By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — It might have required some patience on the part of Will Bradbury to work his way to the front of an estimated 400 runners participating in the inaugural Eagle Way 5K on May 4 but, once clear of the masses, the current Watauga High School distance running star made short work of the Greenway course. Just three days after dominating the 3A/4A Northwestern Conference Track and Field Championships’ middle distances, the Pioneer junior cruised to an 18:42 finish on the asphalt, gravel and grass, out-and-back Greenway trail.
Watauga High School junior Will Bradbury was the first to cross the finish line on May 4 in the inaugural Eagle Way 5K. Photographic image by David Rogers
Bradbury’s Watauga track teammate Jonah Norris came in second but, truthfully, nobody really cared about the order of finish on this day. Organized by the Hardin Park School PTO, the Eagle Way 5K was about celebrating the life of a beloved teacher and coach, Michael Neff, and to raise money for a scholarship fund in his name as well as other worthy causes. Neff passed away suddenly on Feb. 1 of this year.
“Coach Neff was full of energy and enthusiasm,” said Bradbury after the race. “I knew him from when I was about seven years old. Whether it was sport or school or anything, really, he encouraged you to be the best you could be.”
Photographic image by David Rogers
Elizabeth and Richard Pedroni are co-presidents of the Hardin Park PTO for the second year and they bring a history of helping stage fun and fundraising events to their roles. For several years, their focus was on a golf tournament in benefit of charities like Blowing Rock CARES and High Country Caregivers. For the PTO, it is the Eagle Way 5K.
“The Hardin Park mascot is the Golden Eagle and Coach Neff was an excellent role model and mentor,” said Elizabeth Pedroni a few minutes before the horn sounded signaling the start of the race. “We have enthusiastic volunteers that make this all possible. Plus, there were 268 people that pre-registered to run by the deadline this past Wednesday (May 1). And they keep coming and coming and coming to register this morning. It is exciting to see the community so enthusiastic about remembering Coach Neff and our fundraising mission, not just from Hardin Park but from other schools, too.”
Photographic image by David Rogers
The fundraising effort is specifically targeted this year, including the Coach Neff Scholarship Fund, for needful students attending Hardin Park School, and for the PTO’s other purposes.
Lincolnton, N.C.-based Racing Toes provided timing services for the event. Food trucks serving the event included Birdie’s (coffee and hot cocoa), The Cardinal Burger Wagon, Carolina Food Monger, and Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream.
Watauga High School junior Will Bradbury was the first to cross the finish line on May 4 in the inaugural Eagle Way 5K. Photographic image by David Rogers
An estimated 400 runners participated in the May 4 inaugural Eagle Way 5K, hosted by the Hardin Park School PTO. Photographic image by David Rogers
By David Rogers. BLOWING ROCK, N.C. — A well-placed corner kick from the right side by Hibriten junior midfielder Bella Hawkins midway through the second half curved into the upper left corner of Watauga’s net. It was all the Panthers needed on May 3 in the probable deciding title match of the Northwestern Conference regular season in defeating the Pioneers, 1-0.
It was a game of ebb-and-flow momentum, both sides playing exceptional defense and trading extended periods of offensive possession.
Photographic image by David Rogers for High Country Sports
“We didn’t play our best,” admitted Watauga women’s soccer head coach Chris Tarnowski after the match, “but you have to give Hibriten a lot of credit. They beat us to the ball a lot of times and forced us to play their game instead of ours.”
With the win, Hibriten improves its overall record to 15-0-2 and 7-0-1 in regular season action for the 3A/4A Northwestern Conference. One of three 3A members of NWC (along with Ashe County and Freedom), the Panthers are ranked as the No.1 team in the North Carolina 3A West region and the No. 23 ranked team among all classifications in the entire state.
Watauga falls to 13-2-1 overall and 6-1-1 in the Northwestern Conference. Hibriten accounts for both the loss and the tie in league play.
BONUS PHOTOS
Photographic image by David Rogers for High Country Sports
Watauga midfielder Mattie Durham passes ball across field on May 3 vs. Hibriten. Photographic image by David Rogers for High Country Sports
By David Rogers. CONCORD, N.C. — Changing the venue and moving the date up a day for a state track meet — only hours before the event — and communicating it to all of the participating student athletes, their families and their coaches… well, let’s just say it requires a lot of commitment, flexibility and patience by all concerned.
For the NCRunners Middle School All-State 2024 Meet on May 2 at Jay M. Robinson High School in Concord, N.C. (moved up from May 3 at Cuthbertson HS south of Charlotte), involving more than 60 schools and some 1,600 student athletes, organizers pulled it off with hardly a hitch.
The Watauga District Middle School Track and Field Team sent a large contingent with some notable performances, considering there upwards of 40 student athletes competing in almost every event, more than 70 entrants in some cases.
Listed below are the Watauga performances, with “top 10” efforts highlighted in yellow. Data supplied by FloSports, courtesy of NCMilesplit.
By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — Watauga Women’s Track and Field team used strong performances in the middle and longer distances to capture the 3A/4A Northwestern Conference track and field championships title on May 1, hosted at Jack Groce Stadium.
Photographic image by David Rogers for High Country Sports
Unlike in the Men’s Division where all three 4A schools took the top three spots in the team results, NWC 3A member Ashe County posted a strong performance to take the No. 2 team finish in the Women’s competition.
Highlights of the Women’s competition:
4×800 Relay: Watauga demonstrated its roster depth, capturing No. 1 by almost a 19 second margin over No. 2 Ashe County, with South Caldwell another 30 seconds later at No. 3.
100 Meter Hurdles: Watauga’s Sadie Buchanan was the only hurdler to record a time under 15 seconds as No. 1, with Ashe County claiming the No. 2 and No. 3 finishes by Emmi Cheek and Paige Overcash, respectively.
100 Meter Dash: Alexander Central (Malaya Adams), Hibriten (Jada Brown), and Ashe County (Emmi Cheek) claimed the No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 podium finishes, respectively.
4×200 Relay: Alexander Central topped Watauga by a fraction of a second to claim the No. 1 spot on the podium. Ashe County came in No. 3.
1600 Meter Run: A Watauga 1-2 sweep with sophomore Janie Beach-Verhay taking the convincing win with freshman Lainey Johnston capturing the No. 2 spot. Ashe County picked up valuable team points with Emory Taylor’s No. 3 finish and teammate Evie Pyles at No. 4.
4×100 Relay: Same players, similar order with Alexander Central, Watauga and Ashe County taking 1-2-3.
400 Meter Dash: In one of the closest races of the afternoon, Freedom’s Ava Cooke took No. 1, just 10/100ths of a second ahead of No. 2 Lilly Stough of Watauga. The Pioneers’ Ava Doty and Kaitlyn Darner claimed the No. 3 and No. 4 finishes among the large field of 15 athletes competing.
300 Meter Hurdles: Ashe County’s Emmi Cheek triumphed over No. 2 Sadie Buchanan and No. 3 Tessa Buchanan, both of Watauga.
800 Meter Run: Jainey Beach-Verhay became a double winner with a convincing win over Ashe County’s Abilene Dollar at No. 2 and Pioneer teammate Lainey Johnston at No. 3, who also claimed her second podium finish.
200 Meter Dash: In a large field of 14 runners, Alexander Central’s Malayah Adams also became a double winner with Emmi Cheek of Ashe County at No. 2 and Hibriten’s Jada Brown also claiming multiple podium finishes each.
3200 Meter Run: Watauga’s Annabelle Stewart and Ellary Smith were both more than 30 seconds ahead of the rest of the field in finishing No. 1 and No. 2, respectively. Ashe County’s Emory Taylor, Chloe Henson and Evie Pyles put in a strong Husky performance with the No. 3, No. 4 and No. 5 finishes.
4×400 Relay:Â This middle distance relay demonstrated more High Country depth as Watauga claimed No. 1 and Ashe County No. 2, with Alexander Central at No. 3.
Long Jump: Hibriten’s Jada Brown was the class of the field, jumping more than 2 feet farther than Hallie Jarrett at No. 2. Watauga’s Eden Krenzin and Kayla Graham went 3-4, a few inches short of the No. 2 spot.
Triple Jump: Jada Brown of Hibriten earned some more No. 1 hardware, with Watauga’s Lilly Stough and Alexander Central’s Cadence Rollins not far behind in No. 2 and No. 3 spots, respectively.
High Jump: Ashe County’s Paige Overcash became a multi-medalist in winning the event, followed by Alexander Central’s Carly Hendren and another Husky, Katlyn French at No. 3. Watauga’s Olivia Foskey and Ashe County’s Loralei Overcash took home the No. 4 and No. 5 honors in the 14-jumper field.
Pole Vault:Â This was another dominating Watauga team performance in going 1-3-4 led by Olivia Burroughs at No. 1, Sydney Helms at No. 2 and Emmerson Martin at No. 4. Ashe County’s Gracie Finley was No. 2, but Burroughs’ successful vault performance was almost 3 feet higher than anyone else.
Shot Put:Â Ashe County’s Emily Hartsoe had a heave that was more than 8 feet farther than No. 2, Maggie Tay of Hibriten and another foot beyond Watauga multi-sport athlete Emma Pastusic’s No. 3 distance.
Discus: Another solid performance by Emily Hartsoe of Ashe County claimed the title, with Olivia Burroughs and Emma Pastusic of Watauga going No. 2 and No. 3, respectively.
Photographic image by David Rogers for High Country Sports
Team Scores
TEAM SCORE
==================================================
1 Watauga 248
2 Ashe County 180.5
3 Alexander Central 113.5
4 Hibriten 61
5 South Caldwell 39
6 Freedom 38
4x800 Meter Relay
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School Finals
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Finals
1 Watauga 'A' 10:56.37
2 Ashe County 'A' 11:15.23
3 South Caldwell 'A' 11:35.93
4 Alexander Central 'A' 11:51.83
5 Freedom 'A' 12:11.96
100 Meter Hurdles
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Name Year School Finals H#
===================================================================
1 Buchanan, Sadie Watauga 14.80 2
2 Cheek, Emmi Ashe County 16.32 2
3 Overcash, Paige Ashe County 16.41 2
4 Buchanan, Tessa Watauga 16.75 2
5 Schneider, Kara Watauga 17.68 2
6 Lackey, Kylie South Caldwe 18.67 2
7 Rash, Haley Alexander Ce 19.03 2
8 Harrington, Hallie Alexander Ce 20.24 1
9 Bolick, Chloe South Caldwe 20.44 1
10 Taylor, Aniyah Alexander Ce 21.75 2
11 Plumley, Zania Freedom 22.73 1
100 Meter Dash
===================================================================
Name Year School Finals H#
===================================================================
1 Adams, Malayah Alexander Ce 12.55 3
2 Brown, Jada Hibriten 12.59 3
3 Cheek, Emmi Ashe County 12.72 3
4 Kop, Olivia Watauga 13.14 3
5 Caldwell, Cynica Freedom 13.31 3
6 Dawson, Lexie Ashe County 13.36 3
7 Queen, Aniah Freedom 13.75 2
8 Howell, KaMauri Hibriten 13.75 2
9 Miller, Nya Alexander Ce 13.76 3
10 Kop, Sophia Watauga 13.79 2
11 Foskey, Olivia Watauga 13.83 2
12 McMinn, Kerris South Caldwe 13.99 2
13 Taylor, Cheyenne Alexander Ce 13.99 3
14 Dula, Nivea Hibriten 14.36 2
15 Bridges, Bella South Caldwe 14.49 1
16 Goodman, Carley Ashe County 14.59 1
17 Kanipe, Kemora Freedom 15.30 1
18 Lambert, Kayleigh South Caldwe 16.06 2
4x200 Meter Relay
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School Finals
================================================================
1 Alexander Central 'A' 1:47.12
2 Watauga 'A' 1:47.76
3 Ashe County 'A' 1:48.62
4 Freedom 'A' 1:50.08
5 Hibriten 'A' 2:02.87
6 South Caldwell 'A' 2:07.76
1600 Meter Run
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Name Year School Finals
================================================================
1 Beach-Verhay, Janie Watauga 5:38.26
2 Johnston, Lainey Watauga 5:58.55
3 Taylor, Emory Ashe County 6:04.65
4 Pyles, Evie Ashe County 6:25.03
5 Noble, Clara South Caldwe 6:27.61
6 Townsend, Sydney Watauga 6:31.53
7 Bautista, Hannely Ashe County 6:43.97
8 Cox, Hope Alexander Ce 6:49.73
9 Osborne, Maggie South Caldwe 7:04.96
10 Denton, Kennedy Freedom 7:08.10
11 Childers, Madison South Caldwe 7:20.43
12 Spencer, Chloe Freedom 7:28.97
4x100 Meter Relay
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School Finals
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1 Alexander Central 'A' 50.37
2 Watauga 'A' 50.50
3 Ashe County 'A' 52.08
4 Freedom 'A' 53.31
5 Hibriten 'A' 55.86
6 South Caldwell 'A' 57.57
400 Meter Dash
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Name Year School Finals H#
===================================================================
1 Cooke, Ava Freedom 1:02.15 2
2 Stough, Lilly Watauga 1:02.25 2
3 Doty, Ava Watauga 1:03.68 2
4 Darner, Kaitlyn Watauga 1:04.19 2
5 Kirksey, Leah Freedom 1:06.29 2
6 Shepherd, Madalyn Alexander Ce 1:08.36 2
7 Smith, Ava Alexander Ce 1:08.75 2
8 Goodman, Carley Ashe County 1:10.03 1
9 Pennell, Lexi South Caldwe 1:10.32 1
10 Bolick, Chloe South Caldwe 1:13.21 2
11 Ritchie, Rylei Hibriten 1:13.84 1
12 Satterwhite, Audrey Ashe County 1:17.47 1
13 Holden, Vera South Caldwe 1:17.79 1
14 Lewis, Emily Ashe County 1:19.27 1
15 Yang, Raine Freedom 1:32.12 1
300 Meter Hurdles
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Name Year School Finals H#
===================================================================
1 Cheek, Emmi Ashe County 46.84 2
2 Buchanan, Sadie Watauga 48.10 2
3 Buchanan, Tessa Watauga 50.31 2
4 Davis, Frances Watauga 54.37 2
5 Rash, Haley Alexander Ce 56.22 2
6 Harrington, Hallie Alexander Ce 56.72 2
7 Lackey, Kylie South Caldwe 56.76 2
8 Taylor, Aniyah Alexander Ce 59.81 1
9 Howell, Emma Ashe County 1:00.86 1
10 Plumley, Zania Freedom 1:06.30 1
11 Bridges, Bella South Caldwe 1:06.31 1
-- Hamby, Sophia South Caldwe FS 1
800 Meter Run
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Name Year School Finals
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1 Beach-Verhay, Janie Watauga 2:31.19
2 Dollar, Abilene Ashe County 2:34.26
3 Johnston, Lainey Watauga 2:37.30
4 Anderson, Payton South Caldwe 2:44.55
5 Franca, Josie Ashe County 2:48.24
6 Hendren, Lydia Alexander Ce 2:51.38
7 Crafton, Celeste Alexander Ce 3:02.48
8 Llibre, Mia Grace Watauga 3:02.89
9 Ritchie, Rylei Hibriten 3:17.62
10 Tomberlin, Olivia South Caldwe 3:25.67
11 Spencer, Chloe Freedom 3:27.49
12 Harris, Mackenzie South Caldwe 3:39.67
200 Meter Dash
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Name Year School Finals H#
===================================================================
1 Adams, Malayah Alexander Ce 26.48 3
2 Cheek, Emmi Ashe County 26.92 3
3 Brown, Jada Hibriten 27.02 3
4 Johnson, Sienna Watauga 28.06 3
5 Caldwell, Cynica Freedom 28.15 3
6 Cheek, Mackenzy Watauga 28.47 3
7 Hendren, Carly Alexander Ce 28.50 3
8 Dollar, Addison Ashe County 29.07 2
9 Evans, Leland Freedom 29.19 2
10 Cooke, Ava Freedom 29.22 3
11 Glover, Olivia Ashe County 29.73 2
12 Howell, KaMauri Hibriten 30.42 2
13 Higginbothom, Brady South Caldwe 33.51 1
14 Austin, Zoey South Caldwe 36.00 1
3200 Meter Run
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Name Year School Finals
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1 Stewart, Annabelle Watauga 13:08.31
2 Smith, Ellary Watauga 13:16.55
3 Taylor, Emory Ashe County 13:47.47
4 Henson, Chloe Ashe County 13:53.30
5 Pyles, Evie Ashe County 13:56.26
6 Llibre, Mia Grace Watauga 14:52.49
7 Osborne, Maggie South Caldwe 15:51.92
8 Noble, Clara South Caldwe 15:52.97
9 Childers, Madison South Caldwe 17:10.23
10 Roupe, Tessa Alexander Ce 17:23.41
Event 23 Girls 4x400 Meter Relay
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School Finals
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1 Watauga 'A' 4:18.50
2 Ashe County 'A' 4:23.75
3 Alexander Central 'A' 4:41.68
4 South Caldwell 'A' 5:13.69
-- Hibriten 'A' DNF
Long Jump
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Name Year School Finals
================================================================
1 Brown, Jada Hibriten 17-09.00
2 Jarrett, Hallie Alexander Ce 15-08.75
3 Krenzin, Eden Watauga 15-04.75
4 Graham, Kayla Watauga 15-01.25
5 Rollins, Alexis Ashe County 14-11.00
6 Foskey, Olivia Watauga 14-09.00
7 Glover, Olivia Ashe County 14-08.00
8 Dollar, Addison Ashe County 13-07.00
9 Caldwell, Payton Freedom 13-01.50
10 Higginbothom, Brady South Caldwe 12-10.50
11 Merritt, Makenzie Alexander Ce 12-05.50
12 Beck, Allie South Caldwe 12-00.75
13 Capula Leon, Mayra Hibriten 11-02.00
14 Austin, Zoey South Caldwe 9-05.00
Triple Jump
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Name Year School Finals
================================================================
1 Brown, Jada Hibriten 39-02.00
2 Stough, Lilly Watauga 35-03.50
3 Rollins, Cadence Alexander Ce 34-06.50
4 Spears, MaNya Alexander Ce 34-00.00
5 Krenzin, Eden Watauga 33-06.00
6 Foskey, Olivia Watauga 31-10.00
7 Rollins, Alexis Ashe County 31-03.00
8 Cremeans, Joely Alexander Ce 29-04.00
High Jump
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Name Year School Finals
================================================================
1 Overcash, Paige Ashe County 5-00.00
2 Hendren, Carly Alexander Ce 4-10.00
3 French, Katlyn Ashe County 4-08.00
3 Foskey, Olivia Watauga 4-08.00
3 Overcash, loralei Ashe County 4-08.00
6 Helms, Sydney Watauga J4-06.00
7 Graham, Kayla Watauga J4-06.00
8 Fox, Chloe Alexander Ce J4-06.00
9 Dula, Layah Hibriten 4-02.00
10 Higginbothom, Brady South Caldwe 4-00.00
10 Hendren, Lydia Alexander Ce 4-00.00
-- Summerlin, Chloe South Caldwe NH
-- Lambert, Kayleigh South Caldwe NH
-- Moss, Ryver Hibriten NH
Pole Vault
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Name Year School Finals
================================================================
1 Burroughs, Olivia Watauga 12-02.00
2 Finley, Gracie Ashe County 9-06.00
3 Helms, Sydney Watauga J9-00.00
4 Martin, Emmerson Watauga J9-00.00
5 Miller, Emery Alexander Ce 8-00.00
6 Rollins, Alexis Ashe County 7-06.00
6 Ackerman, Andersyn Alexander Ce 7-06.00
8 Capula Leon, Mayra Hibriten 6-00.00
-- Suddreth, Jenna South Caldwe NH
-- Pennell, Lexi South Caldwe NH
Shot Put
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Name Year School Finals
================================================================
1 Hartsoe, Emily Ashe County 40-09.25
2 Maggie) Tay, Margaret Hibriten 32-08.50
3 Pastusic, Emma Watauga 31-03.25
4 Peterman, Dakota Ashe County 28-10.50
5 Huitt, Carleigh South Caldwe 27-06.25
6 Cole, Somerlyn Watauga 26-11.00
7 Jackson, Asia Alexander Ce 26-05.75
8 Lail, Kendra South Caldwe 25-10.25
9 Cowan, Tyiana Alexander Ce 25-10.00
10 Miller, Abigail Ashe County 25-06.00
11 Moss, Ryver Hibriten 25-03.25
12 Wright, Simone Freedom 24-04.00
13 Hartis, Teryn Alexander Ce 22-01.25
14 Azua Martin, Yesenia Hibriten 21-04.25
15 Eaker, Choe South Caldwe 21-02.00
Discus Throw
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Name Year School Finals
================================================================
1 Hartsoe, Emily Ashe County 120-06
2 Burroughs, Olivia Watauga 114-04
3 Pastusic, Emma Watauga 98-07
4 Moss, Ryver Hibriten 89-07
5 Maggie) Tay, Margaret Hibriten 89-01
6 Peterman, Dakota Ashe County 87-00
7 Bowers, Lanie Ashe County 85-05
8 Jackson, Asia Alexander Ce 84-08
9 Huitt, Carleigh South Caldwe 82-11
10 Hartis, Teryn Alexander Ce 65-05
11 Wright, Simone Freedom 63-03
12 Smith, Margot Watauga 61-04
13 Lail, Kendra South Caldwe 59-00
14 Azua Martin, Yesenia Hibriten 58-10
15 Parsons, Riley Alexander Ce 58-03
16 Lambert, Kayleigh South Caldwell
By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — Thanks especially to strong performances in the Men’s relay and middle distance events, Watauga turned back a strong team effort by Alexander Central to capture the 3A/4A Northwestern Conference Track and Field Championship.
BONUS PHOTOS at bottom of article. For best viewing on a desktop monitor, click on any image for Slideshow Mode,
True to form, the three 4A schools (Watauga, Alexander Central and South Caldwell) took the top three spots, but Ashe County also had a strong showing and barely missed the No. 3 spot in the team standings.
Photographic image by David Rogers for High Country Sports
Highlights of note:
Watauga relay performances
4×800: No. 1
4×200: No. 2
4×100: No. 1
4×400: No. 1
110 Meter Hurdles: While South Caldwell senior Suan Moore won the day, Ashe County picked up valuable team points when senior Ryder Phipps and sophomore Sawyer Greene crossed the line No. 2 and No. 3.
100 Meter Dash: Alexander Central was strong in the sprints, going No. 1, No. 3 and No. 4 with Jamison Rowe, Jeremiah Whitaker and Jaheim Redmond, respectively. South Caldwell’s Moore finished No. 2 and Watauga’s Kees Greene was No. 5 in the large field of 17 competitors.
1600 Meter Run:Â Junior Will Bradbury led a 1-2-3 sweep for Watauga, with Sam Nixon at No. 2 and Wesley Coatney at No. 3.
400 Meter Dash: It was a 1-2 finish for Watauga juniors Jakob Crosswell and Alex Gremmell, with Curtis Sevensky also finishing strong at No. 6 in the 17-man field.
300 Meter Hurdles: With Ryder Phipps of Ashe County taking the No. 1 spot, Watauga sophomore Nyle Peays was 1/100th of a second behind in the photo finish. South Caldwell’s Zach Freeman was another full second for the No. 3 placing.
800 Meters: Another Watauga 1-2-3 sweep, all seniors, led by No. 1 Micah Duvall, No. 2 Sam Nixon and No. 3 Collin Anderrson.
200 Meters: Alexander Central junior Jamison Rowe captured the title with teammate and sophomore Jeremiah Whitaker coming in No. 3. The Cougar duo provided bookends of a sort for No. 2 Suan Moore of South Caldwell.
3200 Meters: Call it a Watauga youth movement as junior Will Bradbury was No. 1, sophomore Calvin Zwetsloot crossed the line as No. 2, and junior Jonah Norris brought home the No. 3 spot.
Long Jump: Freedom sophomore KeAndre Davis unleashed a more than 22 foot effort that outdid everyone else by well over a foot. Ashe County senior Michael Acevedo was No. 2 and Watauga junior Josiah Railey was close behind as the No. 3.
Triple Jump:Â The junior class held sway as Freedom’s Tiras Walker was No. 1, Watauga’s Josiah Railey No. 2, and South Caldwell’s Paxton Perkins No. 3. Just for that junior emphasis, Alexander Central’s Austin Presnell was No. 4 out of the dozen competitors.
High Jump: Ashe County sophomore Sawyer Greene outdid the field in taking No. 1, with Watauga’s Josiah Railey at No. 2 and Ashe County teammate Ian Graybeal holding down the No. 3 spot.
Pole Vault: Caleb Robbins allowed Hibriten to have a rare appearance atop the awards podium at No. 1, with a pair of Watauga Pioneers sharing the spotlight at No. 2 and No. 3, Clayo Kulczyk and Santino Wood, respectively.
Shot Put: Alexander Central’s Garison Millsaps and Chad Lasher outmuscled the 18-man field in sweeping the No. 1 and No. 2 places, respectively, while Ashe County senior Elliott Cox was close behind at No. 3.
Discus: The Discus was a near replica of the Shot Put, with Alexander Central’s Lasher and Millsaps switching places to take No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, while Ashe County’s Cox put in the No. 3 effort.
Men's Team Scores
TEAM SCORE
==================================================
1 Watauga 197
2 Alexander Central 160
3 South Caldwell 113.5
4 Ashe County 104
5 Freedom 64
6 Hibriten 50.5
Licensed to Watauga High School HY-TEK's Meet Manager 5/1/2024 07:10 PM
Results
4x800 Meter Relay
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School Finals
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Finals
1 Watauga 'A' 8:43.27
2 South Caldwell 'A' 8:56.19
3 Hibriten 'A' 9:33.32
4 Alexander Central 'A' 9:34.92
5 Freedom 'A' 9:53.48
6 Ashe County 'A' 10:11.06
110 Meter Hurdles
================================================================
Name Year School Finals
================================================================
1 Moore, Suan South Caldwe 15.60
2 Phipps, Ryder Ashe County 15.79
3 Greene, Sawyer Ashe County 16.19
4 Freeman, Zach South Caldwe 16.81
5 Presnell, Austin Alexander Ce 17.24
6 Perry, Bobby` South Caldwe 19.01
7 Reed, Ethan Watauga 19.64
-- Lindsay, Nathan Freedom FS
100 Meter Dash
===================================================================
Name Year School Finals H#
===================================================================
1 Rowe, Jamison Alexander Ce 10.99 3
2 Moore, Suan South Caldwe 11.31 3
3 Whitaker, Jeremiah Alexander Ce 11.48 3
4 Redmond, Jaheim Alexander Ce 11.71 3
5 Greene, Kees Watauga 11.72 3
6 Symons, Austin South Caldwe 11.74 3
7 Bunn, Lorenz Hibriten 11.79 2
8 Price, Riley South Caldwe 11.80 2
9 Dominguez, Justice Freedom 11.93 3
10 Oguntoyinbo, Lade Watauga 11.98 3
11 Felder, Gerard Hibriten 12.02 2
12 Chapman, Bryce Freedom 12.04 2
13 Mosley, Dexter Hibriten 12.09 2
14 Casner, Creed Watauga 12.11 2
15 Osborne, Luke Ashe County 12.16 2
16 Cox, Austin Ashe County 12.79 1
17 Guijosa, Gael Ashe County 15.48 1
-- Belin, Jaiveon Freedom DNF 1
4x200 Meter Relay
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School Finals
================================================================
1 Alexander Central 'A' 1:32.22
2 Watauga 'A' 1:33.14
3 Freedom 'A' 1:34.49
4 Ashe County 'A' 1:34.54
5 Hibriten 'A' 1:39.82
6 South Caldwell 'A' 1:40.42
1600 Meter Run
================================================================
Name Year School Finals
================================================================
1 Bradbury, Will Watauga 4:43.08
2 Nixon, Samuel Watauga 4:49.48
3 Coatney, Wesley Watauga 4:53.39
4 Zirkle, Zachary Alexander Ce 4:55.50
5 Bowman, Parker South Caldwe 5:04.69
6 Bowman, Levi South Caldwe 5:05.36
7 Sanderlin, Lukas Hibriten 5:10.12
8 Sanderlin, Ian Hibriten 5:12.12
9 Fulcher, Holden South Caldwe 5:17.21
10 Ramirez-Temaj, Luzvin Freedom 5:29.66
11 Oller, Garrett Ashe County 5:48.08
12 Bruch, Alexander Hibriten 5:51.18
13 Causby, Shaun Freedom 5:52.10
14 Ixchoy, Luis Freedom 5:54.75
15 Aravjo, Carlos Ashe County 5:58.62
16 Bennett, Jonah Ashe County 5:59.29
4x100 Meter Relay
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School Finals
================================================================
1 Watauga 'A' 43.92
2 Alexander Central 'A' 44.24
3 South Caldwell 'A' 44.77
4 Hibriten 'A' 45.61
5 Freedom 'A' 45.69
6 Ashe County 'A' 47.16
400 Meter Dash
===================================================================
Name Year School Finals H#
===================================================================
1 Crosswell, Jakob Watauga 53.00 3
2 Gremmell, Alex Watauga 53.73 3
3 Jamison, Dylan Alexander Ce 53.95 3
4 Acevedo, Micheal Ashe County 54.62 3
5 Davis, Trent Freedom 54.69 1
6 Sevensky, Curtis Watauga 55.03 3
7 Morales, Alexander Alexander Ce 55.41 3
8 Barlowe, Brody South Caldwe 55.91 3
9 Hinson, Logan South Caldwe 56.36 3
10 Pearson, Jewelz Freedom 56.66 2
11 Albright, Elijah South Caldwe 57.73 2
12 Howell, Daven Hibriten 1:00.07 2
13 Powers, Traythan Ashe County 1:00.74 2
14 Gonzalez Velez, Enrique Freedom 1:01.34 2
15 Healy, Elijah Hibriten 1:02.01 2
16 Euceda, Jabes Hibriten 1:03.65 1
17 Flores-Garcia, Jesus Ashe County 1:07.98 1
300 Meter Hurdles
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Name Year School Finals H#
===================================================================
1 Phipps, Ryder Ashe County 42.00 2
2 Peays, Nyle Watauga 42.01 2
3 Freeman, Zach South Caldwe 43.21 2
4 Lindsay, Nathan Freedom 44.13 2
5 Greene, Sawyer Ashe County 45.09 2
6 Wellington, Dante Ashe County 47.23 2
7 Perry, Andrew South Caldwe 49.53 1
8 Mays, Cory Alexander Ce 49.77 2
9 Kizer, Colby South Caldwe 50.19 1
10 Reed, Ethan Watauga 50.23 1
11 Elliott, Grayson Watauga 50.66 1
800 Meter Run
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Name Year School Finals H#
===================================================================
1 Duvall, Micah Watauga 2:07.43 2
2 Nixon, Samuel Watauga 2:08.16 2
3 Anderson, Collin Watauga 2:16.84 2
4 McLain, Aaron Alexander Ce 2:17.36 2
5 Sanderlin, Lukas Hibriten 2:20.24 2
6 Sanderlin, Ian Hibriten 2:27.05 2
7 Zirkle, Zachary Alexander Ce 2:27.42 2
8 Vasile, Andrew Freedom 2:27.53 1
9 Menedez, Dennis Freedom 2:28.10 1
10 Quinonez, Samuel Freedom 2:33.33 1
11 Haas, Ethan South Caldwe 2:34.93 2
12 Thompson, Sawyer South Caldwe 2:35.32 2
13 Roten, Owen Ashe County 2:38.53 1
14 Bowman, Levi South Caldwe 2:42.12 2
15 Church, Christopher Hibriten 2:44.27 1
16 Aravjo, Carlos Ashe County 2:50.00 1
17 Perez, Marcos Ashe County 2:52.35 1
200 Meter Dash
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Name Year School Finals H#
===================================================================
1 Rowe, Jamison Alexander Ce 22.56 3
2 Moore, Suan South Caldwe 23.03 3
3 Whitaker, Jeremiah Alexander Ce 23.56 3
4 Davis, KeAndre Freedom 23.92 3
5 Graybeal, Ian Ashe County 23.96 3
6 Gremmell, Alex Watauga 24.37 2
7 Baity, Adian Alexander Ce 24.49 2
8 Mills, Javon Freedom 24.52 2
9 Dula, William South Caldwe 24.66 2
10 Chapman, Bryce Freedom 24.73 2
11 Lee, Anthony Hibriten 25.07 2
12 Miller, Zarrian Hibriten 25.70 2
13 Rameriz, Joe Ashe County 26.29 1
14 Hess, Sam Ashe County 27.68 1
3200 Meter Run
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Name Year School Finals
================================================================
1 Bradbury, Will Watauga 10:25.96
2 Zwetsloot, Calvin Watauga 10:43.14
3 Norris, Jonah Watauga 10:43.80
4 Bowman, Parker South Caldwe 11:20.12
5 Corpening, Bryce South Caldwe 11:36.78
6 Ritchie, Lucas Alexander Ce 11:48.23
7 Duncan, Griffin Alexander Ce 11:52.39
8 Harris, Samuel South Caldwe 12:36.22
9 Albino, Sebastian Ashe County 13:52.21
10 Bruch, Alexander Hibriten 14:23.19
11 Oller, Garrett Ashe County 14:24.15
12 Hogan, Sully Hibriten 15:17.40
13 Church, Christopher Hibriten 15:58.64
-- Zirkle, Zachary Alexander Ce DNF
4x400 Meter Relay
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School Finals
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1 Watauga 'A' 3:35.78
2 Ashe County 'A' 3:46.45
3 South Caldwell 'A' 3:47.14
4 Freedom 'A' 3:47.58
5 Alexander Central 'A' 3:49.08
6 Hibriten 'A' 4:04.83
Long Jump
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Name Year School Finals H#
===================================================================
1 Davis, KeAndre Freedom 22-00.25 2
2 Acevedo, Micheal Ashe County 20-05.25 2
3 Railey, Josiah Watauga 20-02.25 2
4 Perkins, Paxton South Caldwe 20-02.00 2
5 Gutierrez, Eduardo Hibriten 19-08.75 1
6 Walker, Tiras Freedom 19-06.50 2
7 Presnell, Austin Alexander Ce 18-08.25 2
8 Jones, Jahzir Hibriten 18-07.00 1
9 Felder, Gerard Hibriten 18-01.00 1
10 Mays, Cory Alexander Ce 17-09.50 2
11 Miller, Jacob Alexander Ce 16-11.50 2
12 Gonzalez Velez, Enrique Freedom 16-08.50 1
13 McConnell, Jaylen South Caldwe 16-07.50 2
14 Hess, Sam Ashe County 16-06.50 1
15 Oates, Khian South Caldwe 16-04.50 2
16 Rameriz, Joe Ashe County 16-02.50 1
Triple Jump
================================================================
Name Year School Finals
================================================================
1 Walker, Tiras Freedom 42-06.00
2 Railey, Josiah Watauga 41-02.00
3 Perkins, Paxton South Caldwe 39-08.00
4 Presnell, Austin Alexander Ce 39-05.00
5 Greene, Sawyer Ashe County 38-07.00
6 Kizer, Colby South Caldwe 37-08.00
7 Rowe, Braydon Alexander Ce 37-05.00
8 Freeman, Kendall South Caldwe 36-04.00
9 Gonzalez Velez, Enrique Freedom 35-00.00
10 Mcguire, Hunter Alexander Ce 34-06.00
11 Elliott, Grayson Watauga 32-09.50
12 Rameriz, Joe Ashe County 31-00.50
High Jump
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Name Year School Finals
================================================================
1 Greene, Sawyer Ashe County 6-02.00
2 Railey, Josiah Watauga J5-10.00
3 Graybeal, Ian Ashe County J5-10.00
4 Presnell, Austin Alexander Ce 5-08.00
5 Perkins, Paxton South Caldwe 5-06.00
6 Morales, Alexander Alexander Ce 5-04.00
6 Hubbard, Jacob Alexander Ce 5-04.00
8 Jones, Jahzir Hibriten 5-02.00
8 McConnell, Jaylen South Caldwe 5-02.00
10 Simmons, Micah Hibriten 5-00.00
Pole Vault
================================================================
Name Year School Finals
================================================================
1 Robbins, Caleb Hibriten 13-06.00
2 Kulczyk, Clayo Watauga 13-00.00
3 Wood, Santino Watauga 11-06.00
4 Mabry, Alex South Caldwe J10-06.00
5 Branson, Neil Alexander Ce J10-06.00
6 Greer, Hayden South Caldwe 9-06.00
6 Cliff, Richie Ashe County 9-06.00
6 Haney, Nicholas Alexander Ce 9-06.00
9 Heath, Benny Alexander Ce J9-06.00
10 Miranda-Aponte, Julian Watauga J9-06.00
11 Wood, River Ashe County 9-00.00
12 Osborne, Luke Ashe County 8-00.00
13 Watson, Kyle Hibriten 7-06.00
Shot Put
===================================================================
Name Year School Finals H#
===================================================================
1 Millsaps, Garison Alexander Ce 53-02.25 2
2 Lasher, Chad Alexander Ce 47-04.75 2
3 Cox, Elliott Ashe County 47-01.50 2
4 Surratt, Adarian Freedom 44-02.00 2
5 Dewey, Caleb Watauga 42-04.50 2
6 Gunnell-Beck, Carson Watauga 42-01.50 2
7 Johnson, Coy Watauga 40-05.75 2
8 Barnett, Zakkary Alexander Ce 40-04.25 2
9 Suddreth, Gabe Hibriten 37-01.50 2
10 Maffia, Tristan South Caldwe 37-01.00 2
11 Spradling, Malcom South Caldwe 36-07.50 2
12 Sanabria, Johnathon South Caldwe 36-06.50 1
13 Upchurch, Alex Ashe County 34-06.50 1
14 Feaster-Hicks, Daivyon Freedom 31-03.00 1
15 Church, Tyler Ashe County 31-02.00 1
16 Amaya Perez, Daniel Hibriten 29-02.50 1
17 Foddrell, Micah Hibriten 28-01.50 1
18 Lo, Yeng Freedom 24-03.50 1
Discus Throw
===================================================================
Name Year School Finals H#
===================================================================
1 Lasher, Chad Alexander Ce 144-09 2
2 Millsaps, Garison Alexander Ce 138-08.50 2
3 Cox, Elliott Ashe County 131-06 2
4 Suddreth, Gabe Hibriten 130-04 2
5 Gunnell-Beck, Carson Watauga 122-06 2
6 Armentrout, Mason Ashe County 119-08 2
7 Barnett, Zakkary Alexander Ce 112-01 2
8 Surratt, Adarian Freedom 110-07 2
9 Johnson, Coy Watauga 109-10 2
10 Dewey, Caleb Watauga 109-09 2
11 Hess, Sam Ashe County 98-09 1
12 Spradling, Malcom South Caldwe 95-06 1
13 Foddrell, Micah Hibriten 92-08 1
14 Moran, Jace South Caldwe 67-08 1
15 Amaya Perez, Daniel Hibriten 63-06 1
16 Feaster-Hicks, Daivyon Freedom 63-03 1
17 Lo, Yeng Freedom 60-07 1
-- Sanabria, Johnathon South Caldwe FOUL 2
BONUS PHOTOS
Photographic image by David Rogers for High Country Sports
Photographic image by David Rogers for High Country Sports
By Matt Present. SHELBY, N.C. — App State blasted four home runs, including two from Kameron Miller, but the Mountaineers’ ninth inning rally fell short in a 10-9 loss to No. 13 Wake Forest at Keeter Stadium.
The App State (26-15-1) offense enjoyed a strong start to open the ballgame. Austin St. Laurent led off with a double to right field and Drew Holderbach followed by launching his sixth home run of the season, just inside the left field foul pole, to give the Mountaineers an instant 2-0 advantage.
Photo by David Katzenmeier, courtesy of App State Athletics
Holderbach finished with three hits in the ballgame and extended his on-base streak to 42 consecutive games.
Later in the first inning, CJ Boyd belted a solo home run to left field, his 15th of the season and 32nd career blast to tie Tony Welborn (1983-86) for second most in program history.
After Wake Forest (28-16) got a run back in the bottom of the first inning, the Mountaineers stormed back in the second. Hunter Wilder worked a leadoff walk and stole second to get into scoring position for Joseph Zamora, who singled up the middle to drive him home. After Zamora advanced to second on a wild pitch, Holderbach ripped an RBI single through the left side to increase the lead to 5-1.
App State was strong on the mound too early in the ballgame. Everette Harris, making his first career start, tossed 2.2 innings, striking out three, before giving way to Cody Little who fired 1.1 scoreless innings without giving up a hit.
Photo by David Katzenmeier, courtesy of App State Athleticsas
The Black and Gold built on their lead in the fifth. Boyd reached on a one-out walk and Miller followed with a mammoth two-run home run to left-center to take a 7-2 advantage.
Wake Forest responded with a big bottom half of the frame to take their first lead of the ballgame. After loading the bases and scoring a run on a wild pitch, the Demon Deacons reloaded them and hit a grand slam and a solo homer back-to-back to go in front, 8-7.
It remained a one-run game until the bottom of the eighth thanks to Ryan Sleeper who came out of the bullpen to strike out three over 1.2 scoreless innings.
After giving up a pair of runs in the bottom on the eighth on a two-out, two-run double, the Mountaineers continued to fight in the ninth. Holderbach led off with a single to left field and after two loud outs from Tolley and Boyd, Miller crushed his second home run of the night to get the Mountaineers back to within one. Unfortunately, the Black and Gold were unable to chip away any further.
The Mountaineers out-hit the 13th-ranked Demon Deacons 12-7 in the ballgame.
App State returns to Boone for a three-game series with South Alabama Friday through Sunday.
By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — A lightening delay of over one hour didn’t faze Watauga forward Katie Durham and her Pioneer teammates on April 30.
BONUS PHOTOS at bottom of article. For best viewing on a PC, click on any image for Slideshow Mode.
Charlotte Cuthbert scored Watauga’s early goal and Morgan Flynt punched in the second after Alexander Central tied the game with a penalty kick early in the final period. Against what appeared to be a massively stacked defense with as many as nine Cougar defenders in the box, Durham didn’t find the back of the net until midway through the final period. Then it all but rained goals by the senior forward as she deftly picked apart the Cougars’ defensive strategy.
In part because of Alexander Central’s decision to stack the defensive box against the high-scoring Pioneers, Watauga nonetheless dominated possession and skillfully moved the ball with short, one- and two-touch passes.
Now 13-1-1 overall and 6-0-1 in Northwestern Conference play, Watauga next travels to Hibriten for a May 3 rematch with the Panthers. Ranked by MaxPreps as the No. 5 best team in the NCHSAA 4A West region and No. 18 in the state among all classifications, Watauga will face a Hibriten team that is ranked No. 22 in the state and No. 1 in the NCHSAA 3A rankings. Last time out, in Boone, the teams battled to a 1-1 draw in a match marred by an early, red card to a Watauga player, which required the Pioneers to play shorthanded for the rest of the contest.
In looking ahead to the upcoming Hibriten match, Durham explained that it will be a challenge in that the Panthers’ field is one of the smallest in the conference and very uneven.
“That can work for us as well as against us,” said Durham. “Hibriten is very well coached, especially defensively, so it will definitely be a challenge.”
For the April 30 match vs. Alexander Central, sophomore Hannah Graham was promoted to varsity after a dynamic junior varsity season that saw her scoring as many as four and five goals per game.
“Hannah clearly deserves being brought up. Our JV team has had a terrific season. No one has scored a goal against them this season and that is reflected in their undefeated, 7-0 record,” said Watauga head coach Chris Tarnowski. “Hannah has been a big part of that success.”
“Playing on the JV team really helped me develop,” Graham noted. “It helped me prepare for this next challenge.”
BONUS PHOTOS
You can barely see Katie Durham in this photo, but she is responsible for the ball zipping past the goalkeeper and headed to the back of the net for her third goal on April 30, in the Pioneers’ 5-1 win over Alexander Central. Photographic image by David Rogers for High Country SportsPioneer sophomore Hannah Graham, just promoted to varsity from JV, lofts a free kick over the Alexander Central ‘wall’ on April 30. Photographic image by David Rogers for High Country Sports‘Johnny on the spot’ Katie Durham is in position to take advantage of this carom off the Alexander Central goalkeeper. It was Durham’s second of three goals in the match on April 30 at Jack Groce Stadium. Photographic image by David Rogers for High Country SportsIn spite of Alexander Central’s ‘stacked’ defensive strategy, this was a frequent scene on April 30 with Watauga wing Morgan Flynt (19) beating a defender down the sideline before crossing the ball. Photographic image by David Rogers for High Country SportsMattie Durham takes a corner kick on April 30 vs. Alexander Central in Jack Groce Stadium. In a recent game, Durham was credited with six assists, three of them coming from well-place corner kicks. Photogrpahic image by David RogersWatauga sophomore Savannah Rogers lifts a corner kick to the center of the field vs. Alexander Central on April 30 in Jack Groce Stadium. Photographic image by David Rogers for High Country SportsWatauga senior midfielder Sam Bertrand maneuvers the ball before passing on April 30 vs. Alexander Central. The Pioneers dominated play in their 5-1 win. Photographic image by David Rogers for High Country SportsAli Bertrand (10) settles the ball before passing across the middle on April 30 when Watauga hosted Alexander Central in Jack Groce Stadium. Photographic image by David Rogers for High Country SportsKatie Durham (15) on attack vs. Alexander Central on April 30 in the Pioneers’ 5-1 win. Photographic image by David Rogers for High Country Sports
BOONE, N.C. – Strong pitching and 18 runs on 19 hits helped propel the App State Mountaineers’ nonconference winning streak to eight games as they closed their midweek schedule with a doubleheader sweep over the ETSU Buccaneers, winning 7-0 and 11-4 on Tuesday at Sywassink/Lloyd Family Stadium. App State finished its nonconference schedule with a 17-10 record.
The Mountaineers (21-27) scored in all but five of the 14 innings played to open their five-game homestand and battled through a 40-minute rain delay to post 11 runs in the finale. Kayt Houston’s four-hit, two-homer day and Addie Wray’s three-hit, four-RBI game two helped fuel the App State offense to 18 runs across the two contests. App State has scored 30 runs in its past three games.
In the circle, the duo of Sejal Neas and Delani Buckner allowed just four runs and nine hits while striking out 18 (nine apiece). Neas’ four-hit shutout to open play set the tone for the Mountaineers as she started the day by striking out five of the first nine Buccaneers (11-35) she saw. Buckner followed that performance with her season-best number of strikeouts in a complete-game effort.
App State’s offense erupted for 19 hits while also being patient at the plate, drawing 14 walks across the two wins. The Mountaineers saw at least one runner reach base in every inning they batted and had at least one hit in all but one inning. Over the past three games, App State has cracked 31 hits and has raised its team batting average to .300, the fourth-best mark in the Sun Belt Conference.
GAME 1: App State 7, ETSU 0
Returning to the High Country after a brief three-game road trip, Neas took to the circle to make her team-leading 25th start and struck out the first batter she faced en route to a perfect opening frame. Feeding off Neas’ strong start, Houston ignited the Mountaineer offense with her 10th homer of the season to help App State strike first. Houston, who eclipsed 30 career homers last Sunday, also became the first Mountaineer in program history to surpass 240 career hits with that blast.
Houston’s solo homer was followed by a walk from Peyton Darnell and a double from Ambry Lucas, immediately putting two runners in scoring position with one out. Being aggressive on the basepaths turned into two more first-inning runs as Darnell scored on a wild pitch and Lucas strolled home on a passed ball to make it 3-0 before the final out was recorded. App State is now 12-4 when scoring the game’s first run.
Two more perfect innings from Neas in the second and the third kept the App State lead at three through three innings and allowed the Mountaineer offense to strike for their fourth and fifth runs in the fourth to extend their lead. Summer Simpson led off the inning with a walk and stole second base, putting a runner in scoring position for Barrett. With two strikes, the freshman drove home Simpson with a sharply hit single into right field and a SAC fly by Darnell made it 5-0 after four. To that point, App State had already tallied seven hits.
ETSU recorded its second hit of the game in the fifth inning, but back-to-back punchouts from Neas ended the frame, her seventh and eighth of the game. In the bottom half of the inning, two more hits pushed across two more runs, building the Mountaineer lead to seven.
Three straight baserunners helped fuel the crooked number as Killian Roberts led off the fifth with a walk and Wray pushed her to second with a single. Then, Abby Cunningham struck a double into the right-center gap that scored Roberts, marking Cunningham’s 13th RBI of the year. App State scored once more in the inning to lead 7-0 after five.
In the sixth, Lucas recorded her third hit of the game as the Mountaineers finished the game with 10 hits, but Neas didn’t need much run support in her marvelous start as she shut out the Buccaneers to pick up her 10th victory of the year. She needed just 98 pitches to do so.
GAME 2: App State 11, ETSU 4
After a brief pause between contests, Delani Buckner picked right back up where Neas left off in game one as she struck out a batter in her first inning of work to toss a clean opening inning in game two.
A lead-off walk to Grace Barrett and a flyout started the Mountaineer offense, but a 40-minute weather delay halted play in the first. Once the teams took the field again, App State put another runner on, courtesy of Lucas’ fourth time aboard, but the Buccaneers were able to strand them both, keeping it tied.
Unfazed by the weather, Buckner returned to the circle and struck out the side in the top of the second inning, freezing the last hitter with a perfect pitch on the inside corner to cap it off. In the third, the Mountaineer starting pitcher racked up her fifth strikeout of the game to make it 10 consecutive scoreless innings from the App State staff.
Capitalizing off solid pitching, the Mountaineer offense caught fire with five runs in the third to take the lead. Barrett’s lead-off walk started the frame and in almost identical fashion to game one, Houston belted a long homer over the left-center field fence to give the Mountaineers the lead. Now with 11 home runs, Houston is tied for fifth in the Sun Belt in long balls. ETSU recorded the next two outs, but a walk and a single put two runners on for Wray as App State threatened again.
The lefty promptly delivered a first-pitch single through the right side which plated Roberts and an errant throw home allowed Taylor Thorp to score. Not done yet, Brooke Kennerly smoked a double that bounced off the base of the fence, which scored the fifth run of the inning. App State’s five-run fifth would be all the support it needed.
A pair of walks and a pair of doubles helped ETSU cut into the lead in the fourth, but App State quickly worked to answer as a Darnell single down the right-field line extended the lead back to four. It was Darnell’s 191st career RBI.
Two more strikeouts from Buckner quelled the ETSU offense in the top of the fifth, sparking the Mountaineer offense to score twice more in the bottom half on two more hits. A walk to Thorp started the inning and Wray’s RBI triple scored her as she raced around the bases for her sixth career triple. Kennerly scored Wray from third to make it 8-2 as she tallied RBI No. 2 for the game.
ETSU struck for two more in the sixth to trim its deficit to four, but the Mountaineers found a way to answer again, recording three more runs in the sixth. App State loaded the bases thanks to two walks and Killian Roberts’ 99th collegiate hit and Wray’s third hit of the contest scored her third and fourth RBIs of the game to make it 10-4. An error advanced two runners into scoring position and Kennerly delivered home her third RBI of the contest to plate App State’s 11th run. The combination of Wray and Kennerly combined for seven hits and six RBIs in game two.
Trekking back to the circle for the seventh, Buckner worked around a single to post a scoreless frame, securing the Mountaineers’ 21st win of the year and her 25th career win in the circle.
Up Next
App State will wrap up its Sun Belt and home regular season schedule with a three-game set with the Georgia Southern Eagles starting Thursday at 2 p.m. Every game can be streamed on ESPN+.
By David Rogers. LENOIR, N.C. — Pioneer sophomore Everett Gryder allowed just one run on three hits while striking out six Ashe County batters on April 30 to lead Watauga past the Huskies, 2-1, in the Northwestern Conference tournament semifinals at M S Deal Field.
Watauga scored two runs in the bottom of the first inning and that’s all they needed behind Gryder’s 3-hit effort and fellow sophomore Evan Burroughs coming on for an inning of scoreless relief.
Pioneer catcher Cooper Critcher knocked in both Watauga runs with a one-out double in the opening frame, scoring Burroughs, who had singled, and shortstop Maddox Greene, who had walked.
Sophomore righthander Jordan Tibbs went the distance for Ashe County, allowing the two runs on just five Pioneer hits.
With the win, Watauga advances to play top-seeded South Caldwell on Thursday, May 2, with first pitch scheduled for 7 p.m.
KEY PERFORMERS
WAT – Everett Gryder: winning pitcher, six innings pitched, one run on three hits, striking out six and walking two.
ASHE – Jordan Tibbs: six innings pitched, allowed 2 runs on 5 hits, striking out three batters while walking two.
By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — Visiting Hibriten used a double play with the bases loaded with Watauga runners to wiggle out of a first inning jam and allowing just a single run, but after a lightning delay the Pioneers scored three more runs to defeat the Panthers, 4-1, on April 30 at Pioneer Field. The action was Round 1 of the Northwestern Conference post season tournament.
BONUS PHOTOS at bottom of article. Click on any image for Slideshow Mode and best photo viewing.
Back to back doubles senior Kara Brooks and junior Julie Matheson to open the bottom half of the fifth inning were critical to the Pioneers’ scoring two runs in the inning, after also tallying a run in each of the first and third frames.
Katie Matheson pitched seven strong innings on April 30 in Watauga’s 4-1, lightning-delayed win over Hibriten in the first round of the Northwestern Conference tournament. Photographic image by David Rogers
Junior Katie Matheson started in the pitcher’s circle for the Pioneers and went the full seven innings, giving up one run on six hits while hurling 107 pitches, striking out seven Panthers. Backing up Matheson, the Pioneers played error-free ball in the field.
The Pioneers have won four of their last five games with all of the victories in conference play. The last three wins in NWC play allowed Watauga to lay claim to third place in the league standings and draw home field advantage for the first round of the conference tournament.
With the win, Watauga is now 10-10 overall and 6-5 in conference play, behind undefeated South Caldwell (20-0, 10-0) and Alexander Central (17-4, 8-2).
The Pioneers advance to the semifinal round against the No. 2 seeded Cougars of Alexander Central, in Taylorsville, with first pitch scheduled for 5:30 p.m.
KEY PERFORMERS
Katie Matheson: winning pitcher, 7 innings, allowed 1 run on 6 hits, striking out 7. Offensively, she was 1-4, with a stolen base.
Julie Matheson: 1-2, 1 run scored, 1 RBI, 2B, walk
Elizabeth Watson: 2-3, 1 RBI
Kara Brooks: 1-2, 1 run scored, 2B
BONUS PHOTOS
Watauga senior Dagan Newsome slides into second ahead of the throw from right field. Photographic image by David Rogers
Katie Matheson pitched seven strong innings on April 30 in Watauga’s 4-1, lightning-delayed win over Hibriten in the first round of the Northwestern Conference tournament. Photographic image by David Rogers
