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Pioneers beat back Patriots, 77-70

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Pioneers beat back Patriots, 77-70

By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — This time, the Pioneers circled their wagons and finished.

After two losses on the road where the Watauga men’s basketball team led in the fourth quarter but ended up falling to South Caldwell and Alexander Central, against Freedom at Lentz Eggers Gym they got it done.

Josiah Railey goes up for a slam dunk vs. Freedom on Jan. 22. Photographic image by David Rogers for High Country Sports

Junior guard Cade Keller poured in a game-high 24 points and junior forward Jace Blocker added another 21 to lead the Pioneers past the Patriots.

Senior guard Maddox Greene only had four points on the night, scoring, but proved to be a critical playmaker with 9 rebounds, 8 assists and a pair of steals. Teammate Josiah Railey, a combination guard/forward, added 16 points, 5 assists, 3 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 blocks to record the broadest individual stat line.

“It felt good for us to be on the other side of those late games,” said Watauga head coach Bryson Payne after the game. “We played really good. We feel we are better than our record. We played some really tough games early but that is part of it. You are playing teams that are good and they know how to win, too. Those close ones that we lost, previously, they shot well at the end and we didn’t.”

Payne added that the Pioneers did a better job of managing the clock against Freedom, and making their shots.

Cade Keller drives to the basket on Jan. 22 vs. Freedom. Photographic image by David Rogers for High Country Sports

A lot of Freedom’s success (13-3 overall, now 3-1 in conference play) in the Patriots’ previous games has been due to the play of senior guard Amore Connelly. On this night, the Watauga defense limited Connelly to 17 points.

“Amore is a good player and we wanted to make everything he did difficult. Our guys accepted that challenge. He hit some really tough shots, some high level shots, but I am proud of the way our guys battled, stuck to the game plan and stayed consistent,” said Payne.

Watauga point guard Maddox Greene stressed afterward that his team stayed in the moment.

And one? Maddox Greene made the layup but did not get the foul on Jan. 22 vs. Freedom. Photographic image by David Rogers for High Country Sports

“We were more patient in this game,” Greene said. “At Alexander, we took some bad shots that we didn’t need to take. We shot ourselves out of that game when we didn’t need to. This game we were more patient, only taking the good ones and we stayed ahead, kept the lead.”

Next up for the Pioneers is a trip to West Jefferson on Jan. 24, to face High Country rival Ashe County in the last of the first round of regular season in-conference games.

SCORING

  • WAT – Cade Keller (24)
  • WAT – Jace Blocker (21)
  • FRE – Amore Connelly (17)
  • FRE – King Johnson (17)
  • WAT – Josiah Railey (16)
  • FRE – Braxton King (13)
  • FRE – Kaden Davis (10)
  • WAT – Jackson Love (8)
  • FRE – Kobe Johnson (5)
  • WAT – Maddox Greene (4)
  • FRE – Elijah Davidson (3)
  • WAT – Eli Bishop (2)
  • WAT – Brady Lindenmuth (2)
  • FRE – Dairyon Feaster-Hicks (2)
  • FRE – Keandre Davis (2)
  • FRE – Jonah Griggs (1)

 

Sears, Haines lead Watauga past Freedom, 83-63

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Sears, Haines lead Watauga past Freedom, 83-63

By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — With career highs recorded by Kate Sears (43 points) and Blair Haines (23 points) complimented by a punishing team defense, the Watauga varsity women ran away from Freedom on Jan. 22, 83-63, in front of a packed house at Lentz Eggers Gym.

Wednesday night’s contest had been rescheduled from Tuesday (Jan. 21) because of extreme cold, ice and snow making travel more dangerous, but the changes had no ill effects on Sears and Haines, whose impact was immediate. The duo combined for 22 points in just the first quarter and added 15 more in the second period en route to a 14-point Pioneer lead at intermission, 48-34. Senior guard Julie Matheson contributed six points before halftime to aid the cause, finishing the game with 10 points.

Freedom had four players in double figures, scoring, including a tie for team-high at 15 points by sisters Cynica and Peyton Caldwell. Junior guard Ava Cooke and senior guard Haven Gladden added 12 and 11, respectively.

Watauga’s Kate Sears claimed the Pioneers’ first points of the night on Jan. 22, from long distance, en route to a convincing 83-63 win over Freedom at Lentz Eggers Gym. Photographic image by David Rogers for High Country Sport

The breadth of the Patriots’ scoring could not overcome the one-two punch of Sears and Haines, however. The Pioneers’ senior and sophomore guards combined for 12 made shots from behind the 3-point arc to account for nearly half (43.4 percent) of the team’s total offensive production on the night.

Watauga’s recent surge in offensive productivity may also be partially explained by the quiet emergence of senior newcomer, forward Chloe Wilson. The softball athlete is in her first year of playing basketball so the tall, 6-0 athlete has had a lot to learn not only about the game but also about the team’s offensive and defensive systems. Over the last few games her development has been obvious with increased playing time.

As an imposing presence in the paint, Wilson can draw a crowd of defenders, often leaving other teammates like Sears, Haines and Matheson open, with better looks at the basket from the outside.

Defensively, the athletic Wilson is already having a major impact, too. Against Freedom, she had what Watauga head coach Bill Torgerson described afterwards as “… a couple of monster blocks.”

“Kate’s rebounding numbers are huge this year. To do all that Kate does, having Chloe come in and knock some people down, take a charge or swats shots away to get the crowd and her teammates excited, those are almost a form of ‘breaks’ for Kate. When Chloe comes in, she is a fan and team favorite. Tonight, she made two athletic blocks that are unlike what anybody else can make.”

Of Haines’ performance, Torgerson credited her hard work.

“Blair is always staying after practice and getting extra shooting in,” said Torgerson. “She has been shooting well in the recent games and she picked up right where she left off. That was important for us because we weren’t defending very well as we opened this game but we were scoring well (with Sears and Haines).”

Blair Haines (21) demonstrated that she is also not afraid to drive the lane on Jan. 22, vs. Freedom, here laying up two of her career high 23 points on the night. Photographic image by David Rogers for High Country Sports

Torgerson noted that Freedom has almost everyone back from the year ago team that took Watauga to overtime, in Morganton, in January 2024.

“They came into tonight 3-0. Freedom is a really strong defensive team and they are long. There is no one out there who is slow. And then you have Peyton Caldwell, who is a really good offensive player. She is a shooter. She gets to the basket great and gets to the free throw line a lot. Holding her to 15 points is pretty good,” said Torgerson.

Now in his second year as the Watauga head coach, Torgerson was especially complimentary of Sears’ leadership on the court, as well as her production on both ends.

“With a big lead, we were a bit flat late in the third quarter and early in the fourth. That’s a bit natural with a big lead. You are bound to have a little run where you miss some shots. So two things that Kate does really well, urging her teammates to pick up the energy and get stops, but she also goes to the rim and gets some layups. She wasn’t happy with her free throw shooting tonight, but she picked us up in the second half and really put them away.”

Next up for the Pioneers is a Jan. 24 tilt at Ashe County to complete the first round of regular season conference games. Currently at 4-0, with the defeat of Freedom the Pioneers have sole possession of first place in the Northwestern Conference standings.

SCORING

  • WAT – Kate Sears (43)
  • WAT – Blair Haines (23)
  • FRE – Peyton Caldwell (15)
  • FRE – Cynica Caldwell (15)
  • FRE – Ava Cooke (12)
  • FRE – Haven Gladden (11)
  • WAT – Julie Matheson (10)
  • FRE – Kaitlyn Hagmann (7)
  • WAT – Izzy Torgerson (3)
  • WAT – Shelby Thompson (2)
  • WAT – Kaitlyn Darner (2)

ZAP Endurance quartet among the best in Houston Marathon, Half Marathon

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ZAP Endurance quartet among the best in Houston Marathon, Half Marathon

By David Rogers. HOUSTON, Texas — Temperatures were at freezing but the pace was anything but on Jan. 19 for the 2025 Chevron Houston Marathon and the Aramco Houston Half Marathon races.

Israel’s Haimro Alame captured the Marathon men’s division title, completing the 26.2 mile course in 2:08:17, a torrid, 4:54 mile pace. Yemane Haileselassie crossed the line No. 2, just 8 seconds behind Alame.

Blowing Rock’s Josh Izewski, running for ZAP endurance, earned a No. 9 finish, running the streets of Houston in 2:10:54 to complete one of the season’s best comeback stories after an injury forced him out of the New York Marathon. In Houston, the 34-yearold Izewski was the second fastest American.

In the Half Marathon, ZAP Endurance team member Amanda Vestri finished No. 4 in the women’s division, just a minute, 29 seconds behind Ethiopia’s Senayet Getachew (1:06:05). Vestri’s 1:07:35 was then No. 8 all time performance by an American woman in the half marathon. She improved on her own ZAP Endurance club record (1:08.14)

Izewski’s time in the full marathon distance also broke the ZAP Endurance club record, set just this past November by teammate Ryan Ford in his marathon debut, in the New York Marathon. Ford’s previous record was 2:11:08.

In the men’s Half Marathon, BYU’s Conner Mantz set an American record, finishing just a fraction of an inch off the shoulder of race winner Addisu Gobena of Ethiopia. Starting with Gobena and Mantz, both of whom were clocked at 59:17, four runners finished the 13.1 mile course under an hour, also including Gabriel Geay (59:18) of Tanzania and Jemal Yimer (59:20) of Ethiopia.

Blowing Rock was also well represented in the elite men’s field for the Half Marathon. ZAP Endurance veteran Andrew Colley crossed the line in the No. 8 position, just a minute, 30 seconds behind the winners. ZAP teammate Ryan Ford (1:00:59) was also in the mix for the top elites, finishing No. 14. Both Colley and Ford bettered Colley’s previous ZAP club record of 1:01:35, established last year in Valencia, Spain.

Colley’s time was the No. 11 all-time performance for an American at the half marathon distance, Ford’s was No. 17.

Another great story for the ZAP Endurance team was the return of founder Zika Rea to running the marathon distance. Almost 20 years (and two children) ago, Rea qualified to compete at the U.S. Olympic Trials in St. Paul, Minn., running the marathon in 2:41:06. She returned to the distance in Houston, finishing the full marathon in 3:32:07, an 8:06 mile pace.

 

 

App State extends win streak to 5, claims season sweep over JMU, 58-50

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App State extends win streak to 5, claims season sweep over JMU, 58-50

By David Rogers. HARRISONBURG, Va. — Host James Madison rallied late in the first half on Jan. 18, going on a 12-2 run to tie the men’s basketball game vs. App State at intermission, 20-20, but the Mountaineers jumped out to the lead after the break and never let it go. The Boone-based visitors completed the season sweep of the Dukes, 58-50, in front of 4,685 at the Atlantic Union Bank Center.

Although the game evolved as a defensive battle, redshirt senior guard Myles Tate poured in a game-high 20 points, the eighth game during the 2024-25 season in which he has scored 20 or more points. Fellow guard Dior Connors hit it big from long distance, successful on six of eight attempts from behind the 3-point arc.

James Madison’s self-inflicted wounds, also known as “turnovers,” played a part in the outcome. Although their 13 TOs were only two more than the 11 committed by the Mountaineers, App State was more adept at capitalizing, picking up 16 points on JMU’s miscues.

Tate and forward CJ Huntley tied for team-high honors in rebounding.

Now sporting a 5-game win streak, the Mountaineers improve to 11-7 overall and 5-2 in Sun Belt Conference play. The win moves the Mountaineers into a tie with Arkansas State for second place in the standings, behind only the 6-1 South Alabama Jaguars.

The Dukes’ starting guards Mark Freeman and Bryce Lindsay were the only home team players in double figures, scoring, with 10 and 13 points, respectively.

App State will have an opportunity to break the second place deadlock on Thursday, Jan. 23, when they travel to Jonesboro, Ark., to face Arkansas State. It was a Red Wolves’ Freddy Hicks buzzer beater that knocked the Mountaineers out of the Sun Belt Conference Tournament semifinals last March. Only Tate, Huntley and redshirt freshman Luke Wilson remain on the Mountaineer roster from a year ago, but the sting of the upset will likely be somewhere on a locker room bulletin board.

 

 

 

Watauga MBB runs away from Hibriten, 84-58

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Watauga MBB runs away from Hibriten, 84-58

By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — Attacking from the inside and the outside gave host Watauga a formidable 1-2 punch on Jan. 17, defeating Hibriten at Lentz Eggers Gym in convincing fashion, 84-58.

Building on Jace Blocker’s 9-point effort down low in the first quarter, junior guard Cade Keller hit two of his five 3-pointers on the night in the second quarter, helping the Pioneers gain separation. Keller’s 12 points in the second period led him to a game-high 23 points by the final buzzer, while Blocker tallied 21 points, all from inside the and on the charity stripe.

Cade Keller has emerged as Watauga’s leading scorer, a lot of his points coming from beyond the 3-point arc. Photographic image by David Rogers for High Country Sports

After getting up on opponents the last two Northwestern Conference games at South Caldwell and Alexander Central but failing to finish in the 2024-25 season’s only conference losses, the Pioneers got back in stride and didn’t let up in this contest. Important stat: Watauga got a lot of second chance opportunities with 14 offensive rebounds.

Hibriten’s future under new head coach Ronshad Shabazz, the former all-Sun Belt Conference performer at App State, may have become evident with the varsity performance of freshman Rob Beasley. The 6-0 guard helped the Panthers keep the deficit respectable with 22 points, all scored in the final three quarters. Holden Woodward added 17 and Julius Martin contributed 12, but overall Hibriten had a challenging time dealing with the Pioneers’ pressing, disruptive defense.

With the loss, Hibriten falls to 3-14 on the season while Watauga improves to 9-5 after the win. The Pioneers next face East Forsyth on Jan. 18, at West Forsyth in Winston-Salem. The Pioneers know how to put points on the board after scoring 55 or more points in their last 14 games.

East Forsyth (7-3) comes into the game on a six-game winning streak, the Eagles’ most recent victim the Reagan Raiders on Jan. 17.

SCORING

  • WAT – Cade Keller (23 points)
  • HIB – Rob Beasley (22)
  • WAT – Jace Blocker (21)
  • HIB – Holden Woodward (17)
  • HIB – Julius Martin (12)
  • WAT – Josiah Railey (11)
  • WAT – Jackson Love (6)
  • WAT – Eli Bishop (5)
  • HIB – Demarius Walton (5)
  • WAT – Seth Greene (4)
  • WAT – Kyle Williams (3)
  • WAT – Maddox Greene (3)
  • WAT – Logan Greene (2)
  • WAT – Brady Lindenmuth (2)
  • WAT – J T Cook (2)
  • WAT – Paul Taylor (2)
  • HIB – Dexter Mosely (2)

Pioneers WBB takes over early in dominating, 59-44 win over Hibriten

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Pioneers WBB takes over early in dominating, 59-44 win over Hibriten

By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — Leading from start to finish, Watauga women’s basketball piled on as the game went on, Jan. 17, leaving Lentz Eggers Gym with a 59-44 win over Hibriten.

Point guard Kate Sears delivered a whopping 31 points on the night, but her scoring was often facilitated by a strong Pioneer supporting cast. Guard Julie Matheson was also in double figures, scoring, with 10 points, while outside sharpshooters Blair Haines and Izzy Torgerson delivered 7 points and 6 points, respectively.

Julie Matheson (1) works around a Hibriten defender to attack the basket on Jan. 17. Photographic image by David Rogers for High Country Sports

This year’s surprise newcomer to the game of basketball, center Chloe Wilson, has quietly earned increased playing time and is proving to be a force inside the paint for Watauga. At 6-0, her inside threat draws multiple defenders and has taken some pressure off of Sears operating from the outside.

In her frequent trips driving to the basket, Sears drew contact from the Panthers and capitalized with 12-of-12 shooting from the charity stripe.

Next up for Watauga is a rare Saturday contest, Jan. 18, against R J Reynolds at West Forsyth, in Winston-Salem, with tipoff scheduled for 4:30 p.m.

SCORING

  • WAT – Kate Sears (31 points)
  • HIB – Zoe Rector (14)
  • HIB – Aamori Patterson (12)
  • WAT – Julie Matheson (10)
  • HIB – Karlee Starnes (8)
  • WAT – Blair Haines (7)
  • WAT – Izzy Torgerson (6)
  • HIB – McKenzie Collins (5)
  • WAT – Shelby Thompson (3)
  • WAT – Kaitlyn Darner (2)

Pioneer JVs start slow, finish fast vs. Hibriten, 72-44

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Pioneer JVs start slow, finish fast vs. Hibriten, 72-44

By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — An early close encountergave way to a dominating, 72-44 win for the Watauga men’s junior varsity over visiting Hibriten on Jan. 17 at Lentz Eggers Gym.

BONUS PHOTOS at bottom of article (click on any image for Slide Show Mode)

Colby Whiteside (20 points) and Wit Williamson (16 points) led the way for the Pioneers, but were also joined by a quartet of Pioneers in providing notable offensive production. Bryce Scheffler, Mason Tate and Blake Bance scored 8 points each while Miller Hankins came off the bench to add 7 points of his own.

Watauga’s Miller Hankins draws contact in going to the basket on Jan. 17 vs. Hibriten, in what emerged as a physical contest. Photographic image by David Rogers for High Country Sports

For Hibriten, Rob Beasley and Deacon Ogborn combined for 19 first quarter points to keep things close for the Panthers at the end of the opening stanza, even staying within reach by intermission, but defensive adjustments by the Pioneers and a scoring barrage by Tate and Whiteside in the decisive third quarter created separation the hosts refused to relinquish.

SCORING

  • WAT – Colby Whiteside (20 points)
  • WAT – Wit Williamson (16)
  • HIB – Rob Beasley (15)
  • HIB – Colin Cook (9)
  • WAT – Mason Tate (8)
  • WAT – Bryce Scheffler (8)
  • WAT – Blake Bance (8)
  • HIB – Deacon Ogborn (8)
  • HIB – Cooper Boggs (8)
  • WAT – Miller Hankins (7)
  • WAT – Asa Privette (4)
  • HIB – Rylan Morgan (2)
  • HIB – Austin Barlowe (2)
  • WAT – Cole Lewis (1)

BONUS PHOTOS

(All photographic images by David Rogers for High Country Sports)

Watauga JV’s Blake Bance (11) goes up and in vs. Hibriten on Jan. 17. Photographic image by David Rogers for High Country Sports

Long distance salvos in Q2 power Watauga WBB junior varsity to 35-24 win over Hibriten

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Long distance salvos in Q2 power Watauga WBB junior varsity to 35-24 win over Hibriten

By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — Leveraging a trio of 3-pointers by three different players in the second quarter to gain early separation, Watauga’s WBB junior varsity capitalized with pesky defense and opportunistic play in the second half to defeat visiting Hibriten on Jan. 17, 35-24, in Lentz Eggers Gym.

Watauga works the ball around the top of the key on Jan. 17, in a convincing, 35-24 win over Hibriten for the women’s junior varsity team. Photographic image by David Rogers for High Country Sports

Presli Wood, Charlie Mattox and Izzy Mohr all hit from behind the 3-point arc in the decisive second period to power the Pioneers’ offensive production. Mattox finished the game with a game-high 11 points, with steady contributions throughout the contest from Wood (7 points), Mohr (8 points) and Steph Mendez (6 points).

Hibriten had six Panthers get in the scoring column, with Makenzie Collins shooting a team-high 4 points.

SCORING

  • WAT – Charlie Mattox (11 points)
  • WAT – Izzy Mohr (8)
  • WAT – Presli Wood (7)
  • WAT – Steph Mendez (6)
  • HIB – Makenzie Collins (4)
  • HIB – Jayden Smith (3)
  • HIB – Skyla Lail (3)
  • HIB – Melanie Burgess (3)
  • HIB – Leah Watson (3)
  • HIB – Madi Walker (3)
  • WAT – Glo Lutz (2)
  • WAT – Ellie Hege (1)

 

Watauga women dominate, men strong in final swim tune-up before conference meet

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Watauga women dominate, men strong in final swim tune-up before conference meet

By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C.— Against four Northwestern Conference rivals and a pair of non-conference opponents, the Watauga High School women’s swimming team flexed their muscles on Senior Night, Jan. 15, at the Watauga County Recreation Center pool.

Watauga’s strong senior class includes Maggie Cheves, Bridget Flaherty, Autumn Gardner, Trathan Gragg, Lola Herring, Patrick Mellon, Thomas Moss, Abi Pitts, Reese Reule, Mary-Kathryn Riddle, Annabelle Stewart, Jack Wilson, and Jonah Zeruca. Photographic image by David Rogers for High Country Sports

The depth of the 2024-25 season’s roster was on display, as evidenced by the team’s relay performances:

    • In the 200 Medley Relay, the Pioneers had three relay teams, finishing No. 1, No. 2 and No. 5. The first place team featured senior Lola Herring, senior Mary-Kathryn Riddle, senior Maggie Cheves, and junior Athena Elliott.
    • No fewer than 10 Pioneer teams (40 swimmers) competed in the Women’s 200 Free Relay, coming away with No. 1, No. 2, No. 3, No. 5, No. 6, No. 7, No. 9 and No. 12. The first place team featured Cheves, Tessa Buchanan, Addison Wilson and Elliott.
    • In the longer distance, 400 Free Relay event, Watauga had two entries, finishing No. 1 and No. 3. The first place team was comprised of junior Macie Kent, junior Ireland Laxton, freshman Francesca Martin and sophomore Addison Wilson.

First place Watauga performances in individual events included:

    • Women’s 200 Individual Medley – Lola Herring
    • Women’s 50 Free – Athena Elliott
    • Women’s 100 Free – Maggie Cheves
    • Women’s 500 Free – Addison Wilson
    • Women’s 100 Backstroke – Maggie Cheves

With that roster depth, Watauga secured plenty of points vs. each of the individual teams.

    • Watauga 128, Alexander Central 37
    • Watauga 137, Ashe County 14
    • Watauga 137, Avery County 9
    • Watauga 124, University Christian 40
    • Watauga 135, Freedom 27

Pioneer Men go 4-1

Photographic image by David Rogers for High Country Sports

In the Men’s Division, the events were often very close, reflecting in several cases reflecting stronger men’s programs in general in the Northwestern Conference. The Pioneers finished 4-1 on the night, losing only the dual competition vs. University Christian.

First place performances among the Watauga men included:

    • Men’s 200 Free – Lanson Gilbert
    • Men’s 50 Free – Michael Makdad
    • Men’s 100 Free – Silas Powell

The Watauga men’s team scores:

    • Watauga 84, Alexander Central 55
    • University Christian 73, Watauga 64
    • Watauga 92, Ashe County 8
    • Watauga 90, Avery County 8
    • Watauga 74, Freedom 67

The 2024-25 Senior Class

  • Maggie Cheves will continue swimming career at Catawba College, planning to major in Environmental Science.
  • Bridget Flaherty plans to major in Communications at a 4-year university.
  • Autumn Gardner will attend Appalachian State with plans for a double major in English and History.
  • Trathan Gragg plans to attend a 4-year university, play football and pursue a degree in kinesiology.
  • Lola Herring is leaning toward attending Colorado State, but is yet undecided about which 4-year university she will attend.
  • Patrick Mellon plans to serve the USA by enlisting in the U.S. Marine Corps.
  • Thomas Moss will attend a 4-year university and study Nursing.
  • Abi Pitts plans to attend a 4-year university and study Public Health on a pre-Med track.
  • Reese Reule will attend a 4-year university and pursue a major in Biology, aiming for a career as a cardiovascular surgeon.
  • Mary Kathryn Riddle plans to attend Liberty University, yet undecided as to a major.
  • Annabelle Stewart will attend Milligan University to study Environmental Science and compete on the track and cross country teams.
  • Jack Wilson plans to attend a 4-year university, play football and major in Construction Management.
  • Jonah Zeruca is leaning toward attending UNC Charlotte, but his so far undecided about which 4-year university he will attend.

All Watauga Performances:

Old Dominion outlasts App State WBB, 78-71

David
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Old Dominion outlasts App State WBB, 78-71

By Katherine Jamtgaard. NORFOLK, Va. — The App State women’s basketball team fell short to Old Dominion, 78-71, on Jan. 15

“Today was a tough loss on the road for our team,” said head coach Alaura Sharp. “We played a pretty good first half but unfortunately had a slow start to the second half and gave them the momentum. As a team, we are disappointed in how we rebounded the ball. We need to find a different level of grit and toughness to win on the road.”

Three Mountaineers netted double-figures, led by senior Zada Porter, who matched her career-high 23 points, which she originally set on Jan. 2 at South Alabama. Porter also grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds, matching her career-high that was originally set on Feb. 24, 2023 against ULM. Porter dished out six assists, which was two short of her career-high of eight. Wednesday’s game marked the second game this season where Porter was the team’s top scorer and top rebounder.

Junior Rylan Moffitt made a career- and team-high five blocks in addition to scoring 15 points and grabbing seven rebounds. Moffitt came within one of her career-high of 16 points, which she set on Jan. 27, 2024 at JMU. Senior Emily Carver netted 14 points for the Black and Gold. Fellow senior Eleyana Tafisi dished out a team-high nine assists, coming within one of her career-high of 10, which she set during the 2023-24 campaign.

App State (8-8, 4-2 SBC) netted 44 points in the paint and 27 points off the bench. The Mountaineers shot 49.1% from the field.

Porter was quick to put the Mountaineers on the board with a layup in the paint. ODU (13-5, 5-1 SBC) managed to tie the score once in the first quarter with a pair of freebies before Porter made another layup to push the Black and Gold ahead, 4-2. The Mountaineers went on a 14-2 scoring run over 4:18 to establish a 16-4 lead. The run included a pair of layups from Carver, 3-point buckets from senior Mara Neira and Tafisi, as well as a pair of Tafisi freebies. As ODU chipped away at the deficit, Porter got to the hoop for her third layup, nailing 3-of-3 from the field over the course of the period. Carver, who netted 10 of her 14 points in the first quarter, went on a 6-0 run of her own, making a pair of layups and draining a pair of freebies. App State closed the period with a 24-13 lead after shooting 75% from the field and 100% from the line.

Moffitt opened the second quarter with a jumper to extend App State’s lead to 26-13. The Mountaineers faced a scoring drought over 4:32, as ODU narrowed the deficit to four with a 9-0 run. Carver snapped the Black and Gold’s scoring drought with a layup, assisted by Porter. Porter then made a layup of her own with an assist from Tafisi to keep the Mountaineers ahead, 30-22. Porter made another layup to keep App State up, 32-26. Senior Asjah Inniss contributed a free throw and Moffitt closed out the period with a layup in the paint. App State took a 35-29 lead into halftime. Over the course of the quarter, Moffitt and Porter combined for eight of App State’s 11 points, while Tafisi dished out four of App State’s five assists.

Early in the third quarter, ODU cut App State’s lead to four, but Carver got around the defense for a layup to keep the Mountaineers ahead, 37-31. The Monarchs found momentum and took their first lead of the game, 39-37, with an 8-0 run. A jumper from Porter, who netted nine points over the course of the period, knotted the score at 39 all. ODU pulled ahead, 44-39. A three-point play and layup from Porter cut ODU’s lead to two (46-44). Moffitt and Porter made back-to-back layups to push App State ahead, 48-46. Old Dominion managed to edge ahead with a 3-point bucket and established a 55-48 lead as the Mountaineers faced a late scoring drought. Despite a 3-point bucket from Inniss, ODU closed the quarter with a 58-51 lead.

In the fourth quarter, freshman Hekla Nökkvadóttir completed a three-point play to cut into the Monarchs’ lead, 60-54. Moffitt, who netted nine points during the period, made a pair of layups, completed a three-point play, and landed a jumper for the Mountaineers. Senior J’Mani Ingram made a late layup of her own to cut the deficit to 73-68. Despite a last-second 3-point bucket from Porter, the Mountaineers fell short, 78-71.

Up Next

The Mountaineers will head to Huntington, WVa. to take on Marshall at 1 p.m. on Saturday. App State returns to Boone for a four-game homestretch, which will start with a rematch against Old Dominion at 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 23.

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