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Top 10 in ASU sports
by Chris Zaluski
Staff Writer
This past year has been filled with its fair share of memorable sports moments. From laughing and crying to cheering and yelling, these were the Top 10 moments through my eyes.
1. Men’s Basketball Turnaround
After losing four of the first five Southern Conference games of the year, Appalachian State’s men’s basketball team turned around their season in a way no one but themselves expected.
At one point in the season, the Mountaineers went on an amazing streak, winning seven games in a row to get to first place in the SoCon North division. Before the streak, ASU was 3-4 in conference play and stuck near the bottom of the division. Appalachian finished off the season by winning 10 of the final 13 games.
It was a year that paved the way for the emergence of younger players, such as D.J. Thompson, Nathan Cranford, Jeremy Clayton and Douglass McLaughlin-Williams.
Although the team lost in the semifinals of the SoCon Tournament, expectations will be high for seasons to come.
2. Williams unbelievable
His numbers were astounding.
In the game against the No. 2 team in Division I-AA, Furman, ASU quarterback Richie Williams set an NCAA all-division record by completing 28 straight passes.
He also set another record for completion percentage as he completed 40 of 45 passes (89 percent) for 413 yards and two touchdowns.
His performance was the key reason the Mountaineers defeated Furman 30-29. Fittingly, Williams scored the winning touchdown on a quarterback draw.
3. Volleyball team claims top spot in SoCon North
Appalachian’s volleyball team had a storybook season as they won the Southern Conference Northern Division with a regular season record of 15-1. The Mountaineers nearly earned a spot in the NCAA tournament, but fell to College of Charleston 3-1 in the tournament finals.
Junior Stephanie Panzer became the first ever ASU volleyball player to be named as an honorable mention All-American.
The volleyball team represented ASU well off the court as well as six players were named to the Southern Conference TIAA-CREF academic squad.
4. Fowlkes puts up career marks ... in a season
DaVon Fowlkes has permanently left his mark on Appalachian State’s football program.
In his senior season at ASU, Fowlkes caught 103 passes for 1,618 yards as well as racking up 2,313 all-purpose yards.
He set numerous school records, including 14 touchdown catches, 17 catches in one game and 280 receiving yards in one game.
He led all Division I-AA players in receptions, receiving yards and all-purpose yards.
His accolades put him as a top three finalist for the Walter Payton Award, given to the top offense player in Division I-AA football.
On Sunday he agreed to free-agent terms to join the Indianapolis Colts.
5. Track and field continues dominance of SoCon
This past February, the men and women’s track teams swept the Southern Conference Indoor Track and Field Championship.
This was the fifth consecutive championship victory for the women’s team and fourth victory in five years for the men’s team.
Their indoor success carried over into the outdoors, as both teams have kept up their winning ways so far this season.
Top performers such as Jennifer Claud, Nikole Simmons and Bob Smith hope to help Appalachian leave their mark at the NCAA Regional Championships in late May.
6. McPherson and Cavicchia get their kicks
Men’s soccer players Keon McPherson and goaltender Philip Cavicchia both had standout seasons.
Both players were named as first team all-Southern Conference selections and were also named to the 2004 All-South third team.
McPherson also grabbed a spot on the 2004 All-State men’s soccer team.
There is no doubt that next year’s team will miss both seniors.
McPherson had 17 points this season, best on the team, and Cavicchia recorded 83 saves.
7. Former athletes return
In honor of Chancellor Kenneth E. Peacock’s Installation, Appalachian State returned over 250 of their past athletic heroes including All-Pro NFL linebacker Dexter Coakley.
Coakley was the seventh player to have his number retired during the ceremony. His black and gold “32” will now hang forever at Kidd Brewer Stadium.
This was Coakley’s first return back to ASU in six years.
8. Houston Fancher gets contract extension
Men’s head basketball coach Houston Fancher received a three-year contract extension following his team’s successful season.
Fancher was the driving force behind the team’s remarkable turnaround, as the team doubled their win total from the 2003-2004 season.
Although he only has a career .412 winning percentage, Fancher has brought in a solid nucleus of young players that should allow him to compete for a conference championship for years to come.
9. McFarland, Brown and Smith Reach 1,000
Senior basketball players Chris McFarland, Noah Brown and Lindsay Smith all surpassed the 1,000-point mark this season.
Brown and McFarland were the first teammates to reach the 1,000-point mark since 1998.
Smith also became ASU’s career leader for made three-point field goals.
10. Rebuilding the baseball program
After last season’s disappointing 10-24 record, the baseball program looked to turn things around by picking up new head coach Chris Pollard.
Though the team’s success might not be as evident when looking at the team’s record, the Mountaineers have competed in nearly every game this year and have signed good prospects for next year.
With over 13 games to go, ASU has nine wins and will likely surpass last year’s win total, even after having some of its best players transfer out of the program.
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Worst 10 in ASU sports
by Erik Rhyne
Staff Writer
This year has had many memorable moments and also moments everyone would like to forget. While looking back at this year in sports, these are the 10 moments that should be forgotten as we move into a new year of Appalachian State athletics.
1. Losing to Western in football
Losing every game on the road is bad, but losing to Western Carolina is even worse. From 1999-2003 ASU had held the Old Mountain Jug every year. The loss was only the second time in the last 20 years Western defeated ASU.
Appalachian lost on Nov. 13, 2004, to a score of 30-27; the Catamounts will keep the jug in Cullowhee for at least a year.
2. Women’s basketball
While the team finished with a better record than the previous year, they still finished ninth place in the conference. The team showed hope at the beginning of the year starting off with a 6-4 record.
However, injuries to Jessica Jank and Eboni Kirby were not good for the team. They finished with an 11-17 record overall and 8-12 in conference play. The Mountaineers were also bounced from the SoCon tournament in the first round for the third consecutive year.
The team will lose its three leaders in seniors Lindsay Smith, Jessica Jank and Michelle Conklin, so head coach Adrienne Shuler will look for new leaders to emerge.
3. Football losing every away game
If only Kidd Brewer Stadium could have gone with the football team. While the team was unbeaten at home, they lost to some below average teams on the road to finish with a 6-5 record. If Appalachian defeated Chattanooga (2-9) and Western Carolina (4-7), they would have made the playoffs.
4. Roachel Laney resigns
In November, Roachel Laney resigned his position as director of athletics after 14 years of service to Appalachian State. Dr. Kenneth Peacock made Dr. Linda Robinson interim athletic director while the search was on for a permanent one. The search is still on for someone to fill the spot made by Laney.
5. Alan Atwater kicked off football team
The spring season for football should show promise to fans of the program of what is to come. However, there was a dark moment for the team as the leading rusher from last year’s team was dismissed from the team for violating team rules. The dismissal of Atwater means the team loses not only their leading rusher from last year, but also the second leading receiver. The team will now look to players to fill not only the void left by DaVon Fowlkes, but also the one left by Atwater.
6. Jessica Jank & Eboni Kirby’s injuries
The women’s basketball team was never at full strength for a majority of the season. Eboni Kirby was injured before the season started and returned to the court Dec. 18 against UNC-Greensboro. Jank was hurt Dec. 16 against Campbell University. She returned with only a handful of games left in the season. Both players missing so much time clearly effected team chemistry.
7. Field hockey goes from first to worst
When the 2003 season was over, the field hockey team was standing on top looking at everyone below them in the division. Although the team lost two key players, many felt they would be a contender in the 2004 season. However, a dramatic turnaround by the field hockey team ended with them looking up at everyone as they finished with an overall record of 6-14.
8. Spring sports in general
Track and Field had another great season, and baseball is showing improvement under first-year head coach Chris Pollard. On the other side, both golf teams are near the bottom in the SoCon Golf championship, both tennis teams were knocked out early in the conference tournament, and the softball team is in the SoCon basement for another year.
9. Chris McFarland rides the pine
McFarland was supposed to have a breakout season this year. Comparing junior year to his senior year McFarland played in five less games this year, his minutes dropped from 26.4 to 21.1 and his rebounds dropped from five per game to only 3.4 a game.
McFarland was benched in favor of younger players and did not play in several important games.
10. The hurricanes
It’s not often that two hurricanes (Frances and Ivan) make a trip up the mountain to soak the campus. This did not necessarily effect any varsity sports on campus, but everyone involved in intramural and club sports felt the wrath. Many games were canceled due to the rains flooding the State Farm Fields.
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Special to The Appalachian
J. Adam Chesson competes in the giant slalom during the United States Collegiate Ski and Snowboard Association National Championship held at Brundage Mountain, Idaho, over Spring Break. Chesson finished seventh in giant slalom and sixth in border-cross. |
Snowboard club takes fourth in national competition
by Millie Tolleson
Staff Writer
Based on the local climate, it should come as no surprise that Appalachian State University has a successful snowboard team.
However, what may be surprising is the fact that snowboarders from ASU have only been competing on a team for three years.
When senior organizational communication major J. Adam Chesson founded the team three years ago, there were less than a handful of members.
Since then, membership has tripled and a women’s snowboard team has also been formed.
Junior industrial technology construction major Roman A. Benkart said the ASU snowboard team won every conference race this season for the third year in a row, placing first in the Southeast Conference.
Individually, ASU snowboarders took the top four titles in the conference. Chesson placed first, Benkart second, Clay A. Sulik third and E. Ted Chestnut fourth.
The women’s team placed third in the conference.
After doing so well in conference races, the team was invited to the United States Collegiate Ski and Snowboard Association National Championship held over spring break at Brundage Mountain, located in Idaho.
“We competed against all other schools in the nation, including many with well-funded and well-established varsity programs,” Chesson said.
ASU’s team competed against the other top-15 teams in the nation and came in fourth.
“There were four or five teams bunched together. The numbers were really close. People don’t realize how close we were to winning nationals,” Chestnut said.
Individually, snowboarders competed in three events: giant slalom, slope style and border-cross.
In giant slalom, the team came in fourth. Chesson placed seventh, giving him All- American status, and Benkart placed 14th.
The team came in sixth in slope style as Sulik placed 16th and Benkart placed 18th.
In border-cross, the team placed third. Chesson came in sixth, making him an All- American in border-cross as well.
During the season, the team practices for three hours Mondays and Wednesdays.
“We had to practice hard because our season didn’t start until mid-January because it was so warm. Out west, they had since mid-October to practice,” Chesson said.
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