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Football
must prepare for Demons' negative force
by Brad Norman
Senior Staff Writer
Despite all the gaudy numbers the Appalachian State offense put up in
the past two games, one number will stand out above all others this week:
negative nine.
Negative nine is the amount of total yards the Northwestern State defense
gave up last week against Texas Southern, a game that was handily won
by the Demons, 52-6.
The only reason the Division I-AA defensive record of
negative 12 yards allowed in a game stood is because Southern completed
passes of 14, 10 and nine yards during its final drive against Northwestern
State’s
third stringers.
“Obviously if you hold a team to negative nine yards
of total offense you have a great defense,” wide receiver DaVon
Fowlkes said. “We know it’s
going to be tough to move the ball.”
Fowlkes has been the key to the success of the no-huddle offense thus
far. Through three games he has pulled in 26 catches for 416 yards and
three touchdowns.
With Fowlkes putting up such big numbers, defenses tend to double-team
him for much of the game. Quarterback Richie Williams has exploited this
and has completed a pass to at least eight different receivers in each
of the last two games.
Fowlkes will also likely break the all-time ASU record for punt return
yards. He is currently second place behind Devon Ford.
“I know that I only need four yards and sometimes I think about it
during practice or during the week, but not really during a game,” Fowlkes
said.
Fowlkes and the rest of the Mountaineer offense will face the stingiest
defense on their schedule.
The Demons’ defense is first in the Southland Conference
against both the run and the pass. On average, they allow 62 and 125
yards per game, respectively.
For national rank against the run, the Demons are sixth in the country.
The game marks the first time these two schools have played since 1998.
In the 1998 playoff quarterfinals, the Demons defeated the Mountaineers
31-20.
“Northwestern State is no easy place to go play,” head
coach Jerry Moore said. “The good thing is we’ve been down
there [before] and we know what we’re fixing to get in to.”
The Demons have won 21 straight regular season games at
home against non-conference opponents, a streak that dates back to 1994.
Appalachian
is ranked 17th in the latest ESPN/USA Today poll while
Northwestern
State sits right below them at No. 18.
‘There’s a lot riding on this ballgame, even if it’s
not a conference ballgame,” Moore said.
Linebacker William Mayfield said he expects the atmosphere of the game
to be intense.
“We’re both good teams and they have a tough place to play,” Mayfield
said.
“It is going to be a playoff-type of atmosphere.”
Heart breaker of a tie breaker
by Nick Coulapides
Staff Writer
After placing second at the Charlotte Invitational a week
earlier, Appalachian’s
volleyball team took a hard hit at the TCU Invitational, taking themselves
out with a couple losses on Saturday.
After being shut down 3-0 against Santa Clara, the Mountaineers fought
vehemently against the home-team TCU Horned Frogs.
The two-and-a-half hour, five-game match saw the Horned
Frogs owning the Mountaineers in the first two games (30-27 and 30-20).
With their backs against the wall, ASU mounted two impressive games of
heart and skill taking the Horned Frogs out of rhythm.
The tie breaker was a heartbreaker for the Mountaineers, as the Frogs
pushed ASU with all their might towards a 15-12 victory and the win.
WOMEN’S SOCCER
Appalachian women’s soccer got back on track with
a 3-1 beating of conference rival Wofford Sunday.
Dana Murphy led the way for the Mountaineers by booting in a couple goals,
including the game-winner.
ASU leaped out to a quick lead in the 13th minute off a Jennifer Rudy
goal.
Not a minute later, Wofford knotted up the game at one apiece when Whitney
Steelman kicked a loose ball inside the penalty box and shot in the easy
goal.
FIELD HOCKEY
Appalachian’s finest had two of NorPac’s Player
of the Week honorees.
Senior Caroine Smith was named offensive player of the week, with teammate
Kate Ryno taking defensie honors.
Smith has been nothing short of extraordinary for the Mountaineers this
season, leading the team in total points with eight.
Ryno has been as hot as her counterpart, halting an incredible 46 saves
this season.
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