AJ-T Sports LIVE FROM...Holmes Center (ASU basketball)

Update #10: ASU hits the century mark in the final two minutes of the contest. The Mountaineers win going away by a final score of 102-64. ASU will host Lees-McRae College next Friday, Nov. 11, at Holmes Center to officially open the 2011-12 slate.

Update #9: With 3:21 to play, ASU holds a 96-57 advantage. LRU has represented itself well in the second half, staying within 33-28 thus far in the second half of play. Dillingham leads LRU with 15 points.

Update #8: ASU leads 86-45 with 7:43 to play in this evening's exhibition. The second half has shown that the Mountaineers still have a bit of work to do shoring up its interior game. The team is playing this evening without Isaac Butts, who is not dressed out, and Coach Capel has played Omar Carter sparingly (only two minutes total.)

Update #7: At the less than 12-minute timeout, the Mountaineers lead 79-40. The ASU shooting hand has cooled a bit, making just 5-of-14 shots in the second half thus far. The Black and Gold is still shooting 56-percent from the field, however, for the game. Milum is holding at 25 points, with 17 from Williamson. Williamson has also added seven rebounds. In fact, 11 different Mountaineers have at least one rebound in the contest.

Update #6: At the under 16-minute time out, the Mountaineers lead 76-32. Milum has paced ASU with 25 points, with 15 points from Andre Williamson. ASU is 15-of-20 from three-point range and shooting 27-of-43 (62.8 percent) for the contest overall. LRU, meanwhile, has shot just 10-for-35 for the game, a 26-percent clip.

Update #5: Milum ends the half with a three-pointer, boosting ASU to a 63-29 lead at halftime.

Update #4: The Bears have cut into the Mountaineer lead, slashing it to 31 points at 60-29 by way of an 8-2 scoring run, the largest LRU offensive spurt of the game. ASU takes a 30-second timeout in the final minute to reorganize.

Update #3:  3:13 remains before halftime and the Mountaineers are cruising by a 58-21 score. The three-point baskets continue to fall, while the defense has been stout, especially on the interior with Williamson and Petey Hausley manning the post area.

ASU has went 13-for-17 from three point range in the opening stanza, as three players have already reached double-figures in the scoring column.

Update #2: With under eight minutes remaining, it's a 46-14 lead for the Mountaineers. Milum has scorched the nets with 15 points thus far for the half, as ASU has BLISTERED the nets from three-point range thus far in the game. The Mountaineers began with a 7-of-10 shooting performance from beyond the arc to open the contest and hasn't slowed down.

ASU's next opponent is the Lees-McRae College Bobcats. Head coach Scott Polsgrove and his staff are on-hand this evening scouting the Mountaineers for their contest coming up next Friday, Nov. 11, at Holmes Center.

Update #1: A little more than 10 minutes remain in the opening half, and the Mountaineers hold a commanding 29-8 lead. Rodney Milum has scored nine points to pace ASU, while only two players, Jeff Thomas and Denzel Dillingham, have accounted for the LRU point total thus far.

On a side note, Jeff Capel, Sr., long-time head coach of multiple Division 1 programs and the father of ASU head coach Jason Capel, is sitting along courtside taking in the action this evening giving encouragement and rooting on the Mountaineers.

We're LIVE from Holmes Center in Boone for the ASU exhibition basketball game to officially open the 2011-12 college basketball season, as the Mountaineers host the Lenoir-Rhyne University Bears.

There are a few new faces for the Mountaineers. Most prominently absent is the presence of graduated All-Conference performer Donald Sims, whose 21 ppg average will have to be made up by a committee of capable players in the early going and through the course of the season.

ASU leads 16-3 in the opening five minutes of action. Jamaal Trice has six points to lead the Black and Gold, while Andre Williamson has four points.

AJ-T Sports LIVE FROM... KIDD BREWER STADIUM (ASU vs. Georgia Southern))

Update #14: Play has stopped following a third down run play, as ASU's Travaris Cadet is injured, but after several minutes walks off the field under his own power. ASU punts the ball away, giving GSU the football at its own 10-yard line with five seconds remaining. ASU makes the final stop via sack to secure the big 24-17 victory. ASU students storm the field in elation.

Thanks for following along!

Update #13: ASU goes three-and-out, punting the ball back to the Eagles. 3:39 remains in the contest with the Mountaineers clinging to a 24-17 edge. On fourth down, the fullback is stopped short of the marker, giving the football back on downs to ASU with 1:45 to play. ASU needs to run out the clock to pick up the huge win over the nation's top-ranked FCS team.

Update #12: GSU has a touchdown pass completion , but Dominique McDuffie breaks up the catch at the last second. On fourth down, the Mountaineers hold on defense yet again, turning away the Eagles without points. 4:33 still remains in the game, with ASU leading 24-17.

Update #11: ASU's defense forces a GSU punt, taking over possession inside its own 5-yard line with 6:18 left in the game. Two plays into the series, Jamal Jackson tosses an interception to Ryhad Jones, who runs the ball back to the ASU 9-yard line.

Update #10: A 9-play, 67 yard drive takes 4:26 and results in a 15-yard touchdown pass from Jackson to Quick. The PAT gives the Mountaineers the lead again at 24-17.

Update #9: GSU ties the contest on a 43-yard punt return for a 43-yard touchdown by Darian Robinson.  With 13:57 left in the game, it's tied at 17-17.

Update #8: Georgia Southern, following an ASU punt, is back in business, as a long pass completion sets up the Eagles inside the 20-yard line. A Jaybo Shaw run puts GSU at the three-yard line for first-and-goal.

On third-and-goal a false start penalty pushes GSU to the six-yard line, where ASU makes a stop. GSU goes for the TD on fourth-and-goal...and the ASU defense holds! ASU takes over possession at its own two-yard line as the third quarter expires. Mountaineers hold on to a 17-10 lead.

Update #7: ASU took a 17-3 lead into halftime, but in the third quarter the Eagles has driven the field, as the team completes a 12-play, 60-yard drive in 6:54 with a one-yard JJ Wilcox touchdown plunge. The PAT cuts the ASU lead to 17-10 with 6:12 to play in the third quarter.

Update #6: Teams trade punts again late in the second quarter. GSU attempts a deep pass that is intercepted by the Mountaineers' Demetrius McCray, his second pick of the afternoon. ASU has possession with under 90 seconds left in the half, looking to build on its 17-3 lead.

Jackson hits Brian Quick for a 56-yard touchdown down the sideline to cap a 5-play, 80 yard drive. It takes only one minute, 12 seconds to hit the deep ball for the score. The PAT gives the Mountaineers a 17-3 lead with only 16 seconds remaining before halftime. The score gives Quick over 3,000 receiving yards for his career, making him only the second Mountaineer receiver to accomplish that feat.

Update #5: ASU marches 50 yards over seven plays, but Stewart misses a 36-yard field goal attempt, keeping the margin at seven points at 10-3.

Update #4: A 78-yard kickoff return by GSU sets up the Eagles with first-and-goal from the 10-yard line following the ASU field goal. This time it's the Mountaineers defense that tightens near the goal line, forcing GSU to settle for a 22-yard field goal from Adrian Mora. With 10:37 to play, the Mountaineers lead 10-3.

Update #3: A 36-yard pass completion sets ASU inside the GSU 10-yard line, but the Eagles defense holds, forcing a 24-yard Drew Stewart field goal. The drive encompasses 8 plays and 50 yards with 2:32 off the clock. It is the first field goal converted inside the 41-yard field goal distance mark by ASU. Mountaineers lead the contest 10-0 with 12:58 to play in the half.

Update #2: Teams have traded punts, with GSU attempting a fourth-down conversion in the final minute of the period, but an ASU sack quells the drive. ASU quickly enters GSU territory on offense as the first period closes. At the end of one quarter, ASU leads 7-0.

Update #1: ASU is on the board with a six-play, 63-yard drive capped by a touchdown pass from Jamal Jackson to Andrew Peacock. It's only the second time the Eagles have trailed all season. 10:14 remains on the first-period clock, and the Mountaineers have snagged a 7-0 lead. Strong drive and statement to open today's SoCon showdown.

It's BLACK SATURDAY at Kidd-Brewer Stadium as the ASU Mountaineers host the top-ranked Georgia Southern Eagles. ASU comes in ranked 5th on a chilly day at The Rock. Game time temperature is 39 degrees, with a strong northwest wind making the wind chill a balmy 29 degrees. The weather hasn't hampered turnout, however, as fans of the Black and Gold are in full force for this evening's showdown.

We'll have coverage throughout this afternoon's contest. The game may be on TV, but we're on-hand with the info you won't get anywhere else. Thanks for reading!

Vols cruise by Buffalo

The Tennessee Volunteers struck early and often as they cruised to a 41-10 victory over Buffalo on Saturday afternoon inside Neyland Stadium.

"We did what we needed to do,” Tennessee head coach Derek Dooley said. “It was a good win. This team has played every team they've played close, and they didn't today. Now we turn our attention to what lies ahead."

After holding the Buffalo offense to a three and out, the Tennessee offense found the endzone when Rajon Neal scored on a 20-yard run with 11:58 left in the first. Sophomore quarterback Tyler Bray got his first touchdown of the game when he hit Da’Rick Rogers for a seven yard touchdown.

After Buffalo’s Chazz Anderson escaped for a 68-yard touchdown run, the Bulls picked up a loose ball on the ensuing kickoff. However, the UT defense held strong and the Bulls missed a field goal to come away empty handed.

That took away any momentum that Buffalo had built as UT put up 17 unanswered points to take a 31-7 lead into the locker room at half time as DeAnthony Arnett and Rogers were on the receiving end of Bray touchdown passes and Michael Palardy added a 28-yard field goal.

In the second half, Arnett caught an eight yard touchdown pass and Palardy added another 28-yard field goal.

Bray ended the game 21-30 for 342 yards and four touchdowns, while Rogers caught seven passes for 180 yards and two touchdowns to help fill the void left by Justin Hunter’s injury during the Florida game.

In addition to Rogers, the Volunteers got production from a trio of other receivers, including the freshman Arnett.

"He had two touchdowns, but I think he dropped one,” Dooley said. “They couldn't see it on the replay, so I'm going to give him credit for that second one. He's doing okay. He wasn't very active in the slot, but we didn't need him to be. Da'Rick had a big day. If Da'Rick can't catch for 180, somebody is going to have to make up for it. We've got to get these yards, but 342 passing is a big number, and I like their attempts."

The game against Buffalo was also the debut of Knoxville native Devrin Young in the return game. Young returned the first punt 43 yards and then returned the second half kickoff 34 yards.

"I hope he can continue to do that,” Dooley said. “It was good to get a little energy going in the return game and hopefully that will energize the guys blocking. But, he put the ball on the ground, too. So, y'all know why now I had him carrying the ball all week. Didn't help, but maybe it did. Maybe he would have fumbled five. It was kind of a good `get your feet wet,' and then we'll see how we can progress."

Now, the Vols turn their attention back to SEC action, which resumes on Saturday against Georgia. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. inside Neyland Stadium.

AJ-T Sports LIVE FROM... KIDD BREWER STADIUM (ASU vs. Chattanooga)

Update #15: On the Mocs first play, Coleman's arm is hit as he throws and the ball is intercepted to seal the Appalachian victory. Final score 14-12. Zero offensive touchdowns for the Mountaineers, but the defense and special teams finds a way to get the job done. The Mountaineers travel to Wofford for another huge SoCon showdown. Thanks for reading!

Update #14: Chattanooga takes its final timeout on defense with ASU in possession and 1:33 left on the clock. A first down will seal the game for the Mountaineers, but a Cadet run comes up a couple of yards short, setting up fourth down. The Mountaineers choose to punt the ball away. Chattanooga gets the ball back one final time at its own 20-yard line, with no timeouts, and 41.6 seconds to play.

Update #13: 6:44 remains in the game and ASu punts back to the Mocs, who scored on its last possession. ASU forces a punt and regains possession with around four minutes to play.

Update #12: Chattanooga bounces back from the score with a 20-yard touchdown pass from Coleman to Allison. The score capped a nine-play, 53-yard drive that elapsed 3:45 off the clock. The two-point conversion pass failed, leaving ASU with a slim 14-12 lead with 9:51 left to play.

Update #11: A 46-yard interception return for a touchdown by ASU's Jeremy Kimbrough gives the Mountaineers its second non-offensive touchdown of the game. Martin's PAT puts ASU up 14-0 with 13:38 left to play in the game..

Update #10: DeAndre Presley fumbles the football on ASU's ensuing possession. Consiglio forces the ball out and UTC recovers at the Mountaineer 30-yard line. A pass interference penalty against ASU moves the football inside the red zone. As the quarter ends, Pollard prepares for a 26-yard field goal attempt, only to have a bad snap picked up by the Mountaineers and returned for a touchdown 73 yards by Rodger Walker. The Sam Martin PAT gives the Mountaineers its first points and first lead of the game at 7-6 entering the fourth period.

Update #9: Chattanooga takes the possession following the ASU missed field goal and drives      75 yards on 11 plays. Pollard boots a 22-yard field goal to put Chattanooga up 6-0 with 1:55 to play in the third quarter.

Update #8: The teams traded punts through the first half of the third period. ASU drove to the Mocs' six-yard line with a nine-play, 54-yard drive, only to come up empty on a Sam Martin 23-yard field goal attempt which sails wide right. Mocs remain ahead by a 3-0 score with 6:14 to play in the third quarter.

Update #7: ASU tries to move downfield in the final minute of the half, but a deep pass by Presley is intercepted, his second pick of the half. Chattanooga goes into the locker room with a 3-0 lead.

The total yards at intermission are almost equal, with Chattanooga holding a 143-140 advantage. However, the Mocs have amassed only 10 rushing yards for the half. Two quarters remain to see which team prevails in this evening's conference opener.

Update #6: The Mocs march with the ASU turnover to the ASU five-yard line, but the Mountaineers deny Chattanooga on three occasions, forcing Chattanooga to settle for a 23-yard field goal from Pollard, capping a eight-play, 56-yard drive consuming 2:53 off the clock. With 1:08 to play before intermission, Chattanooga draws first blood for a 3-0 lead.

Update #5: Appalachian moves the football near the UTC 40-yard line, but a Presley pass is tipped, and Chattanooga's Chris Lewis-Harris intercepts the pass for the first turnover of the game. Under three minutes to play in the half and the game remains scoreless.

Update #4: Midway through the second period and the game is still scoreless. Defenses are awfully stingy on the turf this afternoon. ASU has struggled to advance the football on offense. Although Chattanooga has moved the football sporadically, the Mountaineers defense has made plays as needed to force punts.

Update #3: One quarter is in the books, with the game remaining scoreless. Both defenses have come to play. ASU has held the Mocs to 44 first-quarter yards, with ASU gaining 83 yards in the first 15 minutes.

Update #2: Chattanooga puts together a six-play, 37-yard drive, only to be turned away on a missed field goal by Nick Pollard. The game remains scoreless with slightly more than two minutes to play in the opening quarter.

Update #1: An exchange of punts thus far as the score remains scoreless. Both defenses bowing their necks in the early going.

We are LIVE in Boone for the SoCon opening contest at Kidd Brewer Stadium between ASU and the Chattanooga Mocs. The Mocs enter the game rated #13 in the latest FCS poll, with ASU ranked No. 3 in the latest poll.

Chattanooga is coming off a 23-14 win over Eastern Kentucky last week, with ASU entering today's game off a 41-6 win at home last week against Savannah State.

Chattanooga brags a SoCon player of the year candidate in B.J. Coleman (68-of-106 passing, 747 yards, 4 TD). The Mountaineers have a decent quarterback of its own in DeAndre Presley (37-of-58 passing, 472 yards, 3 TD).

A key to watch in today's game will be the defensive secondary of Appalachian, as well as the amount of pressure the ASU three-man front can put on Coleman. Should be a good one in Boone. We'll be providing updates throughout the contest. Thanks for reading!

LIVE FROM... KIDD BREWER STADIUM (ASU v. Savannah St.)

8:50 PM - It's over from Boone, with the Mountaineers taking another big victory. The Mountaineers move to 2-1 with the 41-6 win over the Tigers. ASU hosts the Chattanooga Mocs in action at Kidd Brewer next week. Thanks for reading!


8:41 PM - Jamal Jackson races through the SSU defense and dives across the goal line for an ASU touchdown with 2:11 left in the game. The PAT is good, and ASU leads 41-6. If ASU holds the Tigers under 10 points, it marks the first time since 1998 that the Mountaineers hold back-to-back opponents under 10 points. Eastern Kentucky and VMI were the victims during the '98 season.

8:23 PM -- Savannah State averts the shutout with a 7-play, 52-yard drive that consumed 1:57 on the clock. Backup QB Antonio Bostick scores from 10 yards out for a 34-6 margin. The extra point was blocked by the Mountaineers' Adam Scott, leaving the score 34-6 with 10:51 left in the ballgame.


8:19 PM -- Tonight's attendance of 24,917 marks the 36th consecutive game that Kidd Brewer Stadium has exceeded its normal capacity of fans. Mountaineers remain ahead by a 34-0 score with around 12 minutes left to play.


7:55 PM - The teams have traded possessions for much of the first half of the third period. An ASU punt has pinned SSU inside its own five-yard line for the second time this evening.

On the second play following the punt, SSU's backup quarterback throws an interception by Rodger Walker, which ASU has converted into a touchdown on a three-play drive covering 39 yards, all runs by Steven Miller. Mountaineers lead by a 34-0 score.


7:16 PM - Sam Martin blasts another 50-yard plus field goal, capping a five-play, 41-yard drive as time expires in the first half. Mountaineersa lead it 27-0 at the break.


7:07 PM - Quarterback Presley caps a nine-play, 83-yard drive with a two-yard keeper on fourth-and-goal to pad the Mountaineer advantage to 24-0 with 1:49 remaining in the first half.


6:55 PM -- ASU is back on the board with a 48-yard touchdown pass connection from Deandre Presley to Brian Quick. The play capped a four-play, 65-yard drive that elapsed 1:34 off the second quarter clock. It is the 24th TD of Quick's career, one shy of the ASU career touchdown receptions record.

6:50 PM The teams trade punts and ASU gets the football back. SSU quarterback Defilippis was rocked by two consecutive sacks on the previous possession, knocking out the quarterback with an apparent head injury. Since the injury the Tigers offense has become anemic.


6:40 PM -- One quarter in the books from Boone and the Mountaineers hold a 10-0 lead, but Savannah State is driving.


6:30 PM - ASU placekicker Sam Martin connects on a 41-yard field goal to cap a 4-play, six-yard drive. Mountaineers lead it 10-0 in the closing three minutes of the first quarter at chilly Kidd Brewer, where game-time temperature was a balmy 53 degrees.

6:25 PM -- ASU forces a turnover, as Savannah St. quarterback AJ Defilippis was stripped of the ball, with ASU's GordyWitte making the recovery for the turnover. The Mountaineers get great field position in Tigers territory.late in the first quarter. ASU leads 7-0.


6:11 PM -- Tarvaris Cadet scores on a 2-yard run on the opening drive of the game for the Mountaineers to take a 7-0 lead. The score capped a seven-play, 68-yard drive that elapsed 2:40 off the clock.

6:00 p.m. - The 8J-T is live from Kidd Brewer Stadium in Boone for tonight's game between Appalachian State and Savannah State. The Mountaineers will be playing tonight without the services of Lanstan Tanyi and Ed Gainey due to violation of team rules.

ASU receives the opening kickoff and we're underway. The Mountaineers look to move to 2-1 on the season. We'll be updating periodically throughout the contest.

Vols take to air in victory over Bearcats

By: Matt Laws(matt.laws@averyjournal.com)
Avery Journal-Times

During the opening quarter, the Tennessee and Cincinnati game appeared to be headed towards the direction of an offensive affair. However, the Volunteer airfare took control.

Tyler Bray threw for 405 yards in the air to lead the Vols to a 45-23 victory on Saturday afternoon inside Neyland Stadium.

"It felt like a track meet to me,” Tennessee Head Coach Derek Dooley said. “I'll tell you, our defense settled in, and they are just going to get some yards. They had 400 yards of offense, but what you can't do against these teams is give up that 65-yard run. And we give up a double move on third and 10. That's what you've got to eliminate. Let them get a little bit and move the ball, and then come up with the big third-down stops.”

The Bearcat offense struck first when Isiah Pead broke loose for a 65-yard touchdown with 13:24 still showing in the first quarter. However, Tennessee struck after a seven play drive when Marlon Lane dived into the endzone.

On the ensuing kick, Dooley reached into his bag of tricks as Michael Palardy kicked an onside kick and recovered for the Vols at midfield.

"We go into every game with stuff to try to generate some plays on special teams,” Dooley said. “We've done a pretty decent job in the last two years, and Palardy just had great execution. We've practiced it a lot and felt like we had a chance. The first drive, the guy goes 60-something yards and runs all over us, and then we scored. I just wanted to keep a little momentum going. It worked, so it was a good way to kind of flip the momentum."

Bray and the Tennessee offense took advantage as they got back on the scoreboard when Bray hit Justin Hunter for a 33-yard touchdown. After the Bearcats answered on their next drive, the defenses settled down to go into the second quarter with a 14-14 tie.

In the second frame, Bray gave Tennessee the lead when he hit Da’Rick Rogers for a 11-yard touchdown throw, and added to the lead with a 15-yard touchdown pass to Rogers. The Tennessee special teams took momentum into the locker room after Hunter blocked a half ending field goal to send UT to the locker room with a 28-14 lead.

Bray opened the second half scoring with his first career rushing touchdown on a 1-yard sneak with 10:16 on the scoreboard. Cincinnati finally managed to get on the board with a field goal, but the Vols quickly countered when Zach Rogers was on the receiving end of a 16-yard touchdown pass from Bray. After a late Bearcat touchdown, Palardy kicked a 37-yard field goal to cap the game’s scoring.

Bray ended the game 34-of-41 for 405 yards and four touchdowns. It was the first time that a Volunteer quarterback has eclipsed the 400-yard mark since 1997.

Bray’s favorite targets were Hunter and Rogers with 10 catches apiece. Hunter ended the game with 156 yards and a touchdown, while Rogers had 100 yards and two touchdowns.

"I've never had three of them like this, this young,” Dooley said. “I hope they keep doing what they are doing. The tests are going to get harder, but it is good to see where they are. That's two pretty good games by a quarterback and two really good games by those two wide outs. They made a lot of plays."

On the ground, Tauren Poole had 101 yards on 21 carries, while the freshman Lane had eight carries for 16 yards.

Hickory native Austin Johnson and Brent Brewer counted for six tackles apiece.

The Volunteers begin SEC play next week when they travel to the Swamp for a date with divisional rival Florida. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m.

AJ-T Sports LIVE FROM....ASU'S KIDD BREWER STADIUM (ASU v. NC A&T)

6:15 PM -- ASU wins it 58-6. Solid performance overall in the win as ASU moves to 1-1 for the season. Full coverage of the game in next week's edition of The AJT. Thanks for reading!


6:10 PM -- Jamal Jackson tops off a 10-play, 57-yard drive that elapsed 5:13 off the fourth quarter clock with a three-yard touchdown run. The PAT gives the Mountaineers a 58-6 lead.

With the pending victory, Jerry Moore becomes the 16th head coach in college football history to win 200 games at one institution. Moore won his first game at ASU over Gardner-Webb 23 seasons ago, and three championships later has reached another impressive milestone. Multiple team records were set in today's contest as the Mountaineers pulled away to dominate the Aggies in the second half


5:55 PM - The Aggies appear ready to score its second TD of the game, when a pass is intercepted at the 3-yard line by Doug Middleton. Middleton takes the pick to the house for a 97-yard interception return touchdown. The extra point failed, but the Mountaineer lead bulges to 51-6 with 10:21 left in the game.


5:47 PM -- After ASU blocks a second punt of the day (both courtesy of Phillip Strickland), the Mountaineers move 13 yards over 7 plays, with kicker Martin belting a 51-yard field goal (7th longest in school history) to increase the lead to 45-6 with 12:30 to play in the game.


5:35 PM -- The ASU defense holds A and T to a three-and-out, then the offense takes care of business with a four-play, 63-yard drive highlighted by a 50-yard run from Tarvaris Cadet and capped by a one-yard plunge by quarterback Jamal Jackson. Mountaineers lead 42-6 and are well on the way to evening its record to 1-1 for the season.


5:29 PM - Following a Troy Sanders INT, the Mountaineers score for a fifth time on the day with a six-play, 68-yard drive. Presley capped the drive with a three-yard jaunt to the goal line. The Sam Martin extra point kick stakes ASU to a commanding 35-6 lead late in the third quarter.


5:15 PM - Appalachian answers the NC A and T score with its own touchdown, off a 12-play, 78-yard drive. The scoring effort took 4:55 off the clock and was culminated by a nine-yard TD pass from Presley to Quick, the pair's second connection of the afternoon.

With the score, Quick tallies his 23rd career touchdown, moving him alone into second place on the all-time Mountaineer touchdown reception list. ASU leads 28-6.


5:04 PM - NC A and T gets on the scoreboard with its first drive of the second half. Despite missing the extra point, the Aggies drove 60 yards over four plays, taking 1:58 off the third quarter clock. Quarterback Lewis Kindle connected with Wallace Miles for 40 yards. ASU leads 21-6 with 13:02 left in the third period.


4:38 PM -- At halftime, the Mountaineers maintain a 21-0 lead over the Aggies of NC A and T. Defensively the Mountaineers has been strong in the first half, but has shown a bit of flexibility in the pass defense, as A and T has found greatest success through the air.

ASU led 222 to 131 in total yards for the half, with DeAndre Presley completing 13-of-15 passes for 135 yards and a score.

Second-half updates to come.


4:29 PM -- It took a bit of time, but with 2:52 remaining in the half, the Mountaineers get on the scoreboard again. ASU has blocked a punt in the quarter, as well as recovered an NC A and T fumble, but it took 4:18 to march 50 yards over nine plays to reach paydirt. Cedrick Baker-Boney scores from three yards out to push the Mountaineer lead to 21-0 over the Aggies.

4:05 PM -- One quarter in the books. NC A and T is inside the ASU red zone, but the Mountaineers lead 14-0 after 15 minutes of action.


3:54 PM - The Mountaineer defense holds the Aggies and ASU marches 98 yards on 13 plays, elapsing 4:57 off the first quarter clock. DeAndre Presley does the honors with his legs with an 8-yard touchdown run to boost the ASU lead to 14-0 with 4:50 left in the first period.


3:42 PM -- ASU gets on the board with a touchdown in its opening drive, as a Brian Quick 19-yard touchdown reception from DeAndre Presley helps the Mountaineers draw first blood. The play capped an eight-play, 69-yard drive that elapsed 2:54 off the clock. ASU grabs an early 7-0 lead.


The AJ-T is at Kidd Brewer Stadium in Boone for this afternoon's home football opener between the ASU Mountaineers and the NC A and T Aggies.

ASU dropped a tough 66-13 loss to FBS opponent Virginia Tech in Blacksburg last Saturday, while the Aggies and new head coach Rod Broadway take the field for the first time in 2011.

We'll be bringing updates of all the action from the stadium throughout the afternoon as the Mountaineers look to even its mark at 1-1 on the season.

Kickoff is slated for 3:30 p.m., so check back periodically for your Mountaineer football fix.

Viking Pair Competes at State Track Championships

Avery juniors Alex Villanueva and Hunter Shields are competing on Friday at the NCHSAA 1A State Track Championships at Irwin Belk Track at North Carolina A&T University in Greensboro.

 Check the Twitter feed on the right side of the AJT Sports Blog home page for updates on whether the Vikings brings home a state champion this season.

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

7:52 PM -- The Lady Vikings win it by a final score of 8-0. With the win, Avery ends the regular season with a record of 14-4-2, with a 10-2-2 mark in conference play. Congratulations to the Lady Viking seniors! Thanks for reading!

7:45 PM -- In the 74th minute, Emily Banner gets her hat trick with a shot deep into the back of the net for an 8-0 lead.

7:35 PM -- Emily Banner makes it seven for the Big Red with an open look and shot in the 64th minutes. AHS leads 7-0.

7:26 PM -- In the 56th minute Melinda Eggers gets just enough of the ball to slide the ball past the Mountaineer goalie and into the net. AHS scoring in bunches to lead it 6-0.

7:24 PM -- Arden Stanley scores off a corner kick to spot the Lady Vikings to a 5-0 lead here on Senior Night.

7:22 PM -- Mary Chesnut Smith finds her way past the Mitchell defense and peals a shot past the right of the keeper to give the Big Red a 4-0 lead in the 53rd minute.

6:59 PM -- Halftime at the Mac, and the Lady Vikings lead the match 3-0. Three Lady Vikings each score a goal for the lead, as Mitchell has had very little offensive attack at the Avery goal.

Avery has clinched the #2 seed out of the Western Highlands Conference, and should host a first round playoff match to open the NCHSAA 1A State Playoffs next week. We'll have second half action coming up.

6:34 PM -- After a scramble in front of the goal, senior Cassie Bumgarner kicks a low ball into the open net for a 3-0 Avery advantage in the 17th minute.

6:28 PM -- In the 11th minute the Lady Vikings strike again, this time on a shot from Mary Chesnut Smith. Lady Vikings hold a 2-0 lead in the early going.

6:26 PM -- Emily Banner on a swinging kick slips a ball through the hands of the keeper and into the net for a 1-0 Lady Viking advantage in the 10th minute of play.

We are LIVE at Avery County High School for Avery's final regular season home game, Senior Night, against the Mitchell Lady Mountaineers.

Avery honors 10 seniors this evening who have combined to account for 212 goals scored and 211 assists during their tenure in the red, white and black, helping AHS win 60 matches in all. The seniors have took part in a state championship match and has been part of perhaps the greatest four-season run in school history.

AHS is recognizing Emily Banner, Mercedes Bentley, Cassie Bumgarner, Melinda Eggers, Jennie Elrod, Katelynn Eudy, Kaley Faulkner, Logan Johnson, Megan Robbins and Mary Chesnut Smith prior to tonight's match with the Lady Mountaineers in an on-field ceremony.

The match will be getting underway shortly and we'll be providing updates from the press box in Big Red Country. Go Vikings!

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

8:07 PM -- Lady Vikings win by a 7-0 final score. The Big Red led 4-0 at intermission and played through the wind and rain to pick up the conference win.

AHS will play on Thursday at home against Owen, with kickoff scheduled at 6 p.m.

It's soccer night as the Avery Lady Vikings (10-4-2) hosts the Madison Lady Patriots (0-11-0) in a Western Highlands Conference matchup. The Big Red hasn't played in 12 days, since a 3-0 shutout of R-S Central in non-conference action on April 15.

On the injury front, senior keeper Mercedes Bentley is out, still recovering from injury, so it will be junior Arden Stanley in goal for the start, coming off a pair of impressive performances in goal the past two contests.

We'll be bringing all the goals and excitement from The Mac this afternoon. Thanks for following.

Avery Baseball postponed

Avery's baseball games at home scheduled for this afternoon against Polk County has been postponed for Friday afternoon due to rain. No makeup date has been scheduled.

Avery will be hosting Cloudland on Saturday, April 23, beginning at 1:30 p.m. and holding a fundraiser entitled "Beat Cancer with a Bat."

Avery Sports Web Transition, Upcoming Schedule

BLOG UPDATE:
If you are a regular to the site, you might have noticed an infrequency of updating the Blog the past couple weeks. Much of reason for this is due to the establishment of the NEW Avery Journal-Times website. The site now carries reprints of the sports stories appearing in The AJT from week to week. 


The Journal website is located at www.averyjournal.com and by clicking on the "sports" tab you can catch up on all the local sports.


Our intention is to continue to use the Sports Blog for breaking information, cancellations, Live Blogs and Twitter Updates, as well as trying to post the occasional sports story. Be sure to have both sites bookmarked to stay in touch with all sports related to Avery athletics. Again, thanks for reading!

POLK/AVERY VARSITY BASEBALL TO STREAM ONLINE BY WJFJ-AM RADIO


The Friday, April 22, baseball game between Polk County and Avery will be streaming online at http://www.wjfjradio.com/ If you can't make it out to the game and you're near the computer, surf on over and listen in on the contest. Jamie will be providing guest commentary during the game in addition to Ray Henderson and the WJFJ sports announce team!

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

7:2

7:38 PM -- Final score from MacDonald Stadium: Watauga 2, Avery 0.

Another goal from Watauga with less than one second remaining gives the Lady Pioneers the two-score triumph.

A tough non-conference loss to swallow for the Big Red, as both teams played a strong match.  Watauga played well in earning the win,  its 7th on the season. Well played match by both clubs.
Avery's overall record drops to 6-3-1 overall.

7:35 PM -- In the 79th minute, Kendyl Baird gets free in the Avery zone and slips a shot past the Viking keeper for a 1-0 lead. Only 1:47 officially remains in the match and the Pioneers break through.

7:22 PM - 15 minutes left to play in the match and we're still scoreless in this defensive struggle. Avery has had a couple of runs on goal but has been unable to get a shot past the Lady Pioneers keeper. Mercedes Bentley has been stout in goal for the Lady Vikings thus far.

6:45 PM -- At halftime, the teams are scoreless. Both teams have had a couple of scoring opportunities with no success. Quick break between halves before the next 40 minutes are set to begin.

6:26 PM -- Halfway through the first half and we are still scoreless. The Lady Pioneers are employing a four-player defensive front that is making it challenging for the Big Red to penetrate. Good soccer out on the pitch so far.

6:10 PM -- Both squads have direct kicks on goal in the first seven minutes of the match, but neither team could cash in. Avery's Mary Chesnut Smith's kick hit the right post from about 25 yards out, but the match remains scoreless.

The Avery Lady Vikings host the Watauga Lady Pioneers in a friendly border battle tonight at MacDonald Stadium.

Avery stands at 6-2-1 on the season, looking to build off its impressive 10-0 win over Mountain Heritage on Wednesday night.

We're live in the press box to bring updates of all the action on the field on this clear but cold April Fool's Day.

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

7:06 PM -- It's over at The Mac, and Avery earns a decisive 10-0 victory. The Lady Vikings with this evening's win improves to 6-2-1 overall and 3-1-1 in conference play. The Lady Vikings will host the rival Watauga Pioneers on Friday night at MacDonald Stadium.

6:58 PM - Kaley Faulkner gets open on a loose ball and drills it past the Lady Cougars keeper to pul teh Big red into double digit goals. AHS leads 10-0 in the 73rd minute of play.

6:43 PM -- Mary Chesnut Smith adds a goal on a shot from around 40 yards out in the 58th minute as Avery adds to its advantage, building a 9-0 bulge. Many substitutes are in the contest and players are getting opportunities to play various positions during this second half.

6:38 PM -- In the 53rd minute, Savannah Perry takes a shot from inside the box and gets it past the keeper as the Lady Vikings boost its lead to 8-0.

6:36 PM -- Emily Banner finds the back of the net in the 51st minute to push the Lady Viking advantage to 7-0. A lot of players are seeing action now for the Big Red.

6:25 PM -- In the first 15 seconds of the second half, Mary Chesnut Smith scores on a beautiful set piece to stake the Lady Vikings to a 6-0 advantage.

6:14 PM -- It's halftime at MacDonald Stadium and the Lady Vikings are dominant in a 5-0 lead at intermission.

6:09 PM - Melinda Eggers gets a foot on a ball into the Heritage goal to increase Avery's lead to 5-0 in the 37th minute.

5:51 PM -- Juanita Guzman adds her name to the scoring tally with a goal in the 19th minute. The Lady Vikings are dominating the Cougars, leading it 4-0.

5:44 PM -- Mary Chesnut Smith nets AHS's third goal of the half, taking a commanding 3-0 lead.

5:39 PM -- In the match's 7th minute, Avery's Logan Johnson blasts a ball past the left of the goalkeeper, helping the Lady Vikings to a 1-0 lead.

Just two minutes later, Shannon Smith gets away into the Heritage defense and scores a second goal, giving the Lady Vikings a 2-0 advantage.

On a cool, foggy and rainy Wednesday afternoon the Avery Lady Vikings soccer team is hosting the Mountain Heritage Lady Cougars in Western Highlands Conference soccer action. We're live in the press box and will be bringing updates throughout the match from MacDonald Stadium.

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