By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — Playing ultra-complementary football, Watauga High School celebrated “Homecoming 2025” by taking a wrecking ball to longtime Northwestern Conference rival South Caldwell. The undefeated Pioneers remained that way with a 56-0 win in front of a near capacity crowd at Jack Groce Stadium.
Senior quarterback Cade Keller completed 13-of-15 passes for 300 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions. On the receiving end, Evan Burroughs caught five passes for 184 yards and three TDs, some of them simple flare routes and screen passes that he turned into big chunks of gridiron real estate with his elusiveness and speed. Nyle Peays added five catches for 72 yards, while 6-4, 215 lb. senior tight end Tyler Leyshon caught two passes and dragged would-be tacklers with him for 43 yards.
Pioneer head coach Ryan Habich explained after the game that based on personnel and what the coaching staff usually sees from South Caldwell, defensively, they opted for a heavy dose of aerial attack. Plus, he said, the Pioneers wanted to be better prepared and more rounded as the playoffs approach and what he feels will be stiffer competition in Alexander Central, McDowell and St. Stephens over the next three weeks.
“When you are a good football team you want to play like a good football team regardless of who your opponent is,” said Habich, “and for the entire game.”
Certainly, the Pioneers kept the proverbial “pedal to the metal” against the Spartans. It was the sixth time this year that officials instituted the “mercy rule” with a running clock.
While the game plan favored passing the ball to take advantage of Keller’s skills and his receivers’ overall speed and athleticism, Watauga also fared well running the football. Matthew Leon carried the ball only twice, but for a total of 50 yards and scored a TD on each carry. Everett Gryder carried the ball seven times for just 13 yards — but punched and plowed through the line of scrimmage for two TDs on the night.
Not left out of the scoring barrage was Bowen Mayo, who had two catches for 21 yards and a single carry for five yards into the end zone.
A key metric in the evening’s lopsided win was five turnovers committed by South Caldwell, those drive-killing, self-inflicted wounds. Watauga defensive lineman Brady Lindenmuth, defensive back Kyle Williams and linebacker John Wilson Mills all registered fumble recoveries. Peays and Burroughs both poached South Caldwell passes for interceptions. In addition to his fumble recovery, Mills was the team’s leading tackler on defense, while Crue Stoddard was in on at least three tackles and recorded a QBH (quarterback hurry).
Placekicker Miller Hankins remains perfect on the season in PAT attempts, including 8-for-8 on Oct. 10 against the Spartans.
A poignant moment came for the Pioneers after the game, when Habich and Keller presented the Homecoming game ball to Braxton Clark, the son of former App State head football coach Shawn Clark, who suddenly passed away recently. Before moving to Florida with his family, where Coach Clark was offensive line coach for the University of Central Florida, Braxton had served as a ball boy for the Pioneers varsity football team.
Next up for the Pioneers is another Northwestern Conference test, this one in Taylorsville against Alexander Central on Oct. 17, which defeated the conference’s only 7A classification team on Oct. 10, 30-28. All other NWC teams, including Watauga, are 6A classification schools. The Cougars are 2-5 overall, 1-1 in conference. Their losses have been against stiff competition in Newton-Conover, Hickory, Statesville, South Iredell and St. Stephens.
Now 7-0 overall and 2-0 in conference action, Watauga came into the Oct. 10 contest ranked by MaxPreps as the No. 13 school among all classifications and No. 1 in North Carolina’s 6A classification. Before its win over McDowell, Alexander Central was ranked No. 41 out of 57 6A classification schools.
SCORING SUMMARY
1st Quarter
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- Watauga PASS – Evan Burroughs 39 yards from Cade Keller, Miller Hankins PAT is good, 7-0
- Watauga RUN – Matthew Leon from 2 yards out, Miller Hankins PAT is good, 14-0
- Watauga RUN – Everett Gryder from 2 yards out, Miller Hankins PAT is good, 21-0
2nd Quarter
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- Watauga PASS – Evan Burroughs 73 yards from Cade Keller, Miller Hankins PAT is good, 28-0
- Watauga RUN – Matthew Leon 44 yards, Miller Hankins PAT is good, 35-0
- Watauga RUN – Everett Gryder 2 yards, Miller Hankins PAT is good, 42-0
- Watauga PASS – Evan Burroughs 49 yards from Cade Keller, Miller Hankins PAT is good, 49-0
3rd Quarter
4th Quarter
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- Watauga RUN – Bowen Mayo 5 yards, Miller Hankins PAT is good, 56-0
BONUS PHOTOS (Click on any image for larger version and Slide Show Mode)
All photographic images by Jared Everett, processed by David Rogers for High Country Sports.
