By David Rogers. GREENSBORO, N.C. — An “Offensive MVP” effort by Watauga High School quarterback Cade Keller and a +7 takeways performance by the defense sealed the deal for the West All-Stars on Dec. 21, defeating the East All-Stars, 50-14,  in the 2025 North Carolina Coaches Association East-West All-Star Game at Jamieson Stadium.

After the East received the opening kickoff but could only move the ball 15 yards in eight plays, Keller led the West to an opening drive touchdown, highlighted by a 20-yard keeper by the Pioneer senior and capped by a 3-yard TD run by Mozes Morris (West Forsyth HS). The West’s opening drive covered 51 yards in 6 plays, in 2:15.

Keller finished the afternoon having completed 10 of 17 passes for 121 yards and two TDs, although he was also on the front end of a trick play that produced a 35-yard TD. On the play, Keller pitched to Ethan Driver (Davie County HS), who in turn threw to wide receiver Aaryn Tate (Northeast Guilford HS).

As is often the case with all-star games, this one was at times sloppy, especially in the hands of the East. The East quarterback was Geronimo Sanchez, a very athletic signal caller from Cape Fear HS, but he finished game having completed 14 of 27 passes and 1 TD — but offset by five interceptions by West defenders, including two “Pick 6” INTs in the first half.

The opportunistic West defense also forced five fumbles by the East, recovering three of them. Each team recorded 10 tackles for loss, but the West’s five INTs stood out, with one each by five different players. Calvin Ramseur (Shelby HS) was named defensive MVP for the game and poached the first “Pick 6” of the afternoon, midway through the first quarter. Kamdon Gillespie’s (Mooresville HS) 41-yard “Pick 6” opened the scoring in the second quarter. Other INTs were by Jeremiah Deese (Northeast Guilford HS), Bubba Sims (Williams HS) and Xavier Porter (West Charlotte).

Watauga’s Brady Lindenmuth, an offensive line selection for the West, said of the experience after the game, “It was such a blast to be able to play this game with all of these guys. It is a real honor.”

J.K. Adkins of Freedom High School served as the West head coach this year and was quick to deflect any praise to the players and his assistant coaches. He offered special praise for offensive coordinator Ryan Habich, Watauga’s head coach, saying, “Ryan Habich is one of the most brilliant offensive minds in high school football.”

BONUS PHOTOS

By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — Coaches, like teachers, impact student athletes, often in dramatic, even life-altering ways. Sometimes they learn just how special they were when, years later, those former student-athletes tell them.

That was the case on Dec. 13, when a committee of former Watauga High School wrestlers pulled off the “73-Year Watauga High School Wrestling Reunion” at the Moose Lodge, in Boone. The central theme of the event was to honor longtime coaches Lee Stroupe and Steve Breitenstein, but the objectives also included recognizing the long history of Watauga Wrestling, with multiple Pioneers through the years earning “state champion” or “conference champion” or “tournament champion” accolades.

It was really a two-day Reunion. The night before, while most of Watauga County’s attention was tuned into the Pioneer football team’s successful quest to win the NCHSAA 6A State Championship football game in Chapel Hill, vs. Middle Creek (Apex), more than 75 Watauga Wrestling alums and High Country fans watched the current Pioneers wrestling team defeat Forbush High School (East Bend, Yadkin County) in Lentz Eggers Gym, 41-40, in spite of forfeiting six weight classes (several Watauga wrestlers were still competing on the football team).

At least 50 of the alums and their spouses, families and friends were able to stay the second day for the dinner and festivities, including reflections on the team’s past achievements, individual performances, and the program’s plans for the future. Stroupe and Breitenstein shared memories of almost every single one of the wrestlers they mentored through the years.

Current head coach Terreyl Williams spoke of the program’s growth these last few years, including 33 wrestlers on the current team and 45 in the growing middle school program. They also shared a pressing need: a new wrestling room because they had outgrown their current practice facility.

The steering committee members included wrestling alums Eddie Miller, Chad Critcher, Tim Haas, Wes Young, Bobby Plemons, Derek Harwood, Lynn Harwood, Todd Rice and Bobby Clawson.

Miller has a primary responsibility for reaching out to alums and encouraging them to attend, with contributions from all of the committee members.

“No stone was left unturned,” said Rice, in describing the all-out efforts of the committee to get maximum participation.

The older brother of Tim Haas, Bryan Haas, served as emcee for the evening and not only directed the almost 30 tables as to their turn to serve themselves at the buffet, but entertained the crowd with Watauga Wrestling trivia questions.

A sampling (with answers):

• What year did WHS have five state qualifiers under coaches Stroupe and Breitenstein? (1983 and 1987 — 1983 qualifiers included Greg Edmisten, Tony Greene, Scott Kund, Bobby Clawson, and Tim Haas. 1987 qualifiers included Jonathan Trull, Derek Harwood, Ray Hemms, Dave McCune and Tim McManus)
• What was Appalachian High School’s notable achievement in wrestling? (For the duration of the program, 13 years, the AHS wrestling team never lost a match)
• What coach had a daughter win the WHS girl’s Hall of Fame Award? (both Lee Stroupe and Steve Breitenstein, daughters Kristin Stroupe and Amy Breitenstein)
• Which Watauga wrestler had the most total wins in a season? (Demetre Kostis, 56-1, in 2013-14)
• In what year did Watauga have seven wrestlers in the finals of the Northwestern Conference Tournament? (1981: Gregg Edmiston, Tommy Gabriel, Kevin Norris, David Phillips, Bobby Clawson, Kevin Cook and Ivan Roten)
• What two Watauga brothers won individual state titles in the same year? (Larry and Scott Stanbery)
• Who won Most Valuable Wrestler recognition at the Northwestern Conference Tournament? (Kevin Norris in 1980 and Kurt Duncan in 1986)
• Which wrestlers were presented with the Watauga High School Trailblazer Award? (Tim Haas, Steve Atwood, Stan Atwood, Tim Church, Shane Austin and Dave McCune)
• What family had the most brothers who wrestled under coaches Stroupe and Breitenstein?
  • Critcher: Anthony, Barry and Todd; parents Sammy and Gloria
  • Lyons: Jeff, Greg and Brent; parents Archie and Joanne
  • Norris: Kevin, Ryan and Eric; parents Dudley and Judy

One of the most poignant moments of the evening came, fittingly, toward the end. After Stroupe and Breitenstein were presented boxes with mementos, including singlets for competing, photos and other memorabilia, Eddie Miller presented each coach with a printed and bound booklet, nearly an inch thick, of statements and reflections from Watauga alums who had trained and competed under the two coaches. Those thoughts included how much the program and their coaching meant to them and what they are doing now, in some cases more than 50 years later.

BONUS PHOTOS

By David Rogers. CHAPEL HILL, N.C. —On 2025’s 12th day of the 12th month, surely there were 12 Watauga players wearing “No. 12” in the Pioneers’ 47-25 win over Middle Creek in the NCHSAA 6A State Championship Game played at UNC-Chapel Hill.

Evan Burroughs, the real (and only) No. 12 playing for Watauga, was seemingly everywhere in the 6A title game against the Mustangs: on offense, on defense and on special teams. Not to overlook quarterback Cade Keller’s top tier performance in completing 22 of 26 passes for 277 yards and two TDs, with no INTs, Burroughs may have set state championship game records for a performance by a single individual player:

• • 7 carries for 46 yards, including 3 TDs
  • 14 catches for 149 yards and 1 Td
  • On defense, two pass interceptions for 54 return yards, including one “Pick 6” TD

And most of that was in the first half as the Pioneers took a 33-10 lead into intermission. From there on out, much of Watauga’s strategy seemed intent on protecting the lead and using up the clock — at least until the Pioneers’ last offensive series when, on 1st-and-15 after an “illegal shift” penalty, Keller hurled a 51-yard, TD-scoring dagger to wide receiver Nyle Peays with just 43 seconds remaining.

While Burroughs deservedly received all kinds of post-game adulation, including “MVP” recognition, the Pioneers’ journey to and including the championship game was a team statement. Throughout the season, the Pioneer playmakers took turns being featured in the individual games on their journey to Chapel Hill for the state championship — undefeated. Keller, Burroughs, Peays, Matthew Leon, Everett Gryder and Bowen Mayo alternated in being the key figures on any given Friday night.

Fittingly, on Dec. 12, it was No. 12’s turn once again to shine behind the steady contributions of the guys in the trenches, the offensive and defensive lines, those guys opening holes in the line of scrimmage or protecting the QB long enough to make a pass possible; those guys pressuring the opposing QBs and forcing them to make mistakes.

Looking beyond the performance of the playmakers like Burroughs, Keller, Leon, Mayo and Peays on this night, these stats stand out:

• Watauga churned up 471 yards of total offense while limiting Middle Creek to 397 yards
• Watauga controlled possession 25:51 vs. 22:09 for the Mustangs
• Watauga converted on six of eight 3rd down opportunities while Middle Creek  was successful on just five of 11 chances.
• Watauga won the turnover battle, highlighted by Burroughs “Pick 6” in the first quarter.
• Early Turning Point: With Watauga having just scored to lead 19-10, a successful onside kick gave the Pioneers the ball back and good field position at the Middle Creek 47 yard line — and just six seconds remaining in the first quarter. On a trick play (double pass), Middle Creek intercepted deep in their own territory but Watauga’s defense held the Mustangs to a three and out and the Pioneers got the ball back on their own 47 yard line. Keller orchestrated a 5-play, 53-yard TD-scoring drive featuring Burroughs, Leon and the QB’s own 27-yard keeper, the drive finished off with a 3-yard run by Burroughs, making it a 26-10 lead for Watauga.
• Complementary Football: When you look at the offensive stats, there is not really such a wide difference to suggest a 22-point gap between the two sides. Dig deeper, and it is the Watauga advantage in all three phases: offense, defense, and special teams.

Besides the significance of the No. 12 on this night, another number emerged as significant by the end of the post-game press conference: “47.”

Many in the stadium might have thought head coach Ryan Habich was being merciful after the Keller-to-Peays TD pass all but prompted the Mustangs to surrender. He later told the media that when he looked at the scoreboard and saw that his Pioneers had taken the 47-25 lead, it hit him that it has been 47 years since Watauga last won a state football championship, in 1978. So he immediately called out to Keller not to kick the PAT, to instead take a knee and preserve the 47-25 score. Those 47 points were a symbolic gesture to the alumni of Watauga who had come before — and many of those Pioneers of 47 years ago were in the grandstands, including the head coach of that 1978 team, Bill Mauldin and his family.

That an estimated 2,000+ Boone fans were in the grandstands for this game demonstrates just how important a connection to the community is to the 2025 Watauga Pioneers.

Not quite a year and a half ago, the High Country was hammered by Hurricane Helene. Many in Western North Caroina lost their homes or businesses to the ravaging floods, mudslides and powerful winds. Habich acknowledged how his players helped others by shoveling mud and clearing debris in the wake of the storm. More recently, the players’ parents helped organize a team-based, mid-week project to help Samaritan’s Purse pack shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child, gifts destined for needful children in distant lands.

So it isn’t surprising that so many in the community made the 3-hour trek to Chapel Hill, to support the team, not just because they are winners, but because they are winners.

SCORING SUMMARY

SELECTED TEAM STATS

• Yards of Total Offense: WAT 471, MCR 397
• Net Yards Rushing: WAT 194, MCR 127
• Net Yards Passing: WAT 277, MCR 270
• Penalties: WAT 3-15, MCR 3-22
• Time of Possession: WAT 25:51, MCR 22:09
• 3rd Down Conversions: WAT 6-of-8, MCR 5-of-11
• 4th Down Conversions: WAT 0-of-0, MCR 0-3

SELECTED INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCES

• WAT – Evan Burroughs: 7 carries for 46 yards and 3 TDs; 14 catches for 149 yards and 1 TD; on defense, 2 pass breakups, 2 INTs (54 return yards), including 1 return for TD
• WAT – Cade Keller: Completed 22-of-26 passes for 277 yards and 2 TDs, no INTs; 5 carries for 41 yards
• WAT – Matthew Leon: 12 carries for 78 yards and 1 TD, 2 catches for 14 yards
• WAT – Bowen Mayo: 5 carries for 29 yards, 3 catches for 25 yards; on defense, 6 tackles
• WAT – Nyle Peays: 2 catches for 82 yards, 1 TD; on defense, 5 tackles
• WAT – John Wilson Mills: on defense, 13 tackles (game-high)
• WAT – Thomas Dieters: on defense, 8 tackles, 1 tackle for loss
• WAT – Brady Lindenmuth: 3 tackles, 2 tackles for loss
• WAT – Aidan Plemons: 5 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 1 QB Hurry

By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — High drama took over the stage at Jack Groce Stadium on Dec. 6. A near capacity audience looked on, witnessing the agony, ecstasy and unbridled joy acted out by the players — except they weren’t acting. This was real.

BONUS PHOTOS AT BOTTOM OF ARTICLE

The football gods wrote a script featuring dramatic tension throughout, right up until the last second prompted a Watauga High School varsity football team’s jubilant celebration. There was no anti-climax in the Pioneers’ 43-42 win over Northern Guilford. The final minute was as thrilling as any other with host Watauga claiming the NCHSAA 6A West title in the North Carolina state playoffs.

With the win, the Pioneers earn a berth in next week’s 6A State Championship game in Kenan Stadium, on the campus of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. They will face the Middle Creek Mustangs, the 6A East champs, on Friday, Dec. 12, with kickoff slated for 4:00 p.m.

Seeded No. 3 in the 6A East, Middle Creek advanced to the final with a 31-21 victory over Jacksonville to earn the state championship opportunity. It is Watauga’s first trip to a state championship game since 1978, almost a half-century ago.

What A Football Game

There were so many great plays by both teams on both sides of the ball in Friday’s thriller pitting Watauga vs. Northern Guilford. Leading up to the pivotal final, decisive seconds, there were plot twists and turns aplenty.

The 6A West’s No. 1 seeded Pioneers and the No. 2 seeded Nighthawks traded touchdowns and PATs in the first quarter to take a 7-7 tie into the second period. Watauga looked to run away with the game in the second frame, the Pioneer defense forcing a pair of Northern Guilford “3-and-outs” to deny the Nighthawks’ offense any kind of momentum. The Watauga defensive stands were capped by an Evan Burroughs-crafted “Pick 6” interception, returned 31 yards for a TD.

Watauga’s three touchdowns to open the second quarter gave the home team a commanding, 27-7 lead — and fueled the Pioneer faithful’s hopes that a trip to the state championship game was well within Watauga’s grasp.

Northern Guilford was not to go away quietly, however. On the first play from scrimmage after the post-INT kickoff, senior QB Jaxson Kemp completed a 70-yard pass-catch-and-run to senior wide receiver Greyson Council for a touchdown and, just like that, the Nighthawks had life. And after a stellar defensive stand by the visitors — and an uncharacteristic “shank” of a 12-yard punt by Watauga QB and punter Cade Keller — the Nighthawks had another great opportunity: 1st-and-10 from inside Watauga territory, at the WAT42.

It only took Northern Guilford four plays to put another TD in the books. The drive finished  with a 30-yard scoring run by star running back Amare Akers, closing the Nighthawks’ deficit to 27-21 after the PAT.

A little more than two minutes remained on the clock, so there was still opportunity for both sides. Another strong defensive effort by Northern Guilford limited the Pioneers to just four plays before having to punt again, giving the ball back to Kemp and his Mustang cohorts with 48 seconds left before halftime.

After Kemp completed a short pass to Akers coming out of the backfield for a 9-yard gain, Watauga’s Burroughs made sure there was no more Nighthawk damage to the scoreboard in the first half when he poached a Kemp pass for his second interception of the second quarter. With just 37 seconds left, Watauga opted to run out the clock and take their 6-point lead into the locker room.

Second Half Adjustments

As the second half got underway, it was apparent that Northern Guilford’s coaching staff made some adjustments during intermission. In receiving the second half kickoff, the visiting Nighthawks had some swagger and it started with senior wide receiver Bobby Bah receiving the opening kick. He returned it 31 yards before the Pioneers’ Thomas Dieters brought him down a yard shy of midfield. Akers carried the ball into Watauga territory with a 12-yard gain, then Kemp wove through Pioneer defenders the remaining 39 yards to the end zone on a designed QB keeper. That gave Northern Guilford its first lead of the night, 28-27, and the second half had only just begun.

Keller & Co. responded with a 13-play scoring drive that kept the Nighthawks’ offense off the field for nearly four minutes of the game clock. The drive featured Keller passes to Matthew Leon, Evan Burroughs, and Nyle Peays, as well as tight end Tyler Leyshon. By handing the ball off to Leon for short gains and keeping it himself a couple of times, Keller kept the defensive Nighthawks off-balance, allowing Leon to finish the drive with a 5-yard burst to the end zone. To make up for an earlier blocked PAT kick, the Pioneers went for a 2-point conversion and were successful with a quick pass from Keller to Mayo, restoring the Pioneer lead to 35-28.

Northern Guilford wasted little time in knotting things up with a 7-play, 75 yard drive, highlighted by another keeper by Kemp, this one for 39 yards to the Watauga 7-yard line. Two plays later, he kept the ball for another rushing TD. With Guardado’s PAT kick, it was a new ball game at 35-35.

After turning back two Watauga 4th down conversion attempts, one at the end of the third quarter and another at the start of the 4th, the Nighthawks took their second lead of the game at 42-35 with a methodical, 14-play, 75 yard drive featuring Akers. While quarterback Jaxson Kemp mixed things up to keep the Pioneers’ defense off-balance, on nine of those 14 plays he simply handed the ball off to Akers, who diced and sliced his way through openings created by Northern Guilford’s stalwart offensive line. Fittingly, it was Akers who punched into the end zone the final yard for the go-ahead TD. Guardado’s PAT kick sailed through the uprights to complete the conversion, giving the Nighthawks a 7-point lead with little time on the clock (3:29).

Final Drama

If the Nighthawks’ goal was to prevent Watauga from responding within the allotted 3:29 remaining time, Northern Guilford didn’t do themselves any favors. Guardado lofted a long kickoff more than 50 yards that the Pioneers’ Kyle Williams fielded near his own 10-yard line, then battled through traffic for an 18-yard return, to the WAT28. As if the return wasn’t enough, the Nighthawks were penalized another 15 yards for an illegal block, setting up the start of Watauga’s next offensive drive near midfield, at their own 43-yard line.

With good field position, Keller completed a 16-yard pass to Mayo. But Keller was hit late on the play, so a “roughing the passer” penalty tacked on another 15-yards and, suddenly, in the space of just the kickoff and one play from scrimmage the Pioneers were on the doorstep of the Nighthawks’ end zone, with 1st-and-10 at the Northern Guilford 26-yard line.

Keller and the Pioneers shrugged off an illegal motion penalty that set them back five yards, looking at 1st-and-15 from the NG31. Keller took care of business with 15- and 7-yard passes to Mayo, getting the ball down to the NG14. Then a short pass to Matthew Leon coming out of the backfield might just as well have been a running play. The speedy senior collected the ball on the right side then dove just inside the right goal line pylon for a 9-yard TD. SCORE: NG, 42, WAT 41, with the conversion attempt forthcoming.

To Be, Or Not To Be…

It was decision time for the Pioneers. Do they go for a 2-point conversion for a probable win with so little time remaining, or tie the game with a Miller Hankins PAT kick? There was risk with either choice. A Hankins PAT to tie might have had the highest probability rating, but…

… In OT, Northern Guilford might well have had an advantage because, thanks to a rushing juggernaut of an offensive attack behind Akers and Kemp, the Nighthawks had a degree of momentum. Worse, still, for Watauga: workhorse running back and defensive star Everett Gryder left the game earlier, limping severely, and electric wide receiver and defensive back Nyle Peays was also newly sidelined, not to return.

After the game, Watauga head coach Ryan Habich deflected any description of his decision to go for the 2-point conversion as a “gutsy call.” He simply said, “I trust my players” in the decision to go for the win at that moment.

So when Mayo caught Keller’s pass for his second successful 2-point conversion catch of the night, all manner of jubilation erupted on the field, on the Watauga sidelines, and on the jampacked Pioneer grandstands. With the student section jumping up and down enthusiastically, the press box had the sway of a downtown San Francisco high-rise during a California earthquake.

As Habich disclosed after the game, there were some circumstances that really made the 2-point conversion play special. He initially suggested a different play, but Keller promptly said, “I want to run ‘mash’.” So that is what they agreed on. But complicating matters was the Peays injury, which put Mayo in the heretofore unfamiliar X-slot. As the play developed, recalled Habich, Keller progressed through two early “reads” before finding Mayo in the end zone.

With the successful 2-point conversion, Watauga had the lead with under a minute remaining, but Northern Guilford still had a chance and either a TD or a field goal would likely win it for them.

Watauga’s kickoffs seem intentionally designed to prevent runbacks by an opposing team’s featured athletes. So it was hardly a surprise when Matthew Leon’s kickoff rolled out of bounds at the NG14, which would have given the Nighthawks starting possession at their own 35-yard line. Instead, Northern Guilford elected to have Watauga kick again from five yards further back, per the terms of the penalty.

This time, Leon pounded the ball 60 yards, where NG’s Bobby Bah pulled it in at the 5-yard line. Exceptional kick coverage by the Pioneers’ special teams, led by sophomore linebacker John Wilson Mills and teammate Brayson Gough, limited Bah’s return to just five yards, to the NG10, but an illegal block penalty pushed the ball back half the distance to the goal line, meaning the Nighthawks had to start their last-minute, desperation offensive at their own 5-yard line.

As it were, Northern Guilford only had 37 seconds to mount a scoring offensive and there were 95 yards between them and the goal line. Watauga’s worst fears were realized when, on the second play, Kemp hurled a long pass downfield. His receiver, Greyson Council again, at 6-2 was taller than all Watauga defenders. He leaped above the Pioneers’ double-coverage, “prevent” defense to haul the pass in for a 49-yard gain, advancing the Nighthawks to the Watauga 38. Another pass to Council gained 10 more yards before the senior wide receiver was pushed out of bounds by Leon at the 28-yard line, stopping the clock with about 19 seconds remaining. Two more Akers rushes (and two more NG timeouts) got the ball to the Watauga 19 with just five seconds on the clock. The Nighthawks called on Guardado for a 36-yard field goal attempt that would win the game, if successful. The snap and hold appeared good, but the ball sailed just inches wide of the left upright as the clock ticked to zero — and it was another highlight reel-filled Watauga win, 43-42.

There’s no way anyone should put Northern Guilford’s loss on Guardado’s shoulders, not with all the visitors’ self-inflicted wounds, i.e. penalties, and all the timely offensive and defensive plays by the Pioneers, including three pass interceptions. The penalties gave Watauga good field position and scoring opportunities. Three passing turnovers poached by the Pioneers, including Burroughs’ “Pick 6” midway through the second quarter, gave Watauga a 27-7 lead before halftime.

When you consider that most of Watauga’s playmakers are playing both ways, offense and defense, and several are even on special teams, the grit and determination, as well as the “next man up” team-focused approach make for a championship-caliber entry in the 6A state playoffs.

SCORING SUMMARY

• Q1 – WAT: Bowen Mayo 26 yard pass from Cade Keller, Miller Hankins PAT is good, 7-0
• Q1 – NG: Amare Akers 1 yard run for TD, Kobe Guardado PAT is good, 7-7
• Q2 – WAT: Bowen Mayo 20-yard pass from Cade Keller, Miller Hankins PAT is good, 14-7
• Q2 – WAT: Bowen Mayo 40-yard pass from Cade Keller, Miller Hankins PAT blocked, 20-7
• Q2 – WAT: Evan Burroughs 31-yard interception return, Miller Hankins PAT is good, 27-7
• Q2 – NG: Greyson Council 70-yard pass from Jaxon Kemp, Kobe Guardado PAT, 27-14
• Q2 – NG: Amare Akers 35-yard run, Kobe Guardado PAT is good, 27-21
• Q3 – NG: Jaxson Kemp 39-yard run, Kobe Guardado PAT is good, 27-28
• Q3 – WAT: Matthew Leon 5-yard run, 2 point conversion, Keller to Mayo, is good, 35-28
• Q3 – NG: Jaxon Kemp 3-yard run, Kobe Guardado PAT is good, 35-35
• Q4 – NG: Amare Akers 1-yard run, Kobe Guardado PAT is good, 35-42
• Q4 – WAT: Matthew Leon 9-yard pass from Cade Keller, 2 point conversion, Keller to Mayo is good, 43-42

SELECTED INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCES

• • NG – Amare Akers: 20 carries, 157 net yards rushing, 3 TDs
  • NG – Jaxon Kemp: 10 carries, 107 yards, 2 TDs; 8-of-18, 188 yards passing, including 1 TD, 3 INTs
  • NG – Greyson Council: 5 catches for 160 yards, 1 TD
  • WAT – Bowen Mayo: 7 catches for 136 yards, 3 TDs, and two 2-pt conversion catches; 4 carries for 24 yards; on defense, 8 total tackles, 1 INT returned 55 yards
  • WAT – Cade Keller: 21-of-30 passing for 267 yards, 4 TDs
  • WAT – Evan Burroughs: 6 catches for 45 yards; 3 carries for 42 yards; on defense, two INTs, including a TD
  • WAT – Matthew Leon: 12 carries for 33 yards, 1 TD; 3 catches for 30 yards, 1 TD; on defense, 3 total tackles
  • WAT – Everett Gryder: 11 carries, 46 net yards rushing; 1 catch for 8 yards; on defense, 6 total tackles
  • WAT – Nyle Peays: 2 catches for 35 yards; on defense, 1 pass breakup
  • WAT – Kyle Williams: 2 kickoff returns for 27 yards; on defense, 3 total tackles and 2 passes defended
  • WAT – John Wilson Mills: on defense, 15 total tackles
  • WAT – Thomas Dieters: on defense, 6 total tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss
  • WAT – Crue Stoddard: on defense, 5 total tackles, 1 tackle for loss
  • WAT – Brady Lindenmuth: on defense, 4 total tackles, 1 tackle for loss
  • WAT – Aidan Plemons: on defense, 4 total tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 1 pass breakup

SELECTED TEAM STATS

• • Total Offense Yards: NG 473, WAT 415
  • Net Yards Rushing: NG 285, WAT 148
  • Net Yards Passing: NG 188, WAT 367
  • Turnovers
    • Fumbles (No.-Lost): NG 1-0, WAT 0-0
    • Interceptions Thrown: NG 3, WAT 0
  • Penalties: NG 9-for-77 yards, WAT 5-for-45 yards
• Time of Possession: NG 18:55, WAT 29:05
• 3rd Down Conversions: NG 4-of-10, WAT 4-of-12
• 4th Down Conversions: NG 2-of-3, WAT 2-of-5
• Red Zone Scores-Chances: NG 3-4, WAT 3-3

BONUS PHOTOS

All photographic images by Jared Everett for High Country Sports