Lady Vikings Take Fourth Straight with Win in Conference Opener

The Avery Lady Vikings took a while to get things going against the Owen Warlassies, with a lot of almost scoring drives occurring before they got a ball in the back of the net.

Wearing their road red, since they have no St. Patrick green to wear, the Vikings got their first score in the 20^th minute when stopper Katelynn Eudy proved that offense starts with the defense. Actually in soccer, defense is the responsibility of everyone on the field; however, in this case the defender was the first to score. Midfielder Mary Chesnut Smith assisted Eudy on the first score. Avery was not to get on the board again until the closing minutes of the first half.

In the 36^th minute, forward Melinda Eggers sent a ball across the face of the goal with such power that the Warlassies defense was not able to stop the ball, but had it bounce off the defender into the goal. If the defender had not gotten in the way, forward Jennie Elrod was in place to tap the ball in.

After a halftime talk with several areas on to work on, the coaching staff was alarmed when the Lady Vikings came out flat in the second half. With several early scoring chances, the Vikings couldn’t finish any of them. Although the Vikings continued to dominate, keeping the ball in their possession more often than not, it wasn’t until the 64^th minute that the Lady Vikings were able to score again. Defender Megan Robbins passed the ball to Smith, who was able to work her way through several defenders and put the ball behind the keeper. This score helped in part to make up for a shot earlier by Smith which hit the goal post and bounced away from the goal instead of into the goal.

This ended the scoring by the Vikings in the contest, but the defense kept the Warlassies out of the goal all night. The final score was 3-0, with another shutout for junior first-year keeper Mercedes Bentley, her third of the young season. The Vikings took 16 shots on goal in the first half and 21 in the second half. Bentley had 8 saves on the evening with the other three Warlassies shots going wide.

Next week the Lady Vikings will play two key conference games. They will host conference newcomer Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy, who upset Hendersonville earlier this week, on Monday, March 22nd, and will host Hendersonville on Thursday, March 25th, both games at 6 p.m. The team then hits the road on Friday the 26th to take on West Caldwell.

(Special thanks to Serena Smith for text and photos)

Mountaineers Cruise to First Round CIT Victory

We're live on hand tonight in Boone at the Holmes Center for the first round of the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Basketball Tournament. as Appalachian State plays host to Ivy League opponent Harvard.

The game marks the fourth NCAA Division I postseason appearance for the Mountaineers (22-12), who played in the 2007 National Invitational Tournament as well as the 1979 and 2000 NCAA Tournaments.

It is the first-ever meeting with the Crimson (21-7, 10-4 Ivy), though the programs’ head coaches are familiar with each other. Buzz Peterson (North Carolina) and Tommy Amaker (Duke) competed against each other for three seasons in the ACC in the 1980s.

ASU has never played any of the eight Ivy League schools and both teams seek their first postseason win. Appalachian is coming off a heartbreaking loss to Wofford in the finals of the Southern Conference Tournament.

The Last Time Out

Harvard last played on March 6, dropping a 54-51 decision at Princeton in a foul-filled game
with 44 combined whistles. A 3-pointer from Brandyn Curry put the Crimson ahead 51-50 with 1:15 left in the game but Princeton’s Marcus Schroeder then made four free throws down the stretch to get the win, likely denying Harvard of an NIT bid as the Crimson just missed the 32-team field. Curry paced Harvard with 11 points and eight rebounds.

Appalachian State held Wofford without a point for 10 minutes in the second half of the SoCon championship game but it wasn’t enough in a 56-51 loss on March 8. Andre Williamson scored 12 points and Ryann Abraham added 11, but the Mountaineers shot just 29 percent. Their top two scorers -- Donald Sims and Kellen Brand -- combined to shoot 2 of 23.

Records & Ratings

Harvard boasts the second-best record in the CIT field behind Northern Colorado. The Crimson’s RPI of 100 is just ahead of Appalachian state (101) and is fifth-best in the field.

Here are some other news and notes on tonight's contest:

• ASU is 13-3 at home this season, tying the Holmes Center record for wins.
• ASU also seeks its first NCAA Division I postseason win in the tournament, as the squad is 0-3 in the previous NIT and NCAA berths.
• The Crimson enter the postseason with a stellar 21-7 record on the season, 10-4 in Ivy League
play.
• Harvard finished third in the league after winning four of its last five games.
• Jeremy Lin leads the Crimson with 16.6 points per game on 52.3 percent shooting.
• Kyle Casey is the squad’s top rebounder with 5.2 boards per game to accompany his 10.3
scoring average.
• Harvard and Appalachian did not have a common opponent this season.
• Harvard fared well on the road this season with a 10-5 mark, including a West Coast sweep of Seattle and Santa Clara.

We'll be bringing updates from our location courtside from opening tip to the final buzzer as ASU and Harvard battle to advance in the CIT.

Update #1: Preparing for tipoff as the starters have been announced. Postseason action ready to roll from Boone!

Harvard starts the game on an 8-0 run over the first 1:15 with the help of 3 ASU turnovers. Coach Peterson pulls all five starters as motivation for his starters. The move pays off as ASU goes on a 4-0 spurt with buckets from Andre Williamson and Marcus Wright. Harvard takes a 30 second timeout, and leads by a score of 10-7.

First media timeout: Harvard 10, Appalachian 7

Update #2: Harvard opens up a 22-12 lead after a four-point play and a three-pointer from Christian Webster, forcing an ASU timeout. 13:11 remains in the first half.

Update #3: Appalachian State finds itself trailing 28-18 with 10:32 left in the first half. Webster has a total of 13 points for Harvard (four 3-pointers), while Andre Williamson leads the Mountaineers with six points thus far. Harvard is lighting it up from beyond the arc, while Appalachian has already committed five turnovers in the first nine and a half minutes.

Update #4: ASU goes on a run, as a 3-pointer from Kellen Brand forces Harvard to take another timeout. Crimson leads it 32-26 with 7:13 left in the half.

Update #5: Harvard is 6 of 10 from three point range and 12-21 so far from the field. Appalachian is shooting 50 percent from the field but still find themselves behind 35-30 with 4:37 left to play in the half.

Update #6: Last media timeout of the half and ASU trails 37-32. Webster has been kept silent for several minutes by the Appalachian defense, and Donald Sims, Kellen Brand, and Marcus Wright have all hit outside jumpers to help keep the Mountaineers in it.

Update #7: A Josh Hunter shot inside ties the game at 37-37 with 1:50 to play, and a driving layup from Kellen Brand gives the Mountaineers their first lead at 39-37 with 1:22 left in the half. A Williamson thunderous dunk puts ASU up by 4 in the final minute of the half. In all ASU goes on an 11-0 run to go from trailing by five to leading by four. ASU on its final possession of the half scores on a tip-in from Josh Hunter of a Sims three-pointer. Mountaineers lead 43-37 at intermission.

Halftime: ASU 43 Harvard 37

Appalachian shot 18 for 33 from the field for the half, and was 6 of 11 from three-point range in the first half. Harvard, after a hot shooting start, cooled off to go 14 of 31 from the field and 7 of 13 from three-point land. Webster leads Harvard with 13 points, with 10 from Kyle Casey.

Four Mountaineers, Donald Sims, Kellen Brand, Marcus Wright, and Andre Williamson each have 8 points in the first half. After four early turnovers, Appalachian finished with just six for the half, while forcing 8 turnovers from Harvard.

Update #8: Appalachian opens up its largest lead of the night at 49-40 at the first media timeout. Kellen Brand had netted three jumpers to account for all ASU's points in the half so far.

Update #9: Five points from Donald Sims and four points from Josh Hunter forces Harvard to take a time out to try to stay in this game. 12:02 left to play in the contest and the Mountaineers lead 60-46.

Update #10: Harvard has cut the deficit to 71-58 with 8:07 to play, but Appalachian scores just before the media timeout with 7:58 to play. 73-58 Mountaineers lead it.

Update #11: Appalachian has stretched out its advantage to 86-68 at the final media time out with just 3:05 left to play. ASU will advance to the quarterfinals of the tournament and play on Monday evening against an opponent to be determined. Winners from last night included the following:

Fairfield 101, George Mason 96 (OT)

Marshall 90, Western Carolina 88

Creighton 89, South Dakota 78

Games being played tonight include...

Middle Tennessee State (19-13) @ Missouri State (20-12)

Portland (21-10) @ Northern Colorado (24-7)

Pacific (20-11) @ Loyola Marymount (18-14)


Coach Peterson takes out most of his starters at the 2:25 mark with Appalachian leading 88-69. The Mountaineers are movin' on in the CIT. Final Score from Boone: Appalachian 93, Harvard 71.

"I thought Appalachian's front line was outstanding tonight. Points in the paint in their favor was a tremendous advantage," Harvard head coach Tommy Amaker remarked after the game. "We ran into a team that played exceptionally well."

Christian Webster scored 24 points tonight to lead the Crimson. Kyle Casey scored 14 points, with 12 from Jeremy Lin.

Appalachian was paced by Donald Sims' 22 points, with 14 points from Kellen Brand, 13 points from Josh Hunter, 11 points from Andre Williamson, and 10 points from Marcus Wright.

"I'm very happy for these seniors to be the first to get a postseason win. These guys have been through a lot, but from Day One they've accepted what we've tried to do and have worked hard. This team has really improved, winning 16 of 21," Coach Buzz Peterson said after the win. "It's a good win for the program, our first. The student turnout was great to see."

Tough Tuesday at the Ballpark for Avery

The Avery Vikings softball and baseball teams traveled to Swannanoa Tuesday to take on the Owen Warhorses in the 2010 conference opener.

Owen was dominant in both softball and baseball, as the Avery junior varsity and varsity teams were shut out for the day.

In JV softball action, Avery saw its first day of outdoor action, including practices, and Owen took advantage in defeating Avery 34-0 in three innings. In varsity action, the Warlassies were equally dominant, upending the Avery varsity team by a 15-0 score in four innings. Avery faced a tall test in the varsity contest as Owen pitcher Taylor Fisher threw a five-inning perfect game for Owen.with six strikeouts.

The Avery JV baseball team took on the Warhorses and fell 9-0 in a five-inning affair, while the varsity Warhorses blanked the Vikings baseball squad by a final score of 11-0.

Avery baseball returns to action this afternoon with a non-conference game at Hampton, then both the baseball and softball teams re-enter conference play with games at Thomas Jefferson on Friday afternoon.

Avery Schedule Changes

(updated 3/15 2 p.m.)

The weather has affected a number of sports contests involving Avery County schools for Monday.

Avery's baseball games scheduled at Hampton (TN) are postponed for this afternoon, as well as Avery Middle School's scheduled baseball and softball games at Harris.

Cranberry Middle School is still slated to play softball at Cane River Middle School at 3:30 pm this afternoon, with CMS baseball to take on Cane River afterward. In addition, Avery High School girls soccer is still scheduled to travel to Mountain Heritage to open Western Highlands Conference play against the Lady Cougars this evening at 6 p.m. in Burnsville.

Avery High School baseball and softball are next scheduled to play tomorrow (3/16) at Owen High School, while Cranberry Middle School baseball is slated to play a doubleheader at Bowman Middle School.

Lady Vikings Improve to 2-0 with Shutout at Chase

The Avery Lady Vikings soccer team showed no ill effects from lack of practice time as a full squad, blitzing the Chase Lady Trojans 8-0 in Forest City Wednesday night.

Avery got on the board early and often in its non-conference affair. Avery scored in the first minute with Mary Chesnut Smith sending the ball through to forward Melinda Eggers who scored for her second goal of the season, as she also scored the first goal in the first game.

In the 8^th minute, Smith got her second assist in the game when Katelynn Eudy scored from about 20 yards out, off a throw-in by Smith. Just three minutes later Elyse Perry connected with Emily Banner who scored the third goal of the game.

Just 12 minutes later , Mary Chesnut earned her third assist when she crossed the ball from the sideline to the face of the goal where Arden Stanley got her head on the ball to make the score 4-0. Avery tallied a fifth goal for the half in the 28th minute as Banner assisted Perry on a score, reversing roles from an earlier score.

Avery scored a sixth goal in the half, but the tally was called back due to an offsides call. Chase struggled the entire half to even get the ball into Avery's defensive half of the field, managing to do so on only a couple of occasions despite Coach Tom Evaul experimenting with various combinations of players and trying the newer players out in a variety of positions.

The second half began with a scare for the Chase fans as a strong shot by Smith took out the keeper. Perry was able to get to the loose ball and score for a 6-0 lead before the keeper recovered. She was aided off the field but did return later in the game.

Seven minutes later in the 50^th minute, Banner assisted Smith on the seventh goal of the game. Smith returned the favor in the 60^th minute, assisting Banner for the eighth and final Avery goal of the evening.

Although Coach Evaul had substituted freely throughout the evening, he had kept the defense solid. After the eighth goal, the coach took out most of the starters and those who stayed in played different positions.

Junior net minder Mercedes Bentley earned her first career high school shutout, earning the clean sheet with a pair of saves. In all, Chase had only four shots on goal while Avery took 30.

Six different Lady Vikings scored on the evening, with senior Elyse Perry and junior Emily Banner each scoring a pair. Juniors Melinda Eggers, Katelynn Eudy and Mary Chesnut Smith each scored one goal as did sophomore Arden Stanley. Smith also provided helpers on five goals, Banner finished with two assists and Perry with one.

Coach Evaul expressed happiness with seeing so many different players scoring, but still would like to see better shots taken and stronger finishes overall. The defense needs to work on their communication and their touches on the ball, according to the coach.

Although the team has had no practices on a full-field, and only a very few outside at all, Coach Evaul is very pleased with the progress the team has made. Until the first game, the whole team had never been together for a practice because 6 starters, 4 basketball players and 2 cheerleaders , were involved with basketball until two days before the first soccer game.

Avery returns to the pitch on Friday afternoon with a match in Miller's Creek against West Wilkes.

Avery Sports News & Notes

Lady Vikings Soccer Kicks off 2010 with Road Victory

The Avery Lady Vikings soccer team began its season Monday night with a 6-1 victory in Ronda against East Wilkes.

A number of the players transitioning from the recent basketball season completion did not start the contest, but eventually entered the contest and played a major role in the outcome.

In the 11^th minute Mary Chesnut Smith passed up the sideline to Emily Banner, who crossed the ball to Melinda Eggers who placed the ball behind the keeper for the first goal. Three minutes later Smith passed to Elyse Perry who was in front of the goal and powered the ball in past the keeper for a 2-0 margin.

In the 36th minute of the first half East Wilkes managed to push past the midfield and backline, and slipped a goal past junior Mercedes Bentley, who this season is back in goal and on the soccer field for the first time in several years.

Avery answered the Cardinal goal with another of their own before half, with Banner passing to another newcomer Cassie Bumgarner. The junior fired a shot at the keeper, who got her hands on it but fumbled the ball before losing it in the goal, making the score 3-1 at the half.

Just short of ten minutes into the second half, Jennie Elrod, another former soccer player playing in her first high school game, passed the ball to Banner for her first of two goals. In the 56th minute, Smith connected with Banner for Banner’s second goal, and in the 67th minute Smith herself got in the scoring column with a goal off an assist from Katelynn Eudy.

East Wilkes had two shots on goal for the match with one score. Avery keeper Bentley had one save. The Lady Vikings took 10 shots on goal in the first half and 12 in the second. East Wilkes keeper had many saves.

Avery travels to Chase High School on Wednesday, March 10^th and to West Wilkes the Friday the 12^th before opening conference play next Monday at Mountain Heritage.

Avery Middle School Baseball and Softball Opens Season with Wins

Avery Middle School Panthers baseball got off to a great start in Toe River Conference action as they defeated the Bowman Bulldogs 2-1 in Mine Creek Monday night.

The game turned out to be a pitcher’s duel with each hurler pitching two scoreless innings.

Bowman got on the board in the bottom of the third inning to take a 1-0 lead, but Avery would answer in the top of the fourth when Ty Polsgrove led off with a single. Ty stole both second and third base to move into scoring position, where teammate Daniel Childress hit a deep ball to left field. The fly ball drove Polsgrove home knotting the score at 1-1.

In the top of the fifth inning, Avery’s Wesley Hobbs started the Panther rally with two outs, getting on base with a walk. Back-to-back singles by Wade Smith and Maverick Austin loaded the bases for Polsgrove. Ty pushed the count to full, and with all the Panthers on the move, drew the walk that put the Panthers up for good.

Avery starts the season off with a win and sits atop the conference standings. Chance Watson picked up the win with a complete game six-inning effort on the mound, surrendering only one run on six hits while striking out five and walked only one batter.

The Avery Lady Panthers softball squad traveled to Bowman Middle School for Toe River Conference action. Avery rode a complete game pitching effort from Shannon Smith and gave the hurler plenty off offensive support in picking up an impressive 13-3 win.

The contest was close through the first three innings of play, but the tide turned in the top of the fourth frame. With Avery leading by a 5-3 score, the Lady Panthers loaded the bases and Jenny Lehmann hit a double to clear the bases and give the visitors an 8-3 edge.

Avery added a pair of runs in the sixth inning and three in the seventh, while the right-hander Smith held the Lady Bulldogs scoreless over the final four innings.

The Lady Panthers will play at Cane River on Thursday, while the Cranberry Wildcats teams are scheduled to play at Bowman on Thursday. Avery plays at Cane River on Thursday, while the Cranberry Middle School baseball team opens the season at Bowman on the same evening.

Western Highlands Conference Tabs Dustin Clarke Player of the Year, Bo Manis Coach of the Year Honors

Avery junior guard Dustin Clarke was named the Western Highlands Conference Player of the Year by the league’s coaches and officials.

Dustin had an outstanding season that placed him among the state’s leaders in scoring at 23.1 points per game. Clarke also averaged three steals a game to go with five assists and over six rebounds per game.

Clarke was integral part of the Vikings’ turnaround season in 2009-10 that witnessed the team’s improvement from a three-win squad in ’08-’09 to an 11-win team and state playoff qualifier this past season.

“I’m so proud to see Dustin receive the Player of the Year award for his hard work,” Avery head basketball coach Bo Manis said after the announcement. “He’s put in a lot of time and effort, and I’m glad to see it paying off for him.”

In addition to Clarke’s award, Avery Vikings head men’s basketball coach Bo Manis was named by his peers as the Western Highlands Conference Coach of the Year. Manis took over a squad with three wins in the season before his arrival and has won 14 games over the past two seasons.

Manis’ Vikings club qualified for the state playoffs and won a state playoff game for the first time since 2006.

“It’s great to have the respect from the other coaches. There were plenty of other guys who probably deserved it more than me, but to be recognized by your peers for our accomplishments is special,” Coach Manis said regarding the award. “None of it is possible if not for the players. As soon as I found out, I thanked my parents. They have been such a positive influence in my life and taught me the ropes about coaching. They deserve a lot of credit for this."

Both Clarke and Manis will be honored with awards during Avery's athletics banquet this spring.

Vikings Varsity Teams Boast Six All-Conference Selections

With the elimination of its final team from the regional playoffs, the Western Highlands Conference has released its All-Conference selections in both boys and girls basketball.

The Avery varsity girls basketball team, who finished with a school-record 24 victories, boasts three players on the squad.

Seniors Lauren Avery (Regular Season: 12.9 points/game, 6.2 rebounds/game, 2.4 steals/game, 3.3 assists/game) and Sara Wiseman (Regular Season: 11.3 points/game, 8.6 rebounds/game, 1.7 steals/game, 1.4 assists/game) garnered All-Conference recognition, in addition to junior Katelynn Eudy, who averaged 9.3 points/game, 8 rebounds/game, 2.2 steals/game, 1.8 assists/game during the regular season.

Avery’s varsity boys basketball team finished with an impressive 11 wins in 2009-10 and had three players tabbed for this year’s All-Conference roster.

Junior Dustin Clarke (23.1 points/game, 4.8 assists/game, 6.4 rebounds/game, 3 steals/game), senior Dylan Eppley (10.4 points/game, 5.9 rebounds/game, 1.8 assists/game), and junior Kody Hughes (8.7 points/game, 3.6 rebounds/game, 1.1 assists/game) represent Avery on this year’s squad.

Congratulations to all these fine student-athletes on a terrific season on the court!

Vikings Baseball Opens 2010 Season with Visits to Wilkes County

The Avery varsity baseball team journey three times to Wilkes County to take on Wilkes Central on two occasions, sandwiched between by a trip to North Wilkes.

Avery began last Monday with a trip to state-ranked 2A team Wilkes Central. The Eagles shut out the Vikings in the first game by a final score of 19-0, but the young Avery team still found positives out of the contest.

“We’ve had zero practices on any type of playing surface other than a gym floor. We have spent half our practices in the cafeteria and have only taken batting practice in the cage one time, which is why we schedule games off the mountain this early in the season. I know we’re going to play when we travel there,” Avery varsity baseball head coach Benny Wellborn said.

“Each game we have made improvement. We’re making fewer errors and throwing more strikes. I make sure to tell our players that right now we want to leave a game a better ball club than we were when we took the field. Although it doesn’t reflect it in the score, I believe we did that.”

Last Saturday afternoon the Vikings traveled to Hays to take on North Wilkes. In the battle of the Vikings the North club built an early lead, but Avery battled back into the game.

Danny Ray Cole and Ethan Sluder both reach base to open the game and came around to score for an early 2-0 lead before North rallied in the bottom of the first with a pair to tie the game.

Following a scoreless second inning, Avery struck for two additional runs in the top of the third frame. Sluder led off with a double and scored on an RBI single by Daniel Huff. Huff also scored on a Jack Buchanan RBI base hit to put the visiting Vikings up 4-2.

North’s bats also woke up in the bottom of the frame for three runs to take its first lead at 5-4.

Danny Ray Cole reached base for the second time in three at-bats with a walk in the top of the fourth, and later scored his third run of the game on an RBI groundout from Steven Daniels to knot the game at 5-5.

North erupted for its largest offensive flurry in the bottom of the fourth, however. The home team plated six runs on four hits in the inning, giving them a commanding 11-5 advantage after four innings.

Following the North Wilkes spurt, Avery held the Vikings to only three hits and no runs over the final three innings. The effort afforded the Big Red the chance to claw back into the game.

Avery plated four runs in the top of the fifth, immediately answering the North scoring spree. Jack Buchanan and C.J. Vance both reached on walks, while pinch hitter Joe Buchanan rapped a single to reach safely, while Jack Buchanan came around to score the first run of the inning, With two outs in the frame, Sluder came through for the third straight time with a two-RBI double to left field, scoring Buchanan and Vance to cut the deficit to 11-9.

One inning later the Avery club drew to within a single run when Jared Clark led off the frame with a solo home run to right field. Clark battled the Wilkes pitcher through a long at-bat before getting the best of the hurler.

Unfortunately Avery could not score a tying run in the top of the seventh inning, falling short in an 11-10 loss.

“We made improvements from the Wilkes Central game to the North game. I told the guys that it was like we were a Little League team on Monday and played more like a high school team on Saturday. We made that big of a step,” Coach Wellborn stated. “We put the ball in play for ten runs, we ran the bases well, we only made two errors. We continue to improve, and that’s all you can ask of your players.”

This past Monday Avery again ventured to take on Wilkes Central. Avery began the contest scoring a run in the top of the first inning when Danny Ray Cole singled to left field and scored for an early 1-0 lead.

The single run was all the scoring Avery could get for the contest. Wilkes Central answered with 14 runs on 14 hits to bury the Big Red in a hole they could not climb out of as the Eagles earned a 22-1 victory in four innings.

“Wilkes Central is one of the best one-through-nine hitting teams in the state. Although the score doesn’t indicate it, we played better against them the second time than we did the first,” Coach Wellborn said. “We pitched better and threw more strikes. We put the ball in play, and cut down our errors. We’re progressing right now, and our main focus is to take the opportunities we get in game situations to get better.”

Avery will take to the diamond looking for its first win this Friday when they travel for a rematch with North Wilkes. The Viking junior varsity squad, who lost its only contest this season thus far at North, will have its own rematch with North’s JV club that same evening.

Bishop McGuinness Keeps Lady Vikings in Check to End Storybook Avery Season

In books and the movies the hero overcomes adversity to defeat the bad guy, riding off triumphantly into the sunset.

The Avery Lady Vikings hoped to repeat that script with a victory in the Western Regional semifinal over four-time defending state 1A girls champion Bishop McGuinness High School.

Unfortunately for the Big Red, the game did not go according to plan. A tough Bishop zone defense and a second half scoring run by the Lady Villains opened a double-digit lead that Avery could not overcome. Despite a valiant effort to the bitter end, the Lady Vikings saw their season come to an end as Bishop captured a 57-42 win Friday night at Fleming Gym on the campus of UNC-Greensboro.

The two squads battled through a low-scoring first quarter as neither team consistently found its range. Avery made only two of its first 14 shots in the opening quarter as Bishop took a narrow 9-8 lead after one period. The tall and athletic Lady Villains made it difficult for Avery to effectively press on defense or run its fast-tempo offense. Four Avery players each scored a pair of points in the stanza.

As the second quarter unfolded, the Lady Vikings made life difficult for the Bishop squad, as the Lady Villains went over four minutes without a single point and saw one of its strongest players in senior Erin Fitzgerald saddled with two fouls. In the meantime the Avery offense got untracked with a 10-2 scoring spurt for its strongest stretch of the game. Baskets by Sara Wiseman, Lauren Avery, and Katelynn Eudy, as well as a short jump shot by Hayley Pyatte propelled the Big Red into its largest lead of the game at 16-13 with 3:31 left before halftime.

Bishop remained poised, drawing fouls inside to score from the free throw line. Lady Villains coach Brian Robinson also rolled the dice by inserting Fitzgerald back into the lineup despite her two personal fouls. The gamble paid off as the duo of Fitzgerald and junior Megan Buckland paced the Lady Villains with six points in the final two and a half minutes to regain the lead. A driving layup by Buckland in the closing seconds gave Bishop a 25-20 lead going to halftime.

Buckland, the Lady Villains’ leading scorer at 19.5 points per contest, was held to just eight points in the first half on 3 of 8 shooting. Avery was led by seven points and three blocked shots in the half by junior forward Katelynn Eudy.

Avery shot 33 percent from the field in the first two periods, hile holding Bishop to under 31 percent. Scoring inside the paint, an area normally dominated by Avery, was 14-8 in favor of the Lady Villains through one half of play, and the running Lady Vikings surprisingly had no fast break points at halftime.

Despite being down on the scoreboard, the Big Red felt good about its play in the first two periods.

“I thought we had a great first half. They knew we came to play and could compete with them,” Avery girls head basketball coach Missy Lyons stated after the game. “When we were staying close and missing as many shots as we did, we were feeling pretty good. To be as close as we were, considering how poorly we shot the ball in the first half was a credit to how good we were playing defensively.”

As the second half began, the Lady Villains decided to divert away from its traditional man-to-man defense and switched to a 3-2 zone defense, congesting the paint area to entice Avery to win by hitting the perimeter shot.

“Avery was very good with its cutting and setting screens. We were having a lot of trouble with that so we went zone to try to settle us down. We played zone very little this year, but we did what we had to out of necessity,” Bishop McGuinness head coach Brian Robinson said after the game.

The decision paid off as the Lady Vikings found it hard to pass the basketball inside and struggled to consistently hit the outside shot. Bishop McGuinness heated up from the field to spark a 13-2 scoring run in the first 3:35 of the second half to push its lead to double figures at 38-22.

“It (the defensive switch) bothered us a little. We rushed a few shots, but the biggest thing was that they crashed the boards and boxed out better in the zone defense,” Coach Lyons said. “We were only getting one shot and that was it.”

Although trailing, the Lady Vikings put together another surge with an 8-2 scoring rally in the late stages of the third period, highlighted by a jumper from Wiseman and a three-pointer from Bentley. Bishop’s Buckland was covered all game by Viking shutdown defender Lauren Avery.

After being held in check by Lauren in the first half, Buckland heated up with nine points in the third quarter which helped stake the Lady Villains to a 42-30 lead after three periods.
A three-pointer from Wiseman in the opening minute of the final period drew Avery to within single-digits at 42-33, but that would be as close as the Lady Vikings would get for the remainder of the contest.

The Lady Villains shot 8 of 13 from the free throw line in the final period to protect its lead. Avery had a hard time getting open looks all evening on offense, making just 16 of 57 shots (28 percent) for the game.

Senior Lauren Avery led the Lady Vikings with 14 points and five rebounds, with 11 points and 8 rebounds from fellow senior Sara Wiseman. Katelynn Eudy scored just two points but hauled in a team-high ten rebounds.

Buckland paced the Lady Villains with 24 points on 8 of 15 shooting with 10 rebounds, and 5 assists. Point guard Marie Petrangeli was the only other Bishop player in double figures with 11 points.

Bishop outscored Avery 30-14 in the paint for the contest, and 16-5 off turnovers. The Lady Vikings generated more second-chance points, but Bishop held a decisive 16-0 advantage in fast-break points. Both teams committed 13 turnovers in the contest.

“They hit some good shots in the third quarter to pull away. We kept working hard but didn’t shoot well tonight,” Coach Lyons said in the post-game press conference. “We have personal goals we set for ourselves as a team, and it was hard to reach those tonight. Offensively we struggled a bit and that that hurt us down the stretch.”

The Lady Vikings finish its season with a school record 24 wins, with only four losses. Bishop McGuinness improved to 21-7, and went on to defeat fellow Western Highlands Conference member Mitchell 68-48 in Saturday’s regional final to advance to this weekend’s 1A girls state title game.

Bishop McGuinness vs. Avery Box Score At Greensboro, N.C. / Fleming Gymnasium BISHOP MCGUINNESS 57, AVERY 42 BISHOP MCGUINNESS (21-7) Buckland, Megan 8-15 6-10 24; Petrangeli, Marie 4-5 3-4 11; Fitzgerald, Erin 3-4 0-0 6; Liebal, Erin 2-4 2-2 6; Goldsmith, Sammi 2-8 0-0 4; Coon, Sarah 0-4 4-6 4; Cushing, Lauren 1-1 0-0 2; Elder, Kelly 0-1 0-0 0; Mortis, Gabby 0-3 0-0 0; Mason, Jeanine 0-0 0-0 0; Burske, Katie 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 20-45 15-22 57. AVERY (24-4) Avery, Lauren 4-15 4-6 14; Wiseman, Sara 5-12 0-0 11; Bentley, Mercedes 2-6 0-0 5; Pyatte, Hayley 1-3 2-2 4; Perry, Elyse 2-7 0-0 4; Eudy, Katelynn 1-9 0-2 2; Smith, Mary Chesnut 1-1 0-0 2; Tennant, Megan 0-4 0-0 0. Totals 16-57 6-10 42. Bishop McGuinness................ 9 16 17 15 - 57 Avery ........................... 8 12 10 12 - 42 3-point goals—B. McGuinness 2-8 (Buckland, Megan 2-4; Goldsmith, Sammi 0-2; Mortis, Gabby 0-2), Avery 4-12 (Avery, Lauren 2-6; Bentley, Mercedes 1-3; Wiseman, Sara 1-2; Pyatte, Hayley 0-1). Fouled out—B. McGuinness-None, Avery -Avery, Lauren; Eudy, Katelynn. Rebounds—B. McGuinness 37 (Buckland, Megan 10), Avery 37 (Eudy, Katelynn 10). Assists—B. McGuinness 12 (Buckland, Megan 5), Avery 9 (Perry, Elyse 3). Total fouls—B. McGuinness 10, Avery 17. Technical fouls—B. McGuinness-None, Avery-None. Attendance-1290

Halftime statistics

Scoring:
Bishop McGuinness:
Petrangeli 7 pts.
Megan Buckland: 8 points 5 rebounds
Erin Fitzgerald: 6 points, 2 rebounds

Avery:
Lauren Avery: 6 points, 4 rebounds
Elyse Perry: 2 pts., 2 assists
Hayley Pyatte: 4 pts., 2 reb.
Katelynn Eudy: 2 pts., 7 rebounds, 3 blocks
Sara Wiseman: 2 points, 3 rebounds
Mary Chesnut Smith and Mercedes Bentley: 2 points each

Avery shot 30.8 percent in the first half (8/26)
Bishop shot 9/27 (33%) from the field

Second half coming up!

Game 2: Avery vs Bishop McGuinness

The lady Vikings and the lady Villains are about to square off to find out who will be facing off with Mitchell High School tomorrow night. Both teams are warming up and the game will be starting very shortly. Best of luck to our Lady Vikings!

Update 1: This game starts out with the Villains geting two points. Hayley Pyatte goes to the line and puts up two points. Megan Buckland also puts up two for the Villains. Elyse Perry sinks a shot putting two up for Avery bringing the score to 5-4(BMHS). Erin Fitzgerald takes a steady shot and makes it putting 2 up for the Villains. Lauren Avery goes to the line and hits both free throws. Bishop McGuinness drives down the court scoring two more points.

Update 2: Lauren Avery is back at the line and hits one out of two of her free throws. Mercedes Bentley hits a 2-pointer bringing the score to 8-9(BMHS).

End of Period 1: Avery 8 Bishop McGuinness 9

Update 3: The Villains Erin Fitzgerald sinks a shot for two points. Marie Petrangeli also hits a shot for the villains bringing the score to 13-8(BMHS)

Update 4: Both teams are shooting 50% on Free throws so far in this game. Sara Wiseman hits one for Avery. Lauren Avery tosses up a nice layup for two more points closing the gap 13-12(BMHS). 4:52 left in the half.

Update 5: Avery takes the lead in this game for the first time as Katelynn Eudy hits a jump shot for 2. Lauren Avery puts up two more points for the Vikings bringing them up to a 3 point lead. Bishops Megan Buckland gets sent to the line and hits both free throws. Hayley Pyatte drives down the court and scores two more for Avery. Bishop's Sarah Coon gets sent to the line and sinks both her free throws bringing the score to 18-17(AHS).

Update 6: Erin Fitzgerald shoots over her defender to give the villains two more points. Avery and Bishop take turns driving down the court for two points each. With less than 1 minute remaining in the half Bishop's Marie Petrangeli gets sent to the line and hits both her free throws bringing the score to 23-20(BMHS). Megan Buckland goes for a layup at the buzzer and gives the Villains two more points.

Half Time: Avery 20 Bishop McGuinness 25

Stats for the Half:

Avery

Point leaders

Lauren Avery 6

Hayley Pyatte 4

Turnovers: 10

Blocks: 5

Steals: 3

FG%: 30.8

3FG%: 0

FT%: 50

Bishop

Point leaders

Marie Petrangeli 7

Erin Fitzgearld 6

Turnovers 7

Steals 8

FG%:35.7

FT%:87.5

Update 7: The score is 31-22(BMHS). The crowed is starting the Lets go Avery chant to show their support. Bishops Marie Petangeli drives down the court and puts two points up. Megan Buckland puts up two more points for the Billains and pulls the foul but she misses her free throw shot. Megan Buckland shoots from the outside for 3 points bringing the score to 38-22(BMHS). Lauren Avery hits a 3. Bishop answers by driving down the court for two.

Update 8: Bishop and Avery both take a turn Driving up the court and scoring. Averys Mercedes Bentley hits a nice jump shot making the score 42-30(BMHS).

End of third Period Avery 30 Bishop McGuinness 42

Update 9: Sara Wiseman sinks a 3-pointer. Bishop's Sarah Coon gets sent to the line hitting both her free throws. Marie Petrangeli had a layup putting up two more points for the Villains. Lauren Avery gets sent to the line and makes it look easy giving Avery 2 more points bringing the score to 46-35(BMHS).

Update 10: Avery's Elyse Perry dives through the defenders for a layup putting up two points. Sara Wise man shoots for two points. 2:35 on the clock 51-39(BMHS).

Update 11: Bishops Megan Buckland gets sent to the line and hits one of her free throws. Erin Liebal also gets sent to the line putting up two more points for the Villains. Sarah Coon gets sent to the line but does not manage to score any more points for the Villains. Lauren Avery hits a big three pointer bringing the score to 54-34(BMHS).

Update 12: Lauren Avery gets fouled out sending Megan Buckland to the line giving the Villains two points. Megan Buckland goes back to the line again and hitting one of her free throws.

Final Score Avery 42 Bishop McGuinness 57

Mitchell/Mount Airy halftime stats

Some halftime statistics from Mitchell/Mount Airy:

Laken Norris (MIT): 9 points, 2 Rebounds
Autumn Thompson (MIT): 4 points, 4 Rebounds
Danica Huskins (MIT): 6 points, 5 rebounds

Jordan Hiatt (MTA): 6 pts.
Ellie Case (MTA): 5 pts., 2 reb
Three other players: 4 pts. each

First game of the night: Mitchell vs Mount Airy

Jamie's note: Special Thanks to the AJ-T's own Johnny Hayes for helping out from Greensboro with website updating throughout both Western 1A girls tournament games tonight.

We are live from fleming gymnasium this evening. We will bringing you live updates of the games tonight. The First game of the night has just started. We will be keeping you updated as the action happens tonight.

Update 1: The first basket of the game goes to Jordan Hiatt of Mount Airy. Which is answered soon after by two baskets from Mitchell's Danica Huskins and Lakin Norris. Lakin is fouled and hits both of her shots bringing the score to 6-2 Mitchell.

Update 2: Mount Airy's Danielle Williams is fouled she missed one of her free throws putting up 1. Mitchell drives down the court and Lakin is fouled once again putting up two more points with free throws. Mitchell leads 12 to 9 after Autumn Thompson puts up two points for Mitchell with one minute left on the clock for the first period.

End of 1st Period: Mitchell 12 Mount Airy 9

Update 3: Mitchell's Natalie Jones gets fouled early in the second period hitting one of her free throws. Danica Huskins drives down the court putting two points up for Mitchell. Bringing the score to 19-18 Mitchell with two minutes remaining in the half. Danielle Williams hits a big 3 pointer bringing the score to 23-19 Mount Airy one minute to go. Lyndsay Jensen goes to the line and hits both of her hows closing the score to 23-21. Lakin Norris pulls out a 3 of her own to bring the score to 25-24 Mount Airy 16 with seconds left on the clock.

Half Time: Mitchell 24 Mount Airy 25

Update 4: Mitchell's Emily Glenn starts out the second half by hitting two free throws. Brittany Webster shoots over her defender to put two more points up for Mount Airy. Ellie Case hits a 3 for Mount Airy bringing the score to 30-26(MAHS). Lakin answers with another 3 trying to close the gap. Autumn Thompson goes to the line and puts up 2 for Mitchell. Taylor Hiatt hits 2 free throws for Mount Airy. The score is 40-35(MAHS) with one minute left on the clock. Lakin goes to the line and puts up 2 more points. Ellie Case gets fouled and hits both free throws bringing the score to 44-38 (MAHS). Lakin goes back to the line again and hits both shots.

End of 3rd Period: Mitchell 40 Mount Airy 44

Update 5: This period starts out with Emily Glenn sinking two free throw shots taking the gap down to two points. Autumn Thompson puts up two points making the score tied at 44. Lakin makes a great layup giving Mitchell the lead. She also hits a free throw bringing the score to 47-44 Mitchell. These Mitchell fans are going absolutely crazy. Mount Airy ties the game back up and Taylor Hiatt gets sent to the line where she changes the lead to 49-47 Mount Airy. Lakin drives down the court and puts up two more for Mitchell to tie the game back up at 49. Emily Glenn shoots for two to give the lead back to Mitchell and Mount Airy Ties it back up. Mount Airy hits a free throw giving them a one point lead. Emily Glenn is sent back to the line where she brings the lead back to Mitchell 53-52. Mount Airy's Ellie Case scores two bringing the score to 56-53(MAHS) with 1:51 left on the clock.

Update 6: Emily Glenn is at the line again hitting both shots. Mitchell is shooting 95.7% on their free throws tonight. Taylor Hiatt hits two free throws bringing the team average of Mount Airy to 92.2%. Mitchell drives down the court and scores two making the score tied at 58.

On the final possession of the game, Mitchell's Glenn puts up a shot that rims out. Lakin Norris connects on an offensive rebound and putback at the buzzer to win the game 60-58 for Mitchell High School. They will go on to play the winner of Avery and Bishop McGuinness.

Final Score: Mitchell 60 Mount Airy 58

AJ-T Sports LIVE FROM.... Fleming Gym (Western 1A Girls Regional Tournament)

We are LIVE at the campus of UNC-Greensboro for this evening's NCHSAA 1A Girls Western Regional High School Basketball Tournament. In the first matchup, the Mitchell Lady Mountaineers take on the Mount Airy Lady Bears. The second game of the twin bill features the 24-3 Avery Lady Vikings tangling with the Lady Villains of Bishop McGuinness High School.

Some things to watch in tonight's Avery/Bishop matchup:

1.) FAST START
-The Avery Lady Vikings got off to a fast start in its sectional semifinal matchup with Hiwassee Dam and built a double-digit lead, only to see the Lady Eagles come back on its home floor to take a late two-point advantage. In last Friday's sectional final at Robbinsville, the Lady Vikings fell behind early 7-0 but came back to take the lead late in the first quarter.

In a game where nerves and pressure seem to play a greater role than during a regular season matchup, the Lady Vikings would do well to get out in transition early, score some easy baskets, and get off to a hot start. Bishop is a good squad, but the one area Avery holds a distinct advantage in is EXPERIENCE. The Lady Vikings start four seniors who have been through big games before.

2.) "BUCK" THE TREND
-Bishop McGuinness guard Megan Buckland leads the team in scoring with over 19 points a contest. Buckland shoots 51 percent from the field, and made 70 of 148 shots from three-point range this season, a 47% clip. One other player, Sammi Goldsmith, shot 111 3-point shots, making only 28 for a 25 percent efficiency.

Buckland is the heart and soul of the Bishop attack. As she goes, so goes the Villains.

3.) THE AWARD FOR BEST PLAYER IN A SUPPORTING ROLE GOES TO.....
- For Avery to achieve optimal success, it must get a host of players involved doing the things that they excel in. Megan Tennant had a great game in last Friday's sectional final with 7 points and 10 rebounds off the bench. Megan's contributions off the bench will be crucial inside, while a strong game shooting by Mercedes Bentley will help open up the paint for Avery's frontline to dominate.

Lauren Avery has stepped up of late to score with the basketball, but the Lady Vikings could use a good scoring and rebounding evening from junior Katelynn Eudy, who has shown flashes of dominance this season, and she and teammate Sara Wiseman potentially can be matchup nightmares for the Lady Villains.

Bishop has Buckland to carry the bulk of the offensive burden, but players such as Goldsmith (60 steals this season) and Erin Fitzgerald (8.7 rebounds/game) must provide tangible contributions to keep Avery at bay.

4.) THE TEAM OF SECOND CHANCES
- Avery completely dominated the Lady Knights on the offensive backboards last Friday night at Robbinsville, making it appropriate that an offensive rebound and putback from Sara Wiseman won the ballgame.

If Avery experiences similar measures of success in tonight's contest, the chances of Avery punching a ticket to Saturday's regional final is substantially higher.

5.) TAKE CARE OF THE ROCK
-Despite its win last Friday night against Robbinsville, the Lady Vikings committed in the neighborhood of 20 turnovers. In games where Avery has struggled this season, it has done its part via turnovers to help the opponent.

Bishop McGuinness averages around 10 turnovers per game, a number the Lady Vikings will do well to up by using its press defense to generate offense.


Those are some areas to keep an eye on as the Lady Vikings and Lady Villains square off tonight. Time permitting, we'll provide a couple of updates on the night's first matchup between Mitchell and Mount Airy.

Thanks so much for following along, and.... GO LADY VIKINGS!!!!

Driving Directions to Western Regional Tournament in Greensboro

Avery High School Lady Vikings have advanced to the Regional of the state basketball championships. The Ladies will play Bishop McGuinness High School, the start time will be 8:30 pm on Friday March 3, 2010 @ University of North Carolina Greensboro-Fleming Gymnasium. Saturday's Championship game will start at 4:00 pm.

The following are driving directions, courtesy the Avery High School Department of Athletics.

Directions:

University of North Carolina @ Greensboro Approx. 140 miles 2 hrs and 50 min.

Admission

Session Tickets--

Adult Price: $9.00

Child Price: Free for age 5 and under

Parking is $5, in the Walker Avenure Parking Deck for the NCHSAA Western Regional Championships.

Take US-421 South. Merge onto I-40 East. Take the Wendover Avenue East Exit. Follow Wendover to the exit for Market Street (3.5 miles). Turn right on Market Street and follow for less than 1 mile. Turn right on Aycock Street South. At second stoplight, turn left on Spring Garden Street. Turn left on Stirling Street, and the Walker Avenue Parking Deck will be on your left at the corner of Stirling and Theta Streets. Fleming Gymnasium will be across the street.

Western 1A Regional Head Coaches Interviews

Exclusive interviews with the head coach from each of the participating schools at this weekend's Western 1A Regional Girls Basketball championships can be heard with the links below.

Please click on the image of the coaches below for an audio interview conducted at this week's Western Regional Press Conference at the Greensboro Coliseum Special Events Center.
















Avery Lady Vikings Head Coach Missy Lyons

Bishop McGuinness Coach Brian Robinson

Mitchell Head Coach Dawn Lowe


















Mount Airy Head Coach Howard Mayo

Wiseman Selected for Blue/White All-Star Game

Avery senior post player Sara Wiseman has been selected to take part in the annual Rhododendron Blue/White basketball game, held at TC Roberson High School in Skyland.

The rosters for both squads were released Wednesday. High School seniors are selected out of the Western North Carolina area to play in the prestigious contest.

Here are both girls rosters for the event, to be held March 19th.

Blue
Whitney Brinkley, Reynolds
Jaalen Corpening, McDowell
Euletha Davis, Chase
Xandi Gellman, McDowell
Nicole Gentry, North Buncombe
Jessica Hartley, North Henderson
Karlee Taylor, Reynolds
Sheena Twitty, Owen
Sara Wiseman, Avery County

White
Kareen Abling, Hiwassee Dam
Tahnee Arkansas, Cherokee
Kristi Burchfield, Robbinsville
Kirklin Kirkpatrick, Tuscola
Sarah Maloy, Erwin
Cortney Rogers, Asheville
Melanie Stewart, Franklin
Brooks Walz, Hendersonville
Joanna Whitmire, Rosman
Baley Woods, Pisgah

'Landers roll past UH

The Cloudland Highlanders advanced to the Region 1-A Championship game, and also secured a substate berth on Monday evening with a 65-46 victory over the University High. The ‘Landers came out as they jumped out to an early 13-2 lead. The Jr. Bucs finally got going, but the ‘Landers led 17 to eight at the end of the first quarter.

Cloudland led 29-21 at the half. The third quarter saw CHS take the lead back to double dights and secured the victory in the fourth quarter. Logam Morgan had 21 points while Matthew Potter had 20. Hyden had 11 points, and Cody Bullwinkle added nine.

The ‘Landers will take on the winner of the Cosby-Hampton game on Thursday evening. The Highlanders will face an opponent from Region 2-A on Monday night with a chance to go to the state tournament on the line.

For a more detailed recap, please check the Avery Journal-Times NEXT Wednesday. The Blog will also have updates from Thursday and Monday evening.

1A GIRLS WESTERN REGIONAL TOURNAMENT TEAM PROFILES

1A GIRLS WESTERN REGIONAL TOURNAMENT TEAM PROFILES

AVERY LADY VIKINGS

Record: 24-3

Road to Greensboro:

d. Elkin 81-53

d. Hiwassee Dam 60-58

d. Robbinsville 68-67 ot

Scoring Leaders:

Lauren Avery: 13.1

Sara Wiseman: 11.3

Rebounding Leaders:

Sara Wiseman: 8.2

Lauren Avery: 7.5

Assist Leaders:

Elyse Perry: 5.7

Lauren Avery: 3.5

Steals Leaders:

Elyse Perry: 3.1

Lauren Avery: 2.4

Knowledge Nuggets:

- Avery avenged last year’s sectional final as it looks to capture its first Western Regional championship.

- After starting the season with a loss, the Lady Vikings reeled off 2 different win streaks of ten games or

greater.

- Avery logged over 700 bus miles en route to its last two sectional playoff victories.

- Head Coach Missy Lyons eclipsed the 100-win mark at Avery earlier this season.

- 2 of Avery’s 3 losses came against Western Highlands foe Mitchell.

Coach’s one-word team description: Dedicated

Avery Head Coach Missy Lyons

BISHOP McGUINNESS LADY VILLAINS

Record: 20-7

Road to Greensboro:

d. Bessemer City 79-21

d. Chatham Cent. 55-38

d. Highland Tech 56-25

Scoring Leaders:

Megan Buckland: 19.5

Erin Fitzgerald: 9.4

Rebounding Leaders:

Erin Fitzgerald: 8.7

Megan Buckland: 7.7

Assist Leaders:

Megan Buckland: 4.6

Sammi Goldsmith: 1.7

Steals Leaders:

Megan Buckland: 5.1

Sammi Goldsmith: 2.2

Knowledge Nuggets:

- Bishop McGuinness is the four-time defending state 1A champions
and hold an 8-game winning streak in regional play.

- Megan Buckland has scored in double-figures in 24 of
her team’s 27 games this season.

- Bishop McGuinness finished second in the Northwest 1A/2A Conference

losing to fellow Regional qualifier Mount Airy three times.

- Coach Brian Robinson is looking for career win #200 at Bishop

in Friday’s semifinal game and is 246-87 overall

.

Coach’s one-word team description: Entertaining

Bishop McGuinness
Head Coach Brian Robinson

MITCHELL LADY MOUNTAINEERS

Record: 23-4

Road to Greensboro:

d. Swain 60-22

d. Murphy 55-37

d. East Wilkes 67-54

Scoring Leaders:

Lakin Norris: 23.5

Rebounding Leaders:

Autumn Thompson: 5.9

Lakin Norris 4.2

Emily Glenn 4.1

Steals Leaders:

Lakin Norris:5.3

Danica Huskins: 2.1

Ashley Greene 2.1

Knowledge Nuggets:

- Mitchell makes its 3^rd straight Western Regional appearance, its first at the 1A level.

- The Lady Mountaineers won the Western Highlands Conference regular season and conference tournament in ’09-’10..

- Senior Lakin Norris has been named to the Carolinas All-Star Classic girls team. Norris eclipsed the 2,000 point mark in her career earlier this season.

- Mitchell won the 2A Western Regional both in 1996 & 2003, with a pair of state titles.

Coach’s one-word team description: Heart

Mitchell Head Coach Dawn Lowe

MOUNT AIRY LADY BEARS

Record: 27-2

Road to Greensboro:

d. North Stokes 41-40

d. Albemarle 67-34

d. East Surry 59-47

Scoring Leaders:

Ellie Case: 14.5

Jordan Hiatt: 10.8

Rebounding Leaders:

Taylor Hiatt: 6.7

Andria Leonard: 5.9

Assist Leaders:

Jordan Hiatt: 3.5

Ellie Case: 1.7

Steals Leaders:

Jordan Hiatt: 2.4

Andria Leonard: 2.4

Knowledge Nuggets:

- The Granite Bears defeated fellow Northwest Conference rival
East Surry to advance to Regionals.

- Mount Airy has taken a whopping 677 3-point shots this season and hit 211, (31 percent).
Ellie Case leads the team with 50 trifectas.

- The Lady Bears post five players who average seven points or more per contest,
and five players with at least two steals per game.

- Mount Airy’s offense averages over 63 points per game, netting over 70 points ten times.

Coach’s one-word team description: Together

Head Coach Howard Mayo