High Country Sports

Author: David

  • UPDATED: Mountaineers drop mid-week, nationally televised game to Coastal Carolina, 38-24

    By David Rogers. CONWAY, S.C. — When everything else is pretty equal in football, the outcome often comes down to turnovers. That was certainly the case on Nov. 7 when Coastal Carolina defeated Appalachian State, 38-24.

    When all was said and done, it wasn’t that App State could not move the football. They just moved the football too many times with self-inflicted wounds. Three turnovers, a lost fumble and two pass interceptions, were converted into 17 points by the host Chanticleers, who won by 14.

    It was ‘crunch time’ in Conway, with redshirt senior DE Michael Fletcher and linebacker Brendan Harrington converging on CCU quarterback Ethan Vasko in the backfield. Photographic image by Jared Everett for High Country Sports

    The time of possession was nearly identical, with App State having the ball 29:15, Coastal Carolina for 30:45. The Mountaineers edged the Chanticleers in total yards. 376-353.

    But as they have done too many times this season, once again the Mountaineers dug a hole for themselves, starting with the defense giving up a touchdown to CCU on their 7-play opening drive that covered 68 yards and took more than four minutes off the clock.

    Makai Jackson (15) hauls in a Joey Aguilar for a big gain at Coastal Carolina, Nov. 7. Photographic image by Jared Everett for High Country Sports

    It looked like the App State offense would storm right back and make amends for the lackluster defensive performance when quarterback Joey Aguilar opened with 12- and 15-yard keepers, then handed the ball off to running back Ahmani Marshall for three consecutive runs that gashed the Chanticleer defense for another 12 yards. On first down from the Coastal 36, a Mountaineer TD looked all but inevitable when Aguilar hit Makai Jackson crossing to the left side, gathering the ball in at the 14-yard line and advancing it 10 more yards before being brought down at the Chanticleer 4-yard line.

    But this is where the Mountaineers’ night of post-Halloween turnover horrors began. Under pressure from an untouched linebacker, Clev Lubin, a redshirt sophomore transfer from Iowa Western Community College, Aguilar was technically sacked for a 21-yard loss and lost control of the football for a fumble before being able to get a pass off, the ball fluttering to the teal-hued turf. It was nearly a “scoop and scoot” by Coastal’s defensive lineman Naejaun Barber, but the redshirt junior transfer from South Carolina State could not keep his balance and sprawled to the ground.

    Turnovers proved App State’s albatross on Nov. 7 at Coastal, including this moment when an Aguilar pass arrived a little behind Makai Jackson (15), was tipped, and recovered by a CCU defensive back. Photographic image by Jared Everett for High Country Sports

    However pretty the fumble recovery wasn’t for the Chanticleers, it returned possession to the home team’s Ethan Vasko-led offense — and the redshirt sophomore from Chesapeake, Va. by way of the University of Kansas didn’t waste much time in capitalizing with a 6-play, 68-yard TD drive that consumed another 3:28 of time off the clock.

    Suddenly, App State was down, 14-0, and the visitors’ fate seemed all but sealed when Aguilar & Co. could only move the ball 32 yards in four plays before coughing up a first interception. The ball was thrown slightly behind Jackson, bounced off his awkwardly outstretched hands and into the arms of Courtney Eubanks, CCU’s graduate student defensive back who transferred from FCS powerhouse North Dakota State after his junior year.

    The Mountaineer defense was able to hold Vasko’s offense to a field goal, but the visitors were looking at a 17-0 deficit just three plays into the second quarter.

    ‘Yike’s, the posse is after me!’ App State QB Joey Aguilar could have been thinking on this long keeper in the first quarter, Nov. 7. Despite Aguilar’s efforts, Coastal ended up winning, 38-24. Photographic image by Jared Everett for High Country Sports

    App State made the scoring deficit manageable going into halftime, 17-10, thanks to 38-yard field goal and a 10-play, 77-yard TD drive, while the defense produced a couple of three-and-outs, but things hardly improved in the second half.

    The Mountaineers got the football to start the third quarter, but could do nothing with it, punting the ball back to Coastal Carolina after just three plays.

    Redshirt junior Cash McVay (43), from Anaheim, Calif., with kickoff duties on Nov. 7 @ Coastal Carolina. Photographic image by Jared Everett for High Country Sports

    The Chanticleers seemed to take command with a couple of TDs that served as bookends for App State’s second pass interception, another Aguilar pass that got tipped in the air on tight coverage by defensive back Matthew McDoom, pulled in by A J Williams and returned to the App State 1-yard line. An initial QB keeper by Vasko was ruled to have been stopped short of the goal line, but the 6-3, 220 lb. quarterback did his best imitation of the “tush push” to slide into the end zone on the next play.

    With the Chanticleers up 31-10 and the game clock soon to turn the page into the fourth quarter, App State’s hopes for their fifth win of the season were dimming.

    The Mountaineers did manage a 12-play, 75 yard drive early in the final stanza, but it also took almost five minutes off the game clock. The two Sun Belt Conference rivals traded touchdowns in the finals minutes, App State moving the ball 75 yards in four plays, highlighted by a 25-yard TD reception by Kaedin Robinson, but with only 1:40 left on the clock and down by 14 points. Vasko ran one play, then went into victory formation to run out the clock and seal the win for Coastal Carolina.

    App State’s Ahmani Marshall ran for 124 yards and 2 TDs, but three Mountaineer turnovers could not be overcome at Coastal Carolina. Photographic image by Jared Everett for High Country Sports

    With App State moving to 4-5 overall and 2-4 in Sun Belt play, and Coastal Carolina at 5-4 overall and 2-3 in conference, it appears that 2024 will be the first year one or the other of them will not be in the Sun Belt title game since the conference split into its East and West divisions, in 2018. The Mountaineers represented the East Division in 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022 and 2023, Coastal Carolina in 2020.

    POSTGAME NOTES, compliments of App State Strategic Communications

    • Coastal Carolina snapped App State’s two game-win streak. At 4-5 overall, the Mountaineers will need to win their final two games to earn bowl eligibility and avoid their first losing season since 2013 (their last year in the FCS).
    • App State lost the turnover battle (3-0) for the seventh time in the last eight games.
    • App State holds an all-time series lead of 7-4 against Coastal Carolina, but the Chanticleers have won four of the last five meetings, including three straight in Conway.
    • Elijah Mc-Cantos started at nickelback to earn a starting nod for the first time as a Mountaineer.

    OFFENSE

    • Ahmani Marshall rushed a career-high 28 times for a season-high 124 yards and two touchdowns, while adding a team-high six catches for 36 yards. It was his third straight 100-yard rushing effort and the fourth of his career. His 2-yard touchdown with 3:07 left in the second quarter cut the Mountaineers’ deficit to one score at 17-10. His 2-yard score at the beginning of the fourth quarter turned a three-score deficit back to a two-score deficit at 31-17.
    • Joey Aguilar passed for 226 yards and a touchdown, with two interceptions, while running for 30 net yards (95 gained, 65 lost).
    • Kaedin Robinson, who led the Mountaineers in receiving yards (76) for the ninth time in nine games, caught his second touchdown of the season on a 25-yard pass from Aguilar for the game’s final score.
    • Robinson has caught a pass in 34 consecutive games, which ranks top 15 among all FBS players. He entered the game ranked 10th nationally and first in the Sun Belt in receiving yards per game.
    • Makai Jackson had a big first half with two catches for 71 yards.

    DEFENSE

    • App State’s defense held Coastal Carolina to just 353 total yards and 150 passing yards, but multiple turnovers by the Mountaineer offense gave the Chanticleers a short field.
    • Brendan Harrington had a season-high 10 tackles and 1.5 TFLs for his second consecutive season-best game.

    SPECIAL TEAMS

    • Jackson Moore got App State on the board with a 38-yard field goal to make it 17-3 with 10:23 left in the second quarter. He is now 4-of-6 on field goals since taking over for injured starter and team captain Michael Hughes.

    Selected game stats made possible and distribute by Coastal Carolina University and StatBroadcast.

    SCORING SUMMARY

    TEAM STATS

    INDIVIDUAL STATS

    DEFENSE

    DRIVES (by Team)

    DRIVES (Chronological)

     

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  • No. 4 seeded Watauga draws Palisades (Charlotte) in Round 1 of men’s soccer playoffs

    By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — At least one home game awaits Watauga men’s soccer in the NCHSAA 4A West playoffs, it was revealed with the brackets released on Nov. 7. The Pioneers will host Palisades (Charlotte), with kickoff slated for 2 p.m. in Jack Groce Stadium.

    As the No. 4 seed, the Pioneers have a dangerous first round pairing vs. the No. 29-seed Pumas, which completed the regular season 12-8 overall, 6-6 and No. 4 in the highly competitive South Meck 4A Conference.

    In addition to Palisades, other South Meck 4A members in the 4A West bracket include No. 2-seeded Myers Park (16-0-2 overall, 11-0-1 in conference), No. 12 seed Ardrey Kell (16-2-5, 9-1-2), and No. 21 South Mecklenburg (14-6-4, 7-4-1).

    As the No. 2 seed, Myers Park is in the lower half of the bracket and will face off against No. 31 West Cabarrus in Round 1. By luck of the draw and seedings, Ardrey Kell and South Mecklenburg will play each other in Round 1 with the winner potentially facing the winner of Watauga vs. Palisades in Round 3, depending on who advances.

    West Foryth (20-1-2 overall, 12-1-1 in Central Piedmont 4A Conference) was awarded the No. 1 seed in the 4A West bracket, and will face Watauga’s latest vanquished foe, South Caldwell, which made the playoffs as the No. 32 seed. Of interest: West Forsyth and Watauga played early in the season, on Aug. 19, and battled to a 3-3 tie.

    All three Northwestern Conference 4A schools made the 4A West bracket, with South Caldwell at No. 32 and Alexander Central at No. 26.

    Full Round 1 pairings for the 4A West bracket:

    • No. 32 South Caldwell @ No. 1 West Forsyth
    • No. 17 Charlotte Catholic @ No. 16 East Forsyth
    • No. 25 R J Reynolds @ No. 8 Asheville
    • No. 24 Hough @ No. 9 Hopewell
    • No. 28 Glenn @ No. 5 Northwest Guilford
    • No. 21 South Mecklenburg @ No. 12 Ardrey Kell
    • No. 20 Mount Tabor @ No. 13 Ragsdale
    • No. 29 Palisades @ No. 4 Watauga
    • No. 30 A.L. Brown @ No. 3 Lake Norman
    • No. 19 Porter Ridge @ No. 14 Grimsley
    • No. 27 Parkland @ No. 6 Marvin Ridge
    • No. 22 Providence @ No. 11 Cox Mill
    • No. 26 Alexander Central @ No. 7 Garinger
    • No. 23 Mooresville @ No. 10 Reagan
    • No. 18 Weddington @ No. 15 Hickory Ridge
    • No. 31 West Cabarrus @ No. 2 Myers Park

    OTHER PAIRINGS OF INTEREST

    • 3A West – No. 4 Hibriten vs. No. 29 Jesse C. Carson
    • 3A West – No. 3 South Point vs. No. 30 Ashe County
    • 3A West – No. 11 Hickory vs. No. 22 West Henderson
    • 3A West – No. 2 A. C. Reynolds vs. No. 31 Ben L. Smith
    • 2A West – No. 4 West Caldwell vs. No. 29 West Wilkes
    • 1A West – No. 3 Avery County vs. No. 30 Draughn

  • App State doubles up on Knights, 108-54

    By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — An electric Holmes Center atmosphere greeted tiny St. Andrews University’s men’s basketball team on Nov. 6, as the NAIA-level (small school) Knights prepared to take on an NCAA Division I opponent in Appalachian State. With an undergraduate enrollment of just over 700 students competing against a school in App State with 21,000-plus students enrolled, the outcome was pretty much as expected for the 2024-25 early season: the Mountaineers rolled over the Knights, 108-54. It was David vs. Goliath, with Goliath winning.

    Fifteen Mountaineers saw valuable court time on the night and all 15 put at least one point on the board. The Mountaineers were led by freshman Michael Marcus, Jr., coming off the bench to record the game’s only double-double, 18 points and 10 rebounds in 24 minutes of play.

    Ben Ezeagu was decisive in scoring these points for App State vs. St. Andrews on Nov. 6. Photographic image by David Rogers for High Country Sports

    App State led from the start, a 3-pointer from the left side by guard Jamil Muttilib in the first 14 seconds setting the tone. Grad student returnee C J Huntley scored the next seven points before a pair of free throws by junior guard Alonzo Dodd expanded the lead to 12-0 before the visiting Knights could find the bucket.

    The Mountaineers’ scoring barrage continued, leading 35-12 at the halfway point of the first half when center Luke Wilson slammed home a thundering dunk. By halftime, with the Mountaineers filtering in second and third tier replacements, the Knights heard the halftime buzzer sound with App State holding a commanding, 55-27 lead.

    An enthusiastic student section in the Holmes Center kept the energy high for the Mountaineers matchup vs. St. Andrews. Photographic image by David Rogers for High Country Sports

    Crisp passing, old fashioned hustle, and a punishing defense were the Mountaineers’ calling cards on this night, with a pointed effort to work the ball inside the paint and take advantage of their height advantage. While the Knights never quit working, it mattered little who was on the floor representing App State. More than half (68 points) of App State’s end-of-game total came from the bench.

    App State will be hoping the winning lessons from their game vs. St. Andrews rub off as they prepare for their next opponent, Wisconsin, on Sunday, Nov. 10, with a 12 noon tipoff.

    SELECTED TEAM STATS

    • Field goal %: APP 57, SA 29
    • 3-point FG%: APP 40, SA 16
    • Free Throws: APP 20-of-31 (65%), SA 10-of-15 (67%)
    • Turnovers: APP 6, SA 9
    • Total Rebounds: APP 57, SA 31
    • Fast Break Points: APP 19, SA 2
    • Points in Paint: APP 58, SA 26
    • Bench Points: APP 68, SA 39
    • Blocks: APP 13, SA 6
    • Steals: APP 7, SA 5
    • Assists: APP 23, SA 6

    KEY PERFORMERS

    • APP – Michael Marcus, Jr.: 18 points, 10 rebounds, 4 blocks
    • APP – C J Huntley: 15 points, 4 rebounds, 1 block
    • APP – Ben Ezeagu: 12 points, 9 rebounds, 2 blocks
    • APP – Myles Tate: 3 points, 9 steals
    • APP – Luke Wilson: 6 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 blocks
    • APP – Jamil Muttilib: 10 points, 3 blocks
    • SA – Pries Williams: 12 points, 4 rebounds, 2 blocks
    • SA – Mate Escamilla: 11 points, 5 rebounds, 1 steal

  • Mountaineer harriers collect an abundance of post-season hardware, recognition

    By Katherine Jamtgaard. NEW ORLEANS — The App State men’s and women’s cross country teams collected a host of postseason awards after sweeping the Sun Belt men’s and women’s team titles at the SBC Championships on Nov. 1.

    Men’s distance coach Brad Herbster was named Sun Belt Men’s Cross Country Coach of the Year for a second consecutive year and women’s distance coach Annie Richards was named Sun Belt Women’s Cross Country Coach of the Year.

    Henry Stark and Breanna Budzinski swept the SBC Freshman of the Year honors, and senior Lauren Johnston was named the SBC Women’s Newcomer of the Year. Additionally, 10 Mountaineers earned All-SBC honors.

    “Thank you to the team for their tremendous work this fall and to the support from our director of track & field/cross country Damion McLean, our director of athletics Doug Gillin, and our alumni,” Herbster said.

    Herbster led the App State men’s cross country team to its second consecutive Sun Belt Men’s Cross Country team title on Friday as the team recorded a score of 30, which was two points more than last year’s total of 28 (the lowest total at the Sun Belt Championships since 2013). Six Mountaineers finished in the top-10 to collect all-conference honors.

    Junior Ethan Lipham finished fourth with an 8K time of 24:40.60 and redshirt junior Chase Burrell took fifth with a time of 24:47.20 to earn First Team All-SBC honors. Redshirt senior Calbert Guest (24:55.20, sixth), Stark (24:56.40, seventh), freshman Thomas Wlazlowski (24:56.90, eighth), and graduate student Ethan Turner (25:02.10, 10th) collected Second Team All-SBC honors. Burrell garnered the Sun Belt’s Elite Award for his performance and sportsmanship, while Stark’s performance earned him Freshman of the Year Honors.

    Richards guided the women’s cross country team to its first Sun Belt team title since 2018 in her second year leading the program. The Mountaineers scored 45 points, which was 61 fewer points than the runner-up team score. Four Mountaineers finished in the top-15 to collect all-conference honors.

    Senior Jasmine Donohue placed third overall and collected First-Team All-SBC honors with a personal best 5K time of 17:18.85. Fellow seniors Lauren Johnston and Emma Russum finished sixth (17:43.92) and seventh (17:46.34) to earn Second-Team All-SBC distinction. Johnston was also named SBC Women’s Cross Country Newcomer of the Year for her efforts on the course. Senior Lana Farris stopped the clock at 18:01.82 to finish 13th and earn Third-Team All-SBC honors. Budzinski was the first freshman to cross the finish line in the women’s 5K, clocking a time of 18:14.24 to place 16th overall.

    “Congratulations to Jasmine, Lauren, Emma and Lana on their All-Conference finishes,” Richards said. “Breanna impressed with her strength and resilience throughout the fall culminating in her Freshman of the Year award. Lauren is making a name for herself in the Black and Gold and I’m proud she won Newcomer of the Year.”

    The Mountaineers will compete in the NCAA Southeast Regional, which is slated for Nov. 15 in Rock Hill, S.C.

    2024 Sun Belt Women’s Cross Country Coach of the Year: Annie Richards, App State
    2024 Sun Belt Women’s Cross Country Newcomer of the Year: Lauren Johnston, App State
    2024 Sun Belt Women’s Cross Country Elite Award Winner: Molly Jones, Coastal Carolina
    2024 Sun Belt Women’s Cross Country Runner of the Year: Kylee Mastin, Marshall
    2024 Sun Belt Women’s Cross Country Freshman of the Year: Breanna Budzinski, App State

    2024 Women’s Cross Country First Team All-Conference

    Jasmine Donohue, App State
    Molly Jones, Coastal Carolina
    Katherine Lawson, James Madison
    Kylee Mastin, Marshall
    Maria Kaylor, Southern Miss

    2024 Women’s Cross Country Second Team All-Conference

    Lauren Johnston, App State
    Emma Russum, App State
    Isabelle Russell, Louisiana
    Hannah Wyler, Marshall
    Charleen Elizondo, South Alabama

    2024 Women’s Cross Country Third Team All-Conference

    Lana Farris, App State
    Maja Dzialoszewska, Arkansas State
    Addison Laughlin, Coastal Carolina
    Ella Segura, Louisiana
    Abigail Parra, Texas State

    2024 Sun Belt Men’s Cross Country Coach of the Year: Brad Herbster, App State
    2024 Sun Belt Men’s Cross Country Newcomer of the Year: Sacha Perrier, South Alabama
    2024 Sun Belt Men’s Cross Country Elite Award Winner: Chase Burrell, App State
    2024 Sun Belt Men’s Cross Country Runner of the Year: Jacob Pyeatt, Arkansas State
    2024 Sun Belt Men’s Cross Country Freshman of the Year: Henry Stark, App State

    2024 Men’s Cross Country First Team All-Conference

    Chase Burrell, App State
    Ethan Lipham, App State
    Nati Enright, Arkansas State
    Jacob Pyeatt, Arkansas State
    Sacha Perrier, South Alabama

    2024 Men’s Cross Country Second Team All-Conference

    Ethan Turner, App State
    Calbert Guest, App State
    Henry Stark, App State
    Thomas Wlazlowski, App State
    Evan Stevens, Arkansas State

    2024 Men’s Cross Country Third Team All-Conference

    Adam Groves, Coastal Carolina
    Peyton Chiasson, Louisiana
    Carson Barlow, South Alabama
    Amos Pkemoi, South Alabama
    Koket Jimata, Texas State

  • Mountaineers notch first win in Sharp era, 97-43

    By Katherine Jamtgaard. BOONE, N.C. — The App State women’s basketball team posted a 97-43 victory over Columbia College to open play in the Holmes Convocation Center on Nov. 6, marking Alaura Sharp’s first win as head coach for the Mountaineers.

    All 14 Mountaineers scored against the Koalas, with four registering double-figures. Senior J’Mani Ingram netted 18 points. Fellow senior Mara Neira netted 16 points, accounting for four of the Mountaineers’ eight treys. Tallying a career-high 15 points on the night was senior Zada Porter, who sank 6-of-8 from the field and 3-of-5 from the line. Junior Seneya Martinez posted 11 points and grabbed a team-high seven rebounds. Fellow junior Elena Pericic pulled down six rebounds. Senior Asjah Inniss dished out a team-high five assists. Martinez, Neira, senior Emily Carver, and freshman Hekla Nökkvadóttir combined for eight of App State’s 13 steals, each contributing a pair.

    All 14 Mountaineers scored against the Koalas

    The Mountaineers controlled the lead for the duration of the game and tallied 32 points off turnovers compared to Columbia’s six. App State also saw 49 points off the bench and 58 points in the paint. The Black and Gold recorded 17 fastbreak points to Columbia’s two. The Black and Gold held Columbia College under 10 points in three of four quarters. The Mountaineers also caused 25 Koala turnovers.

    The Mountaineers set to work in the first quarter, holding the Koalas to a mere six points. App State started things off with a 4-0 lead after an early free throw from Zoë McCrary and a 3-point bucket from Carver. Neira contributed eight points, draining a pair of treys in addition to sinking a layup. Ingram went 3-for-3 from the field for six points in the quarter. The Mountaineers netted 15 unanswered points by the close of the quarter.

    Columbia only scored nine points in the third and fourth quarters, combined.

    Porter opened the second quarter with a layup, which she promptly followed with a jumper to extend App State’s score to 28-9. Inniss made a layup and completed the three-point play with a free throw to keep the Mountaineers ahead 33-14. The Mountaineers went on a 10-0 scoring run over 2:22 to extend the lead to 40-14. App State closed out the quarter, 50-25, after a pair of free throws from Martinez, a trey from Neira, and a layup from Porter, assisted by Inniss.

    The Mountaineers held the Koalas to nine points in both the third and the fourth quarters. Neira opened the third quarter with a 3-point bucket, extending App State’s lead to 53-25. Over the course of the period, the Mountaineers went on a 15-point run, which included layups from Neira, McCrary, Carver, Porter, as well a free throw from senior Georgia Gray, and was capped with a trey from junior Emily Hege. The Mountaineers capped the third quarter, 78-34 after a pair of freebies from Ingram.

    In the fourth quarter, Ingram recorded eight of the Mountaineers 19 points, draining 4-of-5 from the field. Hege and Martinez managed to break away from layups in the paint to bring the Mountaineers to a 93-41 lead. Senior Samantha LaFon made the Mountaineers’ final layup as App State sealed the win, 97-43.

    Up Next

    The Mountaineers will head to Greensboro, N.C. to take on UNC Greensboro on Nov. 16. Tipoff is set for 3:30 p.m. and the game will be available to stream on ESPN+.

  • Pioneers swamp South Caldwell, finish regular season undefeated in Northwestern Conference play

    By David Rogers. HUDSON, N.C. — For the first time since Watauga men’s soccer head coach Josh Honeycutt was a player in the 1998-99 academic year, the Pioneers are the undefeated 3A/4A Northwestern Conference regular season champions, finishing league play with a dominant, 7-0 win over 4A rival South Caldwell on Nov. 5.

    With the unblemished (10-0) record in conference play and 18-3-2 overall, the Pioneers now await their seeding by the NCHSAA in the upcoming playoffs for the 4A West bracket. Being the top finisher in conference along with eight more wins in a challenging non-conference schedule (early in the season) should earn the Pioneers a top five seeding and a first round home game. The playoffs are set to start on Saturday.

    David Ganley (6) scores Watauga’s first goal on Nov. 5, on a penalty kick with 9:35 remaining in the first half against South Caldwell. Photographic image by David Rogers for High Country Sports

    Against South Caldwell on the Spartan’s home turf, Watauga arguably defied the odds. Conditions were wet, it having rained most of the day leading up to kickoff. While the well-manicured football stadium field has a good crown that allows for excellent drainage, the day’s runoff was evident by the large pools of water around the sloping edges, making for moat-like conditions.

    Just as the night before, Watauga dominated possession in the early going, but South Caldwell’s defense held firm for most of the first half, including a handful of brilliant saves by junior goalkeeper Armando Gomez. Even if the Spartans rarely threatened in the Pioneers’ defensive third, South Caldwell’s defense kept the home crowd hoping for an upset, at least for the first 31 minutes.

    South Caldwell played solid defense for the first 31 minutes of the final regular season game against Watauga — but then the wheels came off for the home team as the Pioneers went on to win, 7-0. Photographic image by David Rogers for High Country Sports

    With 9:35 remaining in the first half, the defensive dam broke. Awarded a penalty kick, Watauga midfielder slammed home a driving shot to the right that left Gomez paralyzed and muttering to himself, “They always go to the right.”

    Moments later, junior striker Asher Hampton sent the first of two goals on the night searing the back of the net, helping the Pioneers to a 2-0 halftime lead — a lead similar to what Watauga had the night before in Jack Groce Stadium.

    Watauga is the 2024 regular season champs of the Northwestern Conference. Photo by Kristian Jackson for High Country Sports

    But unlike the night before, the Pioneers did not grow complacent. They kept the proverbial “pedal to the metal,” scoring five more goals before their night’s work was done.

    First was a goal by Quincy Honeycutt, just nine minutes into the second half, with Ganley credited with an assist. From there, it seemed Watauga was a regular customer at the back of the South Caldwell net.

    In the 52nd minute, senior Curtis Sevensky pushed through for the first of his two scores. Five minutes later, Gavin Lapinski got on the scoresheet with a goal, followed by Sevensky’s second goal in the 72nd minute. Hampton finished off the night’s scoring with five minutes remaining in the game, an assist credited to junior midfielder Shiris Kandel.

    Photographic image by David Rogers for High Country Sports

    “I could not be prouder of this team,” Josh Honeycutt said afterwards. “They played a complete game. They played exactly the way we needed to play to get the win. Even in bad weather with sloppy conditions, that is exactly what we did. To finish the regular season undefeated in conference play is unbelievable. To the best of my knowledge, that hasn’t been done by the Pioneers since 1998-99 when I was a player. So that is a super awesome accomplishment. I am proud of these guys and how they battled not just in this game but throughout the season.”

  • Watauga recovers, rallies for 4-2 Senior Night win

    By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — In what was almost an ugly Senior Night story for Watauga men’s soccer against Northwestern Conference 4A rival South Caldwell, the Pioneers recovered from second half complacency to defeat the Spartans, 4-2.

    The home side took a 2-0 halftime lead into intermission at Jack Groce Stadium, thanks to dominating first half possession and goals by Curtis Sevensky and Asher Hampton. In between, and even after those tallies, Watauga was on attack but failed to capitalize on their opportunities.  The closest they came in the first half was a brilliant header by Alex Aguilar on a nifty crossing pass from Quincy Honeycutt — but the shot clanged off the crossbar to no avail.

    Alex Aguilar barely missed wit this first half header that clanged off the South Caldwell crossbar. Photographic image by David Rogers for High Country Sports

    While Watauga head coach Josh Honeycutt felt afterwards that his charges were somewhat “lazy,” lacking intensity the entire first half, there is no disputing the Pioneers held sway during the opening period in dominating possession, enabling the 2-0 lead at halftime.

    But “lazy” morphed into complacency by the Pioneers almost from the beginning of the second half and South Caldwell seemed to flip the switch when it came to possession — and scoring a pair of goals to knot the score at 2-2. Well into the final 10 minutes, that’s where things stood until Gavin Lapinski rocked the ball past the South Caldwell goalkeeper from about 15 yards out and, for good measure, Luke Hamilton did the same a couple of minutes later.

    Curtis Sevensky is on attack in the first half vs. South Caldwell, Nov. 4. Photographic image by David Rogers for High Country Sports

    “To me, we were complacent the entire game,” said Honeycutt, “right from the start. We still had a 2-0 lead at halftime but got complacent and the next thing you know we were in a 2-2 game, having to battle back to actually get the win. There is a lot to learn from tonight, but it is a win. That is what I told our players at the end: a win is a win and we’ll take it — but (our play) has got to be better if we are going to go down there tomorrow night for the last regular season game and expect to remain undefeated in conference play.”

    Some of Watauga having an “off” night might be explained by having to make some roster adjustments and players in unfamiliar roles on the field due to a couple of key players being unavailable. Most notably, that included Ben Myers, who saw limited minutes on the left side after starting and Evan Mawhinney, who usually replaces Myers on the left without the Pioneers missing a beat. While Mawhinney didn’t play at all due to a bruised knee, held out as a precaution, Myers “tweaked something” early and exited as a precautionary measure.

    ‘I’ll take that’ says Watauga’s Quincy Honeycutt (4) in gaining possession of the ball on Nov. 4 vs. South Caldwell. Photographic image by David Rogers for High Country Sports

    Quincy Honeycutt took on the challenge of playing from the left side instead of his usual spot on the right, which he normally shares with Aguilar. Hampton, David Ganley, Lapinski, Thomas Moss, Bennett Munson and Hamilton all took on more responsibilities in attack.

    Whether what the head coach described as lazy or just uncertainty from being in different roles, Watauga had moments of outstanding one- and two-touch passing that has become a Pioneer hallmark, as well as in outmaneuvering Spartan opponents.

    “Myers and Mawhinney give us a lot of speed and a lot of depth, missing them could explain some of the team’s (underperformance),” said Coach Honeycutt. “When you are used to playing on one side or the other, it is definitely an adjustment but we have to make it.”

    Watauga senior Bennett Munson, right, brings the ball up field vs. South Caldwell on Nov. 4 at Jack Groce Stadium. Photographic image by David Rogers for High Country Sports

    To complete the regular season schedule, Watauga hopes to finish the 2024 Northwestern Conference competition undefeated when they travel to Hudson to face South Caldwell in their Nov. 5 finale. Then the Pioneers will await knowing their fate for the playoffs, for which Round 1 begins on Saturday, Nov. 9, time and opponent to be determined.

    If Watauga wins on Nov. 5 in the regular season finale, the Pioneers will take a 16-3-2 record into the playoffs. As the top 4A team in the Northwestern Conference, High Country Sports predicts the Pioneers will receive a No. 3 or No. 4 seeding in the NCHSAA 4A West bracket, but MaxPreps currently has Watauga ranked No. 13 in a 4A West headed by Winston-Salem area powerhouse West Forsyth (20-1-2), Charlotte-based Myers Park (16-0-2), and Lake Norman (19-2-1).

    Other highly ranked teams likely to get Round 1 home games include Reagan (17-4-2), Northwest Guilford (19-2), Garinger (18-4-1), Ardrey Kell (15-2-5), Cox Mill (16-4-2), Charlotte Catholic (16-4), Marvin Ridge (13-4-2), Asheville (15-2-1), and Grimsley (17-4-1).

    BONUS PHOTOS

    Alex Aguilar barely missed wit this first half header that clanged off the South Caldwell crossbar. Photographic image by David Rogers for High Country Sports

    ‘I’ll take that’ says Watauga’s Quincy Honeycutt (4) in gaining possession of the ball on Nov. 4 vs. South Caldwell. Photographic image by David Rogers for High Country Sports

  • Tate’s 21 can’t overcome Miami (OH) in season opener, App State MBB loses 77-63

    By Jacob Plecker. BOONE, N.C. — For the first time since Feb. 18, 2023, the App State Mountaineers dropped a home men’s basketball contest, falling 77-63 to the Miami (Ohio) RedHawks in the first leg of the MAC-SBC Challenge. It’s also the first time since 2013 the Mountaineers lost their home opener.

    Despite the result, eight different Mountaineers found the basket with Myles Tate leading all scorers, dropping in 21 points. In his first collegiate contest, Michael Marcus Jr. tallied nine points on a perfect 3-3 from the field, while Jackson Threadgill also scored nine points in his first game with the Mountaineers.

    Turnovers played a large part in the App State (0-1) loss, coughing up the ball 19 times, which led to 10 RedHawk (1-0) points. That is in sharp contrast to a season ago when App State turned the ball over 15 times or more in only four contests.

    Tight first half

    App State started fast to open the season, running out to an early four-point lead by the first media timeout. Tate played a large role in the hot start, nailing two 3-pointers, while Threadgill and Huntley each buried free throws.

    Luke Wilson made his presence felt early in the contest and helped the Mountaineer crowd out of their seats with a thunderous slam at the 14:50 mark, capping off a solo 4-0 run for the redshirt freshman. The lead grew to as large as seven after Tate picked off a pass that led to a fast break layup.

    After Peter Suder hit a floater to bring the RedHawks within five, Tate’s tenth point of the contest shot the lead back up to seven by the 13-minute mark of the first half. Miami and Suder answered right back with a layup, plus a foul, to trim its deficit to four by the under-12 timeout.

    With the lead now at four, CJ Huntley’s aggressiveness paid off with two free throws to push the App State lead back to six with 10 minutes to play in the half, but the RedHawks and the explosiveness of their backcourt tied the game at 22 with just over seven minutes remaining before intermission.

    The lead changed hands four times over the final seven minutes of the half, with both teams jockeying for position to open the season. Dior Conners, playing in his first NCAA Division I game, scored his first basket with a three-pointer to push App State ahead. Miami took a three-point lead, its largest lead of the first half, just before the final media timeout.

    A top-of-the-key three by Huntley propelled the Mountaineers ahead with 50 seconds to play in the period, but a late three by Kam Craft gave the RedHawks a one-point lead at halftime.

    Tate’s 11 points led all scorers in the first 20 minutes as he shot 4-6 from the field to go along with three rebounds and three assists. Huntley started the game hot from the field as well, tallying nine. Both teams shot less than 40 percent from the field in the opening frame, but Miami’s 42 percent clip from three was the difference in a tightly contested first half.

    Second half, faltering

    A third 3-pointer in four attempts from Tate gave the Mountaineers the lead back 30 seconds into the second half, but Miami got hot, hitting five of its next seven shots to take a six-point lead by the under-16 timeout.

    The Redhawks pushed their lead to eight by the 14:10 mark, but two straight threes by Anthony Alston and Marcus Jr. shrunk the deficit back to two with just under 13 minutes to play. Alston’s three was his first collegiate points.

    Miami answered the quick threes from App State by scoring the game’s next six points to reclaim an eight-point advantage. The lead grew to nine by the under-eight timeout as Jackson Kotecki made a layup.

    Threadgill’s fifth point of the game closed the Mountaineer deficit back to seven by the 7:35 mark, but the RedHawks continued to shoot it well to grow their lead. Three straight threes from Suder and Craft ballooned the RedHawk lead to 12 with five minutes to play.

    The fourth three-pointer from Tate and a free throw by Marcus Jr. trimmed the score back to seven with four minutes to play, but it was Miami that stayed hot to close the game as it scored 10 of the final 14 points to claim a 14-point win in Boone.

    Top Performers

    Playing all but two minutes of the game, Tate’s 21 points led all scorers and marked his fourth career 20-point performance. He was also efficient, nailing eight of his 15 attempts and four of his seven threes. In just 14 minutes of play, Marcus, Jr. tallied nine points in his first collegiate game on 3-of-3 shooting from beyond the arc. Threadgill played well in his first game at App State, scoring nine points while also blocking two shots, which led the team.

    Up Next

    App State will take the floor again on Wednesday night, facing off with the St. Andrews Knights at the Holmes Convocation Center. Wednesday’s game will be a part of a doubleheader with the Mountaineer women. The women will tip off at five with the men’s game to follow approximately 30 minutes after. Both games can be streamed on ESPN+.

  • App State WBB falls in season opener to Miami (OH), 75-48

    By Katherine Jamtgaard. OXFORD, Ohio — The App State women’s basketball team fell short to Miami University, 75-48, in its season opener and first installment of the 2024-25 MAC-SBC Challenge, Nov. 4.

    Junior Seneya Martinez led the Mountaineers with 15 points off the bench. Martinez combined with senior Mara Neira for six of App State’s seven treys, draining three apiece. Neira also got into double-figures on the night with 11 points. Fellow senior Zada Porter pulled down a team-high eight rebounds and dished out a team-high three assists. The Mountaineers saw 22 points off the bench.

    Miami established an early lead over the course of the first quarter. The Mountaineers cut the deficit to 34-22 in the second quarter and outscored the RedHawks 18-11. Neira and Inniss combined for 14 of App State’s 18 points in the period with Neira knocking down three of four from beyond the arc and Inniss draining a 3-point bucket as well as making a fastbreak layup. Junior Elena Pericic contributed a trio of points, draining three from the line.

    Miami (Ohio) continued to extend its lead in the third and fourth quarters. The Mountaineers’ Martinez nonetheless found some momentum in the second half, scoring all 15 of her points over the third and fourth quarters. Porter also contributed six points in the second half. In the fourth quarter, App State outscored the RedHawks, 17-12, and went on a 9-0 scoring run. Despite the Mountaineers’ late surge, Miami walked away with the victory.

    Up Next

    The Mountaineers will return to Boone for their home opener against Columbia College (S.C.) on Nov. 6. Tipoff is set for 5 p.m. and will be available to stream on ESPN+. Wednesday’s game is part of a doubleheader with the men’s team, who will play St. Andrews at 7:30 p.m.

  • Running with the stars, High Country’s Ryan Ford wows ’em in New York Marathon debut

    By David Rogers. NEW YORK, N.Y. — By all accounts, ZAP Endurance professional running team member Ryan Ford had one of history’s best marathon debuts, finishing his first race over the 26.2 miles’ distance through the five boroughs (Staten Island, Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx and Manhattan) at No. 11, in 2:11:08.

    Ford’s time around the grueling NYC course was roughly seven minutes faster than the time of 2:18 needed to run in last February’s U.S. Olympic Trials, in Orlando, where Connor Mantz ran just two minutes faster to win the Olympic Trials event. Not bad for a “rookie.”

    “That was a terrific race,” said Sam Grotewold of Ford’s performance, in a text to ZAP endurance head coach Pete Rea. “One of the best marathon debuts ever by an American.”

    As the race coordinator of the professional and elite athletes program for New York Road Runners (the NY Marathon’s organizer), Grotewold knows a thing or two about the professionals who choose to run one of the world’s most iconic marathon races.

    “Ryan ran a really good race,” said Rea, “and pretty much according to our plan going into it. That plan was to run fairly conservatively the first half of the race and then see how many people he could pass in the last half. Well, he did just that. In fact, he ran the second half of the race 22 seconds faster than he ran the first half, which is quite an accomplishment because the second half is harder, with more ups and downs and turns. At the halfway point running with the wave of elite professional marathoners, Ryan was No. 24.  Going into the last 100 yards, he had moved up to No. 12, but sprinted past a very experienced Colin Bennie to beat him by eight seconds and grab the No. 11 spot and the No. 4 American prize money.”

    Tristin (Van Ord) Colley pauses with husband Andrew after running the New York Marathon on Nov. 3, in which she was the No. 13 female finisher and No. 5 USA runner. Photo by Pete Rea, courtesy of ZAP Endurance

    ZAP Endurance’s lone female representative in the race this year was Tristin (Van Ord) Colley, who finished a respectable No. 13 in the women’s division.

    “Tristin faced a pretty deep field of athletes in the women’s division this year,” said Rea, “so No. 13 overall and the No. 5 American runner is pretty good. She has faced some adversity this year, so today’s really good performance reinvigorated her career probably for the next few years.”

    The Blowing Rock-based ZAP Endurance team’s third athlete in the New York Marathon this year battled through pain to finish No. 24.

    “For Josh, it was nothing short of a courageous race,” said Rea. “He came into the week in tremendous shape and poised for a breakthrough performance, so what he had to endure to even finish the race is remarkable, even if the overall result was not what he was aiming for.”

    Sheila Chepkirui, or Kenya and running for adidas, was the top women’s performer at 2:2449. Tristin Colley’s 2:30:02 was just over two minutes outside of the top 10, overall, for the women’s race.

    Abdi Nageeye of The Netherlands won the men’s race on behalf of NIKE, running the course in 2:07:39. Ford was just 11 seconds out of a top 10 finish.