Category: High School

By David Rogers. HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. — The No. 7-seeded Watauga men’s basketball season came to a close on March 7, losing to a very talented No. 3 North Mecklenburg in the Elite 8 round of the NCHSAA 4A Men’s Basketball Championships, 84-48.

A strong inside performance by the Vikings’ Chadlyn Traylor (28 points) along with long range contributions from a quartet of shooters in senior guard Carson Evans (23), junior guard Ashton Pierce (10), sophomore guard Alek Lewandowski (6) and senior guard Greg Murray (6) proved to be too much firepower for the Pioneers on this night. The Vikings Wilson Estwick also contributed seven points from close range.

Watauga was buoyed by a large contingent of High Country basketball fans and a large student section, but North Meck jumped out to 37-29 lead by halftime, then piled it on in the second half while using a stifling defense to keep the Pioneers’ usual scorers at bay.

Watauga’s leading scorer, junior combo guard Cade Keller, was limited to 11 points on the night, while senior guard Maddox Greene added 9. Senior guard/forward Josiah Railey scored all of his seven points before intermission.

North Meck extended its record of defeating opponents by 21 or more points to 21 games this season. They will face No. 13 seeded Chambers in the state playoffs’ semifinals and West bracket championship. The Cougars advanced with a 70-63 win over No. 9 Myers Park. Earlier in the week, Myers Park received a bye into the Elite Eight when the NCHSAA 4A West bracket’s No. 1 seed was reportedly disqualified for using an ineligible player.

SCORING SUMMARY

• WAT – Cade Keller (11 points)
• WAT – Maddox Greene (9)
• WAT – Josiah Railey (7)
• WAT – Jace Blocker (6)
• WAT – Landon Smith (5)
• WAT – Jackson Love (5)
• WAT – Paul Taylor (3)
• WAT – JT Cook (2)
• NMK – Chadlyn Traylor (28)
• NMK – Carson Evans (23)
• NMK – Wilson Estwick (7)
• NMK – Ashton Pierce (10)
• NMK – Alek Lewandowski (6)
• NMK – Greg Murray (6)
• NMK – Nick Estell (2)
• NMK – Mario Hays, Jr. (2)

BONUS PHOTOS

All photographic images by Jared Everett for High Country Sports

By David Rogers. MOORESVILLE, N.C. — How do you spell R-E-S-P-E-C-T?

A fast start by No. 3 seeded Watauga women’s basketball led to an early, 8-point lead over No. 2 Lake Norman in the Elite 8 round of the NCHSAA 4A Women’s Basketball Championships, but defensive adjustments by the host Wildcats — including respectful double- and triple-teaming of Pioneer point guard Kate Sears — proved to be too much for the High Country’s favorite daughters. Lake Norman took command in the second quarter and cruised to a convincing, 86-66 win and advance to the state playoffs’ Final Four.

Lake Norman will face No. 1 seeded McDowell in the West bracket’s championship match while the 4A East bracket No. 1, Hoggard, will meet No. 2 Wakefield in the other state semifinals encounter.

Against Watauga, Lake Norman’s strategy of double- and at times triple-teaming Sears proved effective. The Pioneers’ other shooters, Blair Haines, Julie Matheson and Izzy Torgerson, did their best to fill the void and keep Watauga within reach through the first half, but ultimately the loss of Sears’ prolific offensive production took its toll.

Sears finished with 18 points, well below her season average, while Haines used five 3-pointers to record a team-high 25 points on the night. Matheson added nine points and Torgerson eight points, including two from long distance.

“We got off to a great start,” said Watauga head coach Bill Torgerson after the game. We got up eight (points) and forced a timeout. We were scoring it well and getting some stops that kept them from getting into the best parts of their press.

“But the defense was what we expected,” added the second-year Pioneer head coach. “They face-guarded Kate and had another player behind her. Every time Kate caught it, they trapped her. Kate did an incredible job of continuing to work to get open and then connect on long passes. Her teammates did a great job executing in breaking to the spots they were supposed to be in. Blair Haines was one the players that really seized the opportunity of all of those double-teams on Kate. I thought she played her best game, shot it well, and her 25 points were obviously a huge part of what kept us in it.”

The Wildcats’ scoring outburst in the second quarter and beyond was led by junior shooting guard Kelsey Rhyne (game-high 29 points) and a pair of Shehan sisters, Samantha (14 points) and Alexis (23 points), both seniors. Rhyne’s scoring included five shots made from behind the 3-point arc.

For Watauga’s young squad, going up against Lake Norman’s senior laden roster with five athletes 5-10 or taller, including three over 6-0, was a stern test against an athletic team with a distinct height advantage.

“It was great to see how fearless our players were,” said Torgerson. “We didn’t look scared at all. The players were aggressive and made a lot of winning plays. It’s been a heck of run these seniors have given us. Their leadership is incredible, with how coachable they are and the effort and focus they give. Some of the underclassmen talked in the locker room after the game about all the different ways they lead from talking on the floor to creating a family atmosphere.”

Perhaps Watauga’s early energy was fueled by the large crowd of Pioneer supporters turning out for this important game on the road.

“It was another great crowd. Our side was full and I know the players loved it when they came running out for warm ups and were greeted by all of those cheers. The community has seen and appreciates what high character these young women show on the court — in their competitiveness, their perseverance, and their sportsmanship. When the community is rooting for the players, I think the players try to rise to that standard and make the community proud. They’ve done a tremendous job of representing our Watauga community well.”

SCORING SUMMARY

• WAT – Blair Haines (25 points)
• WAT – Kate Sears (18)
• WAT – Julie Matheson (9)
• WAT – Izzy Torgerson (8)
• WAT – Chloe Wilson (3)
• WAT – Kaitlyn Darner (3)
• LKN – Kelsey Rhyne (29)
• LKN – Alexis Shehan (23)
• LKN – Samantha Shehan (14)
• LKN – Rayana Minard (9)
• LKN – Adason Buoniconti (6)
• LKN – Aliya Williams (3)
• LKN – Addison Sirianni (2)

BONUS PHOTOS

All photographic images by Jared Everett for High Country Sports

By David Rogers. CLEMMONS, N.C. — Trailing by seven points late in the third quarter — in hostile territory — didn’t faze visiting Watauga on March 4. The Pioneers shrugged off the deficit, clamped down defensively and outscored host West Forsyth in the final stanza en route to a thrilling, 62-59, “Sweet 16” NCHSAA 4A Men’s Basketball Championship tournament win.

The No. 7 seeded Pioneers will go on the road again March 7, to Huntersville for an Elite 8 matchup against North Mecklenburg.

Taking care of business

Sometimes it is the little things that make a difference in basketball game outcomes, like making or missing free throws. Combined with a disruptive defensive effort by Watauga that limited the Titans to just 10 points in the fourth quarter, West Forsyth going a combined 2-for-6 from the charity stripe in the final stanza was instead a “gift” for Watauga.

A strong inside game by Watauga forward Jace Blocker kept the Pioneers within striking distance early on, even if trailing. Blocker ended up tying with guard Cade Keller for team-high and game-high scoring honors, with 18 points, but 14 of those points came in the first half when only senior guard Josiah Railey was also consistently finding the hoop. Railey finished with 16 points, 10 of them in the first half.

The Pioneers flipped the game script in the second half. The team’s leading scorer, Keller, was held in check by the Titans before intermission. He only managed two points prior to halftime thanks largely to the defensive attention from West Forsyth on the Pioneers’ high-scoring junior combination guard. Whatever adjustments made by Watauga’s coaching staff when the fans were refilling their popcorn buckets certainly worked, though, because Keller exploded for 16 of his tied-for-game-high 18 points in the third (9 points) and fourth (7) quarters.

Meanwhile, the versatile Railey continued his consistent contributions and junior forward Brady Lindenmuth came off the bench to score five points in the second half, four of them in the critical fourth quarter. Not necessarily known for his accuracy from the free throw line, the big man came through in the clutch, hitting 3-of-5 from the charity stripe in the second half, including 2-of-3 in the final period.

West Forsyth senior small forward Cale Lloyd tied with Watauga’s Keller and Blocker for game-high scoring honors, at 18 points. He nailed four 3-pointers along the way to lead the Titans’ offensive production. Jacari Brim (15 points) and Kamuari Manuel (12) also got into double figures.

Of note, Watauga’s Railey recorded another double-double in the game, with 10 rebounds to go with his 16 points.

Now 21-7, Watauga travels to Huntersville to face a 27-3 North Mecklenburg team that advanced with a convincing, 94-57 win over Weddington. In Round 1, the No. 3 seeded Vikings defeated Mallard Creek, 68-51, and in Round 2 thumped Davie, 90-50.

SCORING SUMMARY

• WAT – Cade Keller (18 points)
• WAT – Jace Blocker (18)
• WF – Cale Lloyd (18)
• WAT – Josiah Railey (16)
• WF – Jacari Brim (15)
• WF – Kamuari Manuel (12)
• WF – Jordan Tate (9)
• WAT – Brady Lindenmuth (5)
• WAT – Maddox Greene (5)
• WF – Max Stillman (3)
• WF – Princeton Scott (2)

By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — One of the greatest reasons our culture so enthusiastically promotes young people’s participation in high school athletics are the “life lessons” learned along the way. Learning to adapt to a new set of circumstances could well explain the Watauga’s 74-55 women’s basketball win over Northern Guilford on March 4, in Lentz Eggers Gym.

Country music icon Dolly Parton is credited with saying, “We cannot direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails.” Watauga found the “wind” blowing in the wrong direction in the first quarter, falling behind 16-8 at one point, but some key adjustments allowed the Pioneers to claw back and take a 32-25 lead at intermission. It was an advantage they steadily built on in the second half.

In Watauga’s earlier meeting with Northern Guilford on Dec. 21, in Greensboro, Pioneer head coach Bill Torgerson recalled that the Nighthawks’ point guard Leena McField got into early foul trouble and senior shooting guard Cara Trippett sprained an ankle early and hardly played. Both were healthy and available for the rematch with state playoffs implications.

Add an officiating crew that allowed a much more physical game than Watauga was used to seeing, and you had a perplexing set of new circumstances — with a lot on the line if the Pioneers were to advance.

Two of the visiting Nighthawks key offensive threats opened “hot” in the first quarter, McField and senior shooting guard Malena DeLisa each netting a pair of 3-pointers. Meanwhile, the Pioneers were mostly missing from long range and senior point guard Kate Sears stubbornly forced down-the-lane and baseline drives against stiff, physical defensive efforts by Northern Guilford defenders — and they most often resulted in shots gone awry and turnovers.

But throughout her playing career, Sears has become a master in making adjustments. As soon as she started opting for short jumpers, the lanes opened up for her drives. She even found the bottom of the net from long range a couple of times in the second half, en route to earning game-high honors with 32 points.

Sears’ success was contagious. Fellow senior guard Julie Matheson also finished in double figures for Watauga, with 18 points, and sophomore Blair Haines added eight more.

The Nighthawks also finished with two players in double figures: McField recorded a team-high 23 points and Trippett added 16.

With the win, No. 3-seeded Watauga (22-5 overall, 10-1 in Northwestern Conference) advances to the Elite 8 in the NCHSAA 4A Women’s Basketball Championship tournament. They will play at No. 2 Lake Norman on Friday, March 7. According to the NCHSAA 4A brackets, tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m.

SCORING SUMMARY

• WAT – Kate Sears (32 points)
• NG – Leena McField (23)
• WAT – Julie Matheson (18)
• NG – Cara Trippett (16)
• WAT – Blair Haines (8)
• NG – Malena DeLisa (8)
• WAT – Kaitlyn Darner (6)
• WAT – Shelby Thompson (5)
• WAT – Izzy Torgerson (3)
• WAT – Chloe Wilson (2)
• NG – Olivia Bayer (2)
• NG – Kayla Graham (2)
• NG – Sarah Moore (2)
• NG – Malaysia Smith (2)

By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — Down by as many as 13 points in the second half, the No. 7 seeded Watauga Pioneers flipped the script down the stretch and roared back to tie the game at 73-73 by the end of regulation, then prevailed in overtime to defeat the No. 10 seeded Mount Tabor Spartans, 80-77.

For the Pioneer faithful, it was as thrilling a game as a high school basketball contest in the second round of the NCHSAA 4A playoffs can get. Watauga had to overcome a 40-point performance by Virginia Tech football (wide receiver) commit Shamarius Peterkin, a 6-3 point guard who is rumored to also be going to the Hokies to play basketball.

“Really proud of the guys,” said a smiling Watauga head coach Bryson Payne afterward. “They stuck in and played hard all game. There were times when the momentum was going the other way, but we continued to fight. Then we went on a run late.”

Payne admitted to having few answers for the Spartans’ Peterkin — and being thankful when he fouled out late in the fourth quarter.

“The scorebook will tell you. He (Peterkin) was lighting it up,” said Payne. “And a lot them were tough shots. We tried to make it hard on him to get to the rim, but he just kept getting those threes. He is a phenomenal player. Getting him in foul trouble and off the floor eventually was huge for us because they were going to him every possession. With him off the floor, they were looking for somebody else to help (score) and they really didn’t get it.”

Meanwhile, Watauga stayed within shouting distance of the lead with 20 combined points from senior guard/forward Josiah Railey and junior combo guard Cade Keller in the third quarter. Complemented by additional scoring inside from junior forward Jace Blocker, Railey and Keller’s third quarter production helped Watauga establish some semblance of momentum, closing the gap to 58-63 to open the final stanza.

In the fourth quarter, Watauga chipped away at the lead, forcing Mount Tabor turnovers and errant shots on defense and limiting the Spartans to just 10 points while Keller, Jackson Love, and Railey combined for 15 points in the period, allowing the Pioneers to knot things up at 73-73 with 2:01 to play.

When Peterkin fouled out with 36 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter and the game went into overtime, the advantage clearly shifted to the Pioneers.

With the win, Watauga advances to the third round where they will travel to challenge No. 2 seeded West Forsyth (26-3, 14-1), which edged out Mount Tabor to claim the 4A Central Piedmont Conference championship in the regular season.

SCORING SUMMARY

• MTB – Shamarius Peterkin (40 points)
• WAT – Josiah Railey (27)
• WAT – Cade Keller (25)
• WAT – Jackson Love (16)
• MTB – Will Koonin (15)
• WAT – Maddox Greene (9)
• MTB – Dorian Moore (9)
• MTB – Jayden Smith-Muhfooth (7)
• MTB – Aidan O’Gara (6)
• WAT – Jace Blocker (3)

OTHER ROUND 2 MEN’S GAMES OF LOCAL INTEREST

• 4A WEST – No. 2 West Forsyth 54, No. 18 South Caldwell 47
• 4A WEST – No. 13 Chambers 65, No. 4 McDowell 58
• 3A WEST – No. 11 Ben L. Smith 79, No. 6 A.C. Reynolds 61

 

 

By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — Visiting Hough High School women’s basketball came roaring back from a big first quarter deficit to tie the game before halftime, but host Watauga built on a 2-point, buzzer-beater lead at intermission — and held on in the second half to take a 66-56 win in front of a standing room only crowd in Lentz Eggers Gym on Feb. 28.

With the win, the No. 3-seeded Pioneers advance to the third round of the state 4A playoffs and will host No. 6 Northern Guilford on Tuesday, March 4. Watauga defeated the Nighthawks, 61-41, in a non-conference contest on the road, in Greensboro, but Northern Guilford grew into the season and finished No. 1 in the highly competitive, 4A Metro Conference and into the state playoffs with a 20-7 overall record, 12-4 in conference play.

Against Hough, Pioneer senior Kate Sears scored 12 of her game-high 33 points in just the first quarter, helping Watauga get off to a fast start, complimented by dramatic 3-pointers off the hands of sophomore Blair Haines and senior Julie Matheson. The Pioneers took a 20-13 advantage into the second quarter.

Hough recovered from the slow start, however, and tied the game at 24-24 with a little more than four minutes remaining in the first half, propelled by a deadly outside shooting performance from senior point guard Chloe Galombeck and the strong inside play of junior guard Kate Breault and sophomore guard Ka’Leiya Jones, the trio combining for 14 of the Huskies’ 19 total points in the second quarter, briefly taking the lead before Watauga’s Matheson buried a 3-pointer from the left corner, the half-ending buzzer going off as the ball arched through the air. The timely shot brought a roar from the crowd, giving the Pioneers a tenuous, 34-32 lead and their fans something to think about during the break.

“Hough is a really good team,” said Watauga head coach Bill Torgerson after the game. “The score (in Hough’s schedule) that really got our attention was they lost to Mallard Creek, 64-60… To have played Mallard Creek that tough alerted us that Hough would have a really good team. They have a bunch of shooters and they do a really nice job of driving and getting it to them. We were in a little bit of trouble, at least in the first half.”

Ultimately, said Torgerson, his team hung in there, executed and was able to pull away.

Early on, during the Huskies’ comeback rally, Torgerson admitted that Hough was taking advantage of the Pioneers’ defensive scheme.

“We had to make some changes, which helped, and then we started getting some good shots, including Julie Matheson’s buzzer beater 3-pointer at halftime,” said the Pioneers’ second year head coach. “They were doing a good job of cutting on the back side… but our vision got better as the game went along.”

Torgerson credited the chemistry between Sears and Kaitlyn Darner at the top of the key and some smart defensive stops by forward Chloe Wilson coming off the bench as major contributors to Watauga’s ability to extend the lead in the second half.

In Round 3, Watauga will meet a Northern Guilford team that romped past Rocky River in the first round, 48-31, then held off Charlotte Catholic, 65-57, in the second round.

SCORING SUMMARY

• WAT – Kate Sears (33 points)
• WAT – Julie Matheson (12)
• WAT – Blair Haines (12)
• WAT – Izzy Torgerson (6)
• WAT – Chloe Wilson (2)
• WAT – Kaitlyn Darner (1)
• HGH – Sophia Zoerb (17)
• HGH – Chloe Galombeck (15)
• HGH – Kate Breault (10)
• HGH – Jacquelyn Jakubecy (6)
• HGH – Ka’Leiya Jones (6)

By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — It may have been seen as a minor play in the overall result, but when Watauga forward Landon Smith received a pass in the left corner and raced down the baseline to deliver a resounding slam dunk with only a couple of minutes left in the game, it put an exclamation point on the Pioneers’ 56-42 win over East Mecklenburg in Round 1 of the 4A state playoffs.

Watauga’s Josiah Railey, Cade Keller and Maddox Greene were playing “keep away” just inside the half-court line, with the desperate Eagles pressing, trying to get the ball back. Suddenly, the ball was passed to an open Smith and the senior punctuated the opportunity made possible by Watauga’s team strategy.

---

The Sequence

Photographic images by Jared Everett for High Country Sports

---

Whenever high school teams from urban areas who placed down in their league standings meet even the top teams from some of the more rural conferences in the state playoffs, seeding upsets may occur. That may have been the fear of No. 7-seeded Watauga fans on Feb. 25, but the Pioneers held off the No. 26-seeded Eagles of East Mecklenburg to advance to Round 2 of the NCHSAA 4A West bracket. On Feb. 28, Watauga will host No. 10 Mount Tabor, a 69-55 victor vs. No. 23 Grimsley.

East Meck finished No. 4 in a very strong Charlotte area conference, the 4A Southwestern Conference, behind Independence, Charlotte Catholic and Butler, but finished 15-11 overall and 7-5 in conference.

“East Meck finished well with some of their players out with injuries,” said Watauga head coach Bryson Payne after the game. “So we really didn’t know what team we were going to be facing.”

What Payne and the Pioneers did know is that like a lot of Charlotte area teams they like to run up-tempo, pushing the ball in transition. While Watauga also likes to run, part of the strategy against the Eagles, Payne explained, was to slow things down a bit.

Combined with a strong defensive effort, Watauga hit East Meck from both the inside and outside. Junior forward Jace Blocker and junior guard Cade Keller shared game-high scoring honors with 17 points each. Keller managed it with a lot of Eagles seemingly glued to his every move. As the Pioneers’ leading scorer, it was obvious East Meck came into the game seeking to blanket Keller.

The attention drawn by Keller on the perimeter, though, created some of the opportunities exploited by Blocker in the paint as well as by seniors Josiah Railey (9 points) and Maddox Greene (6).

Watauga only trailed in this game early in the first period, finishing the opening stanza with a tenuous, 13-11 advantage. They built on their lead to 30-24 at intermission, then to 44-33 to begin the final period. But against a talented and athletic East Meck team, no lead seemed “safe” until the final minutes, even seconds.

The Eagles’ offense was centered around guard Ahmari Hicks (16 points) and Jordan Buzzard (8).

SCORING SUMMARY

• WAT – Cade Keller (17 points)
• WAT – Jace Blocker (17)
• WAT – Josiah Railey (9)
• WAT – Maddox Greene (6)
• WAT – Landon Smith (5)
• WAT – Brady Lindenmuth (2)
• EM – Ahmari Hicks (16)
• EM – Jordan Buzzard (8)
• EM – Nixon Wright (6)
• EM – James McIver (6)
• EM – Braylan Caldwell (5)
• EM – Vance Johnson (1)

Round 1, 4A West Bracket Results

BOLD – Seeding Upsets

• No. 1 Lake Norman 89, No. 32 Cuthbertson 74
• No. 17 Hopewell 53, No. 16 Charlotte Catholic 52
• No. 25 Reagan 69, No. 8 Northern Guilford 57
• No. 9 Myers Park 74, No. 24 Butler 65
• No. 5 Independence 54, No. 28 Palisades 34
• No. 12 Mooresville 61, No. 21 Ardrey Kell 50
• No. 13 Chambers 73, No. 20 Hickory Ridge 72
• No. 4 McDowell 64, No. 29 Hough 59
• No. 3 North Mecklenburg 68, No. 30 Mallard Creek 51
• No. 14 Davie 69, No. 19 South Mecklenburg 66
• No. 6 Weddington 68, No. 27 Cox Mill 55
• No. 11 East Forsyth 86, No. 22 Olympic 60
• No. 7 Watauga 56, No. 26 East Mecklenburg 42
• No. 10 Mount Tabor 69, No. 23 Grimsley 55
• No. 18 South Caldwell 77, No. 15 Southwest Guilford 75
• No. 2 West Forsyth 77, No. 31 Marvin Ridge 70

By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — Visiting T.C. Roberson’s women’s basketball team could have been forgiven had they broken out umbrellas in Lentz Eggers Gym on Feb. 25. Early and often, it started raining Watauga “threes” in the first round of the NCHSAA 4A Basketball Playoffs. Behind a dozen 3-pointers from six different Pioneer players and disruptive defense, No. 3-seeded Watauga waltzed to a dominating, 74-37 win over the Rams.

With the victory, Watauga advances to the second round on Friday, Feb. 28, hosting No. 19 Hough (Cornelius, N.C.), which got past No. 14-seeded Weddington, 48-43.

Hough (20-7 overall, 10-4 in the 3A/4A Queen City Conference), placed third in a strong Charlotte area conference behind North Mecklenburg (24-3, 13-1) and Mallard Creek (25-3, 13-1).

By any measure, Watauga’s performance vs. T.C. Roberson was a rout from the get-go. With senior guard Kate Sears ripping the nets for 22 points in the first quarter alone, the Pioneers jumped out to a 32-11 lead after just the opening period. Sears, per usual, tallied a game-high 32 points (15 points from behind the arc) but did not play large chunks of the second half. By intermission, with the lead extended to 51-19, many among the packed crowd of onlookers started hoping for a 40-point lead so the “mercy rule” would be triggered.

They got their wish only a couple of minutes past halftime. With a running clock, Pioneer head coach Bill Torgerson started deploying a number of non-starters in different combinations with individual or duos of regular rotation players, including Sears. A total of nine Watauga athletes got on the scoreboard, including valuable minutes for elevated junior varsity athletes, Steph Mendez, Presli Wood and Charlie Mattox. Equally important, senior first-year basketball player and forward Chloe Wilson — who continues to steadily improve as she becomes more familiar with her role on the court and the team strategies — played extended minutes before fouling out late in the fourth quarter.

T.C. Roberson got reasonably good offensive production from freshman forward Ryleigh Owen (9 points) and senior guard Kylie Carrington (15), but little else from the rest of the Rams.

SCORING SUMMARY

• WAT – Kate Sears (32 points)
• WAT – Julie Matheson (17)
• WAT – Kaitlyn Darner (6)
• WAT – Steph Mendez (5)
• WAT – Blair Haines (5)
• WAT – Izzy Torgerson (3)
• WAT – Presli Wood (3)
• WAT – Charlie Mattox (2)
• WAT – Chloe Wilson (1)
• ROB – Kylie Carrington (15)
• ROB – Ryleigh Owen (9)
• ROB – Ellie Morgan (5)
• ROB – Skylar Gribben (4)
• ROB – Addison Tissot (3)
• ROB – Olivia DeMoss (1)

FIRST ROUND SCORES, NCHSAA 4A WEST BRACKET

BOLD – Seeding Upsets

• No. 1 McDowell 57, No. 32 Mount Tabor 30
• No. 16 Alexander Central 63, No. 17 Porter Ridge 56
• No. 8 South Mecklenburg 78, No. 25 Reagan 50
• No. 9 Davie 81, No. 24 Asheville 39
• No. 5 Marvin Ridge 58, No. 28 Southwest Guilford 46
• No. 12 Grimsley 55, No. 21 Ardrey Kell 41
• No. 13 Hickory 85, No. 20 Ragsdale 51
• No. 4 Mallard Creek 64, No. 29 Page 21
• No. 3 Watauga 74, No. 30 TC Roberson 37
• No. 19 Hough 48, No. 14 Weddington 43
• No. 6 Northern Guilford 48, No. 27 Rocky River 31
• No. 22 Charlotte Catholic 77, No. 11 South Caldwell 57
• No. 7 Butler 52, No. 26 Myers Park 39
• No. 10 North Mecklenburg 71, No. 23 Southeast Guilford 32
• No. 18 Northwest Guilford 41, East Forsyth 31
• No. 2 Lake Norman 85, No. 31 Cox Mill 40

By David Rogers. HICKORY, N.C. — With hardly any time on the practice field, the Watauga women’s soccer teams made a road trip to Hickory on Feb. 24, to take on St. Stephens in non-conference action. While the varsity lost a tight one, 1-0, in the nightcap, the shorthanded JVs rallied from a 2-0 deficit in the first half to “rain goals” in the second, winning 6-3.

Since these were as much non-conference exhibitions as anything, we will dispense with the play by play and go straight to some photos, from both games. Rosters have not yet been added to MaxPreps, so we will go without player IDs on this go-round. All photographic images by David Rogers for High Country Sports.

JUNIOR VARSITY

VARSITY

By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — It will be another first round doubleheader for Watauga’s men’s and women’s basketball teams on Tuesday, Feb. 25. Coming off their championship performance in the Northwestern Conference tournament on Feb. 21, the Pioneer women were awarded the No. 3 seed in the NCHSAA 4A West Bracket and will face No. 30 seeded T C Roberson, of Asheville.

The Watauga men’s team, which finished as the NWC conference tourney runner-up in losing to Freedom, received the No. 7 seed in the 4A West Bracket and will host East Mecklenburg.

In other first round notes:

• 4A West, WOMEN – McDowell (Marion) received the No. 1 seed and will host No. 32 Mt. Tabor.
• 4A West, WOMEN – Alexander Central is the No. 16 seed an will host No. 17 Porter Ridge
• 4A West, WOMEN – Like Watauga, South Caldwell is in the lower half of the bracket and seeded, No. 11, to host No. 22 Charlotte Catholic.
• 4A West, WOMEN – The No. 2 seed is Lake Norman, hosting No. 31, Cox Mill.
• 4A West. MEN – Seeded No. 18, South Caldwell is the only other Northwestern Conference team to make the playoffs on the men’s side. They will travel to No. 15 Southwest Guilford.
• 3A West, MEN – Freedom received the No. 7 seed and will host No. 26 Northwest Cabarrus.
• 3A West, WOMEN – Ashe County received the No. 29 seed and will travel to No. 4 A C Reynolds.
• 3A West, WOMEN – No. 21 Hibriten will play a first round game, traveling to No. 12, East Lincoln.
• 1A West, MEN – No. 23 Avery County travels to No. 10 South Stanly
• 1A West, WOMEN – No. 13 Avery County will host No. 20 Andrews

The tipoff times have not been announced.

The full 4A Women’s Bracket can be reached by clicking HERE.

The full 4A Men’s Bracket can be reached by clicking HERE.