49 F
Boone
Tuesday, May 5, 2026
Home Blog Page 31

Watauga sweeps past S. Caldwell to claim tournament title, too

David
-
0
Watauga sweeps past S. Caldwell to claim tournament title, too

By David Rogers. WEST JEFFERSON, N.C. — Clamp-down defense and hot-hot-hot shooting are a good recipe for winning basketball games. That’s exactly what Watauga cooked up for South Caldwell in the finals of the Northwestern Conference Women’s Basketball Championships hosted by Ashe County on Feb. 21, running away from the Spartans, 72-48 to claim both the regular season and conference tournament titles in 2025.

BONUS PHOTOS at bottom of article

With a packed-to-the-rafters gym buzzing with anticipation because of what happened the last time these two teams met — a 93-91, double overtime upset win by the Spartans on Watauga’s home court on Jan. 31 — a number of questions were left to be answered about how good this Pioneers team really is. One answer is certain: pretty darn good.

January’s state ‘Player of the Month’ in North Carolina, Kate Sears, got nary a point from beyond the 3-point arc but was a force in the paint. She notched a game-high 31 points against South Caldwell in the Northwestern Conference tournament final. Photographic image by David Rogers for High Country Sports

Besides generating offensive production — putting points on the board — the Pioneers had to find a way to put the brakes on South Caldwell’s dynamic freshman tandem of Ava Anderson and Maggie Wilks, who each tallied 30+ in the Jan. 31 double overtime affair. Head coach Bill Torgerson acknowledged that after the game.

“We chose to match up Anderson with Kate Sears, hoping to frustrate her a bit,” said Torgerson.

Watauga’s Kaitlyn Darner (30) played her final Northwestern Conference tournament game with a highlight reel performance, including 10 points and, defensively, helping limit South Caldwell’s dynamic duo of freshman guards. Photographic image by David Rogers for High Country Sports

The strategy worked, with the Spartans’ freshman point guard netting only 19 points on the night, well below her season average of close to 25 points per game. South Caldwell was able to shift some of its attack inside, where senior forward Kristin Barber recorded a team-high 20 points, but where Watauga arguably won the night was in defusing Wilks, who posted zero points, no assists, no steals and only two rebounds.

Meanwhile, Watauga was edging ahead even though also seeming to battle the game officials, too. There were controversial calls aplenty, against both sides, but when one of the teams (Watauga) consistently drives the lane or baseline and attacks the basket, fouls by the other side often occur. In this contest, the imbalance in personal fouls went the other way. Watauga was flagged 18 times, South Caldwell picked up only nine fouls.

Blair Haines (21) played a critical role in Watauga’s 72-48 win over South Caldwell on Feb. 21, to claim the tournament title for 2025. Photographic image by David Rogers for High Country Sports

Two Pioneers, seniors Julie Matheson and Chloe Wilson, got into early foul trouble, finishing with four fouls each. Sears racked up three fouls. At one point, the second time a controversial call went against January’s “North Carolina Player of the Month,” one bystander said, “If they are not careful, they are going to make Kate mad and she will take over and score 50!”

By game’s end, Sears was more than halfway there, pouring in a game-high 31 points to go with 10 assists and six rebounds. Almost all of her points came from driving the lane or in-close shooting since she drew blanks from beyond the 3-point arc (0-for-6) and 5-of-6 from the free throw line.

Blair Haines, Watauga’s sophomore guard, might want to send flowers to the left corner of the court, behind the arc. The spot was in love with Haines, allowing her to hit four critical 3-pointers that all but vanquished any Spartan hopes of a comeback.

Kate Sears was all smiles after her Watauga Pioneers won the Northwestern Conference Championship Tournament final, 72-48, vs. South Caldwell and she picked up tourney MVP honors, too. Photographic image by David Rogers for High Country Sports

Now sporting a 19-5 overall record, 10-1 in the Northwestern Conference and brandishing both regular season and conference tournament titles, the Pioneers await the seedings and first round pairings of the NCHSAA 4A Women’s State Championship playoffs. The first round is slated for Tuesday, Feb. 25, with the matchups to be announced Sunday evening (Feb. 23).

Key Team Stats

  • FG% – WAT 58.8% (30-51), SC 29.5% (13-44)
  • 3FG% – WAT 31.8% (7-22), SC 23.5% (4-17)
  • FT% – WAT 83.3% (5-6), SC 78.3% (18-23)
  • Points in the Paint – WAT 40, SC 16
  • Points off Turnovers – WAT 9, SC 4
  • 2nd Chance Points – WAT 2, SC 6
  • Fast Break Points – WAT 4, SC 0
  • Points from Bench – WAT 2, SC 0

Key Performers

  • WAT – Kate Sears: 31 points, 10 assists, 6 rebounds, 3 blocks, 1 steal
  • WAT – Blair Haines: 14 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist
  • WAT – Kaitlyn Darner: 10 points, 3 steals, 2 assists, 3 rebounds
  • WAT – Julie Matheson: 9 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks
  • SC – Ava Anderson: 19 points, 2 assists, 1 steal, 7 rebounds
  • SC – Kristin Barber: 20 points, 4 assists, 2 rebounds
  • SC – Holland Weisner: 7 points, 5 rebounds

BONUS PHOTOS

All photos by David Rogers for High Country Sports

 

App State falters vs. Marshall, 76-58

David
-
0
App State falters vs. Marshall, 76-58

By Katherine Jamtgaard. BOONE, N.C. — The App State women’s basketball team fell short to Marshall, 76-58, on Wednesday.

“I thought Marshall had a great game plan. I thought that we lost the momentum at the end of the first quarter and were plagued with a little bit of foul trouble in that second quarter with senior Eleyana Tafisi on the bench. I thought we just really struggled. Our team just feels a little bit out of sync and out of rhythm right now,” said head coach Alaura Sharp.

“We’ve got to find a way to get together as a group and figure out what do we want out of these last few games,” added Sharp, “because I think that it’s a slippery slope. We have a lot of seniors. I think the end is starting to come. They are feeling a little pressure and it’s just gotten us away from being us. Obviously, as a staff, we’ve got to evaluate and see how we can hit our rhythm. I still believe in our group. I know we can do it. We’ve got a great opportunity to bounce back on Saturday and just try to really work to be us, where we’re playing with joy and we’re playing with energy.”

Senior Zada Porter led the Mountaineers for an eighth game this season, netting 15 points. She drained 7-of-8 from the field on Wednesday and has scored double-figures in 15 games during the 2024-25 campaign. Additionally, Porter dished out a team-high four assists. Junior Rylan Moffitt scored 10 points for the Mountaineers and made a pair of blocks. App State’s top rebounder was senior Emily Carver, who grabbed eight. The Mountaineers netted 20 points off the bench and made four blocks compared to Marshall’s one.

The Mountaineers opened play with a 7-0 run as junior Elena Pericic drained a pair of freebies, Porter made a tip-in, and junior Emily Hege drilled the first 3-point bucket of the game. Layups from Porter and Moffitt kept the Mountaineers ahead, 13-9. Carver contributed a trey, extending App State’s lead to 16-9. Marshall found momentum with a 10-0 run and closed the period with a 19-18 edge, despite a layup from Pericic, who was assisted by Porter. Porter, Pericic, and Moffitt combined for 12 of App State’s points, contributing four apiece.

The Thundering Herd, which controlled the lead for the remainder of play, extended its lead with a 14-0 run as the Mountaineers faced a scoring drought. The Black and Gold’s drought was broken by a freebie from freshman Hekla Nökkvadóttir. Moffitt netted four of App State’s seven points and made both of her blocks during the second period.

Early in the third quarter, Pericic made a layup, Porter landed a jumper, and Tafisi made a fastbreak layup to chip into Marshall’s lead (46-31). Carver, who combined with Porter for nine of App State’s points in the period, made a pair of layups for the Mountaineers. She also grabbed four of her eight rebounds in the quarter. Despite a Hege trey and a three-point play from Porter, Marshall closed the quarter with a 62-41 advantage.

In the fourth quarter, Porter made a layup to chip into Marshall’s lead. The Mountaineers found momentum with a 10-0 run that featured jumpers from Moffitt and Hege, a pair of freebies from Neira, and layups from Neira and Porter. The Herd answered with a run of its own to extend the deficit to 74-53. With 1:28 left in the period, senior Asjah Inniss drained the Mountaineers’ sole trey of the quarter. Despite a final jumper from junior Seneya Martinez and App State outscoring Marshall, 17-14 in the quarter, the Mountaineers fell short 76-58.

Up Next

The Mountaineers will close their 2024-25 home slate with a 3:30 p.m. Alumni Day clash against James Madison on Saturday. The game against the Dukes is part of a doubleheader with the men’s program, which will host Marshall at 1 p.m. Fans are encouraged to come early for the men’s game and stay late for the women’s game. One ticket will get fans into both games and fans can claim BOGO tickets when they use the promo code MOUNTAINSTRONG. App State faculty and staff will receive free admission when they show their App Cards.

It’s a ‘finish’, to be sure

David
-
0
It’s a ‘finish’, to be sure

By David Rogers. WEST JEFFERSON, N.C. — Talk about “finishing,” this time the Watauga men’s basketball team hammered Alexander Central, 71-47, in the Northwestern Conference tournament semifinal — and maybe even polished off the nail in the proverbial coffin.

Watauga head coach Bryson Payne tells his players to ‘finish’ at the start of the fourth quarter vs. Alexander Central on Feb. 18. Photographic image by David Rogers for High Country Sports

Early in the 2024-25 season, the Watauga men’s basketball team had a hard time “finishing” the game. They had second half leads suddenly evaporate into losses against South Caldwell and Alexander Central in the Pioneers’ first two Northwestern Conference games. In Hudson, the Spartans dumped Watauga, 76-64. In Taylorsville, the Cougars rallied from a 7-point deficit with five minutes to go to edge the Pioneers, 68-65.

Fast forward to the regular season’s end. It turns out, those were the only two conference losses suffered by Watauga. In the rematches at Lentz Eggers Gym, Watauga pummeled South Caldwell, 80-61, on Jan. 31. Less than a week later, on Feb. 4, the Pioneers upended Alexander Central, 55-43.

Landon Smith (12) makes a shot at close range for Watauga vs. Alexander Central on Feb. 18, in the semifinals of the Northwestern Conference tournament. Photographic image by David Rogers for High Country Sports

So, with the Pioneers holding a 53-33 lead at the start of the fourth quarter, when Watauga head coach Bryson Payne implored his troops to “finish,” that is exactly what they did. Inspired by a rousing 3-pointer from Jackson Love and consecutive driving layups in transition by Josiah Railey, Watauga erased all thoughts of anything else save victory.

Railey finished with a team-high 23 points, one shy of the game-high posted by Alexander Central’s one-man show, Jayon Connor (24 points). Also in double figures for the Pioneers were Cade Keller (12) and Love (11). The rest of Watauga’s points were spread pretty evenly among Landon Smith and Eli Bishop, each with seven points off the bench, and strong inside play from starting forward Jace Blocker (6).

Watauga’s Josiah Railey finishes with a fastbreak layup on Feb. 18 vs. Alexander Central in the semifinals of the Northwestern Conference tournament. Photographic image by David Rogers for High Country Sports

The win now sets up the NWC tourney championship game encounter with Freedom on Feb. 21, also to be hosted by Ashe County, with an 8 p.m. scheduled tipoff. The Patriots advanced with a 75-68 win over South Caldwell in the other semifinal pairing on Feb. 18.

Freedom brings a respectable 19-6 overall record into the Feb. 21 matchup, 8-3 in conference. They lost once to South Caldwell and two close games against Watauga, so the Patriots will be gunning to upset the Pioneers’ Cinderella season in the third encounter. They lost to Watauga, 77-70, on the road, and were edged, 72-69, on their home court in Morganton. Will a neutral venue be a difference maker?

Cade Keller (10) shot from inside and out on Feb. 18 in the Northwestern Conference semifinals vs. Alexander Central. Photographic image by David Rogers for High Country Sports

KEY PERFORMERS of WATAUGA VS. ALEXANDER CENTRAL

  • AC – Jayon Connor: 24 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists
  • WAT – Josiah Railey: 23 points, 5 assists, 3 steals, 4 rebounds
  • WAT – Cade Keller: 12 points, 3 assists, 3 steals, 2 rebounds
  • WAT – Jackson Love: 11 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists
  • WAT – Jace Blocker: 9 rebounds, 6 points, 6 assists
  • AC – Koa Mikeal: 9 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists
  • WAT – Maddox Greene: 7 assists, 4 rebounds, 1 steal
  • WAT – Landon Smith: 7 points, 1 steal
  • WAT – Eli Bishop: 7 points, 1 steal
  • AC – Garison Millsaps: 6 points, 6 rebounds

Hot-shooting Watauga guards bury Alexander Central, 75-52

David
-
0
Hot-shooting Watauga guards bury Alexander Central, 75-52

By David Rogers. WEST JEFFERSON, N.C. — Shrugging off 14 turnovers that included eight opponent steals, the Watauga women’s basketball team waltzed to a dominant, 75-52 win over Alexander Central on Feb. 18, in the semifinals of the 3A/4A Northwestern Conference Basketball Championships, hosted in 2025 by the Ashe County Huskies athletic program.

With the win, the Pioneers advance to the championship final on Friday, Feb. 21, also in West Jefferson, with tipoff vs. the other semifinal winner, South Caldwell, at 6:30 p.m.

Watauga senior Julie Matheson (1) lets fly a 3-pointer on Feb. 18 vs. Alexander Central in the Northwestern Conference tournament semifinal. Photographic image by David Rogers for High Country Sports

Watauga used a 13-4  opening run to gain separation from the Cougars and never looked back. As a team, the Pioneers were hot, hot, hot in burning the net on the offensive end — and disruptive on the defensive end of the court.

A quartet of Pioneers led the team to a 54.2 percent success rate from behind the 3-point arc. Starting guards Julie Matheson, Izzy Torgerson, Blair Haines and Kate Sears combined to knock down 13 treys, accounting for over half of the team’s total points on the night.

Watauga sophomore Blair Haines drives baseline vs. Alexander Central on Feb. 18, in the Northwestern Conference tournament semifinal. Photographic image by David Rogers for High Country Sports

As impactful as the Pioneers’ aim from long distance might have been, this game was also won in the trenches. Led by Sears (14 rebounds), Chloe Wilson (6) and Shelby Thompson (5), Watauga nearly doubled up the Cougars in clearing the boards on both ends of the court, pulling down 40 errant shots vs. 24 rebounds by the Alexander Central hoopsters. Eleven offensive boards by the Pioneers led to a 10-4 advantage in second chance points and contributed to a 22-14 edge in points scored inside the paint.

“When we are shooting that well,” said Watauga head coach Bill Torgerson after the game, “it is hard to beat us.”

As Pioneer fans have come to expect, Sears recorded yet another triple double on the night, with 32 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists. For good measure, she added a blocked shot to her impressive stat line.

Watauga senior Kate Sears is looking to drive the lane vs. Alexander Central on Feb. 18, in the semifinal of the Northwestern Conference tournament. Photographic image by David Rogers for High Country Sports

The Pioneers also got double-digit scoring from Matheson (18) and Torgerson (11).

The Feb. 21 championship game between No. 1 seeded Watauga and No. 2 seed South Caldwell sets up a potentially dynamic rematch. On Jan. 9 in Hudson, the Pioneers all but dismantled the Spartans in front of their home crowd, 74-55. But South Caldwell returned the favor on Jan. 31, taking a 93-91, double overtime win on a buzzer-beater 3-pointer off the hands of freshman guard Ava Anderson.

South Caldwell advanced to the final with a 64-54 win over Freedom in the second women’s semifinal on Feb. 18. Anderson again led the team with 18 points, but was just one of a Spartan quartet to reach double figures on the night. Fellow backcourt freshman Maggie Wilks poured in 15 points while sophomore Holland Weisner and senior Kristin Barber each added 11 points.

It would be an understatement to say that the upcoming women’s championship game could be the must-see ticket of the year in high school women’s basketball, at least in the High Country.

Kate Sears (12) goes up for two vs. Alexander Central in the Northwestern Conference semifinal on Feb. 18. Photographic image by David Rogers for High Country Sports

KEY PERFORMERS in WATAUGA VS. ALEXANDER CENTRAL

  • WAT – Kate Sears: 32 points, 14 rebounds, 10 assists, 1 blocked shot
  • AC – Meredith Wike: 29 points, 3 rebounds, 1 blocked shot
  • WAT – Julie Matheson: 18 points
  • WAT – Izzy Torgerson: 11 points, 2 assists
  • AC – Malayah Adams: 9 points, 1 blocked shot, 2 steals
  • WAT – Blair Haines: 6 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 blocked shot, 1 steal
  • WAT – Chloe Wilson: 6 rebounds, 4 points, 1 blocked shot
  • AC – Addie Jack: 5 points, 4 assists, 2 rebounds, 2 steals
  • WAT – Kaitlyn Darner: 4 assists

 

Watauga celebrates Senior Night with 70-43 win; secures No. 1 conference tourney seed

David
-
0
Watauga celebrates Senior Night with 70-43 win; secures No. 1 conference tourney seed

By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — There was plenty of love in Lentz Eggers Gym on Feb. 14 for the last regular season game of Watauga men’s basketball. Not only was it Valentine’s Day but it was also Senior Night — and grandstands were packed for the rivalry game between the Pioneers and the Ashe County Huskies. There were plenty of smiles to go around as Watauga left little doubt in forging a 70-43 win.

Maddox Greene is celebrated by fellow students in player introductions for the final regular season game, vs. Ashe County on Feb. 14. Photo by Jared Everett for High Country Sports

A quintet of Pioneer seniors took the floor in the opening period and battled the Huskies to a 13-13 draw by the end of the quarter, the seniors playing most of the eight minutes. As the regular starters began to rotate in, Watauga began to flex their offensive muscles, jumping out to a 33-25 lead by halftime. The team’s leading scorer, junior point guard-shooting guard Cade Keller poured in half of his game-high 24 points in the second quarter to drive the Pioneers’ separation.

The Huskies’ Trent Sheets tried to keep it close for the home team with 13 points in the first half but had little in the way of help other than 8 points from Ian Graybeal.  By comparison, Watauga’s first half may have featured Keller’s 14, but the Pioneers also got key contributions from Maddox Greene, Jackson Love, Josiah Railey and Jace Blocker.

Whatever hopes Ashe County harbored for forging a second half comeback were quickly dashed by defensive adjustments made by the Pioneers during intermission. Watauga tightened the screws and extended their lead even with liberal substitutions. They used a 21-8 third quarter run to take a 54-33 lead to begin the final stanza, then stayed consistent with a 16-10 run in the final 8 minutes.

For the game, 10 Pioneers got on the scoreboard, led by their usual scoring leaders Keller (24 points) and Railey (15). Scoring opportunities were bolstered by Blocker pulling down six of his game-high nine rebounds on the offensive end, providing second chances for a number of teammates.

L-R: Josiah Railey, Maddox Greene, Landon Smith, Paul Taylor, Seth Greene, and JT Cook on Senior Night, Feb. 14, 2025. Photo by Jared Everett for High Country Sports

Taking advantage of his most minutes in a game this season, senior JT Cook only scored two points but still had a significant impact in corralling 8 rebounds.

Senior J T Cook took full advantage of his minutes on the floor, Feb. 14, vs. Ashe County, pulling down 8 rebounds. Photo by Jared Everett for High Country Sports

With the win, Watauga secures the No. 1 seed and a first round bye in the Northwestern Conference tournament. First round games are Monday, Feb. 17, hosted by the higher seed. Watauga will host the winner of the No. 4 vs. No. 5 seed game in the first round. The other first round bye goes to No. 2 seeded South Caldwell. The semifinal games (round 2) will be hosted by Ashe County on Tuesday, Feb. 18, with the Championship game at the same location on Friday, Feb. 21.

Jace Blocker finishes off a monster dunk during the Feb. 14, 2025, men’s basketball game between Watauga and Ashe County. Photo by Jared Everett for High Country Sports

SCORING SUMMARY

  • WAT – Cade Keller (24 points)
  • WAT – Josiah Railey (15)
  • WAT – Jace Blocker (8)
  • WAT – Maddox Greene (7)
  • WAT – Jackson Love (6)
  • WAT – Landon Smith (4)
  • WAT – Kyle Williams (3)
  • WAT – Wit Williamson (2)
  • WAT – JT Cook (2)
  • WAT – Paul Taylor (2)

 

 

Watauga WBB finishes regular season with commanding, 72-33 thumping of Ashe County

David
-
0
Watauga WBB finishes regular season with commanding, 72-33 thumping of Ashe County

By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — Leaving little doubt as to who might be the best high school women’s basketball team in northwestern North Carolina, Watauga head coach Bill Torgerson emptied his bench and had nine rostered players make the scoring column, including all five seniors, running away from Ashe County for a 72-33 romp at Lentz Eggers Gym on Feb. 14.

Chloe Wilson (40) continues to show marked improvement in her play. Here she takes one from close in vs. Ashe County. Photo by Jared Everett for High Country Sports

It is yet another Northwestern Conference championship for the Pioneers, who will take the No. 1 seed into the conference tournament slated to begin next week.

After jumping out to a 19-11 lead by the end of the first quarter, led by 13 combined points in the quarter from Kate Sears (7 points in the quarter) and Blair Haines (6), Watauga went for a statement win. Sears finished with a game-high 26 points and Haines, 11, but the Pioneers got broad production from seven other players throughout the night. Senior forward Chloe Wilson again showed how she is growing into her basketball potential with 8 points and even more rebounds in coming off the bench.

An ‘all-state’ selection since her freshman year, Kate Sears looks to drive baseline vs. Ashe County on Feb. 14. Photo by Jared Everett for High Country Sports

Shelby Thompson came off the bench to pour in a half dozen points in the second period with back-to-back 3-pointers. Meanwhile, regular starters Julie Matheson and Izzy Torgerson may have played limited minutes, but contributed 7 points and 5 points, respectively. Little used senior Gracie Lawrence saw her first court time of the year and rewarded the team with four points in the fourth quarter to help keep the rout going.

Ashe County’s Abby Sheets did her part, scoring 25 of the team’s 33 game points. She was 11-of-11 from the free throw line and added two buckets from long distance.

As the No. 1 seed in the Northwestern Conference tourney, Watauga is likely to receive a first round bye. Watauga is also playing for a high seed in the NCHSAA 4A West Bracket of the state tournament.

In a 72-33 Watauga rout of Ashe County on Feb. 14, even the younger players double rostered from the junior varsity got to play. Here, Steph Mendez gets a taste of varsity action — and scores. Photo by Jared Everett for High Country Sports

SCORING SUMMARY

  • WAT – Kate Sears (26 points)
  • ASHE – Abby Sheets (25)
  • WAT – Blair Haines (11)
  • WAT – Chloe Wilson (8)
  • WAT – Julie Matheson (7)
  • WAT – Shelby Thompson (6)
  • WAT – Izzy Torgerson (5)
  • WAT – Gracie Lawrence (4)
  • WAT – Kaitlyn Darner (4)
  • ASHE – Abby Eller (4)
  • WAT – Steph Mendez (2)
  • ASHE – Ally Greer (1)

 

Colley tops field in Northern Ireland international 5k

David
-
0
Colley tops field in Northern Ireland international 5k

By David Rogers. ARMAGH, N. Ireland — It was Blowing Rock “bookends” for the top five finishers in the prestigious Armagh International 5K. Three runners broke the course record, led by Blowing Rock’s Andrew Colley, a ZAP Endurance professional club member representing the USA in 13:33. ZAP Endurance teammate Ryan Ford wasn’t far behind as the No. 5 finisher, in 13:48.

Holland Sports Athletic Club team member Jack Kavanaugh picked off a dozen runners in the final mile to finish second, in 13:35, while Sebastian Larstad of IFK Lindingo (Sweden) crossed the line No. 3, in 13:36.

Young Sebastian Larstad, left, points to Andrew Colley, center, the winner of the 2025 Armagh International 5k in Armagh, Northern Ireland on Feb. 13. Colley and Ryan Ford, right, who finished No. 5, are both members of Blowing Rock-based ZAP Endurance professional running team.

Colley’s performance comes just three months after he topped the field of the iconic Manchester Road Race in Connecticut, followed by a No. 8 finish in the Houston Half Marathon, setting a ZAP Endurance club record in the process.

Larstad, only 16 years of age, took to the lead right from the get-go in Armagh, leading a pack of 10 runners in gaining separation from the field by the halfway point. Event organizers after the race believed that Larstad’s 13:36 was close to a world record for a 16-and-under athlete, comparing him to Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen, now a few years older..

Colley flirted with taking the lead with 1,000 meters to go, drawing side-by-side with Larstad, then tucked back in behind the young runner from Sweden.

At 600 meters to go, however, Colley put the proverbial pedal to the floor and rocked to the front, slowly extending the lead as Kavanaugh came from well behind to overtake the other leaders.

Nearly 80 percent of the approximately 300 athletes competing in the Armagh Men’s International 5k meter Road Race are from off the island of Ireland, according to event organizers. This year, 22 entrants had already run a sub-14 minute 5k time so a fast, competitive race was expected. It did not disappoint, as nearly two dozen runners finished under 14 minutes this year, a new event record, said the organizers.

 

 

Mountaineers use late rally to soar by Coastal Carolina, 64-46

David
-
0
Mountaineers use late rally to soar by Coastal Carolina, 64-46

By David Rogers. CONWAY, S.C. — App State shrugged off an early defensive battle with Coastal Carolina on Feb. 13 — and leveraged a 23-7 run over the final 11 minutes to record a fourth straight win, defeating the Chanticleers, 64-46.

Senior guard Myles Tate and graduate forward CJ Huntley continued to lead the Mountaineers, each scoring 17 points to claim a share of game-high honors. Tate recorded a double-double with 10 rebounds (another game-high), while Huntley cleaned the boards for 8 rebounds. Luke Wilson (8 points, 6 rebounds, 2 blocked shots) and Jalil Beaubrun (3 points, 6 rebounds, 1 blocked shot) led the Mountaineers coming off the bench.

Conference Tournament Ramifications

The win keeps the Mountaineers locked in a 4-way tie for the coveted No. 2 spot in the Sun Belt Conference standings with South Alabama, Troy and James Madison, all at 9-4 in league play. Arkansas State has sole possession of No. 1, at 10-3. After regular season play, the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds are rewarded with byes into the semifinals of the conference tournament slated for Pensacola, Fla., March 4-10. The No. 3 and No. 4 seeds receive byes into the quarterfinals, so a lot is at stake for the remaining conference games in February. App State is at Georgia State on Feb. 15, returns home on Feb. 20 to host Georgia Southern, then stays at home to face Marshall on Feb. 22. The Mountaineers travel to Statesboro, Ga. on Feb. 25 in a rematch game vs. Georgia Southern and close out the regular season on the road, at Marshall, Feb. 28.

App State WBB falls short to JMU, 77-61, but still in mix for SBC tourney bye

David
-
0
App State WBB falls short to JMU, 77-61, but still in mix for SBC tourney bye

By Katherine Jamtgaard. HARRISONBURG, Va. — The App State women’s basketball team fell short to James Madison, 77-61, on the road on Thursday.

“JMU really controlled this game tonight. We had a slow start offensively and it seemed to suck the life out of us,” said head coach Alaura Sharp. “Their defense was really packed in and they have great length. It’s important for our team to learn how to break down a defense like that. I thought we had some good moments as a group but consistency is key when playing a great team like (JMU).”

For a fourth game this season, senior Mara Neira led the Mountaineers, netting 18 points and draining four of App State’s eight treys. Junior Emily Hege netted 11 points and  knocked down two 3-point buckets for the Mountaineers. App State’s top rebounder on the night was senior Emily Carver (8 rebounds). Senior Eleyana Tafisi dished out a team-high seven assists and made a team-high seven steals. App State netted 31 points off the bench and 11 second chance points. The Mountaineers also held the Dukes to five treys and four second chance points.

James Madison led early in the first quarter and maintained the lead through the duration of play. A jumper from Hege put the Mountaineers on the board to cut JMU’s lead to 5-2. Neira got around the defense for a layup and later drained a trey for the Black and Gold, but it wasn’t enough as JMU took a 15-7 lead at the close of the quarter.

Senior Zada Porter opened the second quarter with a three-point play. Carver and fellow senior Samantha LaFon, who netted a season-high eight points on the night, combined for nine of App State’s 15 points in the quarter. Carver drained a trey and LaFon got to the hoop for a pair of layups to cut into JMU’s 27-17 lead. Despite a trey from Neira and a Carver layup, the Dukes took a 36-22 lead into halftime.

Early in the third quarter, Hege went on a 7-0 run of her own, knocking down back-to-back treys as well as an and one free throw. The Mountaineers went on an 8-0 run over 1:08 as Tafisi completed a three-point play, Neira made a layup, and Pericic drilled a trey. Junior Rylan Moffitt landed a jumper and Carver completed her own three-point play to chip away at the deficit (53-42). Despite trailing 55-42 at the close of the quarter, App State never turned the ball over and caused six JMU turnovers during the period.

Hege opened the fourth quarter with a jumper before the Dukes extended the deficit. Neira and LaFon combined for 12 of App State’s points in the quarter. The Mountaineers made a late 8-0 surge over 0:28, which included a layup from LaFon and back-to-back 3-point buckets from Neira, but it wasn’t enough as JMU sealed the win, 77-61.

Up Next

The Mountaineers will head to Atlanta, Ga. for a rematch against Georgia State at 5 p.m. on Saturday. App State will return to Boone to host Marshall on Feb. 19 and James Madison on Feb. 22.

Watauga survives late Freedom rally to win squeaker, 72-69

David
-
0
Watauga survives late Freedom rally to win squeaker, 72-69

By David Rogers. MORGANTON, N.C. — Although outpointed by Freedom in the first and fourth quarters, visiting Watauga got between those “bookends” to survive a critical Northwestern Conference game, 72-69.

It may well have been a matter a shifting offensive emphasis in the backcourt for Watauga. Where offensive leader Cade Keller was unusually quiet in the first half, only scoring two of his team-high 21 points before halftime, backcourt teammate Maddox Greene scored 11 of his 13 points before intermission.

Keller and Josiah Railey combined for 16 points in the third quarter, helping the visiting Pioneers to a 52-44 advantage by the opening of the final stanza. Freedom’s King Johnson and Amore Connolly combined for 14 points in the fourth quarter to lead the Patriots’ attempt to close the deficit, falling just short.

The win leaves Watauga in a tie atop the Northwestern Conference standings with South Caldwell, both with identical 7-2 conference records and 16-6 overall records. The Pioneers and the Spartans split their home and away series in the regular season, South Caldwell rallying to take the Jan. 9 encounter in Hudson, 76-64, with Watauga defending home court, 80-61, on Jan. 31.

Watauga closes out the regular season on Feb. 14 vs. Ashe County (7-13 overall, 2-7 in conference), while South Caldwell hosts Hibriten (3-20, 0-9).

SCORING SUMMARY

  • FRE – King Johnson (21 points)
  • WAT – Cade Keller (20)
  • WAT – Josiah Railey (18)
  • WAT – Maddox Greene (13)
  • FRE – Kobe Johnson (13)
  • FRE – Braxton King (11)
  • WAT – Jace Blocker (9)
  • WAT – Jackson Love (8)
  • WAT – Brady Lindenmuth (4)
  • FRE – Jonah Griggs (3)
  • FRE – Amare Williams (3)
  • FRE – Elijah Davidson (3)
1...303132...160Page 31 of 160

EDITOR PICKS

POPULAR POSTS

POPULAR CATEGORY

ABOUT US

High Country Sports is the leading digital journalism site for all things sports and recreation in the mountain region of North Carolina, featuring award-winning photography and editorial content.

Contact us: david@highcountrysports.net

FOLLOW US

© Newspaper WordPress Theme by TagDiv