Author: David

By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — For high school volleyball enthusiasts, it doesn’t get much better than the edge-of-your-seat, white knuckle, 5-set thrill-a-minute contest between Watauga and Ashe County on Sept. 27 in Lentz Eggers Gym. The Pioneers survived a vigorous Huskies challenge, 3-2 (19-25, 25-18, 25-17, 25-27, 15-9).

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After surrendering a four-point lead — twice — and eventually falling to Ashe County in the first set, Watauga struck back to win the next two frames before the Huskies forced an overtime win in the fourth stanza. Then, the Pioneers seemed to regain control of things in the No. 5 tiebreaker.

In almost every athletic endeavor, especially team sports, good defense often turns into good offense — and at times spectacular defensive efforts by the Pioneers were the difference makers in this High Country rivalry matchup. Watauga senior outside hitter Brooklyn Stanbery, herself an accomplished power hitter, told High Country Sports after the match the team knew they had their work cut out for them in countering the Huskies’ outside hitter, Paige Overcash.

“Our coaches worked with us a lot the last couple of days on blocking,” said Stanbery, “because we know what Overcash can do. Tonight, that work paid off.”

Indeed it did. Sophomore middle hitter Kora Knight recorded an astonishing 10 stuff blocks, but she was not alone in defending at the net. Senior middle hitters Kate McCullough and Sara Marlowe added six and five stuff blocks, respectively, while junior middle hitter Grace Twillery contributed four. Outside hitters Stanbery and sophomore Emma Pastusic each added two stuff blocks to round out how the Pioneers countered the Husky attack at the net.

Not everything was stopped at the net, however. Many of Overcash & Co.’s power kill shots got through the front line defense, with many kept in play by digs in the back row. Senior libero Evie Robbins recorded close to a single game record with 39 digs, but she was far from alone on this day with Stanbery (15 digs), Madi Combs (13), Pastusic (8), Marlowe (8), Madi Combs (7), Lainey Gragg (7), Olivia Kop (5), Twillery (3), Kasey Gragg (2), and McCullough (1) also contributing digs during their respective turns in the back row.

An important part of the “dig” is where the defender is able to place the ball while keeping it in play. Several of the Pioneers, especially Robbins and Combs, were adept at this skill, the importance of which was noted by head coach Kim Pryor after the match.

“When you have a power hitter like Overcash, oftentimes when those kill shots are dug out to keep the ball alive the hitter’s teammates have relaxed, thinking the point is over with the kill shot, that we are not going to get the ball,” said Pryor. “When our back row libero or defensive specialist can get very usable ball in play and a setter can move the ball back across the court for our own outside hittler, the impact can be very effective because the other team’s defenders may have shifted out of position or are slower in getting to where they need to be.”

On the attacking side of things, Watauga’s Combs had 32 assists, while Lainey Gragg had 19 assists. Those sets allowed Stanbery to ring up 27 kills, Pastusic 26 kills.

Ashe County was also caught off balance by 16 service aces by four Pioneers across the five sets, including Combs (7 service aces), Lainey Gragg (5) Stanbery (2) and Marlowe (2).

“This was exactly what we expected,” noted Pryor after the match. “Ashe County was strong last year and we expected them to be strong again. I knew it would be a fight. You hope to have games like this throughout your season. Every time, it makes you better. The cool thing is having player after player stepping into roles that (we, as coaches) are asking them to do and they get the job done.

 

“Paige Overcash is an amazing player,” said Pryor, “and, really, both sides of their offense are good. Both of these teams play relentless defense and it just makes it that much more fun. Our blocks came on, especially, in the middle and toward the end of the match.”

Pryor was also appreciative of the support shown on this night for high school women’s volleyball.

“We have the best fans,” Pryor said, “and we have a great friendly rivalry with Ashe County. To fill our gym like this for volleyball, it is really amazing.”

The Pioneers (13-2 overall, 5-0 NWC) will continue Northwestern Conference play at South Caldwell on Oct. 2. Ashe County (12-3, 4-1) will look to stay in contention for a conference championship on the same day, hosting Alexander Central (3-12, 2-3). The Pioneers and Huskies will meet again on Oct. 16, the last match of the regular season.

For the Sept. 27 contest, Lentz Eggers Gym was nearly full, which added to the energy in the building.

The junior varsity contest was similarly hotly contested, with the Pioneers recording a close, 2-0 win (26-24, 25-23). Team leaders included Gracyn Blanton, with 13 kills; Ava Zaragoza and Lilli Combs with 10 and 9 assists, respectively; and Bella Wade, with 10 digs.

The Watauga Blue JV team also won, 2-0, to complete the Pioneer sweep.

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By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — A tight, hard-fought loss at No. 1 singles was the only blemish to the Watauga women’s tennis team’s match vs. Hibriten on Sept. 27. Pioneer freshman Addison Cohen pushed her No. 1 counterpart, Panthers senior Natalie Jones, to overtime in both sets losing 6-7 (3-7), 5-7.

The team win pushes the Pioneers’ dual meet record to 12-0 overall, 8-0 in Northwestern Conference on the 2023 season, their first campaign under the mentorship of new head coach Phoebe Boeschen.

 

At No. 2 singles, Watauga sophomore Larson Berry swept by Hibriten senior Paige Grimbeek, 6-3, 6-2, with far less trouble than when the two met on Sept. 11 in Lenoir when Berry won, 2-0, but had to survive a first set score of 7-6 (7-2) before coasting to 6-2 in the second set. Berry is 10-0 so far this season in representing Watauga at No. 2 singles.

At No. 3 singles, another Pioneer sophomore, Kennedy Moore, polished off Hibriten’s Ella Taylor, 6-2, 6-2. For the season, Moore is 10-0 at the No. 2 singles position, 11-1 at No. 2 doubles.

Yet another sophomore on Watauga’s young squad of netters, Fiona Russell dispatched Hibriten senior Maddy Reid, 6-3, 6-1 in the No. 4 singles pairing. Russell is 10-0 at No. 4 singles in 2023, 9-1 in playing for the Pioneers at No. 2 doubles.

One of the few seniors representing Watauga in 2023, Abbi Shuman continued to hit her stride in defeating Hibriten’s Tehya Bley, 6-2, 6-2, at No. 5 singles. Like a lot of her teammates, Shuman is 10-0 at No. 5 singles this season, 12-0 at No. 3 doubles.

A junior, Watauga’s Hatherly Armfield had only a little trouble in disposing of Hibriten sophomore Ally Walker, 6-1, 6-0, at No. 6 singles. Armfield is now 8-2 on the season at No. 6 singles, 10-0 at No. 3 doubles.

The Pioneers also had an unblemished record in the three doubles matches.

• Cohen and Berry teamed up to beat Jones and Taylor at No. 1 doubles, 8-3.
• Moore and Russell combined to take an 8-4 victory over Grimbeek and Reid.
• And the Shuman-Armfield duo got by Bley and Hibriten senior Emma Brown, 8-3.

 

 

By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — Spreading around the attacking opportunities among 10 Pioneers who took shots on goal, host Watauga junior varsity men’s soccer dominated Alexander Central’s JVs on Sept. 25, 4-0, at Jack Groce Stadium.

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Each of Watauga’s four successful shot attempts were by four different players, including freshman midfielder Miller Hankins, sophomore wing Shiris Kandel, sophomore forward Marcelino Cuz Caal, and sophomore forward Lucas Hamilton.

By most estimates, Watauga controlled possession more than 80 percent of the time during the match, the Cougars getting the ball meaningfully into Pioneer territory only four or fives and rarely threatening. Altogether, Watauga took 16 shots on goal and handled five corner kicks. Freshman goalkeeper Rush Brasier recorded just one save in shutting out the Cougars.

Those Pioneers crafting shots on goal included freshman defender Gabe Madritch (1 shot on goal), Hankins (1), midfield David Ganley (1) Kandel (2), midfielder Noah Bauler (4), Cuz Caal (4), Hamilton (1), wing Elijah Cain (1), forward Tegan Martinez (3), and forward Asher Hampton (3).

“We controlled possession nearly the entire game,” said Watauga junior varsity head coach Vern Collins. “They might have gotten the ball into our defending third, three or four times. This allowed us to try out different attacking formations, which allows our players a chance to grow in the game and prepares us for situations we might encounter. For instance, if we find ourselves down a little bit and need to score, we have a formation that puts more numbers in the attack.”

In addressing a previous area of vulnerability, “finishing,” Collins said the team is getting better, but…

“We had so many shots tonight,” said Collins. “We are getting better at putting them on frame, but far too many were going straight at the goalkeeper. We have to get better.”

Along with the Pioneer varsity, the Watauga JVs (8-2-1) will have an opportunity to improve on their skills Sept. 27, 4:30 p.m., at undefeated Hibriten (11-0-1).

BONUS PHOTOS

By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — Even with one leg stuck in a proverbial bucket of cement for more than three quarters of regulation time, Watauga Men’s Soccer battled valiantly to push the Pioneers’ Northwestern Conference match vs. Alexander Central to overtime before succumbing, 4-3, on Sept. 25 at Jack Groce Stadium.

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All photographic images by David Rogers

It was a challenging night for the Pioneers, to be sure. They had to play a man down after a controversial “red card” was shown to backline defender Riley Cook early in the first half. The referee initially showed a yellow card but after conferring with a sideline official changed his call to a red card. The officials explained to High Country Sports at halftime, that the card was awarded for “denying an obvious goal scoring opportunity.” They clarified that when a defending player effectively “takes out” an attacking player when the only other defender is the goalkeeper, the rule (Law 12) applies.

After the game, Watauga head coach Josh Honeycutt acknowledged the rule, but insisted that it was wrongfully applied in this instance.

“I’m not sure it was an obvious goal-scoring opportunity because nobody had possession of the ball, yet,” said Honeycutt. “I see the argument. I get it, but I think the referee in the middle called it right (the first time). He gave the yellow not knowing whether it was an obvious goal-scoring opportunity or just a loose ball. The side ref overruled him and said she had a better view. He changed his mind (in awarding the red card). I completely disagree.”

Because this proved to be the critical turning point in the match, High Country Sports needed to know more. Quick research led to looking up Law 12 online at U.S. Soccer and its related website, SoccerRefereeUSA.com.  Our review suggests that the rule may have been misapplied for other reasons, too. Honeycutt may have a legitimate criticism.

As explained by SoccerRefereeUSA:

In order for a player to be sent off for denying an “obvious goal-scoring opportunity,” (all) four elements must be present:

• • Number of Defenders — not more than one defender between the foul and the goal, not counting the defender who committed the foul 
    • AUTHOR’S NOTE: This element appeared to be true.
  • Distance to goal — the closer the foul is to the goal, the more likely it is an obvious goalscoring opportunity
    • AUTHOR’S NOTE: The alleged foul occurred roughly halfway from the nearest goal post to the sideline, an estimated 20-30 yards into the field of play (well outside the penalty box). It is a judgment call as to whether the “distance to goal” element was present. Watauga would argue that it occurred too far away from the goal to be fairly applied, Alexander Central would likely say it was close enough.
  • Distance to ball — the attacker must have been close enough to the ball at the time of the foul to have continued playing the ball.
    • AUTHOR’S NOTE: It appeared the attacker and the defender were both in pursuit of the ball, shoulder to shoulder, with neither having yet gained possession.
  • Direction of play — the attacker must have been moving toward the goal at the time the foul was committed.
    • AUTHOR’S NOTE: The players were pursuing the ball straight downfield, not yet angling toward the goal, directly, from this reporter’s view.
  • If any element is missing, there can be no send off for denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity. Further, the presence of each of these elements must be “obvious” in order for the send off to be appropriate under this provision of Law 12. (emphasis added)
    • AUTHOR’S NOTE: Given that not all of the four elements were obviously present, we would contend that Law 12, in this case, was inappropriately applied. In our interview with the officials at halftime, they acknowledged that the foul was not vicious or flagrant, just that the goal-scoring opportunity had been denied with only the goalkeeper available to defend a scoring opportunity taken. 

In filing our report on this game, we have spent extra time in discussing Law 12 and its application because it was a critical turning point in this key Northwestern Conference matchup between two conference championship contenders, with a lot on the line. Our analysis will not change the outcome, but as a result of the red card Watauga was forced to play almost the full match a man down and had to make changes to its defensive formation as well as to the team’s attacking strategy in order to try and manage or counter the Cougars’ extra man advantage — whether or not Law 12 was applied appropriately.

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Here is an interesting sequence of images, showing a dramatic defensive stop by Alexander Central, from Watauga’s shot by Jossue Galan to AC defender Christian Arroyo’s clearing save as the ball is about to enter the goal.

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With the advantage in numbers, Alexander Central scored two more goals in the first half, taking a 2-1 lead into intermission. Thanks to a brilliant, powerful goal by the Pioneers’ midfielder Thomas Moss late in the second half to make the score 2-2, the game was forced into overtime: two, 10-minute halves. From his midfielder position, Moss stormed into a melee some 20 yards out from the goal and ripped the shot past the goalkeeper’s right side.

On a cross off the foot of Ben Myers, Lade Oguntoyinbo laced a go-ahead goal from the left front of the net to put the shorthanded Pioneers up, 3-2, but the Cougars manufactured a couple of goals in each overtime period and played steady defense the rest of the way to craft the 4-3  win. To his credit, the Alexander Central goalkeeper Ethan Holdren had to fashion some spectacular saves to preserve the Cougars’ win.

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Another interesting sequence, involving Thomas Moss (19)… Sliding tackle by AC defender Eli Kerley — or tripping foul?

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One aspect of playing a man down are the likely increased shot opportunities by the opponent, in this case Alexander Central. While allowing four goals, the Pioneers’ senior goalkeeper Kyle Painter tallied 20 saves on the night, facing a barrage of shots by the Cougars.

Soundbites from post-game interview with head coach Josh Honeycutt:

• “I told everyone, especially the midfielders, after we went a man down that it was going to take everything they have. It was going to take a lot of work. That’s why we (stress) fitness. That is why we put in the work at practice. We want our fitness to be at a high level so that no matter what situation we are in we are able to compete… All of our guys put in an unbelievable effort.”
• “I am tired of poor officiating. I really wish we could get some officials who could keep control of the game and call it both ways. They scored a goal off of a deflection when the guy was offsides, but the official took our goal away (under the exact same circumstances). There is no consistency… If one is a goal, the other one is a goal. You have to be consistent.”
• “Like South Caldwell, Alexander Central is much improved. It is a much better conference now, which is a great thing for our sport. We are competing at a much higher level with our conference schools. We may not have given Alexander Central our best tonight, especially being a man down early in the game, but I give them and their coaches credit for putting together a solid team.”
• “Thomas Moss is a phenomenal player and he brings a lot of energy all the time. Some of the guys do, some of the guys don’t and that is frustrating for me because that is what our program is about: energy and effort. Thomas has one of those motors that there is no question when you get him on the field. It is all the energy. He’s getting in on tackles. He is winning the extra balls. He is doing the extra things that make a big difference.”
• “Being down a man, we had to figure out a way to create some more opportunities. Instead of having Mike and Curtis as our outside midfielders, we pulled them back and told them they must defend, but they also had to get forward to give us numbers (in attacking situations) I felt like it worked.”

Next up for the Pioneers is a road game matchup at Hibriten. With the loss, Watauga falls to 1-1 in Northwestern Conference play, 3-9-1 overall, counting an intentionally rigorous non-conference schedule.

BONUS PHOTOS (click on any image for slideshow mode)

RELATED LINKS

• U.S. Soccer Referees