Category: High School

By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — It will be a day to battle Cougars on Feb. 21 for both the Watauga men’s and women’s basketball teams in the first round of the North Carolina state playoffs.

It was no surprise when the North Carolina Athletic Association announced on Feb. 18 that the Watauga women’s team earned the No. 2 seed in the West bracket of the 4A state basketball tournament. There was uncertainty, though, in whether the Pioneer men’s team would make it as the second-place 4A team in Northwestern Conference play with a 12-13 overall record and sub-500 results in 3A/4A NWC league play.

The NCHSAA goes by the numbers and there are at least 106 schools with a 4A classification. Using the Ratings Percentage Index (RPI), NCHSAA determined that Watauga earned a No. 28 ranking in RPI and deserved a No. 28 seed in the state playoffs among the 32 teams comprising the West bracket.

First round games will be played on Tuesday, Feb. 21, at the higher seed’s venue. The Watauga women will be hosting the Chambers High School Cougars. The men’s Pioneers will face Charlotte Catholic on the same night in the Queen City.

If the Watauga women win in the first round, as the higher seed they will host the winner of the Northwest Guilford (No. 15)/R J Reynolds (No. 18) first round matchup, in the second round.

If the Watauga men upset the No. 5 seeded Charlotte Catholic Cougars, they will advance to the second round at either No. 12 Olympic or No. 21 Southeast Guilford, whichever team wins their first round matchup.

Other State Tournament Notes and Observations

• All three Northwestern Conference 4A men’s teams are in the upper half of the West bracket. South Caldwell just made it as the No. 32 seed and will face the No. 1 seed, Myers Park (Charlotte). Alexander Central, the top team in the NWC, was awarded the No. 8 seed and will host No. 25 Sun Valley (Monroe, N.C.).
• Alexander Central is the only other NWC 4A women’s team in the West bracket, with a No. 13 seed and will face No. 20 Cox Mill in the first round.
• Other regional teams of interest in the 4A women’s West bracket include No. 1 seeded Lake Norman, No. 5 A.C. Reynolds, No. 12 Myers Park, No. 21 T.C. Roberson, and No. 10 Asheville.
• Other regional teams of interest in the 4A men’s West bracket include No. 9 A.C. Reynolds.
• In the 3A West men’s bracket, former NWC member St. Stephens is the No. 32 seed, while current NWC member and Watauga rival, Hibriten, is the No. 25 seed. Top-ranked in the NWC, Freedom is the No. 3 seed and former NWC rival, Hickory, is the No. 2 seed.
• In the 3A West women’s bracket, High Country contender Ashe County earned the No. 7 seed and will host No. 24 Crest. Another NWC contender, Freedom, is the No. 14 seed and will host No. 19 Franklin.

By David Rogers. MORGANTON, N.C. — It is hard to beat just about any team three times in the same season, especially when the defeated squad in the first two meetings has all their wits about them and is in good health on the third go ’round. Certainly that was the case on Feb. 17 when Watauga defeated regular season nemesis, Hibriten, 48-43, to earn the championship title of the Northwestern Conference post-season tournament, hosted at Freedom High School.

It was not an easy outing. After jumping out to a 16-5 lead at the end of the first quarter, Watauga saw its early advantage all but slip away by halftime. The Panthers “won” the second period, 15-5, to almost close the early gap. Hibriten trailed Watauga by only a single point going into intermission, 21-20.

With some halftime adjustments and regathering their composure during the break, Watauga was able to take a 32-26 lead going into the final stanza, but Hibriten would not go quietly into the night. Senior guard Katie Story poured in a game-high 24 points in the losing effort to keep the Panthers close throughout the contest. With the Pioneers leading by just five with under a minute remaining in the game, Hibriten was forced to go into “foul mode” in hopes of Pioneer misses at the charity stripe and a chance to get the ball back for some scores.

It’s hard to say which of the Pioneers had more ice in their veins in that final minute as they sidled up to the free throw line. Most of the opportunities fell to junior guard Charlotte Torgerson as her teammates passed her the ball and she waited patiently for one or more Panthers to foul and send her to the line. Without a doubt, Torgerson did her part, successful on 7-of-9 free throws on the night, with most of them coming in the final minute.

But that final minute also saw senior guard Laurel Kiker go to the line and she was a perfect 2-for-2 during that stretch, 3-for-4 for the night. On the defensive end, senior forward Brooke Scheffler came down with a rebound only to be struck in the face. In obvious pain from the unintentional hit, she took a minute, then shook off her obvious discomfort to calmly sink one of two free throws in the final minute. Sophomore point guard Kate Sears was much closer back to her normally productive self on the night and made 2-of-3 free throws in that last minute stretch. She finished the game with a team-high 21 points, just slightly over her season average of 20.4, according to MaxPreps.

All in all, while Hibriten scored some points in that final minute, they were not enough to offset the free throws made by the Pioneers during that stretch.

“I am so happy for our team,” said Watauga head coach Laura Barry afterwards. “We talked about earning this and what it would take. Not that it would take a perfect game, but that it would take effort and focus on doing our job. I am just so proud of the team for doing that.”

In reviewing the win, Barry started with the beginning: the previous night in the semifinals and the effort that got them to the final.

“I could go right down the line, but Julie (Matheson) last night was amazing and then (Kaitlyn) Darner tonight coming in and making plays, getting steals for a breakout,” said Barry. “And then the steadiness of our starters. Caroline Farthing defensively and on the glass (rebounding). Then you have Brooke Scheffler’s improvement this year as a senior just shines for us. And the backcourt guards, Kate (Sears) and Charlotte (Torgerson). They just do so much for us. I am rambling, but going down the line I am so proud of them.”

Given the 48-45 loss to Hibriten on Jan. 12 and the 64-50 defeat on Feb. 3 when a large portion of her roster was sick with the flu, including Sears and Torgerson, the Pioneers felt they had something to prove.

“This was a game where every possession mattered,” said Barry. “I think we locked into believing that and then played like that.”

Barry said she felt the first half was a bit more physical than the second half, when the officials were blowing their whistles more frequently.

“It went both ways and I don’t think they overblew their whistles,” Barry noted. “It keeps great players on the floor. Players like Kate Sears and Katy Story, who we have a ton of respect for, you want those kids to be on the floor, playing. I prefer no foul trouble, for sure.”

Not surprisingly, the Watauga players were ecstatic about finally getting the win over Hibriten after the two challenging losses.

“It feels fantastic,” said Torgerson. “They are a very worthy opponent and they prove that over and over again. Playing them again for a third time, that’s tough on both teams. Coach Barry said we have to want this more. We have to play just as hard, if not harder. We faced some adversity in the first two games. Like I said, they are a very worthy opponent but tonight we showed them the best Watauga team.”

Hibriten’s senior point guard, Story, represented a real challenge for the Watauga defense.

“We played an extended 2-3 zone, really stressing getting out on the shooters. All three of their guards can shoot the ball well,” said Torgerson. “We stressed getting out, putting our hands in front of their faces and making their shots very, very difficult.”

Scheffler echoed Torgerson’s thoughts on getting past Hibriten.

“It is such a great feeling. Finally putting it to them the third time,” said a beaming Scheffler, quickly acknowledging, “It is hard to beat a team three times. We knew that going in. We just had to accept that they are a tough team and we had to do it.

“This gives us a lot of confidence going into the state playoffs, getting a win like this. Hibriten is a fast-paced team, strong under the basket, rebounders… Knowing that we can beat a team like that where we normally don’t have a great matchup, it really helps us in the long run,” Scheffler added.

Sears said afterwards, “Last night we didn’t play our best game at all. Playing a team where we lost twice in the regular season where we didn’t feel we were at our best both times, tonight we felt like we had something to prove. We came out strong. Right from the beginning, we were knocking down stuff and playing with a ton of intensity on defense. We were able to keep that lead throughout the game, even though they went on runs.

“In the second quarter, I think they started adjusting to how hot we came out in the first quarter. They started hitting shots, which we knew they could do. We just had to handle the runs that we knew would happen. We handled it ok in the second quarter, then went in at halftime and regrouped. In the second half, we started knocking stuff down again,” said Sears.

Sears, Farthing and Scheffler were all named to the all-tournament team, with Sears being named Most Valuable Player. She shared the regular season MVP with Hibriten’s Story, named co-MVPs.

The All-Tournament team in its entirety included, Morgan Phipps (Ashe County), Meredith Wike (Alexander Central), Zoey Walker (Hibriten), Brooke Scheffler (Watauga), Caroline Farthing (Watauga), Katie Story (Hibriten), and Kate Sears (Watauga).

Now the teams we will await the seeding for the state playoffs, Watauga in the 4A division and Hibriten in the 3A division.

SELECTED TOP PEFORMERS

• HIB Katie Story: 24 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals
• WAT Kate Sears: 21 points, 13 rebounds, 3 assists
• WAT Caroline Farthing: 8 rebounds, 2 steals
• WAT Charlotte Torgerson: 12 points, 2 assists, 2 steals
• HIB Zoey Walker: 8 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal
• WAT Brooke Scheffler: 7 points, 5 rebounds

 

By David Rogers. MORGANTON, N.C. — On a night when the Watauga women’s basketball team starters weren’t shooting the ball particularly well, they got a surprise spark from the bench in a tense, 39-33 win. Sophomore guard Julie Matheson was good on 3-for-3 from behind the 3-point arc and was a perfect 2-for-2 from the free throw line, matching junior Charlotte Torgerson for team high honors with 11 points on the night, Feb. 16, in the semifinals of the Northwestern Conference tournament hosted by Freedom High School.

It was the fourth time during the 2022-23 season that the Pioneers and the Huskies have faced off against each other and you could tell by the defensive play that these two High Country adversaries know each other pretty well. While Watauga has won by larger margins in previous games against Ashe County this season, the Huskies kept things close by anticipating and interfering with Watauga’s passing lanes, including 7 steals on the night spread among five different Husky players.

To win, the Pioneers had to survive a standout, all around performance by Ashe County junior guard, Paige Overcash. The athletic, 6-0 guard pulled down a game-high 12 rebounds while also recording a game-high 13 points while adding a pair of assists and two steals to round out her evening’s stat line. Fellow guard Abby Sheets pulled down 9 rebounds and was 4-for-5 from the free throw line, pouring in 11 points on the night.

Where Watauga seemed more effective, especially in the first half, was on the defensive boards, rebounding the basketball on errant Husky shots and preventing second chance opportunities. If Watauga had a bad night shooting — just 30.2 percent from the field (13-43) and only 21.1 percent from the 3-point arc — Ashe County was even worse, only 24.5 percent from the field and just 6.7 percent (1-for-15) from long range.

To their credit, Ashe County kept the Pioneers’ usual high-scoring guard tandem of sophomore guard Kate Sears and Torgerson all but bottled up. Torgerson matched her season average of 11 points per game thanks to 5-of-5 shooting from the charity stripe late in the game when the Huskies were in foul mode, trying to get the ball back.

Sears, though, was well off her season-long average of 20.4 points per game, with just six points of offensive production on this night. Uncharacteristically, the all-state phenom in her freshman season had an off night while being challenged by whatever Ashe County quintet was on the floor. Sears was just 3-of-13 from the floor, including 0-for-5 from behind the 3-point arc. And while normally getting to the free throw line with her fearless, drive-to-the-basket style, against the Huskies in the NWC tournament semifinals she was 0-1 in free throw attempts.

Although Sears may have stumbled in her own point production, she more than made up for it in rebounding (9) game-highs in assists (5) and steals (3) while distributing the ball effectively from her point guard position.

After the game, Watauga head coach Laura Barry pointed out that much of Ashe County’s scoring came in transition, after missed Pioneer shots.

“They know us now,” said Barry, “and I think they did a very good job in (anticipating) our tendencies. A lot of their scoring was in transition. We just didn’t shoot very well tonight. We come out of this game looking back at making 13-of-43 shooting, which is better than Ashe County’s 12-of-49, but it was just a (terrible) game, offensively. You can credit the defense or just say that both teams shot the ball poorly.

“I thought our kids stuck it out very well, but on our misses, we weren’t getting back like we want to be,” Barry added. “Kate did a good job of taking care of the ball. When you are missing your shots, you have to take care of the ball. She has a huge focus for the defense of the opposing team and she did a good job of finding people although we had a lot of back door cuts that we simply blew, (but I was impressed by) our kids’ movement away from the ball when the defense was focused on Kate. Every shot Kate took were shots we wanted her to take. She had a number of good pull-up jumpers in the first half, but just didn’t hit them.”

With that, Barry turned her attention to the real positives of the night.

“What a huge step-up by Julie Matheson,” said Barry. “She had three 3-pointers and as a team we had just four. That’s a kid we’ve brought in from the bench all year. She has managed to buy into that role even though she was more time. Tonight she proved, ‘Hey, I am here when you need me.’”

Watauga now turns its attention to the finals, slated for Friday, Feb. 17, 6:30 p.m., against the team with whom the Pioneers shared the regular season championship: Hibriten. The Panthers were 54-44 winners over Alexander Central in the other women’s semifinal matchup on Feb. 16.

Although they shared the regular season NWC title with Hibriten, Watauga comes into the tournament championship game with something to prove. The Pioneers lost a close one to the Panthers on Jan. 12, 48-45, on the Lentz Eggers Gym floor. For the home team at least it was a rather chaotic night because a classroom fire down the hall from the gymnasium disrupted the team’s normal routine in preparation. When the teams met for the second time, on Feb. 3 in Lenoir, a number of the Watauga players, including Sears and Torgerson, were sick with the flu and Hibriten prevailed, 64-50, while being allowed by the game officials to play a highly physical style, with close quarters contact.

So now presumably healthy on a neutral court at Freedom HS in Morganton and with perhaps a different orientation of referees, the Pioneers aim to make the third encounter a charm, indeed.

SELECTED KEY PEFORMERS ON FEB. 16 VS. ASHE COUNTY

• ASH Paige Overcash: 13 points, 12 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals
• WAT Julie Matheson: 11 points, including 3-for-3 from behind the arc
• WAT Charlotte Torgerson: 11 points, 2 assists, 1 steal
• ASH Abby Sheets: 11 points, 9 rebounds, 1 steal
• ASH Morgan Phipps: 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals
• WAT Kate Sears: 9 rebounds, 6 points, 5 assists, 3 steals
• WAT Laurel Kiker: 6 rebounds, 1 point
• ASH Lexie Dawson: 5 rebounds, 5 points, 1 assist, 1 steal

By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — In one of the most entertaining high school men’s basketball games of the year, Watauga dropped the Northwestern Conference first round game to Hibriten, 84-77.

BONUS PHOTOS at bottom of article.

Neither team was accurate from the free throw line, although the Panthers got plenty more opportunities at the charity stripe when the Pioneers were forced to foul often in the closing minutes in an effort to get the ball back with the potential to close the gap. For the game, Watauga was 9-of-18 from the foul line (50 percent) while Hibriten was 21-of-41 (51.2 percent).

A major difference maker in both halves was the ability of the Panthers to bring down offensive rebounds and get second chance points. It was a feature of the game that persisted throughout the night.

That, and the ability of Hibriten’s Nylan Battle and Thomas Vaught to drive the lane and penetrate Watauga’s defense, along with a whopping five 3-pointers by Jay Willis proved to be the Pioneers’ undoing.

Watauga junior forward Jackson Pryor brought the partisan crowd to its feet on three occasions with resounding dunks, while Grant Morrison’s three 3-pointers in the second half helped close the gap. Pryor finished with a game-high 20 points, while Morrison (13 points) and Cole Horine (10 points) also produced double figures in scoring.

Hibriten was led by Battle and Vaught, each with 19 points, while Willis finished with 16 and Kalen Bowers and Jay Maxwell added 12 and 11 points, respectively to round out the five Panthers in double figures.

Hibriten now moves on to play Alexander Central in the semifinals of the Northwestern Conference tournament’s men’s division on Thursday, in the semifinals hosted by Freedom, in Morganton.

Watauga’s season hangs in the balance. The Pioneers are the second place 4A team in the Northwestern Conference but with a 12-13 overall record, it remains to be seen whether or not that will be good enough to earn a probable low seed in the 4A state playoffs.

Alexander Central and South Caldwell are the other two 4A teams in the Northwestern Conference. As the second place team in the league standings, Alexander Central (16-7, 7-3) has the inside track on representing the Northwestern Conference in the state playoffs, but with both Watauga and South Caldwell at 12-13 overall, 5-6 in conference play counting the first round games, the jury is still out on their chances for a state playoffs berth. The Pioneers did defeat South Caldwell in their two meeting this season, so are likely to own any tiebreaker.

SCORING SUMMARY

• WAT Jackson Pryor (20)
• HIB Nylen Battle (19)
• HIB Thomas Vaught (19)
• HIB Jay Willis (16)
• WAT Grant Morrison (13)
• HIB Kalen Bowers (12)
• HIB Jay Maxwell (11)
• WAT Cole Horine (10)
• WAT Maddox Greene (9)
• WAT Wyatt Keller (8)
• WAT Wyatt Kohout (7)
• WAT Davis Hunt (5)
• WAT Josiah Railey (5)
• HIB Bryce Horton (5)
• HIB Kayvien Felder (2)

BONUS PHOTOS

By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — As luck would have it, the No. 3 seeded Watauga men’s basketball will get another shot at No. 6 seeded Hibriten, in Lentz Eggers Gym on Tuesday, Feb. 14, with tipoff at 6:30 p.m. in the first round of the Northwestern Conference tournament. The winner advances to the semifinal round against the No. 2 seed, Alexander Central, based on results from regular season play.

Watauga (12-12 overall, 5-5 NWC) split with the Panthers in the regular season, winning 70-63 at home on Jan. 12 and losing, 62-51 in Lenoir on Feb. 3, in what turned into a controversial foul fest (56 fouls called, 71 free throws, 5 players fouling out).

In the upper bracket of the men’s conference tourney, No. 4 South Caldwell takes on No. 5 seed Ashe County on Feb. 14 in Hudson, with the winner advancing to face Freedom on Feb. 16 in the semifinals.

All semifinal and final games (men and women) will be played at Freedom, the semis on Feb. 16 and the finals on Feb. 17.

Watauga WBB earns bye into semifinals

In the women’s tournament, by virtue of its tying for a share of the regular season championship title and a No. 2 seed, Watauga earned a bye into the semifinals and awaits the first round winner on Feb. 14 between No. 3 Ashe County and No. 6 South Caldwell. The Watauga semifinal will be played at Freedom, on Feb. 16, at 4 p.m.

In the upper half of the women’s bracket, on Feb. 16, No. 1 Hibriten will play the Feb. 14 tilt between No. 4 Alexander Central and No. 5 Freedom. As with the men’s semis and finals, the women’s semifinals and championship games will be played on Feb. 16 and Feb. 17, in Morganton.

By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — Although Watauga mostly dominated in the women’s basketball game on Feb. 10, the Pioneers had to survive two Ashe County runs to close the gap. Watauga prevailed in front of a packed house, 55-46.

BONUS: Senior Night photos at bottom of article.

It was Senior Night for Watauga and that brought special meaning to this rivalry rematch with the Huskies. In West Jefferson on Jan. 20, the Pioneers won convincingly, 70-59, but the rematch evolved as more of a defensive battle. The trio of Kate Sears (18 points), Brooke Scheffler (16) and Charlotte Torgerson (12) accounted for most of Watauga’s offensive production on the night, but it was the teamwide defensive effort that limited just two Husky players to double figures that made the difference.

Ashe County junior forward Paige Overcash dropped in a team-high 15 points with strong inside play while sophomore guard Abby Sheets was good on two made baskets from beyond the arc to edge into double figures, with 10 points.

“We knew it was going to be a tough game,” said Watauga head coach Laura Barry after the last second had ticked off the game clock. “I loved the way we started so hot, but then we had to really dig in and manage a tough game. I thought we weathered their runs well. They made one in the first half and one in the second half. I really loved our poise when it came down to clock management.”

Barry added that the Ashe County runs were prompted by transition play, and in rebounding.

“Some of what they got was in transition and off the glass. We talked about it before the game that missed shots by us would lead to transitions for them. Ashe County opened the second quarter with three offensive boards and we knew we wouldn’t be able to play that way in the second half. So I thought we tightened up after that. Laurel Kiker had a phenomenal game. We were honoring our seniors tonight and she was just ready to go and do something special. She is really coming on at the right time.”

Barry acknowledged the mixed feelings about seeing her time with the team’s three graduating seniors (Caroline Farthing, Laurel Kiker, and Brooke Scheffler) coming to an end with the finish of the regular season schedule and just the post-season (conference tournament and state playoffs) remaining.

“Undoubtedly, it is bittersweet,” said Barry, about the annual ritual of a high school or college coach in seeing seniors move on. “As you get into their senior year, you know them the best and you know them the most. They are great people. So yes, it is bittersweet that they will not be with us next year, but I am excited about their futures.”

The win secured a share of the Northwestern Conference championship for Watauga, tied with Hibriten, both teams recording 8-2 conference records. Playing a very tough non-conference schedule, Watauga was 18-6 overall. By virtue of its two wins over Watauga during the regular season, Hibriten gets the No. 1 conference tournament seed, with Watauga the No. 2. Both will get first round byes.

For the conference tournament, there is a high probability that Watauga will play Ashe County (16-7, 6-4) again next Thursday, in the second round. If so, it will be the fourth time the Huskies and Pioneers have faced off during the 2022-23 basketball season.

“You see a team four times during the year, you know each other so well,” said Barry. “It comes down to making a lot of adjustments and who can step up and play.”

SCORING SUMMARY

• WAT Kate Sears (18)
• WAT Brooke Scheffler (16)
• ASH Paige Overcash (15)
• WAT Charlotte Torgerson (12)
• ASH Abby Sheets (10)
• ASH Abby Eller (6)
• ASH Ally Greer (6)
• ASH Morgan Phipps (5)
• WAT Laurel Kiker (4)
• ASH Lexi Dawson (4)
• WAT Kaitlyn Darner (2)
• WAT Caroline Farthing (2)
• WAT Diane McGlamery (1)

BONUS PHOTOS OF “SENIOR NIGHT”

 

 

By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — They weren’t giving away gold, land or cryptocurrency at Watauga High School on Feb. 10, but by 4:30 p.m. parking was only available in the nether regions of the expansive school parking lot. No, it was rivalry basketball night in the High Country, as well as “Senior Night” at host Watauga — and the atmosphere was as electric as the play on the court.

BONUS: Senior Night photos at bottom of article.

A second half surge by Ashe County’s men’s basketball team all but swallowed up a 19 point halftime deficit. The Huskies’ Jake Grubb (17 points in the second half), Eli Lemley (12 points in the second half) and Harrison Langdon (11 points in the second half) reeled in the Pioneers but weren’t quite able to overtake their hosts. Watauga held on for a nail biter win that went down to the last few seconds, 65-60.

This was high school basketball at its finest. Sure, there were some boos and catcalls when one side or the other’s fans disagreed with an official’s call — or no call when the crowd thought a foul had been committed. And yet, there was nothing abusive heard from the packed grandstands on both sides of the court. It was fun. It was entertaining. It was special.

After Watauga lost a thriller at Ashe County just a couple of weeks ago, on Jan. 20, 70-59, in a game that was back and forth close until the Pioneers were forced to foul in the last seconds, this Northwestern Conference rematch had to have been circled on the entire Pioneer team’s calendars.

And that is the way the Pioneers played in the opening two quarters to take a 39-20 lead into halftime. Seniors Grant Morrison, Wyatt Keller, Davis Hunt and Cole Horine poured in 9, 7, 7 and 6 points, respectively, in the first half and the team made just about every Husky shot difficult, defensively.

The only Ashe County scoring of note in the first half was by Grubb, whose 12 first half points when combined with a whopping 17 in the second half earned him game-high scoring honors, with 29 on the night, including five made baskets from behind the 3-point arc.

Morrison and Keller shared team-high honors scoring for the Pioneers, with 16 each, the only Watauga players in double figures on a night when there was good offensive production spread up and down the roster.

“This was just good rivalry basketball,” said Watauga head coach Bryson Payne afterwards. “I am proud of how our guys finished.”

Watauga finished the regular season 12-12 overall and 5-5 in Northwestern Conference play. Ashe County ends the regular season 9-15 overall and 3-7 in the NWC. Both teams await the seeding decisions of the conference competition committee as they determine the pairings for next week’s Northwestern Conference tournament play.

SCORING SUMMARY

• ASH Jake Grubb (29)
• WAT Grant Morrison (16)
• WAT Wyatt Keller (16)
• ASH Eli Lemley (14)
• ASH Harrison Langdon (11)
• WAT Cole Horine (9)
• WAT Davis Hunt (7)
• WAT Jackson Pryor (6)
• WAT Wyatt Kohout (6)
• ASH Austin Grogan (4)
• WAT Maddox Greene (3)
• WAT Josiah Railey (2)
• ASH Tanner Poe (2)

BONUS: Senior Night and other photos

David Rogers. MORGANTON, N.C. — Among Kate Sears’ game-high 25 points scored on Feb. 7 against rival Freedom was her 1,000th career point — and she is not yet finished with her sophomore season. It is a remarkable achievement, especially when you consider she spends a lot of her court time distributing the ball to teammates, looking for a better, open shot.

BONUS PHOTOS AT BOTTOM OF ARTICLE

Watauga ended up winning convincingly, 59-46, but Sears’ 16 second half points helped Watauga gain separation from the Patriots, after the Morganton side was trailing by only four points at intermission, 24-20.

Watauga’s other dynamic point and shooting guard, junior Charlotte Torgerson, had a big second quarter en route to a 20-point game by the end, leading the Pioneers in scoring in the first half, with 11.

Almost all of Freedom’s offensive production came in Payton Caldwell’s work inside the paint, recording 20 points on the night. Patriot guard Sydnie Demiter also finished in double figures, with 10.

“Credit freedom,” said Watauga head coach Laura Barry after the game. “They came out really, really tough and bothered us. The kind of made the game ugly for us, offensively. I had told our kids that the Freedom we remembered for the game played in Boone a couple of weeks ago would not be the same Freedom we saw today.  And that held true.”

Despite the tougher matchup, Watauga prevailed.

“I am proud of our kids for making some big shots. Charlotte Torgerson was really good for us, especially from the 3-point line. Brooke Scheffler had some big second half plays. Kate Sears made some big shots for us when we needed to separate. This was a huge win on the road for us, that we needed after this past week,” said Barry, acknowledging the challenging Feb. 3 loss to Hibriten.

While a few of the Watauga players were quite ill in the game at Hibriten, they were almost back to their normal selves against Freedom.

“We are healthier, but I don’t think our wind is back,” said Barry. “I thought we looked tired at times tonight. I think it is just the kids getting over the colds or flu, whatever it was that we had. And yet, this was much better than Friday. But really, this is a gut check. These are the last games of the regular season and we are staring at the upcoming post-season.”

With the win, the Pioneer women are 17-6 overall and 7-2 in Northwestern Conference play, their only two losses to Hibriten. They will take those regular season records into a Senior Night tilt vs. Ashe County on Feb. 10.

“It will be a good game,” said Barry. “They know us and we know them. It is going to be about a lot of heart and a lot of fight, as well as a good many in-game adjustments. However they start and we start… I think both teams will figure it out. The top players on both teams are going to be ready to play.’

SCORING SUMMARY

• WAT Kate Sears (25)
• FRE Payton Caldwell (22)
• WAT Charlotte Torgerson (20)
• FRE Sydnie Demiter (10)
• WAT Brooke Scheffler (6)
• WAT Laurel Kiker (6)
• FRE Ava Whisnant (6)
• FRE Haven Gladden (5)
• FRE Statler McGee (3)
• WAT Kaitlyn Darner (2)

BONUS PHOTOS

By David Rogers. MORGANTON, N.C. — Watauga took the Northwestern Conference’s first place team to the last 0.4 seconds on Feb. 7, but couldn’t quite pull off the upset, losing 64-62.

The Pioneers trailed most of the game, including a 10 point deficit during the third quarter, but tightened things up and actually took the lead briefly in the final stanza before the Patriots pulled back ahead. With under 15 seconds to play, Freedom had a 5-point lead after a dunk that brought the Patriot fans to their feet, but Watauga’s Jackson Pryor received a long pass down court and launched a 3-pointer from downtown Morganton that found nothing but net to shrink the lead. As Freedom was taking the ball back upcourt and time was ticking down, a mishandled ball ended up in Watauga’s hands. While the buzzer sounded to end the game, a chat among the officials concluded that the Pioneers had indeed called a timeout — but with just 0.4 seconds left on the game clock.

Watauga assistant coach Andrew Wilson said, “At 0.4 seconds, there is time to catch and shoot. At 0.3, it can only be a tap-in.”

Neither scenario worked in the end for Watauga as time expired.

While Watauga’s scoring was spread among several players, Freedom’s Amare Connolly scored 36 points for the Patriots, or more than half of the team’s total. The 6-1 sophomore is listed as a small forward as well as a point guard — and looked both parts in shooting from both inside and outside. Philly Harris, another small forward, had the next most points for Freedom, with nine.

Watauga had three players in double figures, led by Pryor’s team-high 22 points with 14 and 12 points, respectively, added by Grant Morrison and Wyatt Keller.

Keller’s four 3-pointers, including three of them in the final quarter, was critical in Watauga’s keeping the game close.

At the end of the first quarter, Freedom had a 14-11 lead, which they expanded slightly to 34-29 at intermission. At the end of the third quarter, the Morganton team still held a small lead, 46-42.

With the win, Freedom is now 18-4 overall and 8-1 in Northwestern Conference play. The Patriots also secured at least a share of the conference title and, depending on the outcome of second place Alexander Central’s tilt against Hibriten on Feb. 7, may already be assured of the regular season championship if the Cougars lost to the Panthers. Either way, Freedom and Alexander Central will meet in a showdown on Feb. 10, in Morganton.

Watauga falls to 11-12 overall and 4-5 in Northwestern Conference play, but given their narrow loss to first place Freedom on Feb. 7 and after handing the Patriots their only conference loss (98-80) on Jan. 17, the Pioneers may be the most dangerous team on any given night. To close out the regular season on Feb. 10, Watauga will host High Country rival Ashe County in a much anticipated rematch after losing to the Huskies on Jan. 20, in a 70-59 thriller that was closer than the 11 point differential indicates because of late fouling to regain possession.

SCORING SUMMARY

• FRE Amore Connelly (36)
• WAT Jackson Pryor (22)
• WAT Grant Morrison (14)
• WAT Wyatt Keller (12)
• FRE Philly Harris (9)
• WAT Cole Horine (7)
• WAT Wyatt Kohout (5)
• FRE Avery Pollard (5)
• FRE Kobe Johnson (5)
• FRE Dyson Dellinger (3)
• WAT Maddox Greene (2)
• FRE Kayden Lytle (2)
• FRE Gavin McNaughton (2)
• FRE Max Taylor (2)

BONUS PHOTOS

By David Rogers. WAXHAW, N.C. — Charlotte area high school Marvin Ridge, Providence Senior, Ardrey Kell, and Myers Park may have dominated the North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) 4A Western Swimming Regionals at the Mecklenburg County Aquatic Center on Feb. 4, but swimmers from the Northwestern Conference, including Watauga and South Caldwell, achieved season and personal bests during the competition.

“We had a great Regional meet,” said Watauga head coach David Gragg. “We are just in a difficult region in a tough (4A) classification. I doubt many places in the country have the talent found in the 4A classification throughout North Carolina. For this event, we modified some of our men’s relays to cover some defections after the conference meet. All of our athletes worked really hard to get to this point (among the top 20-30 swimmers in each event from all of Western North Carolina). I am really proud of their accomplishments.”

For Watauga swimmers, there were several season and/or personal best times recorded by the Pioneer natators.

High School Personal Best times by:

• Maggie Cheves (200 IM, 100 Back)
• Lauren Patterson (100 Back. Lowered own school record set at 2023 Conference meet)
• Virginia St. Clair (100 Free)

Season Best Times by:

• 200 Free Relay (Men and Women)
• 400 Free Relay (Women)

Here are the top three finishers in each event, noting the schools they represent and their performance times, as well as any Northwestern Conference competitor’s placing, time, and whether or not it was a season or personal best.

Women’s 200 Medley Relay

1. Myers Park (1:41.66)
2. Ardrey Kell (1:46.63)
3. Charlotte Catholic (1:46.71)

12. Watauga (1:56.17), team comprised of Lola Herring, Lauren Patterson, Athena Elliott, Virginia St. Clair

Men’s 200 Medley Relay

1. Marvin Ridge (1:32.97)
2. Providence Senior (1:33.20)
3. Ardrey Kell (1:34.84)

22. South Caldwell (1:55.12), team comprised of Sawyer Thompson, Skylar Shew, Owen Griffith, Nathan Hall

23. Watauga (1:55.81), team comprised of Ryan Wood, Trathan Gragg, Michael Makdad, Levi Temple

Women’s 200 Freestyle

1. Kaylee McDonald, Marvin Ridge (1:49.42) – SEASON BEST
2. Kara Martinson, Weddington (1:49.56)
3. Makenna Wozny, Providence Senior (1:51.10) – PERSONAL BEST

Men’s 200 Freestyle

1. Jack Haywood, Providence Senior (1:40.97)
2. Ian Mckinney, Marvin Ridge (1:41.81)
3. Evan Prabhu, Providence Senior (1:42.66)

Women’s 200 Individual Medley

1. Grace Rainey, Hough (1:59.84)
2. Avery Klamforth, Myers Park (2:00.05)
3. Sofia Plaza, Myers Park (2:02.76) – SEASON BEST

21. Maggie Cheves, Watauga (2:16.56) – PERSONAL BEST

Men’s 200 Individual Medley

1. Ben Delmar, Providence Senior (1:50.06)
2. Chris Aristondo, South Mecklenburg (1:52.04)
3. Charles Heisig, Marvin Ridge (1:53.16)

Women’s 50 Freestyle

1. Alyssa Claborn, Lake Norman (23.93) – PERSONAL BEST
2. Eliza Wallace, Ardrey Kell (24.14) – PERSONAL BEST
3. Joslyn Bolton, Providence Senior (24.21) – PERSONAL BEST

Men’s 50 Freestyle

1. Christopher Zhang, Ardrey Kell (20.77) – PERSONAL BEST
2. Grayson Ickes, Providence Senior (20.80) – PERSONAL BEST
3. Nate Hohm, East Mecklenburg (20.87) – PERSONAL BEST

Women’s 1M Diving

1. Madeline Bays, Weddington (454.30)
2. Abby Studnek, Myers Park (444.70)
3. Gabriella Panichella, Lake Norman (442.15)

Men’s 1M Diving

1. Dean Treanor, Hough (490.00)
2. Tucker Bryant, Myers Park (307.05)
3. Mason Kramer, Charlotte Catholic (280.65)

Women’s 100 Butterfly

1. Kiley Wilhelm, Myers Park (52.72) – SEASON BEST
2. Molly Donlan, South Mecklenburg (54.53) – SEASON BEST
3. Kayman Neal, Myers Park (55.12) – SEASON BEST
4. Lauren Patterson, Watauga (56.86)

Men’s 100 Butterfly

1. Troy Keen, Marvin Ridge (49.43)
2. Maksym Nechydyuk, Ardrey Kell (50.25) – PERSONAL BEST
3. Robby Frye, Hough (51.16) – SEASON BEST

Women’s 100 Freestyle

1. McKenna Patrick, Cuthbertson (51.81) – PERSONAL BEST
2. Aubrey Hull, Ardrey Kell (52.54)
3. Joslyn Bolton, Providence Senior (62.69) – PERSONAL BEST

12. Virginia St. Clair, Watauga (55.36) – PERSONAL BEST

Men’s 100 Freestyle

1. Nate Hohm, East Mecklenburg (45.49)
2. Christopher Zhang, Ardrey Kell (45.65) – PERSONAL BEST
3. Connor Solvason, Cox Mill (46.41) – SEASON BEST

Women’s 500 Freestyle

1. Kara Martinson, Weddington (4:53.27)
2. Kaylee McDonald, Marvin Ridge (4:54.29) – SEASON BEST
3. Leila Sleime, Charlotte Catholic (4:59.43) – SEASON BEST

Men’s 500 Freestyle

1. Ian Mckinney, Marvin Ridge (4:31.81) – PERSONAL BEST
2. Santiago Alzate-Celin, Ardrey Kell (4:36.78)
3. Jack Haywood, Providence Senior (4:39.52)

Women’s 200 Free Relay

1. Marvin Ridge (1:36.25)
2. Providence Senior (1:37.39)
3. Myers Park (1:37.40)

13. Watauga (1:43.58), team comprised of Lauren Patterson, Athena Elliott, Maggie Cheves, Virginia St. Clair

Men’s 200 Free Relay

1. Ardrey Kell (1:25.71)
2. Providence Senior (1:26.28)
3. Marvin Ridge (1:27.72)

20. South Caldwell (1:39.14), team comprised of Owen Griffith, Skylar Shew, Nathan Hall, Avery Annas

22. Watauga (1:40.48), team comprised of Michael Makdad, Levi Temple, Paul Gamiel, Ryan Wood

Women’s 100 Backstroke 

1. Kiley Wilhelm, Myers Park (53.90) – SEASON BEST
2. Alyssa Claborn, Lake Norman (54.71) – PERSONAL BEST
3. Molly Donlan, South Mecklenburg (54.93)

8. Lauren Patterson, Watauga (57.08) – SEASON BEST

22. Maggie Cheves, Watauga (1:00.76)

Men’s 100 Backstroke

1. Chris Aristondo, South Mecklenburg (50.47) – PERSONAL BEST
2. Maksym Nechydyuk, Ardrey Kell (51.47) – PERSONAL BEST
3. Charles Heisig, Marvin Ridge (51.80)

Women’s 100 Breaststroke

1. Grace Rainey, Hough (1:00.35)
2. Avery Klamforth, Myers Park (1:01.63)
3. Sofia Plaza, Myers Park (1:03.69) – SEASON BEST

Men’s 100 Breaststroke

1. Ben Delmar, Providence Senior (55.78)
2. Cameron Bucci, Myers Park (57.34) – PERSONAL BEST
3. Hayden Stallings, Providence Senior (57.57)

21. Avery Annas, South Caldwell (1:05.91)

Women’s 400 Free Relay

1. Myers Park (3:28.46)
2. Marvin Ridge (3:31.14)
3. Charlotte Catholic (3:32.42)

14. Watauga (3:54.46), team comprised of Maggie Cheves, Lola Herring, Athena Elliott, Virginia St. Clair

Men’s 400 Free Relay

1. Marvin Ridge (3:07.98)
2. Providence Senior (3:10.06)
3. Myers Park (3:11.42)

20. South Caldwell (3:47.02), team comprised of Owen Griffith, Skyler Shew, Sawyer Thompson, Avery Annas

23. Watauga (3:49.84), team comprised of Ryan Wood, Trathan Gragg, Paul Gamiel, Michael Makdad