Asheville, NC – December 16, 2004 - The Asheville Lady Cougar tennis team was well represented o­n the Asheville Citizen-Times’ All Western North Carolina Tennis Team, announced today.  As a team, the Lady Cougars advanced to the quarterfinals of the NCHSAA dual team tournament after winning the Mountain Athletic Conference title.  The Lady Cougars went undefeated in the regular season and finished with a 20-1 record, losing o­nly to Hickory.

Sophomore Alexa Ely was named WNC Player of the Year.  Ely won the 2004 NCHSAA 3A singles championship.  She finished the season with a 17-1 singles record.Sophomore Christiane Pheil was also named to the First Team.  Pheil had an 18-0 record in the No. 2 singles spot and played No. 1 doubles with Ashley Brown, a junior, finishing with a 10-2 record.  Ashley Brown, who played No. 3 singles, was named to the Second Team. 

Asheville’s first-year coach, Buster Brown (Ashley's father), was named WNC Coach of the Year.  Brown guided the team to its first undefeated regular season, a MAC title, a 20-1 overall record, and had a 3A singles champion.

Congratulations to everyone o­n the well-deserved accolades!  The best news of all:  five of Asheville’s starting six players return next fall!

Concord, NC - December 3, 2004 - The shock, disappointment, and hurt are beginning to settle in . . . Asheville was leading Concord 20-0 with 5:43 left in the game when the Spiders exploded through the air for 21 points to defeat the Cougars 21-20 in the Western Regional Finals.  The Cougars (12-2) dominated the game through three-and-a-half quarters.  Johnny White led the ground attack, rushing 33-275 (unofficially) with three touchdowns, and surpassing the 2,000 yard rushing mark for the season.  Coach E.Z. Smith of Concord (14-1) was quoted as saying "We just beat the best 3A team in the state."  We have to agree. 

Cougars, we are so proud of you for yet another outstanding season!  Coach Wilkins, you and your staff have done an outstanding job.  If the expectations weren't so high, this would not hurt as much.  Good luck to the seniors and thank you for your many contributions.  For the rest of you guys, we look forward to next year with great anticipation!

Click "Read more" below for more details about the game.

Read full article: 'Unbelievable! Cougars Blow 20 Point lead in 4th Quarter and Lose to Concord in Western Regional Final'

Lawndale, NC - November 26, 2004 - Asheville needed some big plays and a trick or two as the Cougars outlasted the Burns Bulldogs' passing attack and held o­n for a 35-28 win.  Burns appeared to pass at will to their UT prospect, Josh Briscoe, but the Cougars stepped it up when they had to.  It was a complete team effort:  lineman Drew Barnett scored o­n a fumblerooski, Johnny White had 3 rushing TDs and 105 yards, Elijah Harrison had a key interception, Kadeem Morgan recovered a fumble and Marcus England capped it off with a 25 yard TD run with 1:14 to play. 

Asheville will play at Concord in the Western Regional Finals in a rematch of the game that sent Asheville to Chapel Hill in 1999.  The winner of the game will head to Winston-Salem to play for the State 3A Championship.  Good luck Cougars!

Cary, NC - November 20, 2004 -  White Oak defeated the Cougars 3-2 in the State 3A soccer finals in Cary. It is the Vikings' first state championship in three straight championship final appearances. White Oak lost to Roberson the past two years. Asheville had not given up three goals in o­ne match all year. They lost 2-1 to Atlanta's Pace Academy to open the season, but had allowed o­ne or less goals since then.  Scott Szymanski and Drew "Scooby" Meadows scored for Asheville in a very physical match.  It was a disappointing ending to an outstanding season for the Cougars (22-3-2), who won the title in 2000.   Congratulations to all the players, coaches, and parents - we are very proud of you!!

Click Read more . . .  below for the Asheville Citizen-Times textcast of the game.

Read full article: 'Cougar Men's Soccer Loses Heartbreaker to White Oak 3-2 in State 3A Finals'

Asheville, NC - November 19, 2004 - There was a huge crowd for an unofficial "Johnny White Night" at Asheville High as the Cougar junior tailback and linebacker rushed 28 times for 276 yard and 3 TDs, and had two key sacks of QB Jonathan Crompton to lead Asheville to a 28-14 win over MAC foe Tuscola in the second round of the playoffs.  White scored o­n runs of 2, 74, and 54 yards.  QB Crezdon Butler also scored o­n a 6 yard run for the Cougars.  Asheville had previously defeated Tuscola 37-30 o­n October 29 in Waynesville and has won 9 straight over the Mountaineers.  Asheville plays at Burns High in the 3A quarterfinals o­n November 26th.

Catch the action o­n the Cougar Sports TV Network each evening at 8:00 p.m. and at 2:30 p.m. o­n Saturday and Sunday.