Busy Friday for Avery Sports, Avery Varsity Baseball at Polk County Streaming Online

The Avery soccer team is in action this afternoon (3/25) at Ashe County, while both the Avery baseball and softball teams are traveling to Polk County for a conference tangle with the Wolverines.

This evening's varsity baseball game in Columbus between the Vikings and the Wolverines will be streaming live over the internet via WJFJ-AM radio. The website is www.wjfjradio.com, as Voice of the Wolverines Ray Henderson and the broadcast team will be bringing the action as the Vikings look for its second win on the season.

As with basketball, the radio crew has been gracious enough to allow Yours Truly (Jamie) to sit in to provide commentary on the Vikings and the game during the broadcast.

If you can't make the trip down Highway 221 this evening, tune in (weather permitting) around 6:30 p.m. for the first pitch from Columbus.

AJ-T Sports LIVE FROM... MacDonald Stadium (Avery Lady Vikings soccer)

7:42 PM -- Vikings defeat Polk County by a final score of 3-0. The Lady Vikings return to the pitch on Wednesday at Mars Hill College to take on the Madison Lady Patriots.

7:20 PM -- Smith quickly adds a second goal for the half as the Lady Vikings ups its lead to 3-0 with 20:50 remaining in the match.

7:17 PM -- In the 57th minute, Mary Chesnut Smith ripped a right-footed shot from around 20 yards out that slipped past the goalie's right side and into the net. Avery now leads 2-0 over Polk.

7:00 PM -- The Lady Vikings lead Polk County 1-0 at intermission. The Smith goal has been the lone tally of the game thus far. Second half coming up!

The 2010 1A state runner-up Avery High School Lady Vikings host Polk County this afternoon in the team's home opener. The Lady Vikings are looking to bounce back from a tie and a pair of losses last week that knocked AHS out of the No. 1 spot in the Eurosport 1A girls soccer poll.

Avery scores early in the first half with a goal from freshman Shannon Smith. There is less than five minutes to play in the first half and the Lady Vikings continue to hold a 1-0 lead. We'll continue updating from the press box as the evening ensues. Thanks for reading!

Tuesday Sports a No-Go

Local middle school baseball and softball, as well as high school baseball/softball at Owen have been postponed this afternoon due to wet weather.

Here are reschedules as we have them:

Avery High School baseball at Owen: rescheduled to Thursday, March 17th
Avery Middle School baseball at Harris: rescheduled to Friday, March 18th

Musings and Ramblings: Lady Vikings Soccer Coach Tom Evaul Discusses Team, Season

To read more on this story, click HERE

LMC Sports Roundup

Click HERE for full coverage of this story

In the Batter's Box with Avery Baseball

Read more on this story by clicking HERE

AHS Soccer Match Postponed

Avery's scheduled home-opener soccer match against Owen has been cancelled for Wednesday evening due to weather. The teams hope to reschedule the match for Thursday.

Yackey, Lecka Compete at State Wrestling Championships

On Feb. 25 and 26, Avery wrestlers Brock Yackey and Lucas Lecka advanced to take part in the NCHSAA State Wrestling Championships, held at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex.

Both wrestlers competed on the first day’s opening round. Lecka, wrestling in the 215-pound weight class, fell in his 1A quarterfinal match against a tough opponent in Red Springs wrestler Robert Overton by first period pinfall. Lecka returned to action the next morning and took on Robbinsville’s Will Grindstaff. Grindstaff came out on top via forfeit to eliminate Lecka from the championships after a stellar conference and regional tournament performance.

Viking senior Brock Yackey was successful in his first match 9-6 decision victory over Pamlico County’s Chad Hoff. Yackey faced a tough opponent in his championship semifinal match against Central Academy’s Jamie Lemon, who had 43 wins on his record this season. The pair battled to a 2-2 tie after regulation. In the waning seconds of overtime Lemon earned two points to defeat Yackey by a 4-2 final score, moving the senior into the consolation bracket.

At the consolation level Yackey wrestled in the semifinals and defeated Adrian Garcia from West Wilkes by a 6-3 decision to compete for the overall third place finish.

In the consolation finals, Yackey faced a familiar foe in Hoff, winning a hard-fought bout 5-0 to capture the third-place medal.

Congratulations to Brock, Lucas and the Avery wrestling team for a great 2010-11 season.

Hayesville Comeback Eliminates Vikings from State Playoffs

The Avery Vikings (AHS) and Hayesville Yellow Jackets (HHS) played a back-and-forth first half in the opening round of the state 1A high school basketball playoffs on Monday, Feb. 21 in Clay County.

The Big Red raced out to a double-figure margin late in the third period, but a furious comeback in the game’s final 10 minutes, and a rebound/follow-up shot in the game’s closing seconds sent AHS into baseball season with a 65-64 defeat.

Senior Dustin Clarke provided much of the AHS offense in the first period with 11 of the team’s 15 first-quarter points. HHS countered with its own do-it-all guard in junior Justin Gonyea, who tallied 13 of the 18 Yellow Jacket points in the frame.

As the second period ensued, more Vikings made their presence felt, as Timmy Stewart drained a three-pointer and teammates Kody Hughes, Austin Lyons and Alex Villanueva each contributed field goals in the quarter. HHS’s Gonyea added five points in the second stanza, totaling 18 of the team’s 30 first-half points, which proved enough for a 30-29 halftime advantage.

As the second half began, AHS’s Villanueva was unstoppable, scoring eight of the first 10 Viking points in the third quarter. The offense was part of a 10-0 Big Red scoring run over the first 2:08 of the third quarter to erase the Yellow Jacket lead and build a 39-30 Viking advantage.

AHS continued to pad its lead in the third stanza, with three-pointers from Hughes and Mark Polsgrove and eight points from Clarke propelling the Vikings to a lead as large as 51-36 with 1:20 to play in the frame. HHS ended the quarter with a 7-0 scoring run, however, to cut the lead in half at 51-43 after three periods.

The momentum HHS built at the end of the third quarter carried into the final eight minutes. AHS held a 54-43 lead with 6:33 to play in the contest, but over the next 2:10 the Yellow Jackets raced to a 15-4 run keyed by clutch shots from Gonyea and four Viking turnovers to tie the game at 58-58.

AHS managed to make just six field goals in the final period, while the Jackets shifted from a perimeter-oriented game to showing aggressiveness inside the paint. The teams traded the lead in the final two minutes, and with 50 seconds left, Clarke found Hughes inside for a layup and a 64-63 lead.

The Big Red defense made a stand with 22 seconds to play, forcing a turnover from HHS. With its ensuing possession, however, AHS made a critical error and turned the ball back over to the home team. As the seconds ticked off with HHS’s final possession Gonyea drove and shot the ball but missed. Teammate Matthew Reynolds hauled in the offensive rebound and scored for the one-point Jacket advantage with three seconds left. A final dribble and desperation heave from near mid-court by Clarke was off the mark, securing the HHS win and leaving the heartbroken Vikings wondering what might have been.

“I was shocked. It still hasn’t sunk in, but that’s the playoffs,” Avery head coach Bo Manis said after the loss. “The officials called the game one way one half, then called it tight the second half. If that is allowed for the entire game, that’s fine. But I felt the referees made adjustments as the second half went on. Something was fishy about that.”

Clarke led the Vikings with 27 points, with 17 from Villanueva and seven from Hughes. Polsgrove added six points. For the foursome of Colton Blackburn, Clarke, Hughes and Polsgrove, it was their final game as Viking players. Gonyea paced HHS with a game-high 37 points.

“I’m really going to miss these seniors, working with them and just having them around,” Manis said.

“Mark stepped up big time. Dustin was a player who works hard and he’ll continue to improve and move forward. Kody plays hard and loves the game of basketball, and Colton just had a lot of fun and enjoyed playing this season. They each brought something different to the table.”

The Vikings finished the season with a 14-10 overall record.

Lady Vikings Drops Playoff Opener to East Surry

Coming off a 2010 playoff season that included a trip to the Western regionals, it was natural to speculate another long postseason run for the Avery Lady Vikings (AHS) this season.

The visiting East Surry Lady Cardinals (ES) didn’t get the memo, entering the Viking Octagon for the first round of this year’s playoffs with size and confidence. A late offensive rebound and putback helped the road team pull off a shocking 45-43 win last Monday, Feb. 21.

In the opening period, the Lady Cardinals made a conscious effort to slow the tempo of the contest. ES was one of the only teams this season to have the frontline size to match the size of the Big Red, a fact that played a big part in the game’s outcome.

“They were huge. They did a good job and took our post players out of our game. We got some shot opportunities from our off-guards, but shots weren’t falling for us,” Avery head coach Missy Lyons said after the game.

ES used a zone defense to pack the interior, and the strategy worked well for the opening half. The lone exception to the rule was Lady Viking senior guard Mercedes Bentley, who poured in seven of the team’s nine points in the opening period and 10 points for the half.

AHS held a narrow 9-8 lead after one quarter, but ES outscored the Lady Vikings 17-11 in the second stanza. Megan Tennant scored six points in the second quarter and eight points total through the first half. Keri Fulp paced the Lady Cardinals with eight points in the period, however, as the Big Red trailed by a 25-20 halftime score.

The lead grew to 28-21 before AHS’s pressure forced a few turnovers and allowed the home team to claw back to even in the fourth quarter.

“We were down early in the second half, but we really turned it on,” Lyons said.

As the final period ensued, the game stayed tight. Eudy tallied nine points in the frame to help the Lady Vikings take the lead at 43-41. The Big Red had possession and a chance to pad its lead with 50 seconds left, but a turnover and driving layup from ES tied the contest.

The Lady Vikings ran some time off the clock to plan a good shot. AHS could not get the shot to fall and ES grabbed the rebound at around the 15 second mark. ES pushed the ball up the floor, but was caught in an AHS trap near the sideline and forced a Lady Cardinal timeout.

On ES’s final offensive possession, Autumn Cole inbounded the ball and got it right back. Cole drove to the hoop and missed the shot, but teammate Fulp grabbed the rebound and put it back for the 45-43 lead with around five seconds left.

AHS had one final opportunity to tie the game, but a long desperation shot fell no good, giving the Lady Cardinals the close win.

Eudy and Tennant each had 13 points and combined for 10 rebounds. Bentley chipped in with 12 points, but no other Lady Viking scored more than two points in the contest. Fulp and Cole scored 13 points each for the Lady Cardinals.

The Lady Vikings could only manage to shoot 17-for-57 from the field (29.8 percent) for the game, but committed only six turnovers for the contest.

“We put a lot of energy into the tournament and didn’t have a lot of practice, but we realized that sometimes in the state playoffs you don’t know who you’re gonna get, so you have to be ready for any and everybody,” Lyons said. “The girls were disappointed but were pleased with what they accomplished this year.”

AHS finished the season with a 22-6 overall record and champions of the Western Highlands Conference regular season and tournament.

“We’re building a winning tradition, and we had a lot of younger girls on our team. We didn’t have a lot of experience, but I feel we gained a lot of it by the end of the year,” Lyons said. “We played a sophomore and a freshman for a lot of minutes this season, so we feel that will be very valuable for us going into next season. Losing this game helps us to see what our competition is. We’ve got to be ready to match it if we ever have a chance to win a state title.”

Big Red Trio Selected to Blue/White All-Star Games

Avery Lady Viking standout seniors Katelynn Eudy and Mercedes Bentley have been selected to participate in this year's Blue-White All-Star girls basketball game, while Viking senior guard Dustin Clarke has been chosen to play in the Blue-White All-Star boys contest, The AJ-T has learned.

Bentley and Eudy marked the seventh and eighth Lady Viking players to make the team over the past six seasons. Former Avery guard Charity Austin was MVP of the 2006 contest, while former teammates Kimberly Pitman and Brittney Burleson played in the 2007 game, Kim Gragg played in 2008, Katie Ellis participated in 2009 and Sara Wiseman played in last year's contest.

Clarke, the 2010 Western Highlands Conference Player of the Year, helped lead the Vikings to playoff appearances the past two seasons, including a 14-win season in 2010-11. The guard averaged 23.3 points, 7.7 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 2.1 steals a game, all team highs.

The games will take place Friday, March 18, at T.C. Roberson High School in Skyland. The game is a fundraising effort of the Rhododendron Civitan Club, and revenue from the games goes to the special education programs of the public schools of Western North Carolina

LMC Hoops Celebrates Senior Day

LMC Men Fall to Coker
Liam Kyle posted a double-double with 15 points and a game-high 11 rebounds to lead the Coker College men's basketball team to a 69-56 win over Lees-McRae College (LMC) last Saturday, Feb. 26, on Senior Day in Williams Gymnasium.

Adam McFerran poured in a game-high 17 points in his final game as a Bobcat, knocking down 8-of-12 attempts from the floor to conclude his career with 1,128 points, including 652 markers over the past two seasons with LMC. Fellow senior Sam Youse added seven points for the Bobcats, as McFerran and DeAndre Tillman each posted a team-high seven rebounds. Tillman also tallied a game-high two blocks to finish the campaign tied for fifth on the program's single-season rejections list with 32 stuffs.

LMC is expected to return eight lettermen from this season's squad, including rising junior Daniel Sepokas and rising sophomores Hairston, Tillman, Will Lopez and Matt Eller.

Bobcat Women Fall in Overtime against Cobras
Jasmine Alston posted game-highs of 47 points and 13 rebounds to lead Coker College to a 90-86 overtime victory on Senior Day at LMC.

Kasey Haynes paced the Bobcat attack with 21 points and six rebounds, while seniors Janina Thurau and Erin Thompson scored 12 and 11 markers, respectively, for the Bobcats. Zukye Smith also added 11 points and seven rebounds for Lees-McRae on the afternoon.

LMC held a 43-40 advantage at halftime and battled through the second half, with Coker taking a 70-64 lead with less than four minutes to play in regulation. LMC utilized a 6-1 run to cut the score to 71-70, but Coker retaliated with a 5-0 run of its own to again extend the advantage to six at 76-70 with 1:06 left on the game clock.

The Bobcats capped regulation with an 11-5 run with nine points from Thurau, who netted a three-point basket with less than two seconds on the clock to send the contest into overtime. The Cobras responded in overtime, outscoring the Bobcats by a 9-5 margin en route to the 90-86 victory.

Lady Vikings Soccer Opener Postponed; Diamond Action Begins This Week

The Monday afternoon (2-28) girls soccer match between defending 1A state runners-up Avery High School and East Wilkes in Ronda has been POSTPONED. A make-up date has not yet been set. 

The Lady Vikings are next scheduled to take on North Wilkes on the road this Friday, March 4.

Avery Baseball opens its regular season on Tuesday with a trip to Freedom High School, then travels on Friday to North Buncombe in non-conference action.

AJT Sports LIVE FROM: Holmes Convocation Center

8:47 PM -- The Mountaineers win over the Cougars by the final score of 85-70. Sims finishes with 30 points to lead the Mountaineers. ASU evens its mark at 14-14 overall and improve to 9-8 in SoCon play. College of Charleston moves to 22-8, 14-3 in SoCon action.

8:44 PM -- Appalachian looks prepped to get the victory over CofC as only 1:04 remains to the play and the Mountaineers have maintained its dozen-point lead at 82-70.

Goudelock has been out of the game for the past minute or so, which apparently signals the Cougars throwing in the towel. Sims hits a three for 30 points for the game. Watauga's own JR Archer, Griffin Shaw, and Jacob Lail finish off the game for the final 26 seconds.

8:40 PM -- 2:17 remains in the game and ASU leads 78-68. ASU picked up two HUGE offensive rebounds on its latest offensive possession, allowing the club to run an extra minute or so off the game clock. The possession eventually resulted in a layup. Goudelock has warmed up a bit for CofC, however with 23 points, five coming in the previous minute, to keep the Cougars within striking distance.

Both teams are in the bonus on free throw shooting, and the Mountaineers have doubled up the Cougars on the offensive boards 14-7 and 36-28 overall.

8:34 PM -- With 5:14 to play, the Mountaineers have opened a 73-61 lead. ASU has shown itself to be susceptible to CofC exploiting the offensive glass, but the Mountaineers have been efficient enough offensively to maintain a working lead.

8:27 PM -- The Mountaineers have extended its lead to 68-59 with 7:40 left in the game. Sims leads all scorers with 23 points, while Goudelock is stuck at 18 points and Wiedeman has 15 points and Monroe has 10.

Charleston has dominated in the paint, outscoring ASU 32-14 for the game, but ASU has shot 53 percent for the half thus far to build its advantage.

8:22 PM -- ASU's scoring spurt moves to a 12-0 run, with a three-pointer from Booth and a basket from Sims prompting ANOTHER CofC timeout with 9:46 left to play on the clock. Sims has 21 for the game, with 13 from Carter and 12 from Booth.

8:20 PM -- ASU goes on a 6-0 run to re-take the lead at 58-54 with 10:56 to play. A steal and jam by Hausley prompts CofC head coach Bobby Cremins to take the timeout.

8:14 PM -- ASU takes a full time-out with 12:40 to play in the game and now trail 54-52. A Wiedeman breakaway dunk inside spurred on the stoppage of play. The defense has sagged a little inside at times due to the constant threat of Goudelock penetrating or shooting from outside.

8:08 PM -- With 14:45 to play in the contest, the teams are knotted at 48-48. Goudelock has 18 points for CofC, with 16 from Sims of ASU. The potential offensive fireworks between this pair of All-Conference performers has lived up to the pre-game hype. Shaping up to go down to the proverbial wire.

7:56 PM -- Halftime at Holmes. No score change, as the game remains tied at 37-37 at intermission. ASU is honoring the Southern Conference champion football team during halftime, which should inspire a nice ovation from the crowd.

Aside from Goudelock, Trent Wiedeman has seven points and six rebounds, with six points from Monroe and three from Andrew Lawrence.

The Mountaineers' Marcus Wright leads the club with five rebounds to go along with three points for the half. Neither squad has turned the basketball over a great deal for the half, with just 11 turnovers combined.

7:43: PM -- ASU takes a timeout with 21.2 seconds left in the half. The game is tied at 37 apiece, as Goudelock's scoring of late has kept the Cougars on pace with ASU. Sims has 13 points to lead the Mountaineers, with 9 from Carter and four points each from Jeremi Booth and Petey Hausley.

7:40 PM -- We're at the under four-minute media timeout and the Mountaineers lead it 34-31. Goudelock has 11 points to lead the way for the Cougars, with 10 points from Donald Sims and nine points from Omar Carter. The game has featured some good shooting as the Mountaineers are near the 50 percent field goal mark for the half.

7:28 PM -- It's now 21-20 with the Cougars leading with 7:36 left to play in the first half. Goudelock has warmed up with five points, while Donald Sims has also stroked a three-pointer in the interim.

Leading the way for the Cougars is Donavan Monroe with six points. ASU held a 9-4 lead in the opening moments of the contest before the CofC rallied.

We're LIVE at Appalachian State University's Holmes Center for an entertaining game between the ASU Mountaineers and the Cougars of College of Charleston.

We join our game already in progress, as the Mountaineers hold a 17-13 lead at the 11 minute mark in the first half. Cougars guard Andrew Goudelock has been held scoreless thus far in the game, while Omar Carter leads the Apps with four points. We'll be providing updates throughout tonight's contest! Stay tuned!

Vikings Upend Polk, Falls to Cougars in Tournament Semis

The Avery High School (AHS) varsity boys basketball team opened conference play shorthanded last Tuesday, Feb. 15, as three players were no longer with the team. The Vikings took only seven healthy players into its first round Western Highlands Conference tournament game against Polk County. Despite the thin ranks, the Vikings offense provided enough punch to defeat the Wolverines 74-61.

AHS returned to action in the tournament semifinal round last Thursday, Feb. 17, taking on top-seeded Mountain Heritage. The Cougars proved too tough to tame, as the Big Red fell 80-64.

The first quarter of the contest with the Wolverines had the makings of a shootout, as both clubs drained four three-point baskets in the frame. Mark Polsgrove connected on two of the AHS shots from beyond the arc, but the Wolverines held the slim 21-19 lead after one period.

A Polk scoring spurt was topped by a Stephen Staley layup to build a 29-24 Wolverine lead. The Vikings responded, however, with its own flurry, ended by a Kody Hughes layup. The teams ended the half as it began as the teams were knotted at 33 points apiece.

During the third quarter AHS received a boost from senior guard Dustin Clarke. The defending conference player of the year scored 10 points, including a pair of three-pointers, in the frame. As a whole, the Vikings shot more than 50 percent for the period as the Big Red took a 50-48 lead after three periods.

Early in the fourth quarter AHS put together an 8-2 spurt to build a working margin that sustained for the duration of the contest. Polsgrove connected on four baskets and nine points in the period, Clarke scored seven points (five of which from the free throw line) and Timmy Stewart added two field goals. The Viking defense took over in the waning minutes to advance the Big Red into the semifinals.

Clarke led AHS with 30 points with 10 rebounds, three assists and two steals. Polsgrove added 18 points, with 11 from Kody Hughes and eight from Timmy Stewart.

AHS returned to the floor last Thursday, Feb. 17, to take on top-seed Mountain Heritage. The Cougars opened the game on an 11-0 scoring run and built a 21-5 advantage midway through the first quarter, forcing the Vikings to play a game of comeback for the remainder of the contest.

The Vikings had little answer for Cougars junior guard Alex Biggerstaff, who scored 27 first-half points. AHS trailed 25-12 after one stanza.

Showing its resolve, the Vikings refused to fold, opening the second period with a scoring spurt to narrow the deficit to 26-18 early in the second quarter. Heritage opened its lead back to 15 points with baskets from Biggerstaff and center John Cannon.

AHS again cut the deficit to 37-25 near the two minute mark in the half, but Heritage drained four straight three-point baskets as part of a 14-0 run to close the half. The Cougars seized a 51-25 lead at halftime.

Clarke led AHS with 15 points at intermission, with four points from Villanueva and three points apiece from Hughes and Polsgrove.

Heritage continued to show its dominance that eventually won the team the conference tournament, leading 69-42 after three quarters. The Vikings ended the tournament on a high-note, finishing the final quarter with an 8-0 scoring run to close the margin to under 20 points and provide the final margin.

Clarke paced Avery with 25 points, 14 rebounds, three assists and a steal. Stewart was the only other Viking in double figures with 13 points, along with five rebounds and three steals.

Polsgrove tallied nine points, with six points from Alex Villanueva.

Clarke was the lone Viking on the All-Tournament team as Mountain Heritage defeated Mitchell to sweep the regular season and tournament titles.

The Vikings traveled last Monday, Feb. 21, to Hayesville to take on the Yellow Jackets, who finished in second place in the Smoky Mountain Conference. A full report on the team’s tournament performance can be found in next week’s edition of The Avery Journal-Times.

Griewisch to Run at National Championships

Lenoir-Rhyne University junior runner and former Avery High School standout Kate Griewisch (pictured, left) ran a school-record 16:45 en route to winning the 5,000-meter race on Friday, Feb. 11, at the Tyson Indoor Invitational on the campus of the University of Arkansas.


With her time, Griewisch automatically qualifies for the NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field National Championships, which take place on March 11 and 12 in Albuquerque, NM at the Albuquerque Convention Center.

Griewisch, a Banner Elk native, was the lone NCAA Division II runner in the race and beat Missouri State's Terry Phillips, the runner-up, by six seconds.

Griewisch has earned All-America honors in women's cross country in 2009 and 2010 and also qualified for the outdoor track and field finals in the 10K last spring.

Griewisch has also won the NCAA Division II Women's Cross Country Southeast Regional race the past two years (2009-10) and won the 2009 South Atlantic Conference Championship meet.

A three-time First-Team All-South Atlantic Conference honoree (2008-10), Griewisch has been named the 2009 and 2010 SAC Women's Cross Country Scholar-Athlete of the Year as well.

Griewisch also qualified for nationals as a provisional in the 5K in and in the one-mile run.

Lady Vikings Claim Conference Tournament Championship

The Avery High School (AHS) Lady Vikings completed a perfect season against members of the Western Highlands Conference with a trio of victories last week at Madison High School.

On Monday, Feb. 14, the Lady Vikings obliterated an overmatched Hendersonville by the final score of 83-22. Megan Tennant scored a season-high 28 points in the win, with 19 points from Mercedes Bentley.

The Lady Vikings used a 15-3 run to open the second half to build a 25-point lead. The fourth quarter was a mere formality as every AHS player saw extended action in the period to close out the victory.

Last Thursday, Feb. 17, the Big Red defeated a pesky Polk County club 57-38. AHS used it interior advantage to build a 22-10 lead after one quarter. Polk rallied in the second stanza, however, outscoring AHS 15-8 in the period to draw to within 30-25 at halftime.

AHS extended its lead with a productive third quarter, as Mary Chesnut Smith scored three points in the frame, with baskets from Katelynn Eudy and Lauren Burleson that padded the Lady Viking advantage back to 43-31. In the final eight minutes of action, Avery pulled away for good with points from Bentley and two buckets from Eudy.

The AHS defense held Polk to only 13 second-half points in the semifinal win. Tennant again led the Lady Vikings with 18 points and six rebounds, with 12 points and five rebounds from Eudy, eight points from Bentley and six points from Mary Chesnut Smith.

The Lady Vikings advanced to the tournament final where, last Friday, Feb. 18, it squared off with the Mountain Heritage Lady Cougars. AHS took charge with an early lead and refused to relinquish it in earning a 60-48 win and a tournament championship.

In multiple games during the season, the Big Red has gotten off to slow starts. This championship game was a different story, however, as AHS raced to a 17-8 lead after one period. Guard Savannah Dellinger, normally a pivotal distributor of the basketball, helped the Lady Vikings set the pace with a pair of three-point baskets in the first period. Bentley added her own three-pointer, while Tennant scored six points. Burleson and Eudy chipped in with four points apiece in the second period as the Lady Vikings led 33-20 at halftime.

The two teams played even through the third period with the Lady Vikings continuing to maintain its 13-point advantage at 47-34 entering the fourth quarter. Heritage attempted to narrow the gap as Kayla Johnson and Maria Kardulis each drained a pair of three-pointers in the second half.

The Lady Vikings refused to surrender an inch, with six AHS players scoring points in the frame to push the Big Red to the 12-point win and second tournament title in four seasons.

Tennant tallied 18 points in the win, earning tournament Most Valuable Player honors. Eudy added 11 points, with 10 from Dellinger. Kelsie Clarke, Bentley and Burleson tallied six points apiece, with three from Smith.

In addition to Tennant’s MVP performance, Bentley and Eudy also garnered All-Tournament honors for their performances during the week.
AHS hosted East Surry in the first round of the state playoffs in the Viking Octagon last Monday, Feb. 21. A full report on Avery’s performance in the state sectional playoffs will be available in next week’s edition.

Vikings Send Pair of Grapplers to State Championships

Avery senior wrestlers Brock Yackey and Lucas Lecka advanced through last weekend’s 1A Western Regional tournament at Cherokee High School to advance to this weekend’s state championships in Greensboro.

Yackey captured the regional championship at the 135-pound weight class. He defeated Zach Caldwell of Thomas Jefferson by second period pin and won an 8-3 decision over East Surry’s Blaine Hunter to advance with an undefeated mark to the second day of competition.

In his championship semifinal round, Yackey defeated Colby Yanez of host Cherokee by a 9-3 decision, and in the championship shut out West Wilkes’ Adrian Garcia by a 7-0 decision.

Lecka punched his ticket to Greensboro with wins in his opening match by pinfall over Will Ferguson (Swain). Lecka advanced to day two with an unbeaten mark as he defeated Mitchell Abbey of Elkin by first period pin. In the championship semifinals Lecka pinned Robbinsville’s Will Grindstaff in the third period. Lecka’s hopes for a regional title fell short as Greg UpChurch of East Surry upended the Big Red mat man by a 7-2 decision.

Although the pair was the only AHS wrestlers to advance to next week’s championships, a number of other Vikings had solid performances.

Freshman Harley Rash earned two wins by pinfall at the 119-pound weight class. Devin Buchanan earned a pinfall victory at 130 pounds during the tournament. Meanwhile senior C.J. Vance won three matches in the 160-pound weight class, defeating Hiwassee Dam’s Lucas Hayes by 15-0 technical fall, winning a 6-0 decision over Alex Carter of East Wilkes and winning an 8-1 decision against Mitchell’s Jacob Hundley.

Fellow senior Kyle Greene also earned multiple victories at the tournament in the heavyweight class. Greene won a 7-0 decision over West Wilkes’ Anthony Alvarado and winning by second period fall over Cherryville’s Dylan Reynolds.

Congratulations to the Viking wrestling team, and good luck to the Big Red grapplers this weekend at the state tournament.

Sports Saturday and LIVE FROM...The Smith Center (Boston College/UNC basketball)

RECAP: Heels defeat Boston College 48-46. A last-second three-point shot is no good and UNC gets the win in grind-it-out fashion. The win is the 20th by Carolina this season, as the travels to Raleigh for its next game to play N.C. State.

Here are a few postgame notes from the press conferences:

• The 48 points are the fewest ever scored by Carolina in the Smith Center (today was UNC's 361st game in the Smith Center). The previous low was 50 against Princeton on Dec. 13, 1997, in a 50-42 UNC victory.

• The 94 combined points are the second-fewest in a game in the Smith Center. The low is the 92 scored by the Tar Heels and Princeton on Dec. 13, 1997.

• The 48 points are the fewest points by UNC in a victory since a 45-44 win at NC State on Feb. 12, 1997.

• This is Carolina's first game scoring fewer than 50 points since a 60-48 loss to Duke in Charlotte on March 8, 2002, in the ACC Tournament quarterfinals.

5:42 PM -- 3:49 and the final media timeout has UNC leading BC 45-40. BC, specifically Raji, has found its stroke, with the Eagles going on a 10-2 run to draw to within five. The Heels have turned the ball over multiple times in that stretch. Should be in for an interesting finish! It's about time to head downstairs for the post-game press conferences.

2:51 remains in the game with the Heels still leading by five at 45-40. We'll try to have some photos, the final score, and other stats posted later following the game.

5:33 PM  7:47 remains to play in the game and UNC leads BC 43-30. The Heels are doing a better job of getting out on the fast break. BC is shooting a woeful 10-of-43 from the field for the game, and missed 13 of its first 14 shots in the second half.

5:22 PM -- The Heels are in the midst of a 13-1 scoring run over the past five and a half minutes. The spurt has helped UNC build a 37-24 lead with 11:56 to play in the contest.

5:10 PM -- UNC has went on a scoring run thanks to Tyler Zeller's three buckets to lead 28-23 with 16:29 to play in the contest. A few moments later and we're at the first media timeout. Heels still lead it by five at 28-23. Zeller leads the Heels with 11 points and 8 rebounds, along with a block. 15:54 left to play.

4:46 PM -- It was a rough half if you are a fan of offense. UNC leads 21-20 at halftime. The Heels shot only 34 percent in the first half. BC shot only 28 percent from the field. Josh Southern scored five points to lead BC, with 4 points, 8 rebounds, and a block by the John Henson.

Hopefully the "O" will pick up after intermission. Also noticed that Carolina great Tyler Hansbrough is in town for the NBA All-Star break and is in attendance at the game.

The 26-6 NIT champion Tar Heels were recognized at mid-court in a great ceremony. Second half to begin shortly.

4:40 PM -- 3:20 remains in a first half of attrition. Both teams not shooting well from the perimeter but the Heels are up one point at 18-17. However a BC free throw after the media timeout may tie it up. UNC is honoring the 1971 NIT championship team at halftime in what promises to be a special ceremony.

Jeff Trapani leads the Eagles with 7 points, while Henson's 4 still leads Carolina.

4:30 PM -- Carolina leads14-9 with 7:06 to play in the half. John Henson went out with an apparent ankle or foot injury at the 12:09 mark, but returned two minutes later. Henson has four points for UNC, with baskets from Barnes, Zeller and Marshall, with a three point basket from Leslie McDonald.

4:20 PM -- 11:35 remains in the first stanza and the Heels lead BC 9-3. The Eagles have connected on only one shot as the Heels have built a six-point lead.

4:10 PM -- points are at a premium in the early going with the Heels leading 4-0 at the 15:24 mark of the first half. A Henson dunk and a Barnes layup are the only points thus far.

This afternoon, we are LIVE FROM...UNC/Boston College basketball. UNC easily handled the Eagles in the first meeting between the school in Chesnut Hill, Mass, and hope to make it a clean sweep this afternoon.

Joe Trapani and Reggie Jackson key the Eagles attack offensively. Carolina looks to build on its win Tuesday night in the Smith Center over the Wake Forest Demon Deacons. We'll be providing periodic updates throughout the game. 

It's been a busy weekend for area athletics. Congratulations to the Avery Lady Vikings on its WHC tournament championship victory over Mountain Heritage Friday night. Mercedes Bentley, Katelynn Eudy and Megan Tennant were named to the All-Tournament Team, with Tennant taking Most Outstanding Player honors. By virtue of its season, Avery will be hosting 10-12 East Surry in the opening round of the state basketball playoffs.

The Avery boys basketball team will also compete in the state playoffs, but will be traveling to Hayesville to play the Yellow Jackets out of the Big Smoky Mountain Conference. Hayesville has won 18 games this season and finished second to Murphy in the conference race.

The Avery wrestling team was in action this weekend in Cherokee at the 1A Western Regional championships.

The event had a delay of approximately two hours due to what was deemed a "computer glitch" which inadvertently re-drew seeds and forced the first two rounds of the tournament to be completed by hand.

Congratulations to REGIONAL CHAMPION Brock Yackey and REGIONAL RUNNER-UP Lucas Lecka. Both wrestlers will travel to Greensboro to compete in the North Carolina State Wrestling Championships.

Western Highlands Conference Tournament Brackets UPDATED

Below are the updated pairings for the 2011 Western Highlands Conference Boys and Girls Basketball Tournaments being held this week. The varsity tournaments will be held at Madison High School, while the junior varsity tournaments are held at Madison Middle School.

UPDATE: The Avery Lady Vikings defeated the Polk Lady Wolverines in Thursday's varsity girls tournament semifinal by a final score of 57-38. Megan Tennant led the Lady Vikings with 18 points and 6 rebounds in the win. Katelynn Eudy added 12 points and five rebounds, with 8 points and 3 steals by Mercedes Bentley and 6 points and 7 rebounds from Mary Chesnut Smith. Guards Savannah Dellinger and Kelsie Clarke combined for eight rebounds and 10 assists.

Avery will now take on Mountain Heritage in the tournament final on Friday night at 7 p.m. Heritage defeated tournament host Madison in the other semifinal to set up the showdown. An Avery comeback forced overtime in the clubs' first meeting this season in Burnsville, leading to a 67-63 Avery win. Avery took control early in the teams' second encounter in Newland, with the Lady Vikings prevailing by a 67-45 final score.
Regardless of Friday's result, the Lady Vikings will host a first-round game in next week's state playoffs.

In the boys semifinal on Thursday the Avery Vikings fell 80-64 to top seeded Mountain Heritage. The Cougars began the game with an 11-0 run and led at one point 21-5. Avery rallied to drop the lead into single digits, but the Cougars offense was too much to overcome.

Dustin Clarke paced Avery with 25 points in the defeat, with 13 from Timmy Stewart and nine points from Mark Polsgrove. Alex Villanueva scored six points, with five from Kody Hughes.

The boys team will hit the road in the first round of next week's NCHSAA state playoffs.

In JV tournament action, the Avery Lady Vikings were upset in overtime 47-45 against the Mountain Heritage Lady Cougars. The JV Vikings also fell to the Cougars, as a strong second half Heritage effort erased an Avery first-half lead.

Avery Boys v. Heritage (Conference Tournament)

6:40 PM - Heritage wins over Avery going away by the final score of 80-64. The Vikings fall to 14-9 for the season and awaits who they will face in the first round of the state playoffs on the road.

Clarke led the Vikings with unofficially 25 points in the defeat, with 13 from Timmy Stewart and nine from Mark Polsgrove. Alex Villanueva scored six points, with five from Kody Hughes.

Thanks for reading, and good luck to the Avery Lady Vikings varsity in Friday's tournament championship game.

6:25 PM -- With three quarters in the books, Heritage holds a commanding lead of 69-42. A three-point basket at the buzzer by Spencer Bishop pushed the lead over 25 points for the first time in the second half.

Eight more minutes to play in Marshall. Avery will look to finish strong. We also received word that the junior varsity girls were upset in overtime by Mountain Heritage 47-45, so it has not been the best of afternoons for the Big Red thus far. JV boys are currently playing at Madison Middle School. Update on that game if we hear word.

6:00 PM -- Avery cut the deficit to 37-25 with just over two minutes left in the half, but Heritage drained four straight 3-point baskets as part of a 14-0 run to close the half. The Cougars lead 51-25 at halftime.
Dustin Clarke leads AHS with 15 points at intermission, with four points from Alex Villanueva and three points apiece from Kody Hughes and Mark Polsgrove.

Alex Biggerstaff has been on fire with 27 first half points. John Cannon added 12, with five from Eli Buckner, three from Spencer Bishop, and two points apiece from Tyson Tomberlin and Drew Letterman.

We'll try to post second half updates as the conditions persist. We'll also post updates on the Twitter feed section of the website to the upper right of the home page.


Special thanks to Kevin Tutterow for assistance with stats at the games, as well as to Serena Smith for photography in order to provide these updates. 


5:40 PM We had a period of technical difficulty as the game began. Heritage went on an 11-0 scoring run to start the game and a 21-5 run over the first five minutes of the game. The Cougars led 25-12 after one quarter, but the Vikings staged a short rally, cutting the lead to eight at 26-18. With five minutes to play in the half, Avery trails 30-19.

AJ-T Sports LIVE FROM: Western Highlands Conference Basketball Tournament

5:20 PM -- Lady Vikings finish off Polk County by a final score of 57-38. Avery will move on to face either Madison or Mountain Heritage in tomorrow's tournament final, with tip time around 7 p.m.

The boys game between Heritage and Avery will begin at 5:30 p.m. We'll be covering that one here on the Blog as well. Thanks for reading!

5:17 PM -- With 1:35 to play in the game the Lady Vikings have pulled away using defense, leading by a 56-37 score. Looks good that the Big Red will advance to the tournament final to take on the winner of the game between Mountain Heritage and Madison.

5:10 PM -- With 5:57 left in the game Avery holds a 45-34 lead as Coach Missy Lyons takes a timeout. Avery has held Polk to only nine points in the second half to build its double-figure margin.

5:05 PM -- Avery holds Polk to just one made field goal and a pair of free throws as the Lady Vikings build a 43-31 lead after three quarters.

Avery has improved its rebounding in the second half with 12 rebounds as a team in the frame. Final eight minutes coming up!

4:55 PM -- Polk has burned a fourth timeout after an Avery scoring spurt makes the score 37-28 with 3:32 left in the third quarter. A steal and basket from Smith prompts Coach Culbreth to stop the action.

4:40 PM -- At halftime, the Lady Vikings lead Polk County 30-25. The Vikings have unofficially committed 10 turnovers in the first half which has helped the Polk cause.

First half Lady Vikings scoring (unofficial):
Megan Tennant:  10 points
Katelynn Eudy: 4 points
Mercedes Bentley: 3 points
Monica Estep: 4 points
Mary Chesnut Smith: 3 points
Lauren Burleson - 2 points
Kelsie Clarke - 2 points

The Lady Wolverines have utilized a zone defense for a portion of the half to defend against the Avery frontline height and ability. The Lady Vikings have nevertheless been able to get the ball inside, but have not converted on several opportunities.

Second half action after the break!

4:35 PM -- The officials are letting a lot of contact go as the Lady Wolverines have cut the lead to 28-23 with 1:46 left in the half.

4:30 PM -- Avery holds a 28-18 lead with 4:00 to play in the half. Monica Estep has four points off the bench for the Big Red, as the partisan Avery crowd is showing great spirit this afternoon.

4:20 PM -- After one period, Avery leads Polk County 22-10. Polk shot 4-for-15 in the quarter, while the Lady Vikings were  8-of-15 in the frame. Megan Tennant scored eight points in the first quarter to lead the Big Red. Second quarter action underway!

We're live at the Patriot Palace at Madison High School as the top-seeded Avery Lady Vikings tip off the day's semifinal action against the Polk Lady Wolverines.

The Lady Vikings swept both meetings between the schools, with the latest meeting in Columbus last month resulting in a 70-46 Avery victory.

We'll be here at our perch above the floor to bring updates of both this girls game, as well as the 5:30 men's game between #4 seed Avery and top-seeded Mountain Heritage.

WHC Boys Tournament Update

UPDATE #2: Avery wins 74-61 (D. Clarke 30 points, M. Polsgrove 18 points). Vikings play Mt. Heritage on Thursday.

UPDATE:  5:44 remains in the game and Avery leads 56-50 over Polk.

We're in Marshall for the WHC boys hoops tournament. All the higher seeds have advanced today, and the Vikings and Wolverines are tied at 33 as we begin the third quarter. The winner will face Mountain Heritage, who defeated Thomas Jefferson 82-60 earlier today.

We'll have an updated score later this evening.

The Carolina Basketball Experience

My work at The Avery Journal-Times over the past three short years has afforded me the great privilege to travel to a variety of venues, both near and far, for sporting events. I have had the opportunity to cover an array of sports for teams at the local high school and regional college levels.

Highlights include a trip to Chattanooga, Tenn. in 2007 to cover ASU’s third consecutive football national championship victory, as well as to Charlotte in December 2009 for the Meineke Car Care Bowl college football game. I was fortunate enough to visit Wake Forest in November 2009 to cover Florida State head football coach Bobby Bowden’s final college football game in North Carolina as the Seminoles’ head coach. Then there was the high school basketball playoff game at Nantahala High School last February (a truly unforgettable experience). I also traveled last spring to Chapel Hill for the UNC spring football game and a baseball game where the Heels faced rival N.C. State at the newly-renovated Boshamer Stadium.

On Sunday, Feb. 6, I had the opportunity to visit a location of great personal significance when I ventured to Chapel Hill to cover a pair of college basketball games (Editor’s Note: This is the point where the Duke and N.C. State fans reading can either continue reading with disdain, or check out another page of the sports section.)

On a cloudless Sunday morning my equally exuberant photographer Meredith Stewart accompanied me from Durham over to Chapel Hill to cover the day’s hoops action, beginning with our neighboring Milligan College’s junior varsity team taking on the UNC Tar Heels JV squad.

My associate Matt Laws, who covers Cloudland athletics for The Avery Journal-Times, also works as Sports Information Director at Milligan College. Matt was kind enough to help line up credentialing, (although I was later told at the venue that since junior varsity games are so sparsely attended, most media members are allowed to attend JV games with little prior notice).

Late during the week preceding the trip east, I contacted the UNC Athletic Communications Office to inquire about covering the UNC men’s basketball game against Florida State, which followed the JV game on Sunday. Steve Kirschner and his staff at Carolina were extremely helpful, providing writer and photographer passes to cover the game on short notice.

Also, in an instance of the “small world” maxim, upon our arrival at the Athletic Communications Office, Meredith and I had the pleasure of meeting long-time staff member Terry Roberts, who went to college at Western Carolina University and had once worked in Linville Falls. He shared several memories of his times around Avery County and the High Country. We spoke for several minutes about the area and he was more than happy to assist us in any way he could.

Most everyone who knows me or has read many of my past columns are aware that I spent four years at UNC as a student and was awarded a bachelor’s degree. During those years there weren’t many home basketball games that I missed.

I was in attendance at the Smith Center on Jan. 27, 1993, when the home crowd proved to be anything but what Florida State guard Sam Cassell once called a “wine and cheese crowd,” as the Tar Heels overcame a 21-point second-half deficit to the Seminoles and earned a five-point win. A little more than two months later I jumped through bonfires with thousands of ecstatic fans on Franklin Street when UNC defeated Michigan to capture the 1993 NCAA men’s basketball championship.

On another occasion, I recall my college friend Dean Jones and I getting second row student seating behind the UNC bench for an ACC game against Wake Forest. We subsequently painted our faces and cheered as enthusiastically as we could in order to demonstrate our immense team spirit. Besides the experience, the memorable portion of the evening occurred upon returning to the dorm room. We had received more than a half-dozen answering machine messages—messages that shared how we had unknowingly received a television close-up and was commented on by the ESPN broadcasters covering the game.

In the years after graduating from Carolina, I’ve only had the chance to attend a couple of games, and those occurred the season after my graduation. Needless to say, the experience of covering a Carolina basketball game as a member of the working media is something I have wanted to do for a long time. Attending the game truly was an honor, as well as one of those special occasions in which a sportswriter only occasionally has the opportunity to participate.

From my vantage point on press row, the Tar Heels won both the JV game over Milligan and the ACC game over Florida State. At the conclusion of the games, Meredith and I journeyed to the packed media room for the post-game interview by UNC head coach Roy Williams. Following the press conference, we walked to a nearby lounge, where multiple players arrived from the adjacent locker room for newspaper and television station post-game interviews.

“It was an amazing opportunity to be able to see Coach Roy and a few of the elite UNC players face-to-face. It helped to remind me that, although they are often viewed as larger-than-life heroic figures, they are humans, too,” Meredith told me later of the experience. “They get tired, sweat [a lot] and sometimes they may even be a little overwhelmed by the magnitude of the expectations thrust upon them. This team has impressed me by showing heart, camaraderie and an unexpected humility on the court and off—that is one of the many reasons why I am proud to be a Tar Heel.”

The accessibility to the Tar Heels who inspire deep emotion in countless fans (either love or hate), was a one-of-a-kind occurrence. I look forward to more visits to “The Southern Part of Heaven,” and hope to share more of them in future Musings.

Varsity Hoops Conclude Regular Season

In the final night of the regular season for both teams, the Avery (AHS) varsity basketball teams had a lot to play for.

Having already clinched the Western Highlands Conference (WHC) regular season title with its win over Mountain Heritage, the AHS Lady Vikings was playing for a perfect 14-0 conference record when it rolled into Ledger to take on the pesky Mitchell Lady Mountaineers.

Meanwhile the AHS varsity boys needed a win over Mitchell to solidify a No. 2 seed from the 1A portion of the conference, virtually cementing the Vikings a home game for the opening round of the upcoming state basketball playoffs.

Both AHS clubs fell behind by double-digit second half deficits on Mitchell’s Senior Night to rally and eventually force overtime. However, the teams came away with mixed results. The Lady Vikings dominated the overtime session to defeat Mitchell 63-52. For the boys, a season-high 43 Dustin Clarke points were not enough to deter the Mountaineers as it defended home court and defeated AHS 91-84.

Lady Vikings Roars Back to Down Mitchell
Head coach Dawn Lowe’s Lady Mountaineers came out with something to prove, as the reigning conference tournament champions played the Big Red tough. AHS held a 12-11 lead after one stanza. Senior Mary Chesnut Smith connected on a pair of field goals in the quarter to help put the Lady Vikings in front.

The tables turned in the second period as the Lady Mountaineers took a 22-21 lead into halftime. Senior shooting guard Lyndsay Jensen was the catalyst for the Mitchell offense with 11 first-half points, as the Lady Mountaineer defense held AHS standout junior center Megan Tennant to only two first-half points.

For the Lady Vikings, Smith and fellow senior Katelynn Eudy worked inside to pick up the scoring responsibility, combining for 11 points.

As the second half ensued the Lady Vikings had trouble hitting shots, converting on 3-of-10 attempts in the third period. Eudy helped keep the Big Red within striking distance with four points in the quarter. Mitchell continued to score with the ball, however, as Katie Atkins scored seven points and teammate Ashley Greene poured in five to help propel the home team to a 39-28 lead.

A three-point basket by Jensen with 4:33 to play in regulation helped Mitchell match its largest lead of the game at 42-31. For the remainder of the period, the Lady Vikings took over. A steal and layup by Smith sparked the Big Red rally, followed up quickly by a pair of three-point baskets from senior Mercedes Bentley, which cut the margin to 43-41 with 2:40 remaining.

The Lady Vikings continued to pressure the Mountaineers as it attempted to stall and run time off the clock. The pressure resulted in eight turnovers committed by Mitchell, which AHS seemed to continually capitalize upon. A third basket from Bentley with 49 seconds left drew the Lady Vikings to within 47-46, while Tennant’s only field goal in the final two periods of regulation tied the game at 48-48 to force overtime.

AHS was 8-of-10 from the free throw line in the fourth quarter and made 5-of-8 attempts from the field to draw even.

As overtime began the Lady Vikings took the momentum of the previous four minutes and decimated the foul-plagued Lady Mountaineers. Tennant was unstoppable inside with a pair of baskets, while teammate Kelsie Clarke built upon the four free throws she made in the final minutes of regulation by adding a field goal and three additional free throws in overtime. In all, AHS scored eight of the first nine points of overtime to build a 56-49 lead that it never relinquished. The Lady Vikings were 9-of-12 from the free throw line in overtime to seal the win, while holding Mitchell to 1-of-5 shooting from the floor in the extra session.

Bentley led the Lady Vikings with 16 points, with 13 points and six rebounds from Eudy. Clarke added 11 points and three assists, with eight points apiece from Smith and Tennant. Tennant added 11 rebounds while Smith hauled in five boards.

AHS finishes the regular season with an overall record of 18-5, with a 14-0 mark in conference play and winners of 13 straight games and 18 of its last 19 contests.

Vikings Defense Falters in Seven-Point OT Defeat
For the first quarter of last week’s varsity boys contest, the Mountaineers and Vikings played to a virtual standstill, with the score knotted at 17 apiece. AHS senior guard Clarke paced the Big Red with five points on what would become a recurring theme.

Mitchell used a 14-3 scoring run over the first 3:40 of the second period to build a 31-20 lead. AHS rallied to outscore the Mountaineers 14-9 for the remainder of the half as Clarke netted 21 points by intermission. However, 14 points in the half from Mountaineer counterpart Corey Greene led the way for Mitchell to take a 42-34 halftime lead into the locker room.

In the third period the Mountaineers answered every AHS basket with a shot, usually a short shot or layup, of its own. Clarke netted four field goals in the quarter, while senior teammate Kody Hughes netted five points in the frame.

Mitchell converted nine field goals from inside 15 feet in the third quarter, however, as the Mountaineers took a 61-49 lead into the fourth period.

AHS roared back into contention in the final quarter of regulation behind a blistering 12-of-20 shooting display from the field. Clarke scored 10 for the quarter, while teammates Benji Stewart and Joey Potter each helped key the rally with three baskets apiece. Mitchell converted only 8-of-15 free throws in the period, opening the door for the Viking comeback. An offensive rebound and putback by Potter narrowed the deficit to 77-75 with 39 seconds left in regulation, and a 10-foot bucket from Clarke with 19 seconds left tied the score at 77 to force the extra session.

The frantic and furious rally seemed to take a lot out of the AHS club, as the Vikings could only make 3-of-10 shots in the four-minute overtime period. In the meantime the Mountaineers caught its second wind. Greene netted a pair of baskets, with a bucket each from teammates Ben Smith and Matt Vaughn to build an 85-79 lead.

Over the final 1:30 the Vikings sent the Mountaineers back to the free throw line, where the squad made 6-of-8 shots to clinch the win.

Clarke led all scorers with 43 points on 16-for-38 shooting from the field and 8-of-9 shooting from the free throw line. The defending conference player of the year added 14 rebounds, five assists, three steals and two blocked shots.

Potter was the only other Viking in double figures with 14 points, while teammates Alex Villanueva and Hughes chipped in with nine points each and Benji Stewart added seven points.

Greene finished the contest with 26 points, eight rebounds and four assists to lead Mitchell, with 25 points from teammate Ben Smith. Troy Self scored 16 points, with 13 from Lawson Norris.

“It was a critical game that we needed to win. Now we have to go out and win the tournament to get second place back. All we can do is work and get better from there,” Vikings head coach Bo Manis said after the game. “We’re capable of going out and winning the tournament, it’s just a matter of pulling together.”

The Viking boys squared off against Polk County in the opening round of the conference tournament last Monday, Feb. 14, while the Lady Vikings took on the Hendersonville Lady Bearcats in the first round of the girls tournament.

Full coverage of the WHC tournaments can be found in next week’s edition of The Avery Journal-Times.