After an exciting 68-52 victory at Watauga to open up the season, the Huskies moved to 2-0 on the season with a 71-54 victory over the Vikings of Avery last Friday.

The game was the season opener for Avery, who competes in the Western Highlands 1A Conference. The Vikings was able to hang tight with the Huskies in the first quarter of the game, as a basket on the last play of the quarter gave Ashe a 14-13 lead.

Ashe jumped out early with a 9-2 lead with 4:32 remaining in the first quarter, but then a 11-4 run by the Vikings gave Avery a 13-12 lead with only 28 seconds left in the quarter. As time ticked down, Cory Roten was able to penetrate the Vikings’ defense, and a pass to the open Tucker Clay led to a basket, giving Ashe the 14-13 lead at the end of the first eight minutes of action.

The second quarter opened much the same as the first. Ashe went on a 18-0 run, that endured over three minutes, and no timeouts called by the Vikings in attempt to end the run. Ashe was able to climb to a 30-13 lead when Tommy Spagnolo put an exclamation point on the Huskies’ lead with a slam dunk, bringing Ashe’s fans to their feet, giving the Huskies another boost of momentum. Dustin Hamm got a basket on the Huskies’ next possession to give Ashe a 32-13 lead.

Ashe continued to pour their offense on, and Avery continued to struggle with the Huskies, and as time wound down in the first half, Ashe had a 36-20 lead after Richie Absher sank two free throws.

The Huskies had the last possession of the half, and Roten was once again able to get inside the Vikings’ defense. Roten, with the second ticking down, fired a shot from inside the lane, and the shot found it’s way into the basket, giving Ashe a 38-22 lead at the break, and apparent control of the game.

In the third quarter, Ashe simply had to protect the lead they earned in the first half. Ashe did so, and actually expanded it to twenty-points in the first moments of the quarter. Ashe maintained that till the end of the third, and with eight minutes remaining, the Huskies still led by 20 points, 55-35.

The final eight minutes of the play was mere formality. Ashe had the game in their control, and cruised through the final eight minutes with ease. The Huskies, with a three-point play at the start of the fourth, grabbed their biggest lead of the game, a 23-point spread, 58-35. Ashe did allow the Vikings to score 19 points in the final quarter, but a 16 point period kept Ashe in the clear. The game was capped off with senior Brandon Lucas scoring six points in the final minute to give Ashe their final 71-54 victory over the Vikings.

The victory at Avery, was the Huskies fifteenth straight non-conference win, and moved them to 2-0 on the season. Ashe’s last non-conference loss dates back to 2006 when Ashe lost on the road at Watauga to the Pioneers.

Ashe is looking to build off of a five-loss season last year, that tied a school record for advancement into the NCHSAA Playoffs. Last year, the Huskies won their first ever road playoff game underneath Payne’s direction with a 65-59 victory at Forest Hills High School, prior to being eliminated by East Lincoln in the second round.

Ashe’s schedule continues with hosting the Alleghany Trojans tonight, then the Watauga Pioneers on Friday evening. Ashe will then have the following Tuesday off, then start conference off with an away game at Starmount.

The MVAC is looking to be another exciting race for Ashe’s fans. After a third place finish in the regular season, and an upsetting victory in the semi-finals for the Huskies, moved them into the Championship game, where they lost to the Starmount Rams. This year, Ashe is expected to be battling with Wilkes Central in preseason polls, but North Wilkes shows promise with a new coach, some new faces, and an exciting 67-50 victory over Watauga in Hays, North Wilkes’s home.

All-in-all, the MVAC race is wide open!