By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — Even though Watauga failed to move the ball much on their first offensive possession to start the game with a three-and-out, it hardly mattered. The Pioneers played the kind of complementary football frequently advertised by head coach Ryan Habich as the team’s goal, en route to a convincing, 43-19 win in the first round of the NCHSAA 4A Football Playoffs.

With the win, No. 4 seeded Watauga advances and will host No. 13 Mallard Creek on Nov. 22. The Mavericks advanced with a 34-9 win over No. 20 seeded Lake Norman.

Complementary football, indeed. Faced with a 4th-and-5 situation from their own 38 yard line on the game’s first offensive possession, the Pioneers lined up as if they were going to roll the dice and try converting on fourth down. With the wind at his back and nobody back deep for the Tigers to receive a punt, quarterback Maddox Greene executed a perfect “quick kick.” A favorable bounce set the ball rolling and rolling and rolling… where the special teams pursuit downed the ball at the Ragsdale 15-yard line.

“That was very intentional,” said Habich after the game. “That play flipped the field.”

After special teams turned a negative into a positive, it was time for the defensive unit to have an impact, too.

Much of Ragsdale’s offense revolves around running back Fabian Diggs, who averaged close to 200 yards per game in total yards and nearly 150 yards per game rushing. He is athletic, elusive and has a sprinter’s speed (he competes for Ragsdale’s track team in the 100 meters, long jump and triple jump in the spring, as well as the 55 meters indoor).

On the Tigers first possession, starting from their own 15 yard line, as expected quarterback Braylon Louis started by handing the ball off to Diggs. The Pioneer defense limited him to two yards on first down then, led by senior defensive lineman Callan Riordan, the Pioneers tackled Diggs for a 7-yard loss. Pinned back on his own 10-yard line, Louis looked to pass down the left sideline, which is where the Pioneers’ defensive back Nyle Peays swooped in to pluck the ball in midair and race 24 yards to the end zone for a “pick six.” The interception gave the Pioneers momentum with an early lead and made a statement: they were not going to be intimidated.

The Pioneer defense again proved a stopper on Ragsdale’s next possession — after Jack Wilson’s kickoff sailed into the end zone for a touchback, canceling any Ragsdale hopes for a Diggs kickoff return. With Watauga’s Luke Edmisten, Landon Smith, Matthew Leon and Riordan filling the gaps in the line of scrimmage and applying pressure, Ragsdale was only able to run five plays and gain 13 yards before being forced to punt.

With adjustments made on the fly after the first series, it was time for Watauga’s offense to get in on the complementary football act — and unleash QB Maddox Greene. After modest gains on keepers the first two plays, Greene found himself running through a big gap left by his offensive linemen, burst into the second level, breaking tackles, weaving through defenders and angling toward the right sideline. What began as a keeper up the middle morphed into a 61-yard foot race, with Greene “breaking the tape” as he crossed the goal line for the TD. Another Jack Wilson PAT kick, and the Pioneers had a 14-0 lead with still 5:48 left in the first quarter.

Ragsdale’s efforts to respond were muted. Watauga’s defensive efforts were again led by Smith, Edmisten, Leon and Dillon Zaragoza. The two teams traded penalties, but still the net result was a three-and-out for the visitors from Jamestown (a suburban town wedged between High Point and Greensboro).

The Tigers having to punt from their own 13 yard line gave Watauga good field position, Burroughs backpedaling for a fair catch at the Ragsdale 38. Greene and running back Everett Gryder combined for 30 yards rushing over six plays before Burroughs scooted around the outside and into the end zone to widen the Pioneer lead. A surprise rushing PAT by Cade Keller gave Watauga a 2-point conversion and a commanding, 22-0 lead with the second quarter barely begun.

This time, though, Ragsdale mounted the kind of offensive response expected from one of the top teams in the powerful Metro 4A Conference, which placed seven teams in the 32-team 4A West bracket for the playoffs.

Highlighted by Louis passes to Diggs of 22 and 27 yards, the Tigers fashioned a 13-play, 71 yard drive that kept Watauga’s offense off the field for almost five and a half minutes, shrinking the Pioneer lead to a more manageable deficit at 22-7.

After halftime, Ragsdale cut into the Pioneer lead even more, fashioning a 12-play, 88 yard drive that took another 5:31 off the clock before Louis punched into the end zone for a 1-yard TD keeper. It was preceded the kind of rushing production for which Diggs was known, ripping off big chunks of 13 and 25 yards in and amongst Louis passes to Aiden Young and Jahveer Branch. Although Wrenn Gardner’s PAT kick into a strong, gusting wind sailed just wide of the left goalpost upright, Ragsdale was threatening to turn the game around, now trailing by only nine points at 22-13.

Undaunted, Watauga looked like it was going to fashion a ball control, grinding offensive possession of its own. With chunks of gridiron real estate being churned up by Burroughs, Gryder and Greene, Watauga advanced from its own 25 yard line to the Ragsdale 34. That’s when, on 3rd-and-1, the Pioneer offensive braintrust brought in the unexpected, what Mike the PA announcer described as “razzle-dazzle chicanery trickeration”: a double reverse, “flea flicker” lateral of the ball back to Greene, who rifled a dart to Dillon Zaragoza all by himself in the right flat. The senior WR calmly collected the pass and waltzed across the goal line. Another Jack Wilson PAT kick and the Pioneers had recaptured their double-digit advantage, 29-13, regained momentum and very possibly took the wind out of Ragsdale’s proverbial sails.

The Tigers might well have been done, but weren’t quite done in. Behind a defensive holding penalty against Watauga, Ragsdale was given a second chance and capitalized with a 37 yard Diggs run up the right sideline. A 14-yard TD bass from Louis to Branch allowed the Tigers to again tighten the deficit, to 29-19, but a failed 2-point conversion attempt around the right side fell short.

With the game clock having ticked into the fourth quarter, Watauga iced the game with two more scores and a dominating defensive effort.

In speaking with reporters afterwards, Habich noted that the 4A West bracket was among the most competitive in the nation, according to what some of his players had researched on MaxPreps. To come away with the win, the veteran head coach credited the Pioneer defense for limiting Diggs and the offense for making key adjustments for the second half.

“We found ways to move the football,” Habich said, before adding, “We talk all year about complementary football. We had that 3-and-out (to start), punted, but then our defense scored.”

Habich added that he was really pleased with his players and coaches, saying, “This is a big time win for our program.”

Looking forward, Habich described the upcoming game in Round 2 vs. Mallard Creek as a great opportunity. He said his message to the Pioneer players after the Ragsdale win was that when you get into the playoffs, especially into the second round and beyond, all of your opponents are very athletic and well coached, so they have to be at the top of their game.

“Our players respect everyone, but fear no one,” said Habich.

By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — Athletic performance ultimately begins and ends with the individual player or players. That said, when it comes to a team competition, like football, there is a whole ‘nother layer of influencers in between that can make a difference between winning and losing.

From the head guy to the water boy, coaches and support staff play important roles in athletic success. They organize training and teach skills. They hone an athlete’s natural abilities and get teammates in synch with one another.

Watauga head football coach Ryan Habich describes his staff of assistant coaches and support personnel as “the best in North Carolina, at any school.”

Habich had a plan and process but he needed ‘buy in’ from coaches and players.

Success started early

A high school football team recording an undefeated, regular season conference championship is pretty special. But stringing together seven undefeated conference championships since 2018… well, as Watauga assistant coach for wide receivers, Eric Breitenstein, describes it, “That is just ridiculous.”

Breitenstein means “ridiculous” in a very good way. But it doesn’t happen accidentally. It is purposeful and the natural outcome from a well-executed plan and process.

Watauga High School has not lost a 3A/4A Northwestern Conference game since 2017, meaning they have won a “ridiculous” seven undefeated conference championships since.

The groundwork for success, though, started a few years earlier, when then athletic director and interim head football coach Tom Wright fired himself as the head football coach and lured Habich away from Fuquay-Varina High School, near Raleigh, to be Watauga’s next head coach.

Watauga’s success isn’t just about football… the pillars are about maturity and respect  — attitude, effort, discipline.

For the outsider, the almost instant success Habich seemed to forge was like flipping a light switch but there was much more to it than that. Habich had a plan and a process but, it turns out, he needed what assistant coach Marshall Thomas (running backs, head JV coach, and weight room) describes as “buy in”. Thomas has a good perspective after being with the program since Habich’s first year, 2012.

“From the moment he arrived, Coach Habich wanted ‘buy in’ from the players and coaches, everybody involved,” Thomas recalled. “He did everything he possibly could, communication wise, to get that buy-in, from the spring he was hired to the first kickoff that first year. Our guys were working at a level that they had not experienced, previously. The level of buy-in he nurtured, the work ethic, what it takes to be successful. Ultimately, it was having the belief in his system.”

It is about this team being a team.

But the plan and process were not just about football.

Defensive backs assistant coach Kevin Yandle grew up in Durham, N.C. and matriculated from Northern Durham High School before attending Appalachian State, beginning in 2003. In joining the Watauga coaching staff, Yandle said he was attracted to a program that featured some of the same things that appealed to him as a young athlete and that he wanted to pass on to a new generation.

“Maturity, respect, the principles… the pillars of Coach Habich’s program: attitude, effort, discipline. It is all the things he talks about on a constant basis with these guys,” said Yandle. “They are not just athletic skills, but life skills, too. He keeps all of that in the front of their minds, even in front of football at times. Knowing about him and his program, when he asked me to be a part of it, there wasn’t much thinking to it. He is promoting what I want to promote, through sports. This is a great platform to be part of.”

Nathan Cable is one of the youngest assistant coaches, working with the defensive line. He is a Watauga alum who went to the University of Georgia not to play football but to study turf management.

“Coach Habich is all about business. He eats, sleeps and lives football. He is very smart and technical but he is all about this team being a team,” Cable put it, succinctly.

Transformational vs. transactional coaching

That evolution as a team does not happen, accidentally.

Assistant coach Phillip Hicks is now in his 11th year coaching, his second at Watauga. He started at the high school level, became a graduate assistant for quality control under Scott Satterfield at App State, was hired to Satterfield’s staff when he took the University of Louisville job, then came back to App State working with the defense and linebackers. He graduated from Bunker Hill High School before coming to App State. As a player, he was a center and inside linebacker.

Some coaches speak family, others live it. This program lives it.

“This program is about transformational coaching rather than transactional coaching,” said Hicks. “We are not looking to get something out of it, personally, but trying to be the best we can be, as a group. No one has an ego. None of us are looking for credit. We are always working together, heads down, working to do what is best for our kids. At the end of the day, the results take care of themselves.

“But, every day, we are doing our best — every day,” he added. “The success of this program stems from the camaraderie and consistency of the coaching staff. Things might not be great at the beginning (of a season) but our people are sticking together. And that is even before I got here. It is a family group of people. I have been around a lot of different programs. Some coaches speak about family, others live about family. This is one of those living it.”

Building character

Living as a family also implies that the players and coaches encounter “life lessons” along the way.

Eric Breitenstein enjoyed one of the most successful high school playing careers in Watauga history, rewriting the history books as a running back and defensive back before Habich arrived. As a star for the Pioneers as well as for Wofford College playing NCAA Division I football, then some tryouts with a few interested NFL teams, Breitenstein brings a certain amount of “street cred” to the coaching staff.

He also understands that the game’s importance is more than about X’s and O’s.

WTW, GPE, TBM… those acronyms are the team culture in a nutshell.

“The most impressive thing for me is, Day One, when I came back here to teach and coach with Habich at Watauga, the first thing we ever talked about was character development. Ryan is truly passionate about that and he makes sure our kids are growing in their leadership. Each of our seniors is leader of a team within the team. He makes them read books and they help lead training. Those acronyms of his — WTW (work to win), GPE (give perfect effort) and TBM (team before me) — are the team’s culture, right there in a nutshell.”

Bill Carr has also been with the program for 10 years, currently as defensive line coach. Previously, he coached Watauga’s middle school defensive line for seven years. He grew up in central Florida, then enrolled in the U.S. Naval Academy, graduating in 1986. He spent 21 years as naval officer. For Carr, the opportunity for students to participate in extracurricular activities, whether football, choir, drama, student government or something else is an important aspect of a high school education.

“With my military background, what is special to me about being involved with Watauga’s football program is our ability to have an influence on these guys with key values and life lessons. How important that is to Ryan really spoke to me,” said Carr. “Football is important and we are going to teach you the skills and drills and all that stuff, but we are also going to try to impact each kid in a positive way off the field. If we can make a dent in their lives in a positive way, great. Same with other extracurriculars. My daughter was in Playmakers and grew because of those experiences. Any of that extracurricular stuff is great.”

Steve Breitenstein… he is the legend.

Working together

How the coaching staff has evolved and coalesced through the years is not lost on the individual assistants. The “family” aspect with a joint mission to serve the growth and development of the student athletes put in their charge is a calling card of sorts.

Heath Tucker is in his fifth year of coaching after graduating from North Davidson High School, then App State. He works with Steve Breitenstein in coaching the offensive line.

“Working with Steve Breitenstein… He is the legend so it is cool to learn under him, to see how he operates. We work hand in hand. He has allowed me to work with him and to learn alongside him. He has a wealth of knowledge and experience, so that has been fun,” said Tucker, who also teaches PE at Mabel School.

For Tucker and the other assistant coaches, they are a team within the team.

“As a player, I had some good coaches,” said Tucker, “but as a younger coach now, I am able to be around some veteran coaches and learn from them. When you have a challenging home life, with a wife working and a young toddler at home, having a great group of guys around you all pulling the same rope in the same direction makes your job a lot easier.

“With Ryan, I definitely see a different perspective, coaching wise,” Tucker added. “It is cool to see how this program is run. Being able to work under Ryan and learn from him puts me in positions to be successful as a young coach, learning different position groups. I have had responsibilities for wide receivers, inside linebackers and defensive backs, last year. Now I am coaching offensive line, learning new things and enabling me to be multi-faceted.”

There is a new challenge, every day.

Steve Breitenstein, father of Eric and siblings, brings one of those veteran perspectives. He graduated from Boca Raton High School in Florida, before graduating from Catawba College. He has been coaching “for 112 years,” son Eric suggested. He coached at North Davidson for seven years before coming to the High Country.

“I was a running back, quarterback and defensive back in high school,” said Steve, before adding with a twinkle in his eye, “I was a lot smaller back then! I tried out for football my freshman year at Catawba, but found myself very inadequate. So I moved on from playing football. Sports remained important, though. Both of my sons played football, collegiately, and my daughter played volleyball. So I got to follow my kids.”

Coaching football has proven a special endeavor for Breitenstein.

“There is a new challenge, every day. I am not sure I would still be coaching if at any place other than Watauga. You look at our kids. They are ‘yes sir’ and ‘no sir’ kids. They will try to do everything you ask of them,” said Breitenstein.

Other coaches echoed Brietenstein’s sentiments about coaching and, specifically, the Watauga program.

Weight training is our equalizer. It is our ‘lab.’ It is our secret weapon.

Watauga athletic director Dustin Kerley is in his 15th year coaching high school football, 13 years at Watauga. His role is head coach of the Watauga defense and also focuses on the outside linebackers. A graduate of Alexander Central High School and Mars Hill University, Kerley is a multi-sport athlete, playing football, basketball and baseball at ACHS and was an infielder for the Mars Hill baseball team.

Coaching is a priority for him.

“I love everything about it!” said Kerley. “The relationships with players and fellow coaches are what I enjoy the most (the camaraderie is like no other).  I also love the preparation, game-planning, and practices.  Your best coaches love practices because that is where you see growth (in the student athletes) and spend the majority of your time building relationships and working with your players and fellow coaches.”  

Eric Breitenstein said, “Coaching is a cool way to see the kids. When you are in the school building, you see one side of the kids. When you get out here on the football field, sometimes it is the same but you can also see a different side of a kid, too: How hard they are willing to work. How much passion they have for their teammates and things like that. For me, it is rewarding to come from the building to the field and see what these kids CAN be, see what their potential is in a different light.”

We have great kids who want to do what is good for their buddy, their teammates, their coaches, and their school.

Adds Hicks, “I love seeing the growth of kids, whether it be on or off the field, their growing maturity, or the positive impact we have. There are situations where it can be a negative thing, but we may be able to help turn it into a positive. The impact on the youth, that is the main driver. The wins and losses come and go, but the impact on these kids is what really matters.”

Jason Phelps is in his 30th year coaching high school football. He is also a Watauga alum who went on to App State. He started coaching while still in college, at his alma mater, Watauga. His first job was off the mountain, where he was coaching at Starmount for a few years, then Rockingham, Fred T. Foard, Yancey, Bunker Hill, and Avery County before he finally made it back to Watauga in 2018. Today he is assistant head coach, with position responsibilities for the defensive backs.

“I love working with the kids and love the game of football,” said Phelps. “Growing up, coaching had an impact on me so I want to make an impact on the kids. This is the best coaching staff I have ever worked with, either as a head coach or an assistant coach. We have no egos. We come to work with each other every day. Coach Habich does a great job organizing everything.  We enjoy being around each other.”

Among the most dramatic changes in the Watauga football team’s character from the beginning of Habich’s tenure was the physicality of the players. It is just one of the details Habich stresses in preparation to compete.

“Weight training is our equalizer,” said Thomas, who works with the running backs, is the head JV coach, and runs the weight room for the Pioneers. “We call it ‘the lab.’ It is our secret weapon. Freshmen don’t come in physically ready. It takes them a couple of years in the weight room but by the time they become varsity players, they are fit and ready to handle the demands, what is required of them to play varsity football.”

“I have worked with some good coaches, like Bill Mauldin who I love to death,” said Steve Breitenstein. “Ryan Habich is that good. He is the smartest, most organized head coach I have ever worked with and it has been my pleasure to work with some good ones. He makes our jobs easy. Of course, if we do our jobs incorrectly, we hear about it!

“But the proof is in the pudding,” added the senior Breitenstein. “We have won seven consecutive conference championships, undefeated in each, and it is because we have great kids who want to do what is good for their buddy, their teammates, their coaches, and their school.”

The Staff and their Roles

Ryan Habich (Head Coach) 

Jason Phelps: Assistant Head Coach/ Defensive Backs 

Defensive Staff 

• • Dustin Kerley: Head Coach of Defense/ Outside Linebackers 
  • Phillip Hicks: Defensive Coordinator/ Inside Linebackers 
  • Bill Carr: Recruiting Director/ Defensive Line 
  • Kevin Yandle: FCA Coordinator/ Assistant Defensive Backs 
  • Nathan Cable: Assistant Defensive Line

Offensive Staff

• • Marshall Thomas: Head JV coach/ Offensive Coordinator/ Running backs 
  • Steve Breitenstein: Offensive Line 
  • Heath Tucker: Offensive Line & TE’s
  • Eric Breitenstein: Wide Receivers 

Support Staff 

• Hannah Blevins: Athletic Trainer 
• Jonathan Watson: Game Day Football Statistician/ Max Preps 
• Andrew Wilson: Game Day HUDL and Film coordinator. 

By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — An opportunistic Ragsdale men’s soccer team took advantage of almost every Watauga mistake on Nov. 13 at Jack Groce Stadium, edging the Pioneers, 3-2, and eliminating the High Country’s favorite sons from the state playoffs in Round 2.

That is hardly the end of the story, though. Watauga has a championship pedigree, always contending for a Northwestern Conference title and looking to go deep into the 4A state playoffs. But after losing 13 seniors to graduation a year ago, 2024 was supposed to be a rebuilding year — NOT!

Somebody forgot to tell this year’s roster of five seniors, 10 juniors, and seven sophomores that expectations were low. They promptly went out and recorded an undefeated Northwestern Conference championship season (10-0), going 19-4-2 overall and advancing into the state playoffs’ second round.

Against Ragsdale, Watauga controlled possession for a good portion of the first half but the Tigers fashioned a counterattack after roughly 10 minutes of play that ended with senior midfielder Ethan Lam headiing a ball into the net from a corner kick for the game’s first score.

The Pioneers answered some five minutes later on a long crossing kick from the right side to the middle by midfield David Ganley, to open space just outside 10 yards from the goal face to an awaiting Ben Myers. The well-placed pass from Ganley served to pull the Tigers’ goalkeeper, Jairo Ledezma out, but the senior arrived just a bit too late as Myers’ shot at goal zipped past him and into the net.

GOOOAAAALLLLL!!! The Ben Myers sequence

Knotting the score at 1-1 proved only temporary, however, as Ragsdale sophomore striker Owen Justice crafted two more goals for the visitors, giving the Tigers a 3-1 lead going into intermission.

The second half was a defensive battle royale, with both teams’ goalkeepers playing central roles in turning back challenging shots for saves. To their credit, Ragsdale looked to protect that 2-goal lead and dropped players into more defensive positions, making Watauga’s mission that much more difficult.

With under 10 minutes to go in the game, however, Quincy Honeycutt proved up to the challenge, leaving Ledezma sprawled out on the right side as he maneuvered past him to tap the ball into the open goal.

Honeycutt’s goal gave the Pioneers inspiration and momentum but they were unable to send the game into overtime with another goal (or win it with two quick goals).

Perhaps more than any other opponent Watauga has played at least in recent games, the Tigers were able to close space more quickly in defense and disrupt Watauga’s one- and two-touch passing for possession and advancement.

After a two-hour bus ride from Jamestown, N.C. (on the eastern outskirts of High Point), Ragsdale was ready to stretch their legs and play.

“We got here in plenty of time,” Ragsdale head coach Brien Braswell said, speaking to his team’s game day preparation. “We scored first but they scored right away, too. We knew this was going to be a good ball game. We knew we had to score goals. We didn’t score as many as we could have because they didn’t make it easy. Watauga is a good team, very fast. They are a class act. We were able to keep them out of the net just long enough.”

For his part, Watauga head coach Josh Honeycutt had nothing but praise for his players and what they both endured and accomplished this season, especially post-storm in the condensed conference schedule.

“I am proud of the guys. They fought hard and never quit. I knew they would do their best to battle back,” said the veteran Pioneer coach. We just made a few early defensive mistakes, getting caught high, allowing Ragsdale to get behind and flick the ball on, into space. That cost us.”

Honeycutt added how important it is for his team not to lose focus on the Pioneers’ preferred style of play, keeping the ball on the ground with short, possession-centric passes and working the ball down the field.

“I thought we were the better team, that early in the game we had better possession and in moving the ball but once we allowed their game to dictate our game… It became ‘boom ball’, they started winning. If we keep the ball on the ground and possess, they are just going to chase us and we win the ball game. But we lost control when we started playing their style. It hurt us. They caught us with the counterattack three times and that was the difference in the game.

“Ragsdale is a good team, very fast, which allowed them to take advantage of those counterattacks. If we play a full first half (with our style), I think we win the ball game,” added Honeycutt. “This is the playoffs. In both the first and second rounds we faced teams that may have finished No. 2 or No. 3 in their conference for the regular season, but they are from strong conferences and are really high quality opponents. That was the case for Palisades as well as for Ragsdale. When we get to the playoffs, the seedings don’t mean anything other than we want to be as highly seeded as possible to have home games. We have to play our very best to win in the playoffs, no matter what the opponent’s seeding number is on the bracket.”

Watauga’s five seniors this year includes Curtis Sevensky, Thomas Moss, Orin Ellis, Bennett Munson and Alex Aguilar. That quintet of athletes will be missed, but with 10 juniors and seven sophomores returning from the 2024 roster, but some talented, up and coming freshmen, Watauga is poised for a strong showing in 2025.

BONUS PHOTOS

By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — With an undefeated regular season (10-0), Watauga High School drew the No. 5 seed in the NCHSAA 4A West bracket it was announced on Nov. 10 and will play No. 29 seeded Ragsdale HS (4-6 overall, 2-5 in Metro 4A Conference).

On the surface, comparing an undefeated regular season vs. a 4-6 overall record might be considered the proverbial “feeding lambs to the lions” — but when it comes to the North Carolina state playoffs nothing is certain.

Ragsdale is based in Guilford County and part of the Greensboro/High Point metropolitan area. The Tigers finished the regular season No. 6 in the powerful Metro 4A Conference, with seven conference members receiving 4A West entries into Round 1. Ragsdale is that sixth team, behind No. 1-seeded Grimsley (10-0, 7-0), No. 10 Northern Guilford (9-1, 6-1), No. 11 Northwest Guilford (8-2, 5-2), No. 17 Southeast Guilford (6-4, 4-3) and No. 24 Page (3-7, 3-4), but ahead of No. 32 Western Guilford (4-6, 1-6). In short, even though they are sixth out of eight teams in the Metro 4A, Ragsdale’s admission to the 4A West bracket speaks to its strength of schedule and how very strong the Metro 4A league is.

This explains why every year there seems to be a major upset of higher seeded teams by lower seeded entries. In the 2023 4A West bracket, Round 1 upsets included No. 24 Charlotte Catholic over No. 9 Myers Park, 42-24; No. 19 Mount Tabor def. No. 14 Davie County, 48-26; No.23 Independence over No. 10 Lake Norman, 35-0; and No. 18 Mallard Creek vs. No. 15 Marvin Ridge, 41-7.

What to look for in Ragsdale

The Tigers feature a strong rushing attack and averaged more than 200 yards per game in that department, scoring 15 TDs running the football. At the same time, Ragsdale completed 109 out of 234 pass attempts for 1,148 yards through the air, including nine TDs vs. eight INTs.

Ragsdale’s offense appears to revolve around senior running back Fabian Diggs, who accounted for 1,518 of the Tigers 2,658 total yards during the regular season. In his last game, Nov. 1, in a 45-42 win over Western Guilford, Diggs carried the ball 26 times for 227 yards and a TD. One game earlier, against Southwest Guilford, the senior RB carried 22 times for 178 yards and three TDs.

Although Diggs may be the feature back for the Tigers, they also have core competency in junior QB Braylon Louis. Including seven passing TDs during the regular season, Louis completed 86 of 168 passes (51.2%) for 999 yards. His chief receiving threat is athletic sophomore Anthoney Washington, Jr., who also plays cornerback and safety on defense. Washington averaged a little more than 10 yards per reception during the regular season, catching 30 passes for 304 total receiving yards. His longest was a 51-yarder on Aug. 30, in a 21-20 win over Glenn HS.

The 3A/4A Northwestern Conference of which Watauga is a member and yet again the conference champion only has one other 4A school invited to the 4A West playoffs, the No. 27 seeded Alexander Central. The Cougars will take on No. 6 Mooresville in Round 1.

If Watauga gets by Ragsdale, the Pioneers will host the winner of No. 13 Mallard Creek and No. 20 Lake Norman.

FULL 4A WEST PAIRING FOR ROUND 1

• No. Grimsley vs. No. 32 Western Guilford
• No. 16 Reagan vs. No. 17 Southeast Guilford
• No. 8 Charlotte Catholic vs. No. 25 Porter Ridge
• No. 9 Palisades vs. No. 24 Page
• No. 5 Hough vs. No. 28 South Iredell
• No. 12 Mount Tabor vs. No. 21 Independence
• No. 13 Mallard Creek vs. No. 20 Lake Norman
• No. 4 Watauga vs. No. 29 Ragsdale
• No. 3 East Forsyth vs. No. 30 Butler
• No. 14 West Forsyth vs. No. 19 Cuthbertson
• No. 6 Mooresville vs. No. 27 Alexander Central
• No. 11 Northwest Guilford vs. No. 22 Olympic
• No. 7 Asheville vs. No. 26 Marvin Ridge
• No. 10 Northern Guilford vs. No. 23 West Cabarrus
• No. 15 Sun Valley vs. No. 18 TC Roberson
• No. 2 Weddington vs. No. 31 AL Brown

OTHER GAMES OF INTEREST

• 3A West – No. 9 Freedom vs. No. 24 West Rowan
• 3A West – No. 12 AC Reynolds vs. No. 21 Central Davidson
• 3A West – No. 3 Hickory vs. No. 30 Tuscola
• 2A West – No. 15 Lincolnton vs. No. 18 Maiden
• 1A West – No. 8 South Stanly vs. No. 25 Avery County
• 1A West – No. 12 Mitchell vs. No. 21 Draughn
• 1A West – No. 2 Mountain Heritage vs. No. 31 North Stokes

By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — In and amongst a great defensive battle between two really good high school soccer teams, No. 4-seeded Watauga managed to scrape together a goal in the second half to break a scoreless deadlock on Nov. 9, then hung on to defeat No. 29-seeded Palisades (Charlotte) and advance in the NCHSAA 4A West bracket, to Round 2.

On a well-placed corner kick by wing Quincy Honeycutt that was flicked on by striker Asher Hampton, fellow striker Curtis Sevensky powered a shot by the Pumas’ goalkeeper and put the home team in front at Jack Groce Stadium.

“We played excellent defensively and Jude Jackson, our goalkeeper, made a couple of really amazing saves,” said Pioneer head coach Josh Honeycutt after the game. “This was a battle between two really good teams and we had to dig deep to grind out this win. It was truly a team effort and I am really proud of these boys for their heart, tenacity and resilience.”

The first half started out with Watauga dominating possession, at least in the early going, but Palisades battled back and created their own attack opportunities. Only brilliant defensive play on both ends of the field saved the matchup from being a high-scoring affair. Both teams got good looks and good shots. They were just turned away.

4A WEST BRACKET SCORES, ROUND 1

• No. 1 West Forsyth def. No. 32 South Caldwell, 9-0
• No. 17 Charlotte Catholic def. No. 16 East Forsyth, 3-0
• No. 8 Asheville def. No. 25 RJ Reynolds, 3-1
• No. 24 Hough def. No. 9 Hopewell, 2-1
• No. 5 Northwest Guilford def. No. 28 Glenn, 7-0
• No. 21 South Mecklenburg def. No. 12 Ardrey Kell, 2-0
• No. 13 Ragsdale def. No. 20 Mount Tabor, 2-1
• No. 4 Watauga def. No. 29 Palisades, 1-0
• No. 30 AL Brown def. No. 3 Lake Norman, 3-2
• No. 14 Grimsley def. No. 19 Porter Ridge, 1-1 (penalty kicks)
• No. 6 Marvin Ridge def. No. 27 Parkland, 6-0
• No. 11 Cox Mill def. No. 22 Providence, 0-0 (penalty kicks)
• No. 7 Garinger def. No. 26 Alexander Central, 3-1
• No. 23 Mooresville def. No. 10 Reagan, 4-2
• No. 15 Hickory Ridge def. No. 18 Weddington, 3-0
• No. 2 Myers Park def. No. 31 West Cabarrus, 7-1

OTHER SCORES OF INTEREST

• 3A West – No. 4 Hibriten def. No. 29 Carson, 3-0
• 3A West – No. 11 Hickory def. No. 22 West Henderson, 2-1
• 3A West – No. 3 South Point vs. No. 30 Ashe County, not yet reported
• 1A West – No. 3 Avery County def. No. 30 Draughn, 3-1

By David Rogers. HUDSON, N.C. — It has been 41 games since Watauga’s Pioneers lost a 3A/4A Northwestern Conference football contest and the capper may well have been the team’s 63-19 thumping of longtime 4A rival South Caldwell on Nov. 8, at Spartan Field.

A 51-11 halftime score set up a running clock as soon as the High Country visitors scored early in the third quarter. It was almost as an inevitable afterthought.

Senior quarterback Maddox Greene secured another milestone: for the second consecutive year he has more than 1,000 yards rushing the football and 1,000 yards passing the football.

Coming into the game, Greene needed just over 50 yards to complete the 1,000 yard passing standard and he got it, and then some, completing 7-of-12 passes for 142 yards through the air, including three TDs against one interception. He already had the 1,000 season rushing standard, but added on in a big way against South Caldwell in carrying the ball 16 times for 170 yards and a TD.

An Evan Burroughs Sequence

As the score might indicate, Greene wasn’t alone in big play creativity. Evan “Swiss Army Knife” Burroughs caught six passes (out of six targets) for 99 yards and a hat trick (3) of TDs. He carried the ball five times for 50 yards. And he was in the middle of making lemonade out of some razzle-dazzle lemons — in which he hurled what became a 36-yard TD pass to Greene.

Hollywood could hardly have scripted Burroughs’ “making lemonade” play any better. Greene rolled right, handed the ball off to Everett Gryder sweeping back left on a reverse, who then flipped the ball to Burroughs in the center of the backfield, coming back right on a double reverse. But Burroughs errantly dropped the ball, it bounding to the turf and starting to hop forward with Spartan defenders littering the backfield, wondering where the ball would go next. The athletic junior, though, calmly reached down and picked up the ball and off one foot jumped in the air and delivered the intended pass downfield. Although not the “prettiest” pass in gridiron history, Greene was waiting for it. The senior leaped up, brought it down, and somehow carved a path through and around four would-be tacklers, sprinting to the end zone.

Pioneer head coach Ryan Habich acknowledged after the game how special Burroughs’ abilities are.

“There are very few athletes that could recover from the dropped ball, then jumped in the air to make that pass,” said Habich, smiling in saying that the fumbled ball was not part of the play design.

South Caldwell’s biggest moment came on the Spartans’ first offensive drive. After Watauga’s quick strike score on the game’s opening drive (4 plays, 64 yards, in just 53 seconds) featuring a 43-yard ramble by Greene before a 1-yard plunge into the end zone by Gryder, the Spartans looked to answer. On the first play, junior QB Corbin Mcghinnis found receiver J P Smith along the right sideline, the pass-catch-run covering 60 yards to the Watauga 5-yard line. Two plays later, on punches up the middle by running back Landon Borders, and South Caldwell was in the end zone. South Caldwell elected to go for a 2-point conversion and were successful on a run left by Bryson Genwright, leaving the early score 8-7, in favor of the Spartans.

But that was the only lead of the game for the Hudson hosts celebrating Senior Night. After Pioneer running back Matthew Leon capped off an 8-play, 65 yard scoring drive with a 1-yard dive into the end zone with still a little over 10 minutes remaining in the first quarter, Wilson’s PAT kick was successful this time, giving Watauga a 13-8 lead from which they would never look back.

The rest of the opening quarter was a battle with South Caldwell using nearly five minutes of clock on the next possession but being forced to punt after a couple offsides penalties turned the drive into a three steps forward, two steps back affair. The Spartans seemed to make the best of it with a punt downed at the Watauga 2-yard line, but Greene & Co. were undaunted by the awkward field position.

In fact, Watauga poured it on in the second period, playing inspired football on both sides of the ball. Taking advantage of Spartan turnovers and their own near-flawless execution with the ball in hand, the Pioneers scored 36 more points in the second period, taking the lead at halftime to 49-11. They did it with Greene rushes, Greene passes to Burroughs, Burroughs’ pass to Greene and rushes by Leon and Gryder. Backup QB and placekick holder Cade Keller even got in the act with a surprise 2-point conversion try.

By the second half, Watauga had the luxury of trying different things, just to give the players more experience in certain situations.

“We wanted Maddox to pass, not run in the second half because we know that in the playoffs we are going to rely more on passing,” said Habich later, in part explaining why Greene was even still on the field.

Among the good news for the rout: a lot of athletes saw playing time.

“Everyone on the roster played,” Habich said later, smiling about the position depth he was able to develop with player experience, resting his starting playmakers some — and getting his reserves a chance to prove themselves and having fun.

Watauga finishes the regular season, 10-0, an undefeated regular season they also achieved in 2023 and 2018 before falling deep in the playoffs.

Pairings for the first round are anticipated to be announced on Sunday, Nov. 10. As the top 4A team in the Northwestern Conference, Watauga is likely to receive a high seed and facing a lower seeded opponent but Habich has no illusions about the task ahead. He noted that not only 11 of the top 25 teams in North Carolina coming from the 4A West bracket, but the lower seeded teams coming out of highly competitive metro area conferences, especially from Charlotte, are really good programs who just happened to fall to the very best.

SCORING SUMMARY

• Q1 – WAT – Everett Gryder 1 yard rush for TD; PAT by Jack Wilson kick: 7-0
• Q1 – SC – Landon Brothers 3-yard rush for TD; PAT rush by Bryson Genwright: 7-8
• Q1 – WAT – Matthew Leon 1-yard run for TD; PAT kick failed: 13-8
• Q2 – WAT – Maddox Greene 5-yard run for TD; Greene run for PAT: 21-8
• Q2 – WAT – Evan Burroughs 40-yard pass from Maddox Greene for TD; PAT run by Cade Keller: 29-8
• Q2 – WAT – Maddox Greene 36-yard pass from Evan Burroughs for TD; PAT kick failed: 35-8
• Q2 – WAT – Evan Burroughs 23-yard pass from Maddox Greene for TD: PAT by Jack Wilson: 42-8
• Q2 – WAT – Everett Gryder 1-yard rush for TD; PAT kick by Jack Wilson: 49-8
• Q2 – SC – 42 yard field goal by Armando Gomez; 49-11
• Q3 – WAT – Evan Burroughs 9-yard pass from Maddox Greene for TD; PAT kick by Jack Wilson: 56-11
• Q4 – SC – Kaleb Flores 1-yard rush for TD; PAT run by Corbin Mcghinnis: 56-19
• Q4 – WAT – Cade Keller 8-yard rush for TD; PAT kick by Jack Wilson: 63-19

SELECTED TEAM STATS

• Total Yards: WAT 536, SC 256
• Yards Rushing: WAT 40 carries, 346 yards, 5 TDs; SC 21 carries, 77 yards, 2 TDs
• Yards Passing: WAT 9-of-14, 190 yards, 4 TDs; SC 13-of-26, 179 yards
• Penalties: WAT 2-15, SC 8-64
• Turnovers: WAT 1, SC 2
• 3rd Down Conversions: WAT 7-8 (88%), SC 4-9 (44%)
• 4th Down Conversions: WAT 1-1 (100%), SC 0-0
• Time of Possession: WAT 15:18, SC 19:10

SELECTED INDIVIDUAL STATS

Passing

• • SC – Corbin Mcghinnis, 13-26, 179 yards, 1 INT
  • WAT – Maddox Greene, 7-12, 142 yards, 1 INT, 3 TDs
  • WAT – Evan Burroughs, 1-1, 36 yards, 1 TD
  • WAT – Cade Keller, 1-1, 12 yards

Rushing

• • WAT – Maddox Greene 16 carries, 170 yards, 1 TD
  • WAT – Matthew Leon 9 carries, 58 yards, 1 TD
  • WAT – Evan Burroughs 5 carries, 50 yards
  • WAT – Everett Gryder 7 carries, 30 yards, 2 TDs
  • SC – Khian Oates 5 carries, 24 yards
  • WAT – Cade Keller 2 carries, 20 yards, 1 TD
  • SC – Corbin Mcghinnis 3 carries, 19 yards
  • WAT – Nyle Peays 1 carry, 18 yards
  • SC – Kaleb Flores 3 carries, 15 yards, 1 TD
  • SC – Kaden Loritts 3 carries, 12 yards
  • SC – Landon Borders 6 carries, 7 yards, 1 TD

By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — At least one home game awaits Watauga men’s soccer in the NCHSAA 4A West playoffs, it was revealed with the brackets released on Nov. 7. The Pioneers will host Palisades (Charlotte), with kickoff slated for 2 p.m. in Jack Groce Stadium.

As the No. 4 seed, the Pioneers have a dangerous first round pairing vs. the No. 29-seed Pumas, which completed the regular season 12-8 overall, 6-6 and No. 4 in the highly competitive South Meck 4A Conference.

In addition to Palisades, other South Meck 4A members in the 4A West bracket include No. 2-seeded Myers Park (16-0-2 overall, 11-0-1 in conference), No. 12 seed Ardrey Kell (16-2-5, 9-1-2), and No. 21 South Mecklenburg (14-6-4, 7-4-1).

As the No. 2 seed, Myers Park is in the lower half of the bracket and will face off against No. 31 West Cabarrus in Round 1. By luck of the draw and seedings, Ardrey Kell and South Mecklenburg will play each other in Round 1 with the winner potentially facing the winner of Watauga vs. Palisades in Round 3, depending on who advances.

West Foryth (20-1-2 overall, 12-1-1 in Central Piedmont 4A Conference) was awarded the No. 1 seed in the 4A West bracket, and will face Watauga’s latest vanquished foe, South Caldwell, which made the playoffs as the No. 32 seed. Of interest: West Forsyth and Watauga played early in the season, on Aug. 19, and battled to a 3-3 tie.

All three Northwestern Conference 4A schools made the 4A West bracket, with South Caldwell at No. 32 and Alexander Central at No. 26.

Full Round 1 pairings for the 4A West bracket:

• No. 32 South Caldwell @ No. 1 West Forsyth
• No. 17 Charlotte Catholic @ No. 16 East Forsyth
• No. 25 R J Reynolds @ No. 8 Asheville
• No. 24 Hough @ No. 9 Hopewell
• No. 28 Glenn @ No. 5 Northwest Guilford
• No. 21 South Mecklenburg @ No. 12 Ardrey Kell
• No. 20 Mount Tabor @ No. 13 Ragsdale
• No. 29 Palisades @ No. 4 Watauga
• No. 30 A.L. Brown @ No. 3 Lake Norman
• No. 19 Porter Ridge @ No. 14 Grimsley
• No. 27 Parkland @ No. 6 Marvin Ridge
• No. 22 Providence @ No. 11 Cox Mill
• No. 26 Alexander Central @ No. 7 Garinger
• No. 23 Mooresville @ No. 10 Reagan
• No. 18 Weddington @ No. 15 Hickory Ridge
• No. 31 West Cabarrus @ No. 2 Myers Park

OTHER PAIRINGS OF INTEREST

• 3A West – No. 4 Hibriten vs. No. 29 Jesse C. Carson
• 3A West – No. 3 South Point vs. No. 30 Ashe County
• 3A West – No. 11 Hickory vs. No. 22 West Henderson
• 3A West – No. 2 A. C. Reynolds vs. No. 31 Ben L. Smith
• 2A West – No. 4 West Caldwell vs. No. 29 West Wilkes
• 1A West – No. 3 Avery County vs. No. 30 Draughn