Category: High School

By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — After splitting the first two “nail biter” sets, Watauga’s junior varsity volleyball team stormed past the visiting Indians in the third to win their final test of the 2025 campaign (25-15, 22-25, 15-6).

Mia Mitchell recorded 31 assists, feeding the Pioneer trio of Adeline Tate (9 kills), Kira Beasley (8 kills), and Haileigh Peele (7 kills).

Beasley also posted three service aces and teammates Lia Gillina and Ember Honeycutt followed with two more each, to lead the Pioneers on the service line.

Defensively, Honeycutt led Watauga with 10 digs while Beasley added seven. Mitchell and Madison Plemons also contributed, with six digs each.

The Pioneer JVs conclude their 2025 season 19-1 overall, 9-1 against Northwestern Conference opponents.

BONUS PHOTOS (Click any image for larger version and Slide Show Mode)

All photographic images by David Rogers for High Country Sports

 

By David Rogers. MARION, N.C. — Led by outside hitters Emma Pastusic and Ashlyn Smith, with 21 and 11 kills, respectively, the Watauga women’s volleyball team cruised to yet another 3-0 sweep in Northwestern Conference play on Oct. 7 (25-16, 25-13, 25-22).

In the lopsided win, the Pioneers’ head coach Kim Pryor was able to get valuable, on-court playing time for 14 of her athletes, all seeing participation in at least one set. The win put Watauga in the drivers seat for next week’s conference tournament with the likely No. 1 seed and automatic pass to the semifinals on Tuesday, Oct. 14, in a return trip to Marion where McDowell will host the semis and finals on consecutive nights, Oct. 14 and 15.

Going into the final regular season match vs. St. Stephens on Oct. 9 (“Senior Night”), Watauga is 20-1 overall and 9-0 in Northwestern Conference play.

SELECTED INDIVIDUAL STATS

Kills: Emma Pastusic (21), Ashlyn Smith (11), Kora Knight (7), Gracyn Phelps (2), Addie Stough (2), Lainey Gragg (1), Athena Elliott (1)

Service Aces: Lainey Gragg (3), Ashlyn Smith (3), Caroline Childers (2), Emma Pastusic (1), Jillian Martin (1), Lilli Combs (1)

Assists: Lainey Gragg (39), Caroline Childers (5)

Blocks: Addie Stough (1)

Digs: Caroline Childers (25), Lilli Combs (14), Ashlyn Smith (10),  Lainey Gragg (10). Emma Pastusic (8), Ava Zaragoza (3), Kora Knight (1)

Serve Receives: Caroline Childers 24, Ashlyn Smith 15), Emma Pastusic (6), Lilli Combs (1)

BONUS PHOTOS (Click on any image for larger version and Slide Show Mode)

All photographic images by David Rogers for High Country Sports

By David Rogers. MARION, N.C. — A broad-based, coordinated attack by Watauga’s junior varsity volleyball team resulted in seven different players recording kills against the McDowell Titans JV on Oct. 7, reinforced by five service aces from Kira Beasley.

The Pioneers won, 2-0 (25-8, 25-13).

Watauga had little trouble in dispatching McDowell, improving their overall record to 18-1 and 3-0 in Northwestern Conference play.

Freshman outside hitter Adeline Tate led the attack with a game-high six kills, with sophomore Kira Beasley adding four kills. Freshman setter Mia Mitchell orchestrated the attack with 12 assists and played a key role defensively with a game-high six digs. Defensive specialist Kelbey Windish mustered four digs to keep the ball in play.

Next action for the Pioneers is a final home match to end the 2025 JV campaign, vs. St. Stephens on Oct. 9.

SELECTED STATS

Kills: Adeline Tate (6), Kira Beasley (4), Haileigh Peele (2), Mia Mitchell (2), Addin Hodges (2), Payton Carter (1), Ellie Helms (1), Lia Gillin (1)

Service Aces: Kira Beasley (5), Anna Casey (2), Kelbey Windish (1), Mia Mitchell (1), Lia Gillin (1)

Assists: Mia Mitchell (12), Ember Honeycutt (2), Katie Bentley (1)

Blocks: Adeline Tate (1), Mia Mitchell (1)

Digs: Mia Mitchell (6), Kelbey Windish (4), Ember Honeycutt (3), Anna Casey (2), Kira Beasley (1), Haileigh Peele (1), Lia Gillin (1), Molly Nolte (1)

By David Rogers. MORGANTON, N.C. — It was Watauga’s biggest test so far of the 2025 high school football season and they passed with flying colors, 42-20, putting a damper on Freedom’s homecoming festivities.

BONUS PHOTOS @ Bottom of Article

All photographic images captured by Jared Everett, processed by David Rogers for High Country Sports

Precision blocking at the line of scrimmage helped running back Everett Gryder and quarterback Cade Keller pick up large chunks of gridiron real estate, getting both Pioneers into the second level where they outraced any Patriot thoughts of defense. Add-in sophomore linebacker John Wilson Mills’ “smash mouth” efforts in leading a stellar Watauga defensive performance and you have all the ingredients for the blowout that it was. The Pioneers were ahead, 21-0, before the buzzer sounded for the end of the first quarter.

The Pioneer offensive coaching staff’s multiple formations and motion sets had Freedom frequently grasping for air. On defense, the Patriots were going backwards as often as not, compliments of Watauga defenders’ tackles for loss and smothering QB sacks.

The Pioneers’ head coach, Ryan Habich, acknowledged the hard work put in by his players and coaches during the previous week, noting that while Watauga played a special game last week at Asheville to help pay tribute to the Hurricane Helene recovery efforts in Western NC, Freedom and others in the Northwestern Conference had byes.

“Freedom has been preparing for us these past two weeks,” Habich pointed out.

Now Watauga turns its attention to a home tilt vs. longtime Northwestern Conference rival South Caldwell, which lost Oct. 3 to the league’s lone 7A contender, McDowell, 60-42.

The Spartans are 2-4 overall, 0-1 in league play, with wins over West Caldwell (Aug. 22, 62-26) and North Gaston (Sept. 12, 16-12). Losses were to Hibriten (Aug. 29, 62-6), Tuscola (Sept. 5, 42-6), T C Roberson (Sept. 19, 40-6), and the aforementioned McDowell.

We’ll have an update to this story when game stats are made available.

BONUS PHOTOS (Click any image for larger version and Slide Show Mode)

All photographic images by Jared Everett, processed by David Rogers for High Country Sports

By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — In one of the most electric environments in Lentz Eggers Gym in recent memory, Watauga High School’s varsity women’s volleyball team clawed back from a 19-13 deficit in the third set to complete a sweep of Alexander Central on Oct. 2, 3-0 (25-20, 25-13, 25-23).

It was “Pink Out” night in Lentz Eggers gym, in support of breast cancer research. With the player introductions, the public address announcer also added who each Watauga player was remembering or honoring on this night.

Although the visiting Cougars competed fiercely in the first two sets, Watauga seemed in control the entire journey, always turning back AC’s rallies. Whether the Pioneers got complacent after going up 2-0 or their opponents made some adjustments of kind is open for discussion, but from the start of the third set Watauga was in relative disarray — errant passes, the sets less precise, the attacking kill shots off target.

With the partisan crowd enthusiastically behind them, though, the Pioneers shook off the early foibles, got back in synch and rallied behind the hustling placements of junior setter Lainey Gragg and thunderous kill shots by senior outside hitter Emma Pastusic.

Testimony to the attacking skill of Alexander Central were the defensive numbers put up by host Watauga. No less than five Pioneers recorded double digits in digs, including Pastusic’s 19, Caroline Childers with 14, Ashlyn Smith (14), Lilli Combs (13), and Lainey Gragg (10). Each instance of a “dig” implies the ball was kept in play and effectively passed to a teammate keeping a counterattack opportunity alive.

“Those comebacks are fun. (At least) afterwards, they are fun,” said a smiling Pioneer head coach Kim Pryor. “We got in a lull. All year long, we never showed a lack of confidence. Just for a minute (tonight), we did. We called a timeout to talk about that, ‘… to never, ever play without confidence. You’ve earned the right to play with confidence with everything you have (accomplished) this year.’ So they just lifted. They turned it around, fortunately. We just took control and rolled it in.”

As with most hotly contested matches, this one was not without controversial officiating calls — and Pryor, the passionate head, was not reluctant in letting her viewpoint known when a call went against her Pioneers. Her getting yellow carded when Watauga was in the midst of that third set rally might well have helped extend the team’s momentum.

“I am not aiming to get yellow cards,” said Pryor, what is believed to be her fourth yellow card of the season. “But I think sometimes when I get fiery, (the girls) get fiery, for some reason. More than that, though, when players are flying into the wall, over the bench and the ball falls for us, that is so motivating. Those kinds of plays just propel us.

“We have to be careful not to be complacent,” Pryor added, “just because we have won so much on the road. The way we have done it is to take control of games and play with energy. We didn’t bring as much energy early (in that third set). We have to make sure we play with energy all the time.”

Pryor’s competitive experience over many years of coaching brought another, special insight about her team’s performance against Alexander Central.

“You know, we needed to have this game (especially at this point in the season),” noted Pryor. “(Alexander Central) is a great team. We didn’t play our best but we were able to pull it out. As a team, we need to see that, to know that we are able to play at our highest level and winning, and also playing not as well and still pulling through. We need to see this level of competition.”

Pryor acknowledged the energy provided by the enthusiastic crowd — and passed on a compliment.

“The Alexander Central coach complimented our crowd, which was cheering and the student section was being funny and all. But they were still being respectful at the same time. We have one of the best student sections in the state. Sometimes they roll in late because many of them have their own practices, but when they come in they are a force. We love having them in the gym,” said Pryor.

One of the comeback sparkplugs might well have been the serving of junior defensive specialist and backup libero Graycie Collins.

“I was feeling the moment,” Collins said. “It was really electric… the fans, our bench. There was a lot of energy in the gym and it was supporting us. We have a huge target on our backs. Coach even told us that after our last game. Each opponent from here on is out to get us. Alexander Central came out strong in that third set and it fired us up even more. It was exciting. It was awesome.”

Watauga next takes that target — 19-1, including an 18-game winning streak, and undefeated, 8-0, in Northwestern Conference play — to Marion, N.C. on Oct. 7, to face a 7A classification opponent, McDowell. The match is scheduled for approximately 6:15 p.m., after the junior varsity game starting at 4:30 p.m.

The Pioneers will close out the regular season on Oct. 9, hosting St. Stephens (6 p.m.). Watauga swept both McDowell (3-0, Sept. 18) and St. Stephens (3-0, Sept. 23) in the first half of the home-at-home series.

SELECTED MATCH STATS

Kills: Emma Pastusic (20), Ashlyn Smith (10), Kora Knight (8), Lainey Gragg (3), Addie Stough (2), Hannah Adams (1)

Service Aces: Ashlyn Smith (3), Graycie Collins (2), Lainey Gragg (1), Caroline Childers (1)

Blocks: Addie Stough (2), Lainey Gragg (1), Hannah Adams (1)

Digs: Emma Pastusic (19), Caroline Childers (14), Ashlyn Smith (14), Lilli Combs (13), Lainey Gragg (10), Graycie Collins (3), Addie Stough (1), Hannah Adams (1), Kora Knight (1)

Assists: Lainey Gragg (38), Caroline Childers (3), Ashlyn Smith (2), Graycie Collins (1)

Serve Receive: Caroline Childers (24), Ashlyn Smith (19), Emma Pastusic (6), Lilli Combs (2), Lainey Gragg (1)

BONUS PHOTOS (click on any image for larger view and Slide Show mode)

All photographic images captured and processed by David Rogers for High Country Sports

By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — Finishing more than two minutes ahead of your nearest competition in a 5,000 Meters Run is one way for making a case that you are the force to be reckoned with — and that is just what Watauga sophomore Cali Townsend did on Sept. 30, in the 2025 Northwestern Conference Pre-Conference XC Meet, hosted by the Pioneers.

Townsend negotiated her home course in 18:46.55, a time that would have put her No. 7 in the men’s division.

As a team, the Pioneers dominated, including the top six finishers before Freedom freshman Leighton Beck crossed the line at No. 7 (22:40.27) and Alexander Central senior Hope Cox scratched the chalk at No. 8 (22:41.69).

Watauga senior Janie Beach-Verhay was No. 2 (20:54.17), freshman Josie Mayo No. 3 (20:54.46), sophomore Lily Kimbrough No. 4 (21:07.64), junior Lainey Johnston No. 5 (21:07.94), and sophomore Nora Price No. 6 (21:08.42).

The six Watauga top finishers on the day were the only runners to cross the line in under 22 minutes. Given the top five, Watauga recorded the lowest possible team score (15 points), followed by Freedom (No. 2, 59 points) and Alexander Central (No. 3, 68 points)

Sixty-seven (67) athletes competed in the women’s division race, including 37 from Watauga.

MEET RESULTS

 

By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — Led by Calvin Zwetsloot’s No.1 finish, the Watauga High School men’s cross-country team swept the first four places and put seven harriers in the top 10 for the 2025 Northwestern Conference 6A/7A Pre-Conference Meet on Sept. 30.

A senior, Zwetsloot finished almost 10 seconds ahead of No. 2 James Bostrom in the 5,000 Meter Run on Watauga’s home course but all four of the sweeping Pioneers were within 27 seconds of the race winner’s time of 18:06.72, including junior Bostrom (18:16.09), freshman Sean Rea (18:33.08) and senior Zeke Walker (18:33.75).

After South Caldwell senior Bryce Corpening crossed the line at No. 4 (18:34.11), a trio of Pioneers completed Watauga’s top seven athletes, including senior Levi Anderson (No. 6, 18:41.96), freshman Jonah Pearson (No. 7, 18:47.02) and senior Elliott Taft (18:.54).

Freedom sophomore Frank Harrelson (No. 9, 19:01.11) and Alexander Central sophomore Caden Horn (No. 10, 19:11.77) completed the top 10. Fifty-two (52) runners competed, including 27 Pioneers.

In the team competition, Watauga was far and away the winner with a near-perfect 16 points (15 is the best possible), followed by Freedom (No. 2, 71 points), Alexander Central (No. 3, 71 points) and South Caldwell (No. 4, 85).

MEN’S RESULTS

By David Rogers. GRANITE FALLS, N.C. — It was another sweep for Watauga High School’s varsity volleyball team over South Caldwell, 3-0 (25-21, 25-13, 25-17), on Sept. 30, played at Granite Falls Middle School because the Spartans’ gymnasium is having some work done on it. Another sweep, but not without some interesting aspects to the action.

We don’t have game stats on the Spartans, but they were effective, defensively, early in the match blocking the Pioneers’ big hitters, Emma Pastusic and Ashlyn Smith. Over the three sets Watauga’s power duo still recorded 18 and 11 kills, respectively, and middle blocker Kora Knight added 8 more, but many of those came after a Spartan block or dig that South Caldwell kept in play and returned back to the Pioneers’ side, needing to mount a second or even third attack on a rally.

Watauga head coach Kim Pryor acknowledged afterwards they knew the Spartans were adept, defensively, in digging out those attacking blasts, usually in the second row, because they had demonstrated those skills in the teams’ first encounter, in Lentz Eggers Gym on Sept. 11.

“South Caldwell is a well-coached team and we saw their digging abilities the first time, up in Boone. They have improved their blocking skills,” said Pryor.

Smith added, “We eventually figured out spots to better place our hits.”

South Caldwell also managed some attacking power of their own, but more often than not were disappointed by Watauga’s own defensive skill, expressed in digs. A trio of Pioneers reached double figures in digs, including Caroline Childers (16 digs), Lainey Gragg (12) and Lilli Combs (12). Smith and Pastusic added seven and five digs, respectively.

Now 18-1 overall, 7-0 in Northwestern Conference play, the Pioneers will look to keep their league record unblemished when they host the No. 2 team in the league, Alexander Central (13-4, 6-1) on Oct. 2 in Lentz Eggers Gym.

While Watauga is ranked by MaxPreps as the No. 3 6A classification team in North Carolina, behind only J.H. Rose (Greenville, N.C.) and Kings Mountain, Alexander Central is not far behind in the No. 9 ranking, out of 58 programs with the 6A classification.

SELECTED MATCH STATS

Kills: Emma Pastusic (18), Ashlyn Smith (11), Kora Knight (8), Julia Rowan (4), Rae Coffey (2), Addie Stough (1), Lainey Gragg (1), Lilli Combs (1)

Service Aces: Emma Pastusic (3), Ashlyn Smith (1), Lainey Gragg (1), Lilli Combs (1)

Blocks: Emma Pastusic (2), Rae Coffey (2), Addie Stough (2), Lainey Gragg (2), Kora Knight (1), Hannah Adams (1), Julia Rowan (1)

Digs: Caroline Childers (16), Lainey Gragg (12), Ashlyn Smith (7), Emma Pastusic (5), Graycie Collins (2), Kora Knight (1), Julia Rowan (1), Addie Stough (1), Rae Coffey (1)

Assists: Lainey Gragg (32), Caroline Childers (4), Julia Rowan (2), Graycie Collins (2), Rae Coffey (1), Ashlyn Smith (1)

Serve Receive: Caroline Childers (18), Ashlyn Smith (10), Emma Pastusic (7), Julia Rowan (2), Lainey Gragg (1), Addie Stough (1), Rae Coffey (1)

BONUS PHOTOS (Click on any image for larger view and Slide Show Mode)

 

By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — It might have been Watauga High School’s varsity volleyball team’s biggest challenge before state playoffs begin later in October, a non-conference tilt vs. High Country rival, Ashe County — but the Pioneers breezed through with a 3-0 sweep (25-12, 25-18, 25-18).

The win was not without a test, however. Unlike previous sweeps in which head coach came close to emptying her bench in getting as many as 15 rostered players court time, in this one she deployed only nine.

Statistical leaders included Ashlyn Smith (4 service aces, 15 digs, 15 serve receives, 6 kills), Emma Pastusic (22 kills, 9 serve receives, 1 service ace), Lainey Gragg (30 assists, 9 digs, 2 kills, 1 service ace), and Caroline Childers (16 serve receives, 12 digs, 1 service ace).

Next up for Watauga is a trip to Hudson to resume Northwestern Conference play against South Caldwell, the first of four matches over the next 10 days to complete conference play. To follow: vs. Alexander Central (Oct. 2), at McDowell (Oct. 7), vs. St. Stephens (Oct. 9). In their first league encounters of the home-at-home series, Watauga recorded 3-0 sweeps against all four conference opponents, with the Cougars of Alexander Central offering the biggest challenge.

Now 17-1 on the season, overall, and 6-0 in conference play, the Pioneers are currently ranked No. 14 in all of North Carolina by MaxPreps, and No. 3 in the NC 6A classification, behind only J.H. Rose and Kings Mountain.

SELECTED MATCH STATS

Kills: Emma Pastusic (22), Ashlyn Smith (6), Addie Stough (3), Julia Rowan (3), Kora Knight (2), Lainey Gragg (2)

Service Aces: Ashlyn Smith (4), Lainey Gragg (1), Caroline Childers (1), Emma Pastusic (1)

Blocks: Addie Stough (4), Julia Rowan (3)

Digs: Ashlyn Smith (15), Caroline Childers (12), Lainey Gragg (9), Lilli Combs (4), Emma Pastusic (2), Kora Knight (1), Addie Stough (1), Graycie Collins (1)

Assists: Lainey Gragg (30), Caroline Childers (4), Lilli Combs (1)

Serve Receive: Caroline Childers (16), Ashlyn Smith (15), Emma Pastusic (9), Graycie Collins (1)