconds remaining in the half that brought PC within three points.

In the second half, it was all Appalachian. Three-hundred-and-sixty-seven of ASU’s 407 yards after the break came on the ground, highlighted by two touchdown runs apiece by running back Devin Radford and backup quarterback DeAndre Presley.

Radford was especially impressive, torching the Blue Hose for 251 all-purpose yards (179 rushing, 72 receiving) and three total touchdowns (a 72-yard pass from Edwards and runs of two and one yards).

The Mountaineer defense held up its end of the bargain by keeping the Hose off the scoreboard in the second half. The Apps limited PC’s high-octane offense to just 151 yards in the second half and intercepted four passes on the evening, including two by cornerback Cortez Gilbert. Middle linebacker Jacque Roman also picked off a pass and led all players with 12 tackles.

Butler paced Presbyterian’s offensive attack with 12 catches for 164 yards while Webb completed 35-of-57 passes for 372 yards.

Appalachian opens Southern Conference play next Saturday with a huge league tilt versus 13th-ranked The Citadel (3-1, 1-0 SoCon). ASU’s homecoming kickoff is set for 3 p.m. and will be televised live on SportSouth.

NOTES: Appalachian won for the 37th time in its last 38 home games ... the win was ASU’s 16th-straight in games immediately following a loss ... the Mountaineers have not lost back-to-back games since setbacks to Hawaii and Eastern Kentucky to open the 2003 season and have played 69 games since it last dropped two-in-a-row ... Appalachian finished 2-2 in the non-conference portion of its schedule, avoiding its first losing record versus non-conference opponents since it went 1-2 in non-conference action in ‘03 ... the 72-yard connection from Edwards to Radford matched ASU’s longest play of the season ... with 256 yards of total offense, Edwards became only the fifth player in Southern Conference history with 7,500 yards of total offense in a career ... only a junior, Edwards already ranks third on the SoCon’s all-time total offense list with 7,747 total yards for his career ... Edwards’ 220 first-half passing yards were the fourth-most in a single half in his career ... Radford’s three-touchdown performance marked the 10th three-touchdown effort by a Mountaineer in the past 15 games ... kicker Jason Vitaris booted two field goals, including a career-long 46-yarder in the third quarter ... RB Robert Welton, LDE Lanston Tanyi and RCB Jared Reine all made their first-career starts.

Tennessee Falls to Auburn- Coach Fulmer Postgame Quotes

Tennessee Volunteer Coach Phillip Fulmer spoke to the media after his team's 14-12 loss to #12 Auburn on Saturday. Quotes are courtesy of utsports.com.

"It goes without saying that it was a very disappointing loss. I congratulate Auburn on their win. I think the defense played outstanding for most of the afternoon. Offensively, we were stuck. The second half, the defense gave us good field position and opportunities, especially with the punts and punt returns, and we didn't get anything out of it. To play offense, you have to execute and that is first and foremost. I don't think this team has lost its spirit at all. I think we have good leadership and its growing all the time. Adversity will challenge us and we will see where we really stand.

"It is very disappointing to get that kind of effort out of our defense and our kicking game and not get a win. Auburn has an outstanding football team and we need to do much better to win."

On Tennessee's possible quarterback changes
"It is something that we have to look at in every position on the field. Tomorrow, and as the week goes on, we will break down film. Eight-for-24 is unacceptable. We need to be sure that he [Jonathan Crompton] is finding the receivers and getting the ball to the people who make plays for us."

On his frustrations with Crompton
"I don't want to put a loss on any one particular guy. We play as a team, win as a team and lose as a team. On the same token, we have to look at everything we can do to make the team feel better when it's not. That's where I'll leave that until we get a chance to look at the tape and see."

On the goal line fumble
"Until I really see the film, I can't really answer that. From what the guys saw on TV, they said Arian [Foster] had his elbow up too high. I'll have to look at it on tape. Obviously that is a huge play in the game."

On making improvements
"We played a better defensive team than we did last week and that is not to take anything away from Florida. We played on the road [today]. We handled ourselves, in a lot of ways, better in regards to mistakes. That one mistake is enough to get you beat by a good team. We have to keep working, burn the midnight oil as coaches, and get it across to the players what needs to be done. If changes need to be made, I'm not afraid to make them."

AJ-T SPORTS LIVE FROM.... KIDD BREWER STADIUM

Tonight the Appalachian State Mountaineers look to bounce back from last week's difficult 35-32 loss to James Madison as they host the Presbyterian Blue Hose. We'll be providing in-game updates throughout this evening's contest, also throwing out some random thoughts, musings, and ramblings along the way.

6:55 PM -- The National Anthem has been played and players are preparing to take the field. The game time temp is around 63 degrees, and there is a steady rain falling on the turf, which might make for a fumble or two this evening.

A couple of quick notes: Mountaineer starting running back Devon Moore and defensive lineman Tony Robertson are both out for tonight's game as well as the foreseeable future (at least six weeks) according to ASU SID Mike Flynn. Both players may be seeking a medical redshirt, which indicates the seriousness of their injuries from last week's loss.

7:10 PM -- Presbyterian took the opening kickoff to the ASU 45, picked up two additional big plays. a 7 play, 43 yard scoring drive resulted in a 1-yard touchdown run by running back Chetyuane Reeder. The successful PAT puts the Blue Hose surprisingly ahead 7-0 at the 13:07 mark of the first period.

7:15 PM - App begins its first drive around its own 40-yard line. Former Avery WR Josh Johnson caught a pass on the first play of a drive which moved downfield 59 yards over six plays and took just 1:41. A three yard run by running back Robert Welton ties the game at 7-7 with 11:19 on the clock. A player familiar to Avery fans, former Polk County QB/WR Derrick Overholt, is on the Presbyterian roster.

7:30 PM - Presbyterian picked up a couple of first downs but were forced to punt. Appalachian's next drive featured a pair of catches by tight end Ben Jorden which put the Mountaineers in the Blue Hose red zone. A pair of runs by QB Armanti Edwards moved App inside the 5-yard line. A third down pass to BJ Frazier was dropped in the end zone. A field goal attempt sailed wide right no good, negating a strong 10 play, 69 yard drive. Score still stands at 7-7.

Presbyterian has been impressive thus far offensively in the early going, using a five-wideout spread offense to open up the field. A third down sack by ASU DE Lanston Tanyi stalled a P.C. drive, forcing the Hose to punt again. The Blue Hose defense stands tall in forcing a 3-and-out from ASU. After one quarter, score tied at 7-7.

7:45 PM - An amazing scramble results in a 72-yard touchdown pass to Devin Radford, capping a 3 play, 77 yard drive. 14:04 left in the half. ASU leads for the first time, 14-7. Presbyterian's first play following the touchdown results in an interception by App defender Cortez Gilbert, setting up the Mountainers with the football at the PC 26 yard line. The Mountaineers were forced by the Presbyterian defense to settle for a 37-yard Jason Vitaris field goal. Appalachian 17, Presbyterian 7, 12:30 remaining in the half.

8:00 PM -- Presbyterian punts on its next series, giving ASU field position near midfield. Appalachian again is unable to move the football on the Presbyterian defense and has to punt. PC takes over at their own 20 yard line. 6:28 left before halftime, ASU leads 17-7.

8:15 PM - Presyberterian moves the football to near ths ASU 30, but fails on a fourth down pass play, giving the ball back to the Mountaineers. Appalachian has definitely looked off-kilter for much of the first half. Credit the Blue Hose defense for playing a quality half thus far. Other than the 72-yard touchdown pass, this is a one field goal game. App will need to get all pistons firing in sync to pull away from Presbyterian in what has to thus far be labeled a major surprise. App is unable to do anything with its possession and kicks back to the Blue Hose. 2:15 left in the 2nd qtr.

8:20 PM -- With 49.3 seconds left in the half, Presbyterian gets on the board with a 6 play 80 yard drive. A 31 yard touchdown pass from Tim Webb to Terrance Butler with the extra point cuts the ASU lead to 17-14.

8:25 PM - Armanti Edwards completes a pass for 25 or so yards to Josh Johnson, but he fumbles on the tackle and the Blue Hose recovers with 8 seconds left. A big pass play goes down to the App 30, but time runs out. Halftime score 17-14 Appalachian State.

8:50 PM -- Back for second half action at Kidd Brewer. Appalachian has marched with its first drive to the Presbyterian 29 yard line. The drive stalls, but Jason Vitaris adds a second field goal for the game, a career-long 46-yard kick to put the Mountaineers ahead 20-14 with 11:33 left in the period.

9:10 PM -- Presbyterian drove 60 yards on its ensuing drive and was eventually stalled at the 18 yard line. The Blue Hose attempted a fake field goal, but the Mountaineers snuffed out the play and a pass play fell incomplete, giving the ball back to the Black and Gold with 6:41 left in the third and leading 20-14.

The Mountaineers are on the scoreboard again. A 51-yard run by Radford set up a two yard plunge on the next play by Radford. The drive took less than a minute and covered 82 yards. Radford has over 100 yards rushing for the game as the Black and Gold leads by a 27-14 score with 5:43 remaining in the third quarter.

Presbyterian was pinned deep in its own territory on its ensuing possession and held to a three-and-out. Following the punt, Armanti Edwards scrambled for a 25-yard gain to the PC 24-yard line, but was taken down on a hard tackle, shaking up Edwards on the play. Trainers had to help tote the quarterback off who was favoring a leg, bringing in backup freshman QB DeAndre Presley.

9:20 PM -- Appalachian is back in the end zone. Sophomore RB Devin Radford pushes across from one yard out to push the lead up to 34-14 with 2:56 left in the quarter. A 4-play, 51 yard drive consumed 1:03 off the clock.

INJURY UPDATE: QB Armanti Edwards suffered an ankle injury but is likely to return to the game, according to the press box. Good news for the Black and Gold that nothing serious occurred on the earlier tackle.

Presbyterian's next offensive drive moved 55 yards, but a fourth down play came up inches short, giving the ball back to the ASU offense. A 12-yard carry by Radford ends the quarter with ASU leading 34-14 after three.

Two plays into the fourth quarter, DeAndre Presley runs in another touchdown, a five-yard jaunt to boost the App lead to 41-14 with 14:04 left in the game.

Presbyterian's next offensive series ends with a Cortez Gilbert interception. App's defense has pitched a shutout thus far in the second half, as it appears that the coaching staff will keep Edwards on the sideline for the remainder of this one, given the score of the game. The Mountaineers fumble the football back to the Blue Hose near its own 40-yard line. but get it back three plays later on a Jacque Roman interception with 11:19 left.

On a weekend that has seen its fair share of upsets (Florida, Miami, USC, Georgia, and so forth), Appalachian did not number themselves among that group, using a strong second half to pull away from a pesky Presbyterian team. Appalachian will hope to keep its winning ways going with next week's home game to open conference play against The Citadel.

9:55 PM -- Icing on the cake for the Mountaineers as Presley sails across the goal line from three yards out for the touchdown. The PAT puts ASU ahead 48-14 with 7:59 left in the contest.
10:05 PM -- ASU's Mark LeGree intercepts a pass near the goal line to again deny a Presbyterian score. 5:47 remains in this one, with the score 48-14. The pick is ASU's fourth in the game, a season-high. The attendance of the game this evening: 28,405. A good turnout for a rainy and cool Saturday night.

Presbyterian's latest possession saw former all-state Polk County player Derrick Overholt get action. One pass was thrown his way, but was incomplete. Final update on Armanti Edwards is that the all-conference quarterback is officially listed as day-to-day and will be re-evaluated on Sunday.

10:10 PM -- And this game is in the books! Mountaineers win 48-14. After a slow start the Apps get back on the winning track. Thanks for following along and reading the Blog!

Vikings Lead Early, Falter Late in Loss to Warhorses

The Avery Vikings dropped Friday's conference opener against the Owen Warhorses in Swannanoa by a final score of 23-14.

Avery led 14-0 until midway through the second quarter and 14-6 at halftime. Three turnovers via fumble in the second half and 17 unanswered Owen points spelled defeat for the Big Red, who currently stand at 0-5 overall, with an 0-1 mark in conference play.

The Big Red returns to the gridiron on October 3rd for its annual Homecoming game against the West Henderson Falcons. Kickoff is slated for 7:30 p.m.

Vikings Open Conference Play against Resurgent Warhorses

Following an open week to heal bumps and bruises and regroup, the Avery Vikings (0-4) open conference play Friday night in Swannanoa against the rival Owen Warhorses (1-3). While Avery rested during its off week, Owen hosted Enka on Friday night, winning its first game of the season by a final score of 41-14. Avery won last year’s meeting on Homecoming in a thriller at MacDonald Stadium by the final score of 28-21.

Scouting the Warhorses:
The Owen Warhorses are coached by long-time head coach Ken Ford and is coming off a 7-4 record in 2007, with a 4-2 mark in conference play. The team just missed a sixth straight conference championship a season ago. Only eight lettermen returned to this year’s club, with only three starters on offense and defense, likely a key contributor to the team’s slow start.

Owen runs a Pro-I style offense and uses a base 4-4 defense to stop opponents. The Warhorses are young at many of its skill positions, but its offensive line returns the majority of its experience and has been relied upon to carry the rest of the club in the early season.
The Warhorses had a successful 9-1 junior varsity team a season ago and leans greatly upon a number of those athletes, hoping they mature quickly to continue the winning tradition established in the Black Mountain area.

Owen is led by a small core of seniors, including Josh Leake (6’2”, 315 lb. OL/DL) who was second team All-Conference, honorable mention All-Conference linebacker Adam Greenspan, All-Conference linebacker Seth Blankenship (5’11”, 175 lbs.), and wide receiver Robert Barker.
Senior Cody Craig (6’2”, 195 lbs.; 10 of 52 passing, 149 yards, 2 TD, 1INT in 2008) has emerged as the starting quarterback after battling with sophomore Kaleb Fowler in summer camp for the position.

A junior who has emerged as the offensive juggernaut for the Warhorses is RB/LB Adam Coleman (5’10”, 155 lb.). Coleman has rushed for 330 yards and five touchdowns thus far this season. Others running out of the Warhorse backfield include Cedric Johnson, Logan Newhouse, and Austin Myers.

The Low Down:
Avery demonstrated in its last game against Johnson County that it can have success running the football. The defense has been improving steadily with each game, but a handful of big plays have crippled chances for victory.

For the Vikings to leave Swannanoa with a victory this week, they will need a healthy Adam Pate, who pulled a hamstring in the fourth play of the game two weeks ago against the Johnson County Longhorns. Pate rested during much of the bye week to heal up for the Warhorses.
If Avery can limit the Warhorse running game keyed by the Owen backfield of Coleman and Myers, it will give itself an opportunity to start the conference season on a positive note and earn its first win of 2008.

By the Numbers:
3- rushing touchdowns by Owen’s Andy Coleman in last Friday’s 41-14 win over Enka.
7- pass receptions by Johnson County receiver Christian Prudhomme for 113 yards in Avery’s 27-14 loss to the Longhorns on September 12th.
83- yards rushing by Ethan Sluder in Avery’s last contest against Johnson County.
195- yards rushing by the Vikings in their last game against Johnson County.
216- yards in total offense gained by Avery QB Adam Pate in last season’s win over the Warhorses.
263- yards rushing on 40 attempts by Owen in last week’s win over Enka.

Read the Journal-Times next week for a recap of this week’s game with Owen, as well as a preview of next Friday’s home game against West Henderson.

Interview with Owen head coach Kenny Ford

Click the link above for a brief interview with Owen head coach Kenny Ford discussing tonight's game with Avery.

Exclusive Interview with Vikings head coach Darrell Brewer prior to Owen game

Click the blog post title above for our exclusive interview leading up to Friday night's game against the Owen Warhorses to open up the conference season.

Former Bobcat Troy Brown Announces Retirement from NFL

On Thursday morning, New England Patriots wide receiver Troy Brown and the New England Patriots held a press conference to announce Brown's retirement from the National Football League.

Brown retired after 15 seasons with the New England Patriots in which he set a team record for most receptions (557), punt returns (252) and punt return yardage (2,625), and second in reception yardage (6,366) and seasons (16) with the team, behind former quarterback Steve Grogan.

Brown has a Division I-AA championship ring from his senior season at Marshall University, where he made All-America twice and had his jersey number retired.
He helped Blackville-Hilda High School in South Carolina win the Class A title his senior season, in 1988, earning all-state honors. His jersey is retired there, too.

The wide receiver, who hasn't played this season, made the announcement at a news conference Thursday attended by team owner Robert Kraft and coach Bill Belichick.

Brown spent his entire NFL career with the Patriots after they drafted him in the eighth round in 1993 out of Marshall. Brown was "discovered" by a Marshall scout while he played in college locally at Lees-McRae. The story is told that the scout was actually making the trip to scout another player, but Brown's skills on the field were impressive enough for the Thundering Herd to take a chance on the receiver.

Brown was not recruited out of high school, and he only landed at Lees-McRae Junior College in Banner Elk, N.C., on the recommendation of Mike Pope, his coach at Blackville-Hilda.

“He went up there and made All-American in junior college, and then Marshall came to scout another kid and saw Troy,” Pope said. “Marshall took a chance.”

It paid off. Brown helped the Thundering Herd win the I-AA national title his senior season. Brown took the next improbable step in his career when he was drafted by the Patriots in the eighth round of the 1993 NFL draft.

Brown did not catch on immediately in Foxboro, Mass. He was drafted 198th overall and was waived and re-signed in 1994. His breakout season didn’t occur until 2000, when he had 944 receiving yards on 83 catches, the seventh-highest single-season reception total in franchise history.

“It was hard work just getting my foot in the door, and even tougher staying there and getting some playing time,” Brown said. “ ... When money’s involved, a lot of politics get into it. You kind of get playing time based on where you’re drafted and not by what you do, unless you really stand out and shine.

“That’s kind of what I had to do: make myself noticeable in practice by doing some things some of the other guys weren’t doing — working harder in practice than they were, and when it came time to get on the field, just making the plays they couldn’t make.

“And at the end of the day, it earned me more playing time and more respect from my teammates.”

Brown played in one Pro Bowl, after the 2001 season, and is the owner of three Super Bowl rings with the Patriots. He also played defensive back late in his career. In 2007, he played in one game.

Information from the Associated Press and TheState.com contributed to this post.

Mountaineer Football Notebook

Courtesy of Appalachian Sports Information
BOONE, N.C. — Appalachian State University has announced parking regulations for this Saturday (Sept. 27) as the University hosts both Open House and Appalachian’s football duel versus Presbyterian.

All parking lots will be reserved for Open House patrons until 2 p.m. Beginning at 2 p.m., those with Yosef Club parking permits may begin accessing their assigned lots. Due to the unprecedented demand for ASU’s Open House activities, tailgating will not be permitted in any lots until after 2 p.m.

For more information on football parking and gameday activities, visit GoASU.com’s Gameday Central page and TailgateAtTheRock.com.

LIMITED NUMBER OF GRASS SEATS REMAIN FOR SATURDAY’S GAME: A limited number of general admission grass seats for Saturday’s ASU-PC contest are still available and can be purchased online at GoASU.com, by phone at (828) 262-2079 or in person at the ASU athletics ticket office in the Holmes Center.

Three weeks ago, a record crowd of 30,718 turned out to see the Mountaineers rout Jacksonville, 56-7, in the home opener at newly expanded Kidd Brewer Stadium. All of KBS’s 20,150 reserved seats are sold out for each of ASU’s five remaining home dates, but a limited number of grass seats remain for each game.

VOLLEYBALL-FOOTBALL DOUBLEHEADER ON TAP: Before heading to The Rock for Saturday night’s football showdown, Mountaineer fans are encouraged to stop by the Holmes Center to see ASU volleyball take on Southern Conference rival Elon at 4 p.m. In an effort to pack the house for the volleyball clash, admission to Saturday’s match is FREE.

APPS SLIP TO NOS. 3, 4 IN NATIONAL POLLS: Following last Saturday’s narrow 35-32 loss at No. 5 James Madison, Appalachian dropped from the top spot in both of the major NCAA Division I FCS national polls this week. ASU dropped to No. 3 in The Sports Network media poll and No. 4 in the American Football Coaches Association poll.

JMU vaulted to No. 1 in the coaches’ poll by virtue of its first win over the Mountaineers since 1991. Richmond, which the Apps defeated, 55-35, to advance to last year’s national title game, rose to the top of the media poll, where JMU is ranked second.

Appalachian is one of five SoCon teams ranked in the top 16 of The Sports Network poll. ASU opens conference play versus on Saturday, Oct. 4 versus No. 13 The Citadel. The game is set to be televised live on SportSouth at 3 p.m.

INJURY UPDATE: Mountaineer running back Devon Moore (ankle) and defensive end Tony Robertson (foot) are both expected to miss approximately six weeks due to their respective injuries suffered in Saturday’s setback at James Madison.

Sophomore Robert Welton, who leads the Apps with 256 rushing yards, a sterling 9.1 yards per rush average and six total touchdowns on the season, is in line to make his first-career start on Saturday versus Presbyterian. Sophomore Jabari Fletcher and true freshman Lanston Tanyi are both expected to see increased playing time in Robertson’s absence.

FORMER MOUNTAINEER HERO’S JERSEYS STOLEN: Former Appalachian quarterback Richie Williams, who led the Mountaineers to their first national title in 2005 and is the school’s all-time leader in passing yards and total offense, was the victim of a theft at his Charlotte-area apartment last week. Williams, who spends much of the year in Canada as a member of the Canadian Football League’s Hamilton Tiger-Cats, lost many possessions in the theft, including both of his ASU jerseys from the 2005 championship season.

ASU fans are encouraged to be on the lookout for the stolen jerseys, especially around the Charlotte area or on online auction sites such as Ebay. Anyone with any information on the theft is asked to call the University City Patrol Division of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police at (704) 432-3900.

Former Vikings Shine in Mars Hill Football Win over West Liberty State

WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. - Tyrea Allen (Murphy, N.C.) caught a 73-yard touchdown strike from Ricky Spradling (Roan Mountain, Tenn.) with 13:17 left in the fourth quarter to propel the Lions to a 38-35 road victory at West Liberty State College Saturday afternoon. MHC improved to 3-1 on the year while WLSC fell to an even 2-2 on the season.

WLSC scored the only points in the first frame before the offensive onslaught began in the second quarter. The Lions won the second frame 21-14 to send the teams into the locker room at the intermission tied at 21-all. Jonas Randolph (Daleville, Ala.), Spradling and George Washington (Warner Robbins, Ga.) all had rushing touchdowns in the first half of play. Michael Pinkerton (Bogart, Ga.) connected on all three PAT kick attempts.

The Hilltoppers took a 28-21 lead with 5:46 left in the third stanza before Allen caught a 71-yard touchdown pass from Spradling on the Lions' first play from scrimmage on the ensuing possession to tie the game again at 28-all. Pinkerton then nailed an important 37-yard field goal at the 1:08 mark in the third quarter. Those three points would later prove to be the difference in the game.

Eddie Hills caught a four-yard pass from Zach Amedro with 14:14 left in regulation to give the Hilltoppers a 35-31 advantage but just over a minute later, Allen's game-winning reception led the Lions to victory. Allen finished the day with six catches for 195 yards and two scores.

Spradling was 10-18 for 322 yards passing while Washington rushed for 84 yards on 25 carries. Zach Johnson (Newland, N.C.) led the Lions' defense with eight tackles (7 solo), four tackles-for-loss and a sack.

Brandon Edmond (East Dublin, Ga.) followed with seven stops, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. Pinkerton was a perfect 5-5 in PAT kicks plus the 37-yard field goal.

Mars Hill will host SAC rival Catawba College in the Lions' conference opener next Saturday, September 27. Kickoff is set for 1:30 p.m.

Lady Vikings Volleyball Downs Owen in five-game match

The Lady Vikings volleyball team dispatched of the Owen Warlassies in a tough five-game match on Tuesday night.

Avery took a 15-9 lead in the opening game, but Owen rallied to cut the deficit to 22-21. The Big Red regrouped to take the game's final three points to win game one by a 25-21 final score.

Game two was another back and forth contest. Avery took a 10-7 lead before Owen came back to take a 13-11 lead. The resilient Warlassies team showed great resolve while playing good defense in keeping rallies alive.

Avery regained momentum to have an opportunity to win the second game at 24-21, but Owen staved off defeat and won take a 25-24 lead and eventually win the game by a 27-25 score.

Owen opened the third game with a 4-0 run and looked poised to seize control of the match, but the Lady Vikings bounced back to tie the match at 5 points each. A 7-1 Avery run midway through the game gave the Lady Vikings 16-12 lead. Avery maintained a slim two-point lead for much of the remainder of the game before Owen tied the match at 23-23. The Lady Vikings regrouped after a time out and took the game by a 26-24 score.

A scrappy Warlassies club won by a 25-14 final score in game four to force a tie-breaking fifth game. Avery was strong in the final contest, winning by the final of 15-7. Senior Brittney Hagie had six serve aces in the deciding game and Katie Ellis had six kills and five digs as part of a 39-kill effort overall in the match. Sara Singleton added 36 assists in the win.

Avery returns to the court next Tuesday in a match at Hendersonville.

Avery Soccer Plays Madison to 1-1 Tie

The Avery soccer team battled through 100 minutes of soccer on Monday night with the Madison Patriots at MacDonald Stadium, but could not hold a lead as the teams played to a 1-1 tie.

Avery struck first in the match as Kyle Griewisch took a free kick and in quick fashion sent a ball sailing over the Madison defense. Andrew Ingram stayed onside, ran down the loose ball, then dribbled to to the Madison goal and slipped a shot over the head of the Patriots keeper in the match's 28th minute for a 1-0 lead which the Big Red took into the locker room at halftime.

Shots were hard to come by in the opening half as both clubs managed only three shots on goal. Avery keeper Morgan Bounds made a total of five saves in the half and the Vikings took four corner kicks in the half while the Patriots failed to earn a corner kick.

Madison found the equalizer in the 55th minute as a foul was whistled against the Vikings. The foul occurred inside the penalty area, giving the Patriots the opportunity for a penalty kick that they successfully converted to knot the match at a goal apiece.

The match was a rough and tumble affair for both clubs. Avery's goal scorer and constant offensive threat Andrew Ingram was forced out of the game with around 12 minutes remaining in regulation with a leg injury and did not return to the match. The loss hampered the Vikings' offensive production, but Avery still managed to get opportunities on the Madison end of the field. Unfortunately the club was unable to capitalize in the form of a go-ahead goal as the teams remained tied after regulation play.

Both squads had scoring opportunities in the pair of 10-minute overtime sessions, but neither team could push a goal across as the teams were forced to settle for the tie.

Avery returns to action on Wednesday with a match at Mountain Heritage, and return to MacDonald Stadium on Monday night for a match against Mitchell.

Mountaineers Drop in Poll as Richmond Gains Top Spot

Following Appalachian State's 35-32 loss last Saturday at James Madison, the Mountaineers fell out of the top spot in the latest Sports Network FCS poll, dropping to third overall. The Dukes vaulted above the Mountaineers to second in this week's rankings as the Richmond Spiders were crowned the new top team in the land. A total of six Southern Conference teams are ranked in this week's top 25. The complete poll is as follows, with first place votes in parentheses:

1. Richmond Spiders (49)
2. James Madison Dukes (37)
3. Appalachian State Mountaineers
4. Montana Grizzlies (12)
5. Northern Iowa Panthers (2)
6. McNeese State Cowboys
7. New Hampshire Wildcats (1)
8. Elon Phoenix
9. Cal Poly Mustangs
10. North Dakota State Bison
11. Eastern Washington Eagles
12. Central Arkansas Bears
13. The Citadel Bulldogs
14. Wofford Terriers
15. Southern Illinois Salukis
16. Furman Paladins
17. Delaware Blue Hens
18. Massachusetts Minutemen
19. Villanova Wildcats
20. South Dakota State Jackrabbits
21. Eastern Illinois Panthers
22. Western Illinois Leathernecks
23. Tennessee State Tigers (1)
24. Georgia Southern Eagles
25. Liberty Flames

The Mountaineers fell to fourth in the latest FCS coaches poll, with James Madison taking the top spot overall.