High Country Sports

Category: Middle School

  • Townsend, Roman sweep top honors for Watauga MS in Randy Smith Classic

    By David Rogers. BRISTOL, Va. — With five athletes in the top 10, including first place winner Cali Townsend, Watauga’s girls middle school cross country team took top honors in the Middle School Girls 3k race at the Randy Smith Classic on Sept. 29.

    Townsend, still only a 7th grader at Parkway School, was the only middle school girl to complete the course under 12 minutes, posting a time of 11:51.48. Maggie Visser came in 4th (13:00.50), followed by Lainey Johnston (6th, 13:16.30), Noelle Bollman (7th, 13:17.50), and Lily Kimbrough (8th, 13:25.10).

    Watauga also had five additional athletes in the the Top 20 of the 176 girls competing in the race, including Sophia Stull (14th), Carrie Bradbury 15th), Julian Martin (16th) Sadie Long (17th), and Katherine Rex (18).

    Other Pioneers competing in the middle school girls race included Gianna Casco, Sophia McEvoy, Savannah Moretz, Francis Davis, Claire Nance, Eva Hannon, Margot Smith, Leila McTier, Brynn Eckman, Jenna Sigmon, Naomi Smith, Lillian Olson, Ella Powell, Madalyn Taylor, Lucy Nash, Riley Morgan, Reese Windmueller, Eliza Hickman, Sila Gersonde, and Claire Powell.

    Middle School Boys 3K

    Watauga’s Andres Roman (8th grade, Hardin Park) and Grady Gates (8th, Valle Crucis) finished in the No. 1 and No. 3 positions, respectively in the Middle School Boys 3k. Roman (11:22.63) and Gates (11:28.72) led the Pioneer boys to a second place team finish, behind only a strong Providence Academy squad that featured all five of its scorers in the top 20. Watauga’s team scoring was completed by Brian Newmark (No. 17, scored as No. 10), Remy Steinheber (64/41), and Waylon Hutelmyer (82/48). A total of 133 harrier athletes competed in the boys division race.

    Other Watauga boys running included Kent Windmueller and Tallon Abrams.

    The next scheduled meet for the Pioneer middle school harriers is Oct. 5, a tri-meet with Grace Academy and Tailwinds Track Club. That will be followed by a trip to Gray, Tenn., on Oct. 8 to compete in the Daniel Boone Trailblazer Invitational at Daniel Boone High School.

     

     

  • Blowing Rock volleyball topples Bethel, 2-0

    By David Rogers. BLOWING ROCK, N.C. — It was 8th Grader Night at Blowing Rock School for the Rockets’ volleyball duel against Bethel. The home team celebrated with a 2-0 sweep over the team from western Watauga County, 25-9, 25-18.

    After the Rockets dominated Bethel in the opening set, the visitors looked like they were going to return the favor in the second, jumping out to a 14-7 lead. But Blowing Rock reeled off an 8-1 run to knot the set at 15-15, then finished off the match with another run of 10-3.

    Blowing Rock middle blocker Alaina Ott (13) looks to set up an outside hitter for a kill shot on Sept. 27 vs. Bethel. Photo by David Rogers

    Elsewhere in Watauga County, host Hardin Park extended its league dominance with 2-0 sweeps over Mabel (25-11, 25-19) and Valle Crucis (25-7, 25-15), while edged Valle Crucis in three sets, 25-12, 22-25, 15-8.

    In the other tri-match at Parkway, the host school prevailed over Green Valley, 2-0 (25-2, 25-21) and Cove Creek, 2-0 (25-18, 25-16). In turn, Cove Creek swept Green Valley, 2-0 (25-17, 25-21).

    MIDDLE SCHOOL LEAGUE STANDINGS as of Sept. 27

    1. Hardin Park (11-0)
    2. Parkway (10-1)
    3. Cove Creek (6-5)
    4. Blowing Rock (5-5)
    5. Mabel (4-7)
    6. Valle Crucis (3-7)
    7. Bethel (2-8)
    8. Green Valley (1-9)

  • Watauga MS golfers capture Oakwoods CC event

    By David Rogers. WILKESBORO, N.C. — Competing against four Wilkes County middle schools and one from Ashe County at Oakwoods Country Club, Watauga’s middle school golf team captured another tournament on Sept. 26.

    In capturing the team title by nine strokes, Watauga’s Oliver carded a 42 to lead the Pioneers.

    INDIVIDUAL SCORES

    • Oliver Lewis 42
    • Justice Hendley 47
    • Dylan Taylor 48
    • Rush Brasier 53
    • Connow Cowart 53
    • Thad Martin 54

    TEAM SCORES

    • Watauga (190)
    • West Wilkes (199)
    • Ashe (211)
    • Central Wilkes (215)
    • North Wilkes (215)
    • East Wilkes (222)

  • Watauga middle schoolers sweep High Country Classic

    By David Rogers. BOONE — On a perfect day (cool and dry) for long distance running in the North Carolina mountains, Watauga’s Cali Townsend and Grady Gates took top honors in the girls’ and boys’ middle school divisions, respectively, in the High Country Cross Country Classic.

    According to race director Randy MacDonough, 22 teams were entered in the six race divisions that included boys and girls high school varsity, high school junior varsity, and middle school, with a Lexington, S.C. team driving the furthest.

    At least figuratively speaking, Townsend finished a country mile ahead of second place finisher in the middle school girls division, Olivia Speropulos of Providence Academy. Townsend, a 7th grader, ran the 3200 meters race in 12:26.19, with Speropulos following over a minute later in 13:33.28.

    Impressively, eight more Watauga middle school girls crossed the finish line before another athlete from a different school. That included Maggie Visser (3), Carrie Bradbury (4), both 8th graders, then sixth grader Sophia Stull (5), 7th grader Lily Kimbrough (6), 8th grader Lainey Johnston (7), 7th grader Noelle Bollman (8), 7th grader Gianna Casco (9), and 8th grader Julian Martin (10).

    Other schools or running clubs represented among the 84 young athletes competing included Grace Academy, Tailwind, North Carolina Leadership Academy, Morganton Day School, Surry Home Educators, Happy Valley, and Liberty Prep Christian Academy.

    Grady Gates of Watauga finishes first in the boys middle school division of the High Country Cross Country Classic on Sept. 24. Photo by David Rogers

    In the boys middle school division, Watauga 8th grade Grady Gates took top honors in 11:58.47, while teammate Andres Roman, also an 8th grader, finished in second at 12:03.79. The same group of schools were represented in the boys division.

  • Hardin Park stays unbeaten, Blowing Rock sweeps at home

    By David Rogers. BLOWING ROCK, N.C. — Several split decisions marked the Watauga County middle school volleyball action on Sept. 20. Hardin Park and Parkway continued to roll through opponents, while the standings in the bottom two-thirds of the league got more muddled as teams that lost in the first two weeks seem to have gotten stronger and more confident with experience.

    Green Valley’s Ansleigh Watson goes for a ‘dig’ against Mabel on Sept. 20, in a tri-match hosted by Blowing Rock. Photo by David Rogers

    At the Blowing Rock gymnasium, the host Rockets dropped their first set to Green Valley narrowly, 22-25, but rallied to take the next two sets more convincingly, 25-18, 15-10.

    In the second pairing at Blowing Rock, Mabel defeated Green Valley in a split decision, 2-1 (13-25, 25-15, 15-11), but then was swept by Blowing Rock, 2-0 (25-14, 15-13).

    Two Blowing Rock players converge on the ball, including Alaina Portero (14), in a tri-match pairing vs. Mabel on Sept. 20, hosted by Blowing Rock. Photo by David Rogers.

    At the Valle Crucis hosted tri-match, Hardin Park dispatched both Cove Creek (25-9, 25-17) and Valle Crucis (25-13, 25-8) in straight sets, while Cove Creek won a close encounter with their hosts, 2-1 (25-23. 20-25, 15-13).

    In the lone solo match hosted by Bethel, Parkway proved to be an inhospitable guest in sweeping, 2-0 (25-7, 25-21).

    STANDINGS after Sept. 20 matches

    PLACE SCHOOL RECORD
    1 Hardin Park 7-0
    2 Parkway 6-1
    3 Cove Creek 5-2
    T4 Blowing Rock 3-4
    T4 Mabel 3-4
    6 Valle Crucis 2-5
    T7 Green Valley 1-6
    T7 Bethel 1-6

  • Blowing Rock rallies for first win; Hardin Park dominates tri-matches

    By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — Few, if any, middle school volleyball matches on Sept. 15 could have featured as much tension and excitement on both sides as the Bethel vs. Blowing Rock match at Hardin Park School.

    It was the second game of the tri-match format, played after Bethel had lost, 2-0 (25-3, 25-12) to the host Golden Eagles. In the first set between Bethel and the Rockets, the west siders had Blowing Rock on the ropes with a 24-18 lead and just needing one point to win the set. But behind masterful serving by young Elouise Cascio, the Rockets went on a 7-0 run that put them ahead 25-24. Then Bethel stiffened, forcing the set into extended overtime before Blowing Rock prevailed, 32-30.

    Madison Millsaps serves for Bethel on Sept. 15, against Hardin Park. Photo by David Rogers

    The joy on the Blowing Rock bench was palpable, it being the first set won by the Rockets during the 2022 season. With momentum and growing confidence, they went on to take the second set, too (25-16), to claim their first match won of the season, too.

    Although the Rockets were buoyed by the win under tough conditions, a strong, tall, and athletic Hardin Park team finished the night with a 25-12, 25-11 straight set victory over Blowing Rock in the final pairing.

    Graycie Collins of Hardin Park strikes the ball on Sept. 15, vs. Bethel. Photo by David Rogers

    Elsewhere, in the lone single match of the night, Cove Creek battled to a straight-set win over Green Valley, at Cove Creek, but not before the Eagles pushed the Raiders to overtime in the second set. Final scores: 25-15, 26-24.

    The other tri-match for the night was hosted by Parkway, vs. Mabel and Valle Crucis. Parkway defeated Mabel, 25-7, 25-13, before Mabel dispatched Valle Crucis, 25-13, 25-23.

    In the final pairing, Parkway shot by Valle Crucis, 25-7, 25-13.

    Blowing Rock’s Anna Brynne keeps the ball in play with a dig on Sept. 15, in the Rockets’ first set win against Bethel, at Hardin Park School. Photo by David Rogers

  • A night of rallies in Watauga middle school volleyball

    By David Rogers. COVE CREEK, N.C. — Close calls and comeback rallies were the order of the day on Sept. 13, at Cove Creek School, where the Raiders played host to tri-match volleyball in welcoming Parkway and Blowing Rock.

    None were more thrilling than Cove Creek rallying from an 11-1 deficit in the second set, surge ahead at 22-21, but then fall to Parkway in overtime, 27-25. Given the Parkway girls first set win of 25-19, the match goes down as a straight set sweep even if the outcome was much closer than the set score suggests.

    Parkway School’s Gianna Clark goes up to block a Cove Creek kill attempt on Sept. 13, at Cove Creek School. Photo by David Rogers

    In the first set of the Blowing Rock vs. Parkway encounter, the Rockets jumped ahead to a 4-0 first set lead before girls from the east side of Boone got their mojo going — and moving on to a decisive, 25-19, 25-9 sweep.

    Blowing Rock fell in another close match to Parkway in the final pairing of the night, pushing to overtime in the first set before losing, 26-24, then losing the second set, 25-17.

    In other middle score matches around the county, Hardin Park defeated Mabel, 25-13, 25-15.

    At the  tri-match hosted by Bethel School, Valle Crucis fell to Bethel in a nail biter, 25-22, 25-20. Valle Crucis dropped the first set to Green Valley before rallying to win the next two and take the match, 24-26, 25-17, 16-14.  In the closing match, Green Valley closed out Bethel in three sets, 25-21, 17-25, 15-7.

  • Watauga Middle School: Summary Scoreboard, Sept. 8, 2022

    SOCCER

    • Watauga 5, Arndt Middle 3

    VOLLEYBALL

    • Valle Crucis def. Blowing Rock, 2-0 (25-12, 25-15)
    • Hardin Park def. Green Valley, 2-0 (25-8, 25-12)
    • Hardin Park def. Parkway, 2-1 (25-10, 26-24, 15-9)
    • Parkway def. Green Valley, 2-0 (25-13, 25-6)
    • Cove Creek def. Mabel, 2-0 (25-13, 25-23)
    • Cove Creek def. Bethel, 2-0 (25-9, 26-24)
    • Mabel def. Bethel, 2-0 (25-19, 25-14)

  • A day of (mostly) sweeps in Watauga middle school volleyball

    By David Rogers. BOONE — Sept. 8 was a day of sweeps in Watauga middle school volleyball matches.

    Hardin Park’s Lainey Gragg sets a spike opportunity during the team’s Sept. 8 volleyball match vs. Green Valley. Photo by David Rogers

    In a tri-match between Hardin Park, Parkway and Green Valley, Hardin Park recorded a 2-0 win over Green Valley before Parkway tested the Eagles, forcing a third set with a nail biter, overtime win in the second frame. Parkway used that measure of momentum to dominate Green Valley.

    Another tri-match saw Cove Creek dispatch Bethel and Mabel in straight sets, but not before both rallied for second set threats. In arguably the most evenly-matched competition of the day, Mabel got by Bethel in straight sets.

    The lone pairing: Valle Crucis defended its home court effectively with a straight set win over Blowing Rock.

    SCORES

    • Valle Crucis def. Blowing Rock, 2-0 (25-12, 25-15)
    • Hardin Park def. Green Valley, 2-0 (25-8, 25-12)
    • Hardin Park def. Parkway, 2-1 (25-10, 26-24, 15-9)
    • Parkway def. Green Valley, 2-0 (25-13, 25-6)
    • Cove Creek def. Mabel, 2-0 (25-13, 25-23)
    • Cove Creek def. Bethel, 2-0 (25-9, 26-24)
    • Mabel def. Bethel, 2-0 (25-19, 25-14)