By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — Just call Watauga’s Kate Sears the Energizer Bunny. Her 33 points matched the total offensive production of the Pioneers’ opponent, South Iredell — but, oh, there were 43 more points scored from up and down the Watauga lineup in the No. 1 seeded team’s domination of the No. 32 seeded Vikings, 76-33, in Round 1 of the NCHSAA 4A West bracket of the state basketball playoffs.
With the win, Watauga advances to host Round 2 on Friday, Mar. 1. They will face No. 16 North Mecklenburg, which defeated No. 17 Asheville, 86-53, at the same time the Pioneers were dismantling South Iredell.
Sears scored all of her points in the first three quarters, then sat on the sideline with most of the starters to watch the bench players outplay the Vikings in the final stanza, 9-4.
For Sears and the rest of the starters it was business as usual. In addition to Sears’ 33 points, backcourt tandem mate Charlotte Torgerson tallied 13 points, including her 1,000th career point as a Pioneer. Junior guard Julie Matheson added 12, freshman guard Blair Haines contributed seven points and guard Kaitlyn Darner hit with four points to complete the majority of the home team’s scoring in Lentz Eggers Gym on Feb. 27.
South Iredell was plagued with ball-handling foibles for most of the game while under pressure from the Pioneers, although senior forward Kayden Johnson (12 points) and Claire Humm (10) managed to get into double figures for the Vikings.
Watauga now boasts a 22-5 overall record for the 2023-24 campaign. South Iredell’s season ends with a 9-18 record.
After the game, Watauga head coach Bill Torgerson sounded almost sympathetic to the plight of the Pioneers’ South Iredell opponent, but also complimentary about how far the Vikings have come in a year.
“I give lots of credit to South Iredell,” said Torgerson. “I think they were coming off a 4-win season the year before and so to make the playoffs and have to go on the road vs. the #1 seed is a big moment (for them). I thought they came out really strong by scoring 15 points in the first quarter and put us on our heels a little bit.”
Torgerson suggested that South Iredell had done their homework and developed a plan: to stop Sears.
“Once again we were playing a team that was really coming after Kate, putting two players on her before the ball was even inbounded. It really helps when (our) other players make shots in that situation. Charlotte Torgerson had a big quarter scoring 9 on two threes and Julie Matheson also hit a three and a two. We were struggling on defense and so that 25 point offensive quarter was much needed and allowed us to have a lead after one.”
Watauga’s first year head coach continues to be impressed by Sears.
“Holy cow. Kate had a 26-point first half. She’s really locked in right now, creating opportunities for herself and her teammates. It was great to see her get to the line for those 12 free throws. Love how hard she’s taking it to the basket, too,” said Torgerson.
Torgerson shared some thoughts about her daughter’s development and growing ambitions from an early age.
“I think the first time Charlotte thought about anyone scoring 1,000 points she was a 5th grader and a ball girl with her sister for the T C Roberson girls team in Asheville. A player named Cam Jansen scored her 1,000 and Charlotte thought that was the most amazing thing,” Torgerson recalled. “I think she even said she could never do that. It was when we lived in Asheville and Charlotte was a 5th grader that she started trying to work out six days a week. She’s been at it ever since, and I’m really happy for her to have this nice moment after all of that hard work.”
Apparently, this Pioneer team is a close-knit group that likes to share in each other’s accomplishments.
“The Sears family were the ones who first alerted me that Charlotte was getting close to the 1,000 points milestone,” said Torgerson. “It was really thoughtful and generous of them to be following Charlotte’s point total like that. I heard Kate and Gracie Lawrence put the work in on the fantastic poster they gave Charlotte. We’re so thankful to be here in Boone and a part of the Watauga family.”
