The Cloudland Highlanders used an amazing second half run to beat the Hampton Bulldogs 69-60 on Thursday evening. The win officially makes the 'Landers the Region 1-A champs as they now advance to play at Harriman against the Blue Devils on Monday in the Sectional Contest. Congratulations guys!
Well, as I'm sure many people know the Avery Lady Vikings will be participating in the sectional championship to play Bishop McGuiness tonight at 8:30pm at UNC Greensboro's Fleming Gym. Bishop McGuinness is the four-time defending state 1A champions and they hold an 8-game winning streak in regional play. The Lady Villains are led by Megan Buckland who averages over 19 points, seven boards, four assists, and five steals per game. Avery meanwhile, comes in as the "underdog" at 24-3 after thrilling last second wins over Hiwassee Dam and Robbinsville. The Vikings are led by Lauren Avery and Sara Wiseman. Tickets for the game are $9 for adults and free for children ages five and under. MTN will be at the Avery-Bishop McGuinness contest and we will televise the game in its entirety on Sunday at 7pm. If Avery knocks off the Lady Villains then we will also cover the championship game and keep you updated as to when we will televise that as well.
Well, while Avery prepares for Bishop McGuiness, Mount Airy will be looking to knock off Western Highlands Conference regular season champs, the Mitchell Lady Mountaineers. Mount Airy enters the game at a stout 27-2 coming off double-digit wins over Albemarle and East Surry. The Lady Bears are led by Elise Chase who averages 14.5 points per game and 1.7 assists per game. Meanwhile, Mitchell comes into the contest at 23-4 with double-digit wins over Swain, Murphy, and East Wilkes. The Lady Mountaineers are led by Lakin Norris who averages over 23 points, four boards, and five steals per game. Mitchell and Mount Airy will tip-off at 7pm at UNC Greensboro's Fleming Gym.
A day after being named to the SoCon All-Conference team by the coaches, Donald Sims was named the Southern Conference Malcolm U. Pitt Player of the Year by the media this week. The league's leading scorer at 20.4 points per game, Sims scored in double figures in 30 of the Mountaineers' 31 games in the regular season. Heading into this weekend's tournament, he is the national leader in free throw percentage (95.0) and three-pointers made (102). The junior became the first Mountaineer to win SoCon Player of the Week honors three times in a season and joins Charles Payton(1981) and Tyson Patterson(2000) as the third student-athlete in program history to win player of the year honors. He is also just the third player in school history to score 600 points in a season and currently ranks second on ASU's single season list with 631 on the season. He is just one three-pointer shy of Appalachian's single-season record and 11 away from the career record. Sims' top performance of the season came at Davidson on January 9, when the guard set a Belk Arena record with 44 points on 13-of-19 shooting and a 13-of-13 mark at the charity stripe. Also in 2009-10, he became the 29th player in program history to score 1,000 points and finished the regular season ranked 13th with 1410 points through three seasons. The Mountaineers begin their second goal to become SoCon champs on Saturday at 7pm at Bojangles Coliseum against one of the Bulldog teams, either the Citadel or Samford. The Lady Apps, meanwhile, begin their journey on Saturday as well at 11:30am against the winner of the No. 6 Davidson and No. 11 Furman game.
Well for Carolina Panther fans, he was known as a hero and a goat, a winner and a crybaby, an underdog and an over-hyped quarterback. However you saw him, Jake Delhomme was the face of a roller-coaster ride the last seven seasons, and today the Carolina Panthers have sealed the bittersweet fate of number 17 as he was cut by the organization. This news comes just over a year after they gave him a lucrative contract extension only to watch him have his worst season as a pro. It signals that the Panthers intend to go with Matt Moore or someone new at quarterback for the first time since Delhomme burst onto the scene in 2003 and led Carolina to the Super Bowl. Despite committing six turnovers in a playoff loss to Arizona to end the 2008 season, Panthers GM Marty Hurney and coach John Fox were so committed to Delhomme they gave him a new deal in which he's still owed more than $12.5 million in guaranteed money. Delhomme had no legitimate competition in training camp, but then had a miserable 2009 season. After throwing a career-high 18 interceptions, Delhomme was sidelined with a broken finger. Moore came on and had eight touchdown passes and only two interceptions as Carolina won four of its final five games. The Panthers on Wednesday gave him the highest restricted free-agent tender of $3.043 million for one season. Now the 35-year-old Delhomme is out of work, ending his career in Carolina with a 58-40 record as a starter that included a trip to the Super Bowl and an appearance in the NFC championship game after the 2005 season. Delhomme holds almost every team passing record, but cutting him in a season without a salary cap will save some of the hit his contract will have in future years should the cap return.
The Panthers continued to stay busy this week, releasing veteran defensive tackle Damione Lewis in a move that saves $5 million in payroll and further depletes the defensive line. Finances played a decision for Lewis, who was let go a week after the Panthers sided against giving Peppers more than $20 million with the franchise tag. The 32-year-old Lewis had 41 tackles and a half sack in 16 starts last season as he played with numerous other tackles in Carolina's banged-up line. Lewis was signed to a contract extension before the 2008 season, but the deal was restructured last off-season to clear salary-cap space. There was a clause that called for the contract to revert to its old terms if a large bonus wasn't paid this spring. Lewis would have been due $4 million this season and a $1 million roster bonus. The move mow leaves Carolina with no starters from the line that ended last season. Peppers, Tyler Brayton and Hollis Thomas are unrestricted free agents. The Panthers did however offer tenders to restricted free agents Louis Leonard and Tank Tyler on Wednesday, and signed fellow defensive tackle Ed Johnson last month.
ASU volleyball has officially released its 2010 spring schedule. The Black and Gold will play four matches throughout the months of February, March and April. The Mountaineers' first match was scheduled for February 27 at Winthrop with other contests slated for March 20 at Davidson, March 27 at Wake Forest and April 10 at Virginia Tech. ASU returns nine players for the upcoming 2010 campaign and has five newcomers joining the squad. The Mountaineers will release its 2010 fall schedule in the upcoming months.
After hitting .529 (9-for-17) with nine RBI in four games last week, ASU baseball's David Towarnicky has been named the the Southern Conference Student-Athlete of the Week. He highlighted his stellar week by hitting what proved to be a game-winning three-run home run in the sixth inning of Appalachian's 5-3 win over Marist on Saturday,and he was perfect in 31 fielding chances at first base. In the classroom, Towarnicky sports a perfect 4.0 GPA as a double-major in finance and banking and risk insurance management with a international business minor. He is one of 30 candidates for the prestigious 2010 baseball Lowe's Senior CLASS Award, which honors student-athletes for their achievements in four areas of excellence -- classroom, character, community and competition.
The winter storm that impacted much of the state this week has caused a series of changes to ASU's upcoming baseball schedule. Wednesday's game at North Carolina A&Twas postponed and this weekend's series versus Rider that was originally scheduled to be played at ASU's Jim and Bettie Smith Stadium, will instead take place at L.P. Frans Stadium in Hickory. Game times for this weekend's three-game set versus Rider will remain the same as before with a game Friday at 3 p.m., Saturday at 2pm, and Sunday at 1pm. Tickets for the games will cost $5 and ASU season tickets will be honored. A makeup date for Wednesday's game at N.C. A&T is expected to be finalized soon.
Agent 0, Donald Sims, has been named to the Southern Conference Coaches' all-conference team this week after leading the league in scoring, free throw percentage and three-pointers made in the regular season. Wofford's Noah Dahlman and Mike Young took home Player of the Year and Coach of the Year awards, respectively. Sims was named the league's player of the week three times, including back-to-back weeks in February, and scored in double figures in 30 out of 31 games on the season. He leads the nation in both three point field goals made and free throw percentage. The junior led ASU in scoring 24 times and helped the squad to a 20-11 record and the SoCon North division title. Sims and the Mountaineers face the winner of Friday's first round match-up between The Citadel and Samford for a Saturday meeting at 7 p.m.
Well, after the Clouldand girl's basketball team lost an absolute heart-breaker to Hancock County this week, the Cloudland Highlanders boys basketball team continues to roll. Cloudland advanced to the Region 1-A Championship game, and secured a substate berth on Monday evening with a 65-46 victory over the University High. The 'Landers jumped out to an early 13-2 lead, and when the Jr. Bucs finally got going, the 'Landers had an answer as they led 17-8 at the end of the first quarter. Cloudland took a 29-21 lead going into the half, and the third quarter saw Cloudland take the lead back to double dights and secure the 65-46 victory in the fourth quarter. Logam Morgan had 21 points while Matthew Potter had 20. Hyden had 11 points, and Cody Bullwinkle added nine. On Tuesday night, the Cloudland 'Landers then came from behind against J. Frank White at Chuckey-Doak and were able to beat the Rams and advance to the next round of Region 1-A tournament. The District 1A champs will take on the winner of the Cosby-Hampton game on Thursday evening in the Regional Championship and a berth to substate!
ASU cross country runner Brittney Caudle has been named to the USTFCCA all-academic team this week. Caudle was named SoCon Runner of the Year after a dominant performance at October's championship. She won the individual title by over 20 seconds, in the process becoming Appalachian's first cross country champion on the women's side since Katie Sujkowski in 2003. In addition to her impressive achievements on the course, Caudle carried a 3.65 GPA in the fall semester as an art major. The award honors those student-athletes who have succeeded both academically and athletically. To be eligible for the award a student-athlete must carry a minimum 3.25 cumulative grade point average and must finish among the top 15 finishers (or top 10 percent) of the field at their respective NCAA regional meet.
