Deuces Wild: Three Pioneers score 2 goals each in 9-0 romp over South Caldwell

April 26, 2024

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Katie Durham (15) takes aim at the goal on April 26 in the Pioneers' 9-0 win over South Caldwell. Photographic image by David Rogers

By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — A little late spring weather didn’t dampen the performance of Watauga’s women’s soccer team on April 26. The Pioneers all but dominated South Caldwell in the 9-0 win that saw a pair of seniors, Katie Durham and Georgia Parker, as well as sophomore Savannah Duvall each find the back of the net twice for the home team in Jack Groce Stadium.

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Rather than advance the ball with booming, long kicks, the Watauga game plan is to keep control of the ball on the ground with short, often one-touch passes to work the ball up field. Against the Spartans, they were near perfection in that aspect of their game and the ball rarely left the Pioneers’ attacking half of the field.

It really is a special team.

While Durham, Parker and Duvall had multi-goal performances, Watauga also had scores from Morgan Flynt, Charlotte Cuthbert, and Hannah Graham.

Charlotte Cuthbert (6) races with the ball down the sideline in the first half of Watauga’s 9-0 win over South Caldwell. Photographic image by David Rogers

This is a team that prides itself in sharing the ball and setting up teammates with the best opportunity to score, so it is only natural that of the nine goals, eight of them resulted in credits for an assist. Parker was on the front end of a scoring play twice, while other assists were earned by Mattie Durham, Katie Durham, Lucy Willis, Savannah Rogers, Cuthbert, and Sam Bertrand.

Of his team’s dominating performance, head coach Chris Tarnowski said after the game that the Pioneers are coming together as a team at the perfect time.

With Watauga’s Chloe Weigl (13, in dark jersey) threatening to score, South Caldwell’s goalkeeper makes a last gasp save on April 26, in the Pioneers’ 9-0 win over the Spartans. South Caldwell’s Karrigan Bailey (13, in light jersey) is helping defend. Photographic image by David Rogers

“We are really hitting our best run of form here in the back half of the conference season,” said Tarnowski. “Our senior class is extraordinary and the members of it are doing an amazing job of leading the entire team, while keeping everyone focused on our goals. We want to be playing our best soccer as we finish the conference season and head into the playoffs — and our players should have a lot of confidence that we are doing just that. The team continues to support one another on and off the field and we are proud of how supportive they are of one another. It really is a special team.”