Duncan Named New Head Wrestling Coach at Mitchell High School

As it turns out, Mitchell High School hired from within to fill its head wrestling coach vacancy.

Mitchell athletic director Ed Duncan will be working closely with the man who has been named new Mountaineer head wrestling coach: Ed Duncan.

Duncan has been hired to replace James Owings, who resigned in May after 13 seasons.

Duncan, standout wrestler as a student with the Mountaineers, has previously been the coach at Hickory (from 1993 to 2004) and athletic director at Avery High School (2004-05) before returning to Ledger. Duncan has worked with three state champions and 25 state tournament qualifiers in his coaching career. Duncan had been the coach at Mitchell Middle for the past three years.

Mitchell has also hired two coaches for its cross country teams – Matt Hollifield (boys) and Misty Farmer Self (girls).

Little League Softball Falls Short in Bid for District Championship

The Avery 11 and 12 year old Little League Softball All-Star squad had to endure a Tuesday rainout in Wilkesboro and made a second trip to Memorial Park on a warm Wednesday afternoon last week to compete for the District 7 championship against Wilkes County.

Avery’s lone loss of the tournament came at the hands of Wilkes, and the ladies from the High Country fought valiantly to the final out in the rematch, but the team could not avenge its defeat as Wilkes defeated Avery 19-0 in four innings.

Avery threatened in the first inning as Kaitlyn Arbogast walked and reached second base, but the offense was unable to bring the first baseman home before the close of the frame.

Wilkes County scored a pair of runs off two hits in the bottom of the inning to lead 2-0 at the close of the first frame.

Much as was the case in the first meeting between the teams, the second inning was the point where the Wilkes squad seized the upper hand in the matchup. Avery was retired in order in the top of the inning, while Wilkes struck for ten runs that effectively put the game out of reach.

Avery could only muster one base runner via walk in both the third and fourth inning, but the Wilkes starter was dominant inside the circle, allowing no Avery hits, recording each out of the contest by strikeout, and walking three batters.

Wilkes added seven runs in the third inning to provide for the final margin of victory as the game was called due to the ten-run mercy rule.

As runners-up, each Avery player was recognized by the district after the contest and received a pin. Even though the team fell short of its goal to advance into state tournament play, the team showed great heart and talent in winning a pair of tournament contests and representing Avery with great pride.

“I thought the girls played hard as they have all series. The score is not a representation of the effort the team gave. We faced their ace pitcher today and she threw well. We made a few errors that hurt us, and it’s hard to pick yourself up at that age after making a couple of mistakes in a row,” Coach Craig Reiger said after the game. “Regardless, the girls lived up to the Little League pledge and gave their all until the end of the game.”

The team has achieved measures of success since the inception of Little League Softball in Avery County six years ago. However, the coach feels that there is more progress which is necessary to reach the level of play indicative of top-tier squads within District 7.

“Avery County needs to play more than Little League ball. For softball to be competitive in Little League, middle school, and high school, the girls need to play travel ball and weekend ball. If the teams just want to play ball during the season, the team will remain at a similar level for the next twenty years,” Coach Reiger stated. “It takes the involvement and long-term investment of coaches and parents to achieve a greater measure of success.”

Congratulations to the Avery 11 and 12 year old girls softball All-Stars on their second appearance in the District Seven championship!

Burleson Basketball Camp Teaches Hoops and Life Lessons

Each July, legendary basketball star and Avery County native Tommy Burleson, in conjunction with the Avery Parks and Recreation Department, hosts the annual Tommy Burleson Youth Basketball Camp. Boys and girls ranging from grades 3-12 spend five days at the camp learning fundamental skills such as dribbling, passing, shooting, and defense, but also acquire a wealth of knowledge from the former N.C. State University, U.S. Olympic basketball, and NBA standout.

This year the group of over 50 campers received an official camp t-shirt. Throughout the history of the camp, Burleson, as well as his special guests and camp counselors, teach campers moral truth in addition to basketball principles.

“It’s important to set an example as a role model, and we try to teach kids to be consistent in doing that,” Burleson has said regarding the camp. “We hope that with the kids who come back each year, we can teach them basketball fundamentals as well as the importance of being a positive role model and person of Christian character.”

Campers were treated to a special event at this past Friday morning’s camp session when Burleson’s former North Carolina State teammate David Thompson made his annual visit to the camp. Thompson, known as “Skywalker” during his Hall of Fame collegiate and professional basketball career, spent time speaking to the attentive group of campers, sharing with them his professional and specifically his personal highs and lows in his life from being a top professional draft pick and highly paid athlete to his past difficulties and eventual conquest over substance abuse. Thompson shared his Christian witness of how his morals guide his life today.

Thompson and Burleson formed one of the most devastating duos on the basketball court in collegiate history, culminating with an NCAA men’s basketball championship in 1974.

For the past two decades the pair team up again at the camp out of their love for the game of basketball and desire to share their talents, gifts, and experiences to help youngsters grow into productive players and citizens.

“We’re planting seeds with these kids, and it’s special to see those seeds grow over three or four years and play high school and college football or basketball,” Thompson remarked. “Not every boy and girl will grow to become a college or professional player at a high level, but here at camps like these we can impact those boys and girls to make good choices throughout their lives.”

This year’s camp featured a talented group of kids who was passionate about the game of basketball and was thrilled to learn from hoops legends. Campers learned fundamentals regarding defense, dribbling, passing, footwork, and shooting, just to name a few, and the group was impressive with their skills and ability to learn concepts throughout the camp.

“I was tickled with the players. A lot of them are skilled, and you can see that they have had parents or teachers or coaches working with them,” Burleson noted. “A number of kids have good jump shots and good jump-stop moves and play good hard defense. You can see that they enjoy the game.”

Gonzalez Garners Pre-Season Accolade

Avery Vikings wide receiver Andy Gonzalez has been named a preseason all-state selection.

Gonzalez, a rising senior, has been named to the Class 1A All-State preseason team by North Carolina Prep Football News. Gonzalez, who also plays defensive back, was an All-Western Highlands Conference selection last fall. He caught 39 passes for 746 yards and he scored seven touchdowns, including four 100-yard or more receiving games last season.

Gonzalez and rising junior quarterback Alex Villanueva were a potent combination in 2009. After finishing 2008 with a 2-10 mark, the duo helped the Big Red to a five-win season in 2009. Villanueva completed 130 passes for 1,865 yards and he threw 18 touchdown passes. The Vikings return 16 lettermen from a season ago and open the 2010 regular season campaign at home against Robbinsville on August 20.

A number of Western Highlands Conference and Western North Carolina football players join Gonzalez as members of preseason All-State squads. Others named to teams include the following:

Class 1A: Jeremiah Holder (offensive lineman-Robbinsville); LeQuon Young (defensive lineman-Hendersonville); Tyler Mulligan (defensive lineman- Murphy);Desmond Whiteside (Athlete-Hendersonville)

Class 2A: Andre Overholt (quarterback-Polk); Travis Smalling (running back-Pisgah); Tyler Philpott (offensive lineman-Polk); J.J. Maxwell (linebacker-Polk); Austin Rice (linebacker-Mountain Heritage).

Vikings Capture “Rumble on the Roan” Championship

After winning seven games to take home a passing league championship at last month’s FCA team camp at Gardner Webb University, the Avery Vikings continued to open eyes on both sides of the football. With wins in all seven of its contests at Orr Field in Roan Mountain last weekend, Avery walked away as the champions of the second annual Rumble on the Roan Passing League Tournament.

“Anytime you win anything I think it builds confidence, and I’m really proud of our kids. It was good for the kids to win, and the way we were able to win by beating Watauga in the championship was just icing on the cake,” Vikings head coach Darrell Brewer said after Saturday night’s final. “It doesn’t mean a lot toward the season, but winning an event like this builds confidence, which is nothing but positive for us.”

Avery started with round-robin play on Friday evening, earning a 30-8 victory over Coach Brewer’s good friend and former Avery assistant coach Mike Lunsford. Junior quarterback Alex Villanueva hit Andy Gonzalez with a pair of scoring tosses, while Colton Blackburn and Lane Smith each scored in the win.

Avery followed up the win with a defeat of Happy Valley to go unbeaten leading into Saturday’s remainder of pool play and single-elimination tournament.

On Saturday afternoon, the Vikings picked up where they left off by defeating Cosby by a final score of 21-12. The second contest was a nail-biter as Avery fell behind to South Greene, but rallied with a late go-ahead touchdown pass in the final minute from Villanueva to Gonzalez. Defensive back Hunter Shields intercepted the last-gasp pass from South Greene to seal a 23-20 triumph.

After round-robin play only three schools, Avery, John Battle (VA), and the Watauga Pioneers were undefeated out of the 13-team tournament. By virtue of most points scored, Avery earned the top seed for the single-elimination tournament.

Following a first-round bye, Avery took on Happy Valley in a rematch from earlier in the tournament. The Vikings offense began slowly as the team went four-and-out to begin the contest. Happy Valley did not fare much better, however, as Avery’s Tyler Buchanan intercepted a Warrior pass to stall its drive at the Avery 25 yard line.

On its second series, catches from Spencer Blackburn, Lane Smith, and Andy Gonzalez drove the football near the Happy Valley 10-yard line. Avery again came up empty, though, and the game remained scoreless with just over five minutes left in the matchup.

On its second drive Happy Valley drove the field and scored and successfully scored two points on a conversion pass to take an 8-0 lead with just 1:15 left to play.

Avery’s offense quickly answered the Warrior touchdown in the final minute as Villanueva found tight end Remington Austin for a touchdown pass to cut the margin to 8-6. Colton Blackburn caught a two-point conversion pass to tie the game at 8-8 at the end of regulation.

The tiebreaker rules for the tournament stipulated that the team who advanced the ball the deepest downfield on one single play was declared the winner. Avery was on offense first and its pass play to Austin was incomplete. A pass interference penalty was called against Happy Valley to give Avery another opportunity, and Villanueva found Colton Blackburn with a long toss to inside the Happy Valley 5-yard line. The Warriors pass play was intercepted to end the game with Avery advancing to the semifinals.

“The long layover between games was hard on us. The kids played four games, then sat around for two hours. It was difficult to get back up, but we gave them a pretty good talking to,” Coach Brewer stated. “We were up against the ropes in that game against a dang good football team, and the boys found a way to win. They don’t ever quit and just keep digging and scrapping.”

The Vikings found the going a bit easier in its semifinal contest against Unaka. Avery scored on just three plays to take an early 8-0 lead. After holding the Rangers on defense, the Big Red struck again when Gonzalez caught a TD pass to take a 14-0 lead. An extra point kick from Dustin Clark was successful for a 15-0 Avery advantage.

Unaka scored on its first play after the Viking score to trail 15-6. Neither team scored for the remaining five minutes, advancing Avery into the championship round.

Avery squared off with a familiar foe in Watauga in the championship game, who had knocked off John Battle in the other semifinal to set up the border battle.

On its first possession Avery used just under three minutes to get on the scoreboard, as Villanueva hit Taylor Potter on a crossing pattern for the game’s first score. A two-point conversion pass to Hunter Shields gave the Vikings an 8-0 lead.

Watauga dodged a bullet on its first series as a pass was simultaneously caught by a Pioneer receiver and Avery defensive back Gonzalez. The official ruled in favor of the offense, and the Pioneers scored on their next play and made its two-point conversion to tie the game at 8-8 with just over 14 minutes left to play in the 20 minute contest.

On Avery’s ensuing possession, Villanueva was picked off by the Pioneers, but the Avery defense stood tall to keep Watauga out of the end zone, turning the football over on downs.

With 5:55 left to play Avery scored again on a fourth-down pass play from Villanueva to Shields. Potter caught the two-point conversion for a 16-8 Viking edge.

Watauga answered with a score of its own at the two minute mark to draw within two points, then tied the game with a well-executed two-point pass play, knotting the affair at 16 points apiece.

Working its two-minute drill perfectly, Avery scored in just four plays from scrimmage, capping the drive when Villaneuva found Potter in the front left corner of the end zone for the touchdown and the lead at 22-16 with 1:35 left.

Needing a touchdown to tie and conversion to take a lead, the Pioneers went to work. After three plays left Watauga three yards short of a first down, the Pioneers rolled the dice with a pass to the end zone. The toss was knocked down by the Big Red to regain possession with under 45 seconds left to play. Villanueva fired a pass deep downfield to Shields on the game’s final play to put the finishing touches on a 28-16 Viking victory.

The team received a championship plaque from Cloudland head football coach and tournament organizer Robbie Turbyfill after the game, and the entire team was awarded the Most Valuable Player award for the tournament.

“I don’t know who you could’ve picked individually as MVP, because so many of the guys were deserving of it on both offense and defense,” Coach Brewer said. “I thought the team award was awesome, as all weekend it was a team effort all the way around.”

Coach Brewer also spoke highly of the Avery junior varsity team, who also took part in the weekend’s festivities. Avery won over the Tri-Cities Silverbacks 6-0 on a touchdown reception by Harley Foster. The JV Vikings played took on the varsity team from North Greene in its other game on Saturday, falling only by a 12-0 final score. Hunter Johnson, Trevor Pickens, and Jonah Tenge each had interceptions on defense for Avery during the pair of contests.

“I thought the JV kids played awfully well. It was their first time to really line up and play together. That team has worked hard all summer long, and I was glad to see the work paying off for them,” Coach Brewer said of the effort. “Our junior varsity is primarily going to be freshmen, so we’ve worked to get them started quickly. They’ve really responded and been a great group to work with.”

The Vikings tentatively have plans to return to the gridiron in a possible 7-on-7 with Mitchell in the last week of July. The first official day of fall practice is August 2^nd, and shortly afterward the Vikings will take part in a pair of scrimmages, including hosting a scrimmage on August 12^th at MacDonald Stadium.

Avery kicks off the 2010 regular season on Friday, August 20^th when it hosts the Robbinsville Black Knights.

Little League Softball Reaches District Championship, LL Baseball Stars Eliminated

District tournament play continued this past week for the Avery 11 and 12 year old baseball and softball All-Star teams. Big offensive innings by the opposition led to the Avery baseball team’s elimination this past Saturday at the hands of the Wilkes (National) All-Stars. The softball team dropped its second tournament game last Thursday at home to Wilkes County, but rallied on the road Monday at Morganton for an impressive win to earn a rematch with Wilkes in the District 7 championship round.

Following a tough loss the previous Saturday in Moravian Falls to the Wilkes (American) All-Stars, Avery played host to the other Wilkes County all-star squad this past Saturday afternoon at Hodge Turbyfill Baseball Complex. The Avery club played valiantly, but could not overcome the Wilkes club who emerged with a 10-0 win in five innings.

Avery baseball had a hard time dealing with Wilkes National, specifically the pitching of starter Chandler Bare. The right-hander held Avery to just two hits over five innings of work. After the Avery club went down in order in the top of the first, the Wilkes club batted around and struck for four runs off Avery southpaw starter Gabe Stanley. A double from Wilkes first baseman Jacob McCoy highlighted the rally for Wilkes National.

Avery’s greatest scoring threat of the game came in the top of the second frame as leadoff hitter Brett Smith walked. A single by left fielder Will Jordan put a pair of Avery runners on base. Bare bore down to record back-to-back strikeouts to close the inning, however, keeping Avery scoreless.

Wilkes lengthened its lead in the bottom of the second inning. Alec Anderson led the inning off with a double and eventually scored on an RBI single by teammate Josh Hall. Wilkes scored three runs in total during the frame, forcing Avery head coach Sherrill Rominger to call on shortstop Brett Smith to come on in relief of Stanley.

Staring at a large deficit, Avery was unable to forge a rally as Bare continued to dominate on the mound, striking out the Avery side in both the third and fourth innings. Wilkes plated a run in the third inning and added two more in the bottom of the fifth to force the umpires to call the game due to the ten-run mercy rule.

Last Thursday, July 8^th, the Avery 11 and 12 softball team looked for its second straight win when it hosted Wilkes County in a semifinal district tournament contest. Avery played well in the first inning of play, but a difficult second inning gave Wilkes a lead it would not relinquish in defeating the Avery club 13-0 in four innings.

Starting pitcher Emily Brown and the Avery defense held Wilkes in check in the opening frame, retiring the side in order in the first inning. In the bottom half of the inning Jerrica Rieger reached base on an error with two outs, but was stranded at first to end the stanza scoreless.

Following a great first inning, the Avery defense struggled in the second inning to record outs. Multiple errors in the frame helped Wilkes to keep runners on base and extend the inning. Wilkes rapped three hits in the inning, but managed to plate 10 runs to take a commanding advantage.

On offense, Avery was retired in order in both the second and third innings, while Wilkes plated three additional runs in the top of the third to ultimately provide the final margin for the contest. When Avery was unable to score four runs in the bottom of the fourth inning, the game was called due to the ten-run mercy rule.

Looking to bounce back from its last contest, Avery journeyed off the mountain to Burke County on Monday to take on host Morganton. In a late afternoon contest, the Lady Vikings matched the July heat, torching the Morganton pitching staff and defense to the tune of eight first-inning runs en route to a decisive 13-3 win by mercy rule in four innings.

Morganton put its leadoff hitter on with a walk in the top of the first inning and advanced the runner to as far as third base. Avery starting pitcher Emily Brown buckled down inside the circle, striking out the next three batters she faced to hold Morganton scoreless.

Avery opened the scoring in style with a first inning flurry. The Avery ladies sent 12 batters to the plate during the frame and plated eight runs to put a stranglehold on the contest.

Errors by the Morganton defense, combined with both great patience at the plate and timely hits from the Avery batters contributed to the output. Charity Ollis and Emily Brown each ripped base hits in the stanza as Avery led 8-0 after one inning.

After helping her own cause at the plate, Brown continued to pitch and dominate. The hurler struck out a pair of hitters and retired Morganton in order in the second inning, while Avery scored a ninth run when Destiny Ollis led off the bottom of the second with a triple down the third base line and scored on a groundout from Charity Ollis.

The third inning began with a new pitcher for Avery, as Destiny Ollis came on in relief. Ollis retired the first two hitters she faced, but surrendered a walk and base hit to put a pair of runners on base. However, a line drive was caught by shortstop Kesha Garland to quell the threat and preserve the shutout.

In the bottom half of the inning, the Avery club continued its hit parade with another pair of runs to take an 11-0 lead. Kaitlyn Arbogast led the inning off with a base hit, and was driven home on an RBI triple from Jerrica Reiger. A strong and lengthy at-bat from Destiny Ollis resulted in a walk. Ollis stole second base and came around to score later in the stanza.

Facing elimination via the mercy rule Morganton refused to fold. The squad rallied to pick up three runs in the top of the fourth inning to cut the margin to 11-3. In the bottom of the fourth, Avery put the final proverbial nail in Morganton’s tournament coffin when Paige Moody and Garland reached base to start the inning, while teammate Arbogast walked. Jerrica Reiger reached safely on a fielder’s choice as Moody scored the team’s twelfth run. A walk-off single by Charity Ollis through the drawn-in Morganton infield brought home Arbogast to seal the second Avery victory in this year’s tournament.

The Avery staff was pleased with the overall team performance following the victory.

“Emily started off excellent pitching again for us as she has done throughout All-Stars, then putting the runs on the board in the first inning was a huge help,” Avery head coach Craig Reiger said after the win. “The team scored in every inning. You really have to give all the credit to the girls and how they played.”

The Avery club was patient at the plate throughout the win and took advantage of almost every opening the Morganton team offered to get the upper hand.

“We’ve been working a lot on being patient. During the regular season we encourage the girls to swing a lot just to get them hitting the ball, sometimes at pitches that aren’t strikes. So we’ve worked on teaching the girls to be patient and wait for good pitches in the strike zone that they can hit,” Coach Reiger stated. “We had a couple of good at-bats from girls who fouled several balls off and eventually was able to get on base with a hit or a walk, which showed really good patience at the plate.”

The win over Morganton set up a rematch this past Tuesday in Wilkesboro with the Wilkes County team, the only squad to defeat Avery in this year’s tournament. Regardless of that outcome, the coaching staff is pleased with how the team rebounded to upend Morganton on the road to make it to the championship round.

“The girls showed that they still wanted to play ball and weren’t ready to give up for the summer,” Coach Reiger said. “I’m just really proud of the team.”

The team celebrated its victory in unorthodox fashion. Avery coach Kevin Brown promised the team he would allow the players to shave his head with a win, and following the triumph made good on his guarantee. Players lined up and were all smiles as they cut the coach’s locks and sheared the locks off his head.

Tuesday's matchup at Wilkes County was postponed and was played on Wednesday evening at Memorial Park. Full results can be found in next week’s Avery Journal-Times and on the newspaper’s sports blog at www.ajtsports.blogspot.com

Four-of-Six ASU Home Kickoff Times Announced

(courtesy ASU Sports Information)
BOONE, N.C. – With the finalization of the Southern Conference’s 2010 football television schedule, Appalachian State University announced kickoff times for four of its six regular-season home games on Thursday.

Appalachian’s first two home tilts versus Jacksonville (Sept. 11 – Hall of Fame Day) and North Carolina Central (Sept. 18 – Fan Appreciation Day) and its Black Saturday showdown with Furman (Oct. 30) will all start at what has become ASU’s traditional home game time – 3:30 p.m.

Kickoff for the Oct. 9 homecoming contest versus defending SoCon runner-up Elon will be at 3 p.m. to accommodate a live television broadcast on SportSouth.

Kickoff times for games at Kidd Brewer Stadium versus The Citadel (Oct. 16) and Wofford (Nov. 13) remain TBA. ASU athletics is working with University officials to explore the possibility of a non-traditional kickoff time for The Citadel game and the Wofford game is subject to the SoCon’s new flexible late-season TV schedule which allows the conference and SportSouth to choose the most appealing game to broadcast in that week’s SoCon Saturday on SportSouth.

In addition to the possibility of two televised regular-season games at The Rock, Appalachian’s season opener at Chattanooga (Sept. 4) and the Battle for the Old Mountain Jug at archrival Western Carolina (Oct. 23) will also be televised at 3 p.m. on SportSouth. In all, SportsSouth will feature the Mountaineers at least three times with the possibility of a fourth in its SoCon Saturday Game-of-the-Week package.

With two selections, Elon is the only other SoCon team currently scheduled to make more than one appearance on SportSouth, which is available in over nine million homes across six southeastern States. ASU’s road affairs at Samford and Georgia Southern will kick off at 3 p.m. (ET) and 2 p.m., respectively. The regular-season finale at Florida remains TBA.

Scottish Sporting Events Highlight Endurance, Skill, and Strength

Scots have traditionally placed great emphasis on both strength and endurance in athletic events. There are two main classifications that participants compete in; namely, heavy athletic events and light athletic events.

The heavy athletic events are some of the better-known ones and are often the events that come to mind when Highland Games are mentioned. Of these events, caber turning (or tossing) is the one that receives the most recognition and is most readily associated with Scots heritage. Although it is commonly called the “caber toss,” this event has less to do with tossing and much more to do with technique.

In the event, the caber, a tapered log, is placed upright with the heavy end in the air. The athlete must then lift the caber and “turn” it, meaning that the small end must end facing away from the participant. Points are awarded based on the final position of the caber in relation to the athlete. If it is at a 12 o’clock position (lying in a straight line with the athlete), the maximum number of points is awarded. Less points are awarded for other positions.

Also involved in the games are the heavy weight toss, the hammer throw, sheaf tossing, and stone throwing. In both the heavy weight and sheaf toss, the implements must be thrown over a horizontal bar that continues to be raised incrementally as the games proceed. Participants whose throws do not clear the bar are eliminated. The heavy weights are usually 28 pounds and 56 pounds in the men’s competitions, while the sheaf weighs 16 or 20 pounds. The sheaf is tossed using a three-tined pitchfork.

The two throwing events, the hammer throw and stone throw, have similarities to the Olympic events that now exist of the same name. However, the hammer throw has remained much truer to its roots. The implement thrown is basically a sledgehammer with a spherical head instead of a ball attached to a wire. The athlete also must throw from a stand instead of taking three or four turns as is done in the track and field competitions. The hammer can be either 16 or 22 pounds in the men’s competitions, and it cannot exceed 4’6” in length.

The stone throw (also known as stone put or clachneart) is almost identical to the shot put. The athlete must throw the 16-22 pound stone without using overhand, underhand, or two-handed techniques. In this event, the athlete can spin to gain momentum.

Light athletic events include long runs, sprints, and highland dancing.

A number of local athletes have achieved success at the Games. Joe Welliver, formerly of nearby Banner Elk and Avery County High School grad who currently resides in Wilmington, NC, was named Outstanding Amateur "A" Class Scottish Heavy Athlete in 2008 after finishing first in his division in the Sheaf Toss, 28-lb. Hammer Throw for Distance, 22-lb. Hammer Throw for Distance, and 56-lb.Weight Throw for Distance, as well as second place in the Clachneart and fourth in the 56-lb. Weight Throw for Distance.

“Competing and winning the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games was a great experience. I had been to several in my life and used to work on the mountain as well, and being apart of the spectacle was a great feeling,” Welliver said of his involvement in the Games. “The best part is the huge crowds when they are cheering you on. What may be even cooler is when you miss a height and you can hear thousands sigh all at once because they were all watching you. It was also a way for me to get to see some old friends and allow my family to see me compete in Avery County.”

One of the best examples of this type of event in this year’s Highland Games is “The Bear.” This race to the top of Grandfather Mountain is an almost-constant uphill battle for five miles. Only athletes in supreme condition can finish the race running the entire way.

Mary Chesnut Smith, a rising senior at local Avery County High School, has excelled in many of the field events. Smith was named Outstanding Women’s Athlete at the 2009 Games, where she finished in first place in the 880-yard dash and the two-mile run, with third place finishes in the women’s long jump and in the one mile run, the latter an event that fielded both male and female competitors.

Smith regularly competes in The Bear, inspired at a young age by watching her older brother participate in the event. Participation at the Games has been a family affair through the years, as her family has competed in relay races. Mary’s older sister Katherine and older brother Nathaniel have regularly participated in track and field events in previous Games from a young age.

“Winning the female outstanding athlete last year was a surprise,” Smith said. “Competing up at the Games is fun, and it’s not as serious as the regular track meets and competitions in school. The Bear is hard, but I like the challenge of running it.”

The only event that may be as grueling as “The Bear” in the Grandfather Mountain games is the 26.2 mile marathon. It has gained a reputation as America’s toughest marathon. That reputation comes from the all-uphill 13-mile stretch to end the race.

Of course, sprints are open to more discerning athletes that would rather not punish themselves with “The Bear.” Sprints of 100 yards, 220 yards, and 440 yards are offered along with the 880-yard run, one-mile run, and two-mile run.

In addition, there are also jumping events such as the long jump, high jump, triple jump, and pole vault.

For the serious athlete, the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games offers a stern test of body, mind, and will.

Little League District Tournaments Heat Up

Last Saturday was an active day for all four Avery County Little League District 7 Tournament teams.

On a picturesque afternoon to play ball, the Avery 9 and 10 year old teams hosted tournament action in Newland, while the 11 and 12 softball team opened its tournament with a game at Watauga and the 11-12 baseball team traveled to Wilkesboro to open tournament play against Wilkes American.

After defeats in opening round games, the 9 and 10 squads could neither afford a loss. Unfortunately for both teams, however, they met traditionally powerful district teams. In 9-10 softball Avery took on Wilkes American and despite a worthy effort, was eliminated by a final score of 23-2.

The 9 and 10 boys baseball team looked to rebound after its opening round defeat to Wilkes National, but ran into a buzz saw in the squad from Lenoir National. Avery played hard through the final out, but Lenoir simply had too much offensive firepower in a 12-2 victory.

In the 11 and 12 year old divisions, both Avery teams got their first taste of District tournament action. Avery’s softball team picked up a three-run, first inning inside-the-park home run from Jerrica Reiger, while the pitching of starter Emily Brown and a brilliant Avery defensive display made the lead stand up in a 3-1 Avery win.

Avery held Watauga scoreless in the top of the first and did all its offensive damage in the bottom of the opening inning. Kesha Garland drew a walk to lead off the frame. Kaitlyn Arbogast reached base on a hit to left field to set the table for Reiger, who blasted the first pitch she saw all the way to the left field fence. Both base runners scored while Reiger raced around the diamond before the Watauga defense could relay the ball back to the infield.

The damage in the first inning could have been significantly greater, but Avery stranded two runners in scoring position after the home run to prevent Avery from holding more than a three-run lead.

Watauga scored its lone run in the top of the second inning. The ladies from Pioneer land put two runners on after a base hit and an error. Avery traded a run for an out, however, when Watauga second baseman Athena Millsaps rolled an RBI groundout to Avery third baseman Charity Ollis. Starting pitcher Emily Brown worked out of the jam for the Avery squad to prevent any further runs from plating.

Avery left a total of five runners on base in the innings 3-5 but could not manufacture any insurance runs to earn extra breathing room on defense. In each of the final two innings Watauga threatened to score, but sterling defense was turned in by Avery. A 4-3 double-play ended the fifth inning, while a catch from shortstop Garland and flip to third baseman Charity Ollis turned the second double play in as many innings to seal the victory. Avery survives and advance to play this Thursday evening at 6 p.m.

“The girls played well. We had a couple of girls out on vacation last week and they came back and played great today. This is really exciting. We felt we could be competitive and thought this was a game we should win and we did,” Avery head coach Craig Reiger said following Saturday’s triumph.

Avery starter Emily Brown picked up the complete-game victory inside the circle surrendering only one run over six innings, while Jerrica Reiger’s three RBI proved more than enough offense to win the day.

“Jerrica’s hit was a big boost for us, and we were able to put runners on base in every inning, which is a great sign,” Coach Reiger said. “Emily did a great job hitting her spots and didn’t give up many walks, Pitching is such a key in Little League tournaments, and Emily pitched great today.”

Later Saturday afternoon, the Avery 11 and 12 year old baseball team traveled to sizzling Westwood Park in Wilkesboro to take on a tough Wilkes (American) All-Star squad. Avery scored early to grab a lead, but the Wilkes bats woke up with a 10-run third inning en route to earning a 16-2 win in five innings.

Wilkes drew first blood in the top of the first inning of play with a double and a base hit off Avery southpaw Stanley, who got the ball to start on the mound. Stanley did a good job of keeping the Wilkes hitters off balance for the majority of the first two innings, as he and the Avery defense held Wilkes to the lone run scored.

In the bottom of the first, Avery shortstop Brett Smith reached base on a one-out walk, and Stanley helped his own cause with a base hit. Both runners came around to score to put Avery out in front by a 2-1 score.

Neither team could crack the scoreboard in the second inning. In the top of the third inning, however, Wilkes seized momentum and turned a close contest into a rout. A total of 13 batters came to the plate in the inning as the Wilkes hitters were able to time the Avery lefty and hit a number of good pitches between fielders in both the infield and outfield. Luke Crowe came on in relief for Avery and surrendered a couple of hits before retiring the Wilkes side, but not before Wilkes built an 11-2 lead.

Avery managed only one hit over the final three innings off the Wilkes pitching staff who appeared to only strengthen as the game lengthened. The Wilkes offense scored five runs in the top of the fifth inning as both Crowe and Lucas Powell pitched in the final frame. Avery was retired in the bottom of the fifth inning to end the game due to the ten-run mercy rule.

“Wilkes did a good job of hitting the ball in the hole in that third inning, and we made a few mistakes in the field to help them out some,” Avery 11 and 12 year olds head coach Sherrill Rominger said following the contest. “Gabe pitched probably the best game he’s thrown this year, but they just had some good hitting and pitching. We kind of ran out of pitchers today with a couple of pitchers hurting. We also definitely will need to work on our hitting, but we have a good bunch of boys and they gave a great effort.”

Avery’s next game in the 11 and 12 year old baseball district tournament will take place this Saturday.

Musings and Ramblings: Mixed Martial Arts Popular on National and Local Scale

For the past four years, I have developed a deep appreciation and respect for a sport that, as recently as ten years ago, was a pariah in most of the United States and was struggling to earn legitimacy in mainstream sports.

The sport of mixed martial arts, or MMA for short, has come a long way in the past couple of decades since jiu jitsu ace Royce Gracie first made a name for himself at the inaugural Ultimate Fighting Championship in 1993.

The Ultimate Fighting Championship, known to most simply as UFC with its world-renowned Octagon, began as a tournament-style format, without weight classes or time limits. MMA, then known as ‘NHB’ or ‘no holds barred’ quickly became popular.

Because of the sport’s brutality in the early years, it gained the attention of several politicians who passed legislation to ban the sport in most American states. Arizona Senator John McCain famously referred to the sport as “human cockfighting”, and even today six states, most notably New York and Michigan, continue to maintain its ban of mixed martial arts. McCain has since altered his stance in recent years following regulation of the sport, even stating in 2008 that “the sport has grown up. The rules have been adopted to give its athletes better protections and to ensure fairer competition.”

Today the UFC is the most popular and profitable of the large-scale MMA promotions. The company struggled for viability and fiscal survival until the company was purchased by casino owners Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta, who along with former personal trainer and current UFC President Dana White, realized the significance of working alongside state athletic commissions and sought to clean up the barbaric image and rules of the sport.

Today’s MMA is regulated in a similar fashion to professional boxing and kickboxing organizations. There are rules of combat in place which are strictly enforced and weight classes, and with the legalization of MMA, many state athletic commissions have opened the door for smaller scale local and regional fighting promotions and training schools to flourish.

North Carolina passed legislation governing Mixed Martial Arts in 2007. The rise in fighter safety along with state rules and legislation has helped to fuel a major interest in the sport and helped the UFC and other major fighting promotions to become bigger than ever and a billion-plus dollar a year business.

Mixed martial arts have become an interest as a profession to some local residents. One such individual is my friend Luke Moody who resides in Crossnore. Luke has been participating in MMA sanctioned events in multiple states, and has a passion for the sport that I have seen in few folks.

“I personally became interested in the sport back in the late 1990’s but only as a fan. It was not until June 6, 2003 that I saw UFC 43 when Randy Couture defeated Chuck Liddell to win the UFC Light-Heavyweight Championship and become the first man to ever hold a title in two divisions that I became interested in fighting,” Moody shared with me recently. “The drama around the Couture/Liddell fight was huge. The fight was so exciting and I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. I had done some wrestling but that fight and the allure of what it would be to have the opportunity to get into the cage with another fighter and prove that I belonged to be there, that is what made me want to compete in a big show and take part in mixed martial arts.”

Kris Vance, an Avery County native who currently plays semi-pro football with the Carolina Golden Knights, also participates in MMA and is training for an upcoming fight in Kentucky. He echoes a similar passion and dedication to the sport.

“The reason I became interested in MMA is because I wanted to try something with a lot of discipline and courage. The first fight I took was in 2006 against a former Kentucky state trooper on short notice who knocked me out in about 45 seconds,” Vance shared regarding his experience in the sport. “After that I told myself I would commit myself to getting better, so I have been learning new moves, working with other fighters, and watching training videos. Being a fighter is a thrill, and when you to go to the arenas kids look at fighters as heroes.”

MMA has skyrocketed in popularity in the past five years, as live events held on a monthly basis routinely sell out large arenas, with hundreds of thousands of fans purchasing events via pay-per-view.

For the past three years, I’ve had the privilege of watching virtually every UFC event with avid MMA follower C.J. Laws and his family at their home in the Heaton community. C.J. has been an MMA follower since its inception in the early 90s. He participated in martial arts at a younger age and was attracted by the various disciplines involved in the sport, telling me that he would have been a fighter had the sport been available at the time.

“Mixed martial arts incorporate all the martial arts and fighting skills,” Laws stated. “You have grappling, karate, kickboxing, wrestling, and punching. Back in the 80s when I was in martial arts, MMA had not been developed. I took part in karate tournaments, but it wasn’t until Royce Gracie came along that mixed martial arts came along and eventually you had the stricter set of rules and multiple fighting styles.”

Mixed martial arts has reached the mainstream in recent months, as ESPN and other networks are covering events and are airing shows dedicated to the sport. Chances are mixed martial arts will be worth checking out if you’re a fan of boxing or wrestling. Like any sport, MMA isn’t for everyone, but as the sport continues to grow one thing is for certain: the Octagon won’t be going away anytime soon.

Summer Football Camps Offer Specialized Training, College Exposure

For many young boys growing up in Western North Carolina, their aspirations include one day possibly growing up to be a football player. For a select few, the talent and abilities mesh with work ethic and other intangibles to produce a player that may reach All-Conference status in football/ In the team dynamic, some student-athletes play well enough to propel their school to capture prep championships at the conference, regional, and sometimes even the state level.

But what about those students who wish to have a legitimate opportunity to play football at the collegiate level? It’s common knowledge that unless a player is a remarkable, one-of-a-kind type of talent, college recruiters and coaches overlook smaller high school talent in favor of players who might have similar talent, but play under a brighter spotlight in a traditional football hotbed, a more urban setting, or a larger football classification.

Fortunately for aspiring college football players in Western North Carolina, a number of collegiate coaches, recruiting coordinators, and visionaries are making a point not to forget those talented kids who could be an asset to a college football program.

Just this summer alone, a number of Avery football players have taken part in collegiate camps. One such camp took place from June 25-27, as Mars Hill College hosted the fifth annual Blue Chip Football Academy. The academy is limited to rising sophomores through rising seniors, and bills itself in its mission as “for the serious high school player who wants to play college football.”

During this particular camp, one of many camps offered throughout the Southeast and nation as a whole, players are coached and evaluated by college coaches, of whom most are major decision makers for their respective schools. Academies like the Blue Chip affords localized student-athletes the opportunity for tremendous exposure to help them fulfill their goal of playing football at the next level. As well, it affords players to learn about weight training, nutrition, injuries, and stresses the importance of academics.

Academy staff for the 2010 event included assistant coaches, head coaches, or recruiting coordinators from 43 separate institutions ranging from prep schools to junior colleges to all divisions of NCAA football. Coaches from as far as California commit to working the camp, as the academy and other various specialized camps are prime settings to find players who fly under the radar but may offer great skills and leadership to a coach’s particular program.

“By far it is the best camp I have witnessed to get players the most exposure in the shortest amount of time,” one parent has testified about the importance of the summer camps. “It was a very competitive camp. The kids learn a lot of fundamentals, but it was a working camp and fundamentals were stressed. I wish I’d known about the camp before.”

Kim Blackburn, whose son Colton was among a number of Avery High football players to attend the Blue Chip camp, came away impressed with the academy and everything it had to offer high school players hoping to play college ball.

“I felt that the Blue Chip Camp was a great experience for any high school player that is looking to play football in college at some level. They were able to meet and have access to 40 coaches from all divisions, as well as be coached by them on seven-on-seven teams. This gave the boys a glimpse into a college coach’s mind as to what they expect of their players, as well as improve on their individual skills,” Blackburn said of the camp. “The most beneficial part of this camp as compared to some other camps is the amount of exposure and contacts that could be made in one location. It was a positive experience for the boys that attended.”

For information on the Blue Chip Football Academy, visit www.bcfa06.com or visit the websites of other respective regional schools who are holding high school camps throughout the summer season.

Musings and Ramblings: A Little Technology Could Go a Long Way

For sports fans worldwide, the FIFA World Cup® has been a three-week-long odyssey as 32 teams have vied for the title of world’s best. With the roar of vuvuzelas providing the soundtrack, the tournament has borne witness to two major storylines.

The first storyline revolves around so many dramatic and athletic plays, as well as scale-tipping moments that have changed the fortune of nations looking to advance out of group play.

United States fans need only recall their team’s final group match with Algeria. With moments slipping away and the Yanks looking all but eliminated from the round of 16, a thrilling extra-minute goal from Landon Donovan snatched victory from the jaws of defeat.

Unfortunately the second storyline and perhaps more public issue of this year’s Cup tournament has been the spotlight on those who call the matches, the officials. A number of errors in judgment have affected multiple matches.

The United States was subject to a pair of judgment errors in their group matches. In the 20th minute of its match with Algeria a goal was called back when the referee ruled Clint Dempsey was offsides. A flurry of shots by the United States and Herculez Gomez ended up in a point blank finish by Clint Dempsey who truly did not appear to be in an offside position with an Algerian defender looking even.

Just one match earlier, in its encounter with Slovenia, the U.S. erased a 2-0 Slovenian lead to tie the match in the second half. The United States scored what should have been a game-winning goal in the 85th minute. I am still unsure whether offsides was called, or a penalty was called, but Michael Bradley was fouled on the play as a Slovenian player had him in a bear hug. Despite this, the United States scored, but shockingly the goal did not count. The call gave the United States only a single point for the eventual tie instead of the possible three points for a win.

Questionable calls were not limited to just the Stars and Stripes. Just this past Sunday there were two controversial calls in a pair of matches that could have stemmed the tide in both affairs.

In the Germany-England matchup and a 2-1 Germany lead, England’s Frank Lampard fired a shot that slipped by the German goalkeeper and struck the crossbar of the goal. The carom off the crossbar bounced down and made contact with the ground a full two feet over the goal line, which should have counted for a goal. However, both the referee and the assistant referee ruled the shot was not a goal. Instead of England equalizing the match, the score remained 2-1. England manager Fabio Capello admitted after the match that if the goal had counted, strategy for the second half with a knotted score would have differed from the plan with the team trailing.

In a game just hours later between Mexico and Argentina, Argentina was awarded a goal when a ball was scored by Carlos Tevez. Replay after the tally clearly illustrated the Argentinian player was offside and the goal should have been disallowed. Instead the score stood and Argentina went on to win the match.

The numerous controversies have sparked roaring debate over whether FIFA, the international soccer governing body, should change its stance regarding the usage of video and technology in these types of high-profile international matches. FIFA’s attitude is to keep all video and technology out of the game of soccer in order to play the game as they feel it is meant to be played, complete with judgment calls for better or worse.

FIFA has resisted the introduction of such technological aids as goal-line cameras and instant replay, arguing that those devices would rob the sport of its human element and interrupt the game's continuity. And it won't be until the next World Cup, coming up in Brazil in 2014, that five officials will oversee a match rather than the three officials currently in place. In addition, in an attempt to quell any uprisings over bad calls, FIFA has called for all stadiums to stop showing controversial plays on large screens in stadiums during matches for the rest of the World Cup tournament (how’s that for being proactive?).

Now I never profess to be a genius when it comes to “the beautiful game”, but even I can see how asinine it is that a sport has an opportunity to improve the quality and remove a large measure of controversy out of its game, yet choose not to do so.

I disagree with the comment from FIFA’s 74-year-old president Joseph “Sepp” Blatter, who was quoted last April as saying it would "not make sense to stop play every two minutes to review a decision as this would go against the natural dynamism of the game.”

From my assessment of the officiating snafus, simple goal-line technology as used in tennis to rule whether shots are in or out can be adapted to the game of soccer.

Regarding the use of instant replay, multiple options could be reviewed or implemented to ensure a more accurately called match. Replay could be utilized in questionable calls only upon a head coach/manager’s challenge. FIFA could give each coach one challenge to use, and a maximum amount of time (say, 90 seconds) would be allotted for an official to either get help from an official in the press box with a monitor seeing the replay, or watch the replay himself on the field.

Much like the current uses of replay in America’s major sports, scoring plays and only a few other instances (primarily coach challenges in football) are eligible for review. The same should be the case in soccer. I’m not saying FIFA needs to replace referees with robots, but using replay and technology in a limited yet effective measure would surely be lauded by nations around the world, especially those who felt they have been victims of human errors in officiating in this tournament and tournaments past.

With change comes resistance, but it only makes sense for FIFA to relent its stance. Following last weekend’s England/Germany match, robbed English scorer Lampard said "I don't know whether goal-line technology will change things, but technology would have made it 2-all today and given us big belief and confidence that we could beat the Germans." By being willing to show flexibility in this matter, the governing body of soccer could silence detractors and limit the heat the organization receives, in addition to better ensure that undisputed victors would emerge from group and knockout stage play.

Here’s hoping the remainder of this year’s World Cup won’t be tainted by further controversy and that FIFA will straighten up and fly right for the game’s sake.

Golden Knights Stung by Hornets in Semi-Pro Football Action

With the first non-forfeit win in franchise history the previous week against the Burlington Bulldogs, the Carolina Golden Knights looked for two wins in a row against a familiar foe in the Catawba Hornets. The clubs met last season with the Hornets picking up a lopsided victory. This year’s matchup proved to be no different, as the seasoned and experienced Catawba club shut out the Golden Knights 56-0 at Historic Cranberry High School field Saturday night.

Neither team was able to score with their first possession of the contest. A long Hornets punt return set up a short field, which Catawba transformed into its first score when quarterback Lynch found a receiver in the right corner of the end zone for a touchdown. The two-point conversion failed, but Catawba held the 6-0 at the 7:25 mark in the first period.

Carolina’s next possession was disastrous as a fumbled snap was picked up by a Catawba linebacker, who scurried 30 yards for a defensive touchdown. Another two-point try was no good, but the lead was doubled at 12-0 with 6:19 remaining in the opening stanza.

The Hornets defense was strong throughout the contest, as the Knights found little running room and struggled to offset the team speed of Catawba.

Another three-and-out from Carolina resulted in a punt and Hornets drive on the Knights side of the 50-yard line. The Knights defense showed the ability to stop the run on plays inside the tackles, but Catawba quickly utilized its quickness on the edges to get inside the Carolina 10-yard line as the first quarter expired.

Catawba scored on an off-tackle run on the first play of the second period, and converted on a two-point attempt to up its lead to 20-0.

On Carolina’s ensuing possession, the Knights moved the football with its greatest success, marching to near midfield. Former Avery football players Samson Jennings and Chase Arrowood operated out of the backfield for the Knights and saw plenty of action. Carolina’s drive stalled as a snap over quarterback Jennings’ head resulted in a large yardage loss, and Arrowood was stopped on a carry for loss, forcing another Golden Knights punt.

Catawba struck quickly as a halfback run almost resulted in a touchdown, but another former Avery gridder, linebacker Zach Johnson, ran the speedy back down before he could score. The Knights held Catawba on three plays from the ten-yard line to force a fourth and goal at the 11. The Hornets scored on a pass play to the left corner of the end zone with 6:15 left in the first half. Catawba’s conversion attempt was successful to push the Hornets to a commanding 28-0 advantage.

Carolina turned the ball over for a second time on a fumble inside its own 30-yard line to set up Catawba with another scoring opportunity. Two plays later Catawba scored on a 21-yard halfback run. The two-point conversion failed but the Hornets led 34-0, a score which remained unchanged until halftime.

In the second half Carolina’s offense continued to battle hard, but was unable to find an answer to the Catawba defense. Quarterback Jennings gave way to Deke Cooper, who moved from receiver to quarterback. With Jennings at wide receiver, the pair connected on a couple of occasions with wide receiver, once for a first down.

The Knights made one serious attempt to score, moving the football inside the Hornets 30, but the Catawba club was intent to keep the Golden Knights off the scoreboard and turned them away.

Catawba added 22 second-half points to put an exclamation mark on a hard fought contest by both clubs. The teams played through sweltering temperatures in the mid-80s at game time and gathered together at midfield at the game’s conclusion in an admirable display of sportsmanship.

The Golden Knights look to get back on the winning track when it returns to the gridiron next Saturday.

Avery Little League District World Series Teams Open Tournament Play

It was a tough pair of opening games for the 9 and 10 year olds as District 7 Little League Baseball and Softball tournament action got underway.

On a sweltering Saturday in Morganton, the Avery 9-10 softball squad battled both opponent Ashe County and oppressive heat, as temperatures skyrocketed to near the 100 degree mark. Due to the excessive heat, players were given every opportunity during the game to ask for a pause for water to keep hydrated on the hot diamond at Shuey Park.

The heat and a tough Ashe County squad got the best of Avery by game’s end, however, as Avery fell by a final score of 19-5 in four innings.

Ashe County got the offensive flurry going early on against Avery starting pitcher Leah Ricker. Ricker made good pitches, but Ashe found a way to put the aluminum to the ball to score eight runs in the opening frame. Zoe Daniels was called on in relief during the inning and was able to close out the inning.

Avery bounced back in the bottom of the stanza to cut the lead as Ricker drew a walk and scored one batter later when Zoe Daniels ripped an inside-the-park home run to the outfield fence in left field. By inning’s end Avery drew to within 8-2.

Daniels held Ashe scoreless in the top of the second, and in the bottom half Avery took advantage with another pair of runs. Multiple Avery players drew walks in the inning before Veronica Clark plated runs with a base hit. Avery drew three more walks following the hit to force in a run, but Avery was retired, leaving the bases loaded.

Ashe County extended its lead for good in the top of the third with another eight-run flurry. The Ashe club rapped out four hits in the frame to bring runs home and build a 16-4 lead.

Avery scored a single run in the bottom of the third as Cassie Harris walked and came around to score, but was unable to amass any further offense as Ashe plated three runs in the fourth inning and Avery was held scoreless in the bottom half to end the game due to the ten-run mercy rule.

Avery head coach Robert Garland was pleased with how his team battled both its opponent and the elements on a dangerously hot day for baseball.

“They kept beating us by innings. We played close until the end. These girls weren’t used to the heat and burned up, but they played their best and left everything on the field. The girls played really awesome, especially considering how hot they were,” Coach Garland said following the game. “I really thought that Little League should have done something in the mountains with two mountain teams playing, in my honest opinion.”

Despite the setback, the Avery coach was appreciative of the effort of the team and contends there is much fight left in the team for its next tournament game, a must-win contest held this Saturday.

“Some of them looked about ready to pass out, but these girls have a lot of fight in them and they’ll bounce back,” the coach said. The girls will return to action this Saturday with a game at a location TBD at 1 p.m. Updates on games and location can be found later this week on the Journal-Times Sports Blog at www.ajtsports.blogspot.com.

Meanwhile in 9 and 10 year old Little League Baseball tournament action, the Avery boys team squared off with a talented Wilkes County (National League) team on Monday evening at Sherrill Rominger Field inside the Hodge Turbyfill Baseball Complex in Newland. The Wilkes batters had on their hitting shoes from the first inning as the squad took an early lead and did not relinquish its strangle hold as Avery came up short in a 14-1 defeat in four innings.

Avery, the visiting team in the game, looked poised to draw first blood when leadoff hitter Jordan Lecka reached base and advanced to third base, but Wilkes pitcher Ethan Adams recorded back-to-back strikeouts to end the threat.

In the bottom of the frame Wilkes struck for four runs. A number of fielding errors hurt Avery as Wilkes picked up its runs off only one hit.

Avery again looked as if it was going to plate a couple of runs in the second inning when Josh Cook reached on a fielder’s choice and Lane Johnson drew a walk. Again, the Wilkes pitcher rose to the occasion as Adams recorded another strikeout to end the inning.

Batting through each player in the lineup for the second time in as many innings, the Wilkes lineup appeared to get the timing down of Avery starting pitcher Jordan Lecka. Wilkes picked up nine runs in the bottom of the second, forcing Avery to call on Josh McClellan in relief before inning’s conclusion. Wilkes had five base hits in the frame and was assisted with a couple of Avery gaffes which extended the Wilkes advantage to an insurmountable 13-0 lead.

Refusing to quit, Avery fought to prevent the shutout and was successful. McClellan singled in the top of the third inning, advanced to third after a stolen base and passed ball, then scored on a throwing error from the Wilkes catcher.

Unfortunately for the Avery club, it could no more to its run total. Wilkes added a run in the bottom of the third, then struck out the Avery side in order in the fourth inning to close out the win due to the ten-run mercy rule.

Avery’s next 9-10 baseball tournament contest will take place on Saturday afternoon, July 3^rd. Avery’s 11 and 12 year old teams start action this week. The 11-12 softball squad plays in Boone this Saturday at 1 p.m. against Watauga, while the 11-12 year old baseball team takes on Wilkes (American) on the road Saturday at 3:30 p.m.

Lady Vikings Well Represented on All-WNC Soccer Team

Despite the season's end several weeks ago, the accolades and awards continue to be passed out to Avery High School's players and coaches following its historic 2010 season.

Head Coach Tom Evaul was selected as the Western North Carolina Coach of the Year, the Asheville Citizen-Times newspaper announced today. Evaul led the Lady Vikings to the 1A state championship game, and his team held opponents scoreless throughout the playoffs until the title contest with SW Onslow. The Lady Vikings finished the season with a 20-2-2 record overall, and Coach Evaul was named NC Soccer Coaches Association State Head Coach of the Year earlier this month.

Also making the All-WNC team was junior Mary Chesnut Smith. Smith was named the Western Highlands Conference Player of the Year after scoring 33 goals and dishing out 28 assists. She also earned spots on the N.C. Soccer Coaches Association's all-region and all-state teams, and plays this weekend in Charlotte, representing the West in the East-West All-Star Game.

Avery players receiving honorable mention to the squad was Kaley Faulkner, Megan Robbins, Katelynn Eudy, Melinda Eggers and Elyse Perry.

Vikings Football Camp Teaches Fundamentals to Area Youths

From June 14-16, the Avery Vikings in conjunction with the Avery Parks and Recreation Department held its annual youth football camp for elementary and middle school students at MacDonald Stadium.

During the three-day event, nearly two dozen campers were put through the paces by the Avery Vikings coaching staff and current players with various drills. Techniques such as blocking, footwork, pass catching, running, and throwing were emphasized as campers learned moves from players who one day they hope to emulate on the gridiron as a high school athlete.

“The biggest thing we try to do is for the kids to have a great time, and to try to give each kid a taste of everything related to the game. By the time a kid gets to high school, he may play a different position than he plays at this point, so we like to try to let the kids go through different stations and experience the game from all angles and positions as best we can,” said Avery High School head football coach Darrell Brewer.

“The camp is one of the most fun activities we get to do in the course of the year. Our main goal in the camp is to teach the students the game of football, but more importantly to develop a love for the game.”

Around a dozen current Viking football players worked during the camp as instructors at various stations on the field. Campers got the opportunity to learn up close a number of drills from Avery players who enjoyed taking time to work with the children who took part. The campers even enjoyed a frozen Popsicle at the end of the camp day.

As players take part in the camp, it is evident that the players who have played football previously through school or community teams bring more refined skills to the camp

“I tell you, this group of upcoming freshmen coming to the high school may be the best group of players coming in since I’ve been the head coach,” Coach Brewer stated. “You are starting to see the benefits of the work the coaches in the county have put into teaching the game.”

As the years go by, the camp has developed players from kids just learning about the game to seasoned veteran players who currently don jerseys on Friday nights.

“We have kids that we’re blessed to have come back each year. Also, many of our current players who are working as instructors stood in those same shoes the campers are in and have been here for several years. It’s a pretty neat deal,” Coach Brewer stated.

The Avery football program feels strongly about the importance of holding an annual football camp and about its benefits to area kids.

“If we get 15 to 20 kids coming to the camp and loving football, it’s well worth every minute we spend,” Coach Brewer said. “I’d love to see 50 kids here, and we’re hoping to work on some things next year in hopes of getting more kids involved.”

The Avery football team hopes the campers remember the good time they experienced at this year’s camp, and Coach Brewer hopes they will return to Avery High in the fall to cheer on the Vikings. “We’d love to see those guys wearing those camp t-shirts at ballgames on Friday nights, because they truly are the future of Avery Football.”

Golden Knights Earn Thrilling Semi-Pro Football Win over Burlington

After a rough start to the season two weeks earlier, the Carolina Golden Knights returned to the football field at Historic Cranberry High School and put on a great show. Carolina gave up a pair of scores in the second half, but roared back with a tough defense and efficient offense, as the Golden Knights captured a 14-12 win Saturday night against first-year club Burlington.

Both teams had measures of success moving the football, but each team’s blitzing defense wreaked enough havoc to keep either team from putting any points on the scoreboard. At halftime the game remained scoreless.

Burlington got on the scoreboard first midway through the third quarter on a 35 yard touchdown pass for a 6-0 lead. Burlington added a second touchdown on a ten-yard touchdown run in the waning moments of the third quarter to lead 12-0.

Burlington attempted an onside kick after its second score, but it was recovered by Carolina’s Mike Ward in good field position. The Knights took advantage with its first scoring drive of the game. Using a pounding ground game, the Knights pushed the ball inside the five-yard line. On fourth down, Knights quarterback and former Avery Viking Samson Jennings ran play-action and found former Watauga standout Mitchell Harris in the end zone for a four-yard touchdown pass. The point after try from Danny Ball was successful to shrink the Burlington advantage to 12-7.

Early into Burlington’s next possession, Golden Knights defensive back Mister Cooper leapt in the air to haul in his second interception of the game to give Carolina’s offense the football back. Carolina capitalized quickly as another former Avery Viking, running back Chase Arrowood, took the football to the right, reversed field to his left, and in shades of a memorable prep touchdown he scored his senior season, moved the pile and broke several tackles to race 45 yards to pay dirt.for the go-ahead score. Ball’s PAT was good, giving Carolina a 14-12 lead with around seven minutes left in the game.

It was up to the Golden Knights defense to make the lead stand up. The Knights appeared to hold on fourth down in Burlington’s ensuing possession, but a personal foul penalty kept the Burlington drive alive. Undaunted, the Golden Knights held firm, forcing and recovering a fumble in the final two minutes. Carolina then ran out the remainder of the clock to seal the narrow win.

Carolina Golden Knights head coach Mark Beach was excited about his team’s performance following the win. “The team’s emotions were high. We were excited to be able to score, much less think that we could win, considering how we’ve struggled the past year just to score points in a game. It was just enormous,” Coach Beach said.

The Golden Knights are infused with talent not only from the Asheville area and locations across Western North Carolina, but a majority of players hail locally from High Country, many having played high school football for the Avery Vikings or neighboring schools.

“I hope having the local players will inspire other local players who want to play to come out and see what we’re doing,” Beach added. “I know folks have busy lives with lots of things, but I’d love to see more guys come out to play and just give the game a shot.”

This Saturday the Golden Knights will host the Catawba Hornets, a veteran team that defeated the Knights handily last season. This year Carolina hopes to reverse the result from the 2009 meeting.

“Catawba is a really good team. If we can beat those guys, we’ll be ready to play football in whatever league they’d want to put us in!” Beach stated.

The Golden Knights have received support from a number of local individuals and businesses in order to be able to take the field for their second season of semi-pro football.

“I really want to thank the people who are coming out to watch us and those who have been supporting us, as well as the players. Without the players we wouldn’t have the games,” Beach said. “I appreciate the people who have helped out doing things from concessions to the gate to even officiating. Having local officials come and help us for a cheaper cost helps us put more investment back into the team. Our ultimate goal is to be able to save enough money where we’re able to help some person or some family in this area who is in need. Winning has been a slow process that I thought might take three or four years, but if we’re able to keep infusing young talent on the field to practice and work together we’ll keep improving.”

The Knights will host the Hornets at the Historic Cranberry High School football field this Saturday evening at 7 p.m.