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Edwards, LeGree earn AP awards
NEW YORK - First-team quarterback Armanti Edwards and defensive back Mark LeGree highlight three Appalachian State representatives on the 2008 Associated Press NCAA Division I FCS All-America teams, the AP announced on Wednesday. Offensive lineman Jonathan Bieschke is a second-team honoree.

Edwards finished the season with 2,902 passing yards, 941 rushing yards and a SoCon-record 41 touchdowns responsible for (30 passing, 11 rushing). The junior ranks second nationally with a 170.19 pass-efficiency rating, seventh with 3,033 yards of total offense and 58th in rushing. The 2008 SoCon Player of the Year is one of three finalists for the Walter Payton Award, which will be presented next Thursday to the nation’s top FCS player.

LeGree leads the nation with 10 interceptions on the season. The sophomore’s 10 INTs broke the 45-year-old school record of eight (Larry Harbin, 1963) and tied the SoCon record that hadn’t been matched in 33 seasons. In addition, he ranked second in the SoCon and 10th nationally with 17 passes defended and finished fifth on the squad with 58 tackles, including three for loss, a sack and a forced fumble. He is one of 16 finalists for the Buck Buchanan Award, which honors the nation’s top FCS defensive player and will also be presented on Thursday night.

Mountaineers hed to Reno, Nev.
Appalachian State’s wrestling team travels to Reno, Nev. to compete in the Reno Tournament of Champions Dec. 18. The meet will began at noon (EST).

This will be the first time Appalachian has seen the mat since a 22-9 loss to Ohio on Dec. 7. Andrew Sifakis, Austin Trotman and Dylan Temple earned the wins for the Mountaineers.

Seven Mountaineers — Frank Celorrio, Mike Kessler, Chip Powell, Brett Houghton, Kyle Blevins, Trotman and Temple — will be competing in Reno.

There will be 27 ranked wrestlers in the seven classes that Appalachian is wrestling in, including No. 1 ranked 157 pounder Gregor Gillespie of Edinboro. The 184 and 133 pound class have the most ranked wrestlers, with six and five, respectively, while Appalachian has one ranked wrestler, Trotman, who is ranked No. 15 at 174.

Following the Tournament of Champions, Appalachian will compete in the Southern Scuffle on Dec. 29-30 in Greensboro, and then head to Texas for the Lone Star Duals on Jan. 3.

Watauga rolls past Alleghany

Watauga’s Middle School wrestling team beat Alleghany Middle School 54-18 Dec. 12.

Mark Townsend, Demetre Kostis and Dan Gryder scored pinfalls for Watauga. The rest of Watauga’s points were scored on Alleghany’s forfeits.

Three days later, Ashe County beat Watauga 61-24. Kostis, Devin Lurch, Grant Cato and Dillon Ashley all scored pinfall victories for Watuaga, which is 2-1 this season.