High Country Sports

Author: David

  • Mountaineers use late rally to soar by Coastal Carolina, 64-46

    By David Rogers. CONWAY, S.C. — App State shrugged off an early defensive battle with Coastal Carolina on Feb. 13 — and leveraged a 23-7 run over the final 11 minutes to record a fourth straight win, defeating the Chanticleers, 64-46.

    Senior guard Myles Tate and graduate forward CJ Huntley continued to lead the Mountaineers, each scoring 17 points to claim a share of game-high honors. Tate recorded a double-double with 10 rebounds (another game-high), while Huntley cleaned the boards for 8 rebounds. Luke Wilson (8 points, 6 rebounds, 2 blocked shots) and Jalil Beaubrun (3 points, 6 rebounds, 1 blocked shot) led the Mountaineers coming off the bench.

    Conference Tournament Ramifications

    The win keeps the Mountaineers locked in a 4-way tie for the coveted No. 2 spot in the Sun Belt Conference standings with South Alabama, Troy and James Madison, all at 9-4 in league play. Arkansas State has sole possession of No. 1, at 10-3. After regular season play, the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds are rewarded with byes into the semifinals of the conference tournament slated for Pensacola, Fla., March 4-10. The No. 3 and No. 4 seeds receive byes into the quarterfinals, so a lot is at stake for the remaining conference games in February. App State is at Georgia State on Feb. 15, returns home on Feb. 20 to host Georgia Southern, then stays at home to face Marshall on Feb. 22. The Mountaineers travel to Statesboro, Ga. on Feb. 25 in a rematch game vs. Georgia Southern and close out the regular season on the road, at Marshall, Feb. 28.

  • App State WBB falls short to JMU, 77-61, but still in mix for SBC tourney bye

    By Katherine Jamtgaard. HARRISONBURG, Va. — The App State women’s basketball team fell short to James Madison, 77-61, on the road on Thursday.

    “JMU really controlled this game tonight. We had a slow start offensively and it seemed to suck the life out of us,” said head coach Alaura Sharp. “Their defense was really packed in and they have great length. It’s important for our team to learn how to break down a defense like that. I thought we had some good moments as a group but consistency is key when playing a great team like (JMU).”

    For a fourth game this season, senior Mara Neira led the Mountaineers, netting 18 points and draining four of App State’s eight treys. Junior Emily Hege netted 11 points and  knocked down two 3-point buckets for the Mountaineers. App State’s top rebounder on the night was senior Emily Carver (8 rebounds). Senior Eleyana Tafisi dished out a team-high seven assists and made a team-high seven steals. App State netted 31 points off the bench and 11 second chance points. The Mountaineers also held the Dukes to five treys and four second chance points.

    James Madison led early in the first quarter and maintained the lead through the duration of play. A jumper from Hege put the Mountaineers on the board to cut JMU’s lead to 5-2. Neira got around the defense for a layup and later drained a trey for the Black and Gold, but it wasn’t enough as JMU took a 15-7 lead at the close of the quarter.

    Senior Zada Porter opened the second quarter with a three-point play. Carver and fellow senior Samantha LaFon, who netted a season-high eight points on the night, combined for nine of App State’s 15 points in the quarter. Carver drained a trey and LaFon got to the hoop for a pair of layups to cut into JMU’s 27-17 lead. Despite a trey from Neira and a Carver layup, the Dukes took a 36-22 lead into halftime.

    Early in the third quarter, Hege went on a 7-0 run of her own, knocking down back-to-back treys as well as an and one free throw. The Mountaineers went on an 8-0 run over 1:08 as Tafisi completed a three-point play, Neira made a layup, and Pericic drilled a trey. Junior Rylan Moffitt landed a jumper and Carver completed her own three-point play to chip away at the deficit (53-42). Despite trailing 55-42 at the close of the quarter, App State never turned the ball over and caused six JMU turnovers during the period.

    Hege opened the fourth quarter with a jumper before the Dukes extended the deficit. Neira and LaFon combined for 12 of App State’s points in the quarter. The Mountaineers made a late 8-0 surge over 0:28, which included a layup from LaFon and back-to-back 3-point buckets from Neira, but it wasn’t enough as JMU sealed the win, 77-61.

    Up Next

    The Mountaineers will head to Atlanta, Ga. for a rematch against Georgia State at 5 p.m. on Saturday. App State will return to Boone to host Marshall on Feb. 19 and James Madison on Feb. 22.

  • Watauga survives late Freedom rally to win squeaker, 72-69

    By David Rogers. MORGANTON, N.C. — Although outpointed by Freedom in the first and fourth quarters, visiting Watauga got between those “bookends” to survive a critical Northwestern Conference game, 72-69.

    It may well have been a matter a shifting offensive emphasis in the backcourt for Watauga. Where offensive leader Cade Keller was unusually quiet in the first half, only scoring two of his team-high 21 points before halftime, backcourt teammate Maddox Greene scored 11 of his 13 points before intermission.

    Keller and Josiah Railey combined for 16 points in the third quarter, helping the visiting Pioneers to a 52-44 advantage by the opening of the final stanza. Freedom’s King Johnson and Amore Connolly combined for 14 points in the fourth quarter to lead the Patriots’ attempt to close the deficit, falling just short.

    The win leaves Watauga in a tie atop the Northwestern Conference standings with South Caldwell, both with identical 7-2 conference records and 16-6 overall records. The Pioneers and the Spartans split their home and away series in the regular season, South Caldwell rallying to take the Jan. 9 encounter in Hudson, 76-64, with Watauga defending home court, 80-61, on Jan. 31.

    Watauga closes out the regular season on Feb. 14 vs. Ashe County (7-13 overall, 2-7 in conference), while South Caldwell hosts Hibriten (3-20, 0-9).

    SCORING SUMMARY

    • FRE – King Johnson (21 points)
    • WAT – Cade Keller (20)
    • WAT – Josiah Railey (18)
    • WAT – Maddox Greene (13)
    • FRE – Kobe Johnson (13)
    • FRE – Braxton King (11)
    • WAT – Jace Blocker (9)
    • WAT – Jackson Love (8)
    • WAT – Brady Lindenmuth (4)
    • FRE – Jonah Griggs (3)
    • FRE – Amare Williams (3)
    • FRE – Elijah Davidson (3)

  • Seniors lead Watauga in overtaking Freedom, 58-53

    By David Rogers. MORGANTON, N.C. — A trio of Pioneer seniors combined for 19 points in the fourth quarter, leading Watauga to a comeback rally and a thrilling, 58-53 win over the host Freedom Patriots on Feb. 12.

    With Freedom defending home court and the Patriot faithful loudly behind them, it was a very different game than the dominating, 83-63 win by Watauga on Jan. 22 in Lentz Eggers Gym.

    Freedom led by eight points at the end of the third quarter, 45-37, and seemed to be breaking things open early, jumping to an 11-point lead senior point guard Peyton Caldwell netted a 3-pointer in the opening minute of the final stanza.

    But stifling defense by the Pioneers created forced shots and turnovers by the Patriots. Meanwhile, Watauga capitalized on the turnovers at the other end.

    Freedom’s Caldwell, who was the only Patriot to score in the decisive fourth quarter, tallied a game-high 36 points as the Morganton girls’ offensive seemed to run through Patriot veteran.

    It just wasn’t enough against the deeper Watauga roster. Matheson poured in a team-high 21 points for Watauga, with Sears adding 15 and Darner 12. Nine of Darner’s dozen points came in the fourth quarter.

    Watauga (16-5 overall, 8-1 in Northwestern Conference) closes out the regular season on Feb. 14, at home vs. High Country rival, Ashe County (9-13, 0-9). With a win, the Pioneers will clinch at least a share of the conference regular season title for the fourth straight season.

    KEY PERFORMERS

    • WAT – Julie Matheson: 21 points, 3 rebounds, 2 steals
    • WAT – Kate Sears: 15 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists, 6 steals, 2 blocked shots
    • WAT – Kaitlyn Darner: 12 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal
    • WAT – Blair Haines: 7 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals
    • FRE – Peyton Caldwell: 36 points, including 10-11 free throws, four 3-pointers

     

  • App State to open 2025 football season vs. Charlotte in Duke’s Mayo Classic, Aug. 29

    By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — Fans of high school football may not like it but a potentially exciting and historic college football game between App State and Charlotte in the Duke’s Mayo Classic has been rescheduled from Thursday, Aug. 28 to Friday, Aug. 29, with kickoff time and broadcast connections to be announced later.

    Kickoff time and TV network designation for the Duke’s Mayo Classic matchup will be announced later.

    Within a minute of each other on Feb. 10, App State and Charlotte issued press releases announcing the game in conjunction with the Charlotte Sports Foundation.

    App State also provided the following information regarding ticket sales and distribution.

    • Tickets to the game through the App State ticket office are expected to go on sale online to the public the week of April 7.
    • Yosef Club members in good standing will be able to purchase tickets via a special presale starting Tuesday, Feb. 11 at 9 a.m. for the highest-level members and running through the end of February per membership levels shown below. Each group will receive an email from the ticket office when their presale is set to begin. Ticket prices start at $50.
    • A special App State student presale will be held the week of March 17. Tickets are $25 for App State students.
    • App State Athletics will receive the revenue from tickets purchased directly from the school’s ticket office through June 1.

    App State Presale – 2025 Duke’s Mayo Classic Tickets

    • Feb. 11-14: Circle of Excellence members (max 8)
    • Feb. 11-14: Yosef Club members in good standing $5,000-$24,999 (max 8)
    • Feb. 17-21: Yosef Club members in good standing $3,500-$4,999 (max 8)
    • Feb. 17-21: Yosef Club members in good standing $1,500-$3,499 (max 6)
    • Feb. 24-28: Yosef Club members in good standing up to $1,499 (max 4)
    • March 17-21: App State students
    • Week of April 7: Online public sale

    2025 Duke’s Mayo Classic Ticket Prices

    Bowl Seats:

    • $50 – Sections 118-120; 227-234
    • $70 – Sections 106-107, 116-117
    • $90 – Sections 108, 110-115

    Club Level:

    • $75 – Club C (Sections 308-310; 320-323)
    • $115 – Club B (Sections 318-319)
    • $135 – Club A (Sections 316-317)

    Tickets will be allocated by current rank as of early summer 2025.

    All tickets are mobile and will be sent to purchasers from the Charlotte Sports Foundation. Instructions will be sent to all purchasers prior to receiving the mobile tickets.

  • Mountaineers rally at Ohio, winning MAC-SBC Challenge, 72-59

    By David Rogers. ATHENS, Ohio — Trailing by six at halftime, Appalachian State men’s basketball flexed their defensive muscle and dominated Ohio in the second, winning the back half of the Sun Belt-MAC Challenge game, 72-59, on Feb. 8.

    Mountaineer redshirt senior Myles Tate poured in a career-high 27 points on the afternoon, his third 20+ point effort in as many games and the eleventh of the season.

    The matchup was intriguing. App State, among the NCAA Division I leaders in team defense, faced a high-scoring Bobcats offense that was averaging more than 80 points per game. True to form, the Mountaineers limited Ohio to the Bobcats’ second-lowest scoring output of the season.

    Three Mountaineers scored in double figures: Tate (27 points), Dior Conners (14) and Jalil Beaubrun (11). It was Beaubrun’s sixth straight game in scoring 10 points or more.

    Graduate forward CJ Huntley had a relatively quiet night, scoring, with just seven points, but corralled a game-high nine rebounds and blocked a shot. From behind the arc, the Mountaineers made eight 3-pointers, half of them by Conners.

    App State will now put its non-conference slate behind them and focus on finishing out the Sun Belt regular season. They are on the road in Conway, S.C. for a Thursday, Feb. 13 matchup with Coastal Carolina. Two days later (Feb. 15), they are back on the road to Atlanta, facing Georgia State.

    KEY PERFORMERS

    • APP – Myles Tate: 27 points, 7 assists, 1 steal, 5 rebounds
    • APP – CJ Huntley: 9 rebounds, 7 points, 1 block
    • APP – Dior Conners: 14 points, 1 assist, 1 steal
    • APP – Jalil Beaubrun: 11 points, 2 rebounds, 1 block
    • APP – Luke Wilson: 5 points, 3 rebounds, 2 blocked shots
    • OH – AJ Brown: 18 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal
    • OH – Elijah Elliott: 14 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 block
    • OH – Jackson Paveletzke: 12 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 block

     

     

  • Watauga empties bench, cruises to 62-30 win over Hibriten

    By David Rogers. LENOIR, N.C. — Watauga’s varsity men’s basketball team left few questions unanswered on Feb. 7 in cruising to a dominating, 62-30 shellacking of Hibriten.

    This contest was only close at the tipoff. The Pioneers head coach, Bryson Payne, was able to empty his bench in this one. A full dozen rostered players, including a double-rostered junior varsity player, put points in the scoring column against the Panthers. The broad number of student athletes who saw court action explains why only one Pioneer, forward Jace Blocker, got into double figures with 11 points.

    Watauga’s Josiah Railey (13) gets a dunk during the Pioneers’ 62-30 romp over Hibriten on Feb. 7. Photographic image by David Rogers for High Country Sports

    With four freshmen elevated to Hibriten head coach Ronshad Shabazz’s varsity roster, the young Panthers were largely overmatched but continued to battle throughout. Most of the Watauga regular rotation players were sitting by the start of the final period, with the Boone boys sporting a 48-22 lead. All of the Pioneer scoring in the fourth quarter was by non-starters.

    Now 15-6 overall and 6-2 in conference, Watauga is in a 3-way tie for No. 1 in league standings, with South Caldwell and Freedom. They split with the Spartans in January, losing in Hudson on Jan. 9 (64-76) after leading late in the game, then winning handily in the friendly confines of Lentz Eggers Gym in the Jan. 31 rematch, 80-61. Watauga prevailed, 77-70, against Freedom at home on Jan. 22, and will look to complete the season sweep on Feb. 11, in Morganton. The Pioneers close out the regular season on Feb. 14 vs. Ashe County. Both South Caldwell and Watauga are vying for the Northwestern Conference’s No. 1 seed as the state playoffs approach.

    Brady Lindenmuth (20) finishes a layup against Hibriten on Feb. 7. Photographic image by David Rogers for High Country Sports

    SCORING

    • HIB – Tanner Baker (12 points)
    • WAT – Jace Blocker (11)
    • WAT – Cade Keller (9)
    • WAT – Maddox Greene (8)
    • WAT – Josiah Railey (8)
    • WAT – Eli Bishop (8)
    • HIB – Rob Beasley (5)
    • WAT – Brady Lindenmuth (4)
    • HIB – Julius Martin (4)
    • WAT – Jackson Love (3)
    • WAT – Logan Greene (3)
    • HIB – Christian Reynolds (3)
    • WAT – JT Cook (2)
    • WAT – Wit Williamson (2)
    • WAT – Kyle Williams (2)
    • WAT – Landon Smith (2)
    • HIB – Damarion Gaither-Walton (2)
    • HIB – Dalton Settylemere (2)

  • Sears & Co. hold off Hibriten, 57-45

    By David Rogers. LENOIR, N.C. — Try as they might, host Hibriten had few answers for visiting Watauga’s Kate Sears on Feb. 7. The Pioneers’ senior guard scored a game-high 31 points to lead Watauga to a comfortable, 57-45 win.

    The Pioneers received even-handed offensive production from a supporting cast that included Julie Matheson and Blair Haines scoring seven points each, with Kaitlyn Darner and Chloe Wilson adding six points each.

    Watauga’s Julie Matheson (1) goes up for a score vs. Hibriten on Feb. 7. Photographic image by David Rogers for High Country Sports

    Basketball is often a game of “runs” and whichever team has the most runs is usually declared the winner when the final buzzer sounds. On this night, that was the Pioneers. They opened the game strong, but the Aamori Patterson-led Panthers struck back to briefly take the lead in the first quarter. That didn’t last for long as the visitors from Boone used a dominating, 22-12 performance in the second quarter to gain decisive separation.

    Patterson helped keep the Panthers within some semblance of striking distance throughout the night, tallying a team-high 24 points and the only Hibriten player to reach double figures, scoring.

    Now 15-5 overall and 7-1 in Northwestern Conference play — the lone conference loss a double overtime, 93-91 loss to South Caldwell on Jan. 31 — the Pioneers will look to close out the regular season next week at Freedom, in Morganton (Feb. 11) and vs. Ashe County on Feb. 14 in Lentz Eggers Gym.

    SCORING

    • WAT – Kate Sears (31 points)
    • HIB – Aamori Patterson (24)
    • WAT – Julie Matheson (7)
    • WAT – Blair Haines (7)
    • HIB – Kara Connor (7)
    • WAT – Chloe Wilson (6)
    • WAT – Kaitlyn Darner (6)
    • HIB – Skyla Lail (6)
    • HIB – Karlee Starnes (5)
    • HIB – Emilee Cook (3)

  • Lewis rains ‘threes’ in leading Watauga men’s JVs to 71-28 win over Hibriten JVs

    By David Rogers. LENOIR, N.C. — Getting hot from beyond the 3-point arc is often a formula for a basketball win. Combine that with suffocating defense, and victory is almost a certainty. With a whopping 10 made 3-pointers and disruptive defense, a Watauga men’s junior varsity win at Hibriten was never in doubt, 71-28.

    Pioneer guard Cole Lewis lit up the hoop with six made 3-pointers, enroute to a game-high 20 points. Mason Tate added another pair of treys, contributing to a 13-point offensive performance. Forward Colby Whiteside also muscled his way into double figures, scoring 10 points, mostly from inside the paint.

    A suffocating defensive effort by Watauga helped explain the Pioneers’ 71-28 win over Hibriten on Feb. 7. Here, Hibriten’s Deagon Ogborn (3) tries to get by Watauga guard Miller Hankins. Photographic image by David Rogers for High Country Sports

    The Panthers had few answer for the Pioneers. Only Colin Cook could get things going on the offensive end for Hibriten — and only in the first half — on his way to tallying 11 points, the only Panther player to reach double figures.

    Now 13-2 on the season and the two losses coming to non-conference opponents (T C Roberson and Northern Guilford), Watauga will challenge Freedom on Feb. 11, in Morganton, before hosting Ashe County on Feb.14 in the final regular season game.

    SCORING

    • WAT – Cole Lewis (20 points)
    • WAT – Mason Tate (13)
    • HIB – Colin Cook (11)
    • WAT – Colby Whiteside (10)
    • WAT – Bryce Scheffler (7)
    • WAT – Wit Williamson (6)
    • WAT – Blake Bance (5)
    • HIB – Deagon Ogborn (5)
    • WAT – Lucas Cash (4)
    • WAT – Asa Privette (3)
    • HIB – Cooper Boggs (3)
    • WAT – Caleb Ogden (2)
    • HIB – Smith Rasch (2)
    • HIB – Rylen Morgan (1)

  • Mendez leads Watauga WBBJV to convincing win over Hibriten, 44-29

    By David Rogers. LENOIR, N.C. — Three Watauga players scored in double figures on Feb. 7, as the Pioneers used a dominating fourth quarter to pull away from Hibriten for a 44-29 win.

    Watauga guard Stephanie Mendez was consistent throughout the four periods in recording a game-high 16 points, while Charlie Mattox came alive in the final stanza to pour in six of her 11 points on the night. Izzy Mohr’s offensive production in the first and third quarters propelled her to 12 points for the game.

    Steph Mendez slips by a Hibriten defender on Feb. 7, for the score in Watauga’s 44-29 win. Photographic image by David Rogers for High Country Sports

    In the final analysis, though, it was the Pioneers’ suffocating defense in the fourth quarter that won the day. Clinging to a tenuous, 29-27 advantage at the end of the third quarter, Watauga allowed the Panthers to score only two points in the final period.

    Hibriten was led by Makenzie Burgess’ 10 points and Matty Walker’s seven points.

    Watauga is now 10-3 on the season, with two of those losses coming at the hands of Alexander Central and the other on the road against Ashe County. The Pioneers will close out the regular season against the Huskies on Feb. 14, but first they will have to deal with Freedom, in Morganton, on Tuesday, Feb. 11.

    SCORING

    • WAT – Steph Mendez (16 points)
    • WAT – Izzy Mohr (12)
    • WAT – Charlie Mattox (11)
    • HIB – Melanie Burgess (10)
    • HIB – Matty Walker (7)
    • HIB – Skye Lail (5)
    • WAT – Madison Millsaps (3)
    • HIB – Jaden Smith (3)
    • HIB – Leah Watson (3)
    • WAT – Presli Wood (2)
    • HIB – Makenzie Collins (1)