By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — Often overlooked in high school athletics are the performances of junior varsity teams, but those younger squads are comprised of the varsity’s future.
That’s why Watauga girls JV team’s 17-1 overall record for 2023-24, 8-1 in Northwestern Conference and a dominating, 41-26 win over Ashe County on Feb. 16 should not be overlooked.
Against the Huskies in West Jefferson, Watauga allowed only five Ashe County players to get into the scoring column, and only one in double figures. That was freshman guard Madason Cox, who recorded a game-high 14 points.
They allowed Ashe County to score just four points in the first quarter and only five points in Q4.
The Pioneers countered with eight players scoring points, two in double figures: Sarah Thompson (13) and Blair Haines (12). While Thompson and Haines accounted for more than half of the Pioneers’ offensive production, Presli Wood and Izzy Torgerson contributed six and five points, respectively while also dishing out assists with key passes and helping clear the boards, rebounding.
A hallmark of the Pioneers’ varsity teams (women and men) is tenacious defense and those individual and team skills have filtered down to the JVs. In none of the four quarters played on Feb. 16 did Ashe County score more than 9 points, in the third period. The Watauga team proved especially stingy at the beginning and end, allowing the Huskies just four points in the first quarter and only five points in Q4.
They are a really special group of sophomores. They led this team with a lot of compassion and competitive spirit. Their legacy will definitely be felt on future JV teams.
Reflecting back on the 2023-24 season, the girls junior varsity Pioneers were only two points removed from a perfect, 18-0 season. On Jan. 24, Watauga lost to Alexander Central in Lentz Eggers Gym, 49-47. A couple of weeks later, on Feb. 6, the young Pioneers returned the favor and then some, defeating the Cougars, 44-37, in Taylorsville.
We caught up with Watauga JV coach Kalie Eppley after their last game of the season and, not surprisingly, she was pretty enthusiastic about what her team had accomplished.
“I couldn’t be more proud of this group of girls. They were an absolute joy to coach,” said Eppley. “They consistently showed up with great energy and work ethic. Chloe Weigl, Shelby Thompson, Sarah Thompson, and Izzy Torgerson are a really special group of sophomores. They led this team with a lot of compassion and competitive spirit. Their legacy will definitely be felt on future JV teams.
“It was fun to play our last game vs. Ashe,” Eppley added. “They are a good team that has improved a lot over the season. We were able to sustain a run from them in the second half to play a competitive fourth quarter.”
By Zach Smith. BOONE, N.C. — Education Day in Boone didn’t go as planned for App State. With just over 1,000 elementary school students from around the High Country in attendance for the Feb. 15 matchup, the Mountaineers fell to Marshall, 87-78.
App State was led by a career-high 24-point performance from sophomore guard Alexis Black. Guards Emily Carver (19) and Faith Alston (13) joined Black as Mountaineers to reach double-figures. Sophomore forward Rylan Moffitt grabbed a team-best 14 rebounds, swatting away three shots in the process.
Marshall guard Abby Beeman led the way for the Herd with 21 points and nine rebounds. Beeman and senior guard Breanna Campbell each dished out a team-high six assists.
The first quarter looked more like a three-point shootout than a college basketball game. Following a 90 second period of back-and-forth scores in the paint, App State senior guard Taylor Lewis opened the floodgates with the game’s first shot from beyond the arc. Each of the Mountaineers’ next four makes from the field were from deep, leading the home side to a 20-10 lead at the first media break. Out of the break, Marshall turned things around in their favor, cashing in on four consecutive deep-balls in a row while holding App State scoreless. The Thundering Herd held a two-point advantage at the first quarter buzzer.
Marshall continued their impressive scoring run early in the second frame, scoring each of the first five points to extend their streak to 17 consecutive points. App State then went on an 11-2 run before the Herd scored another 10 points in a row. The Mountaineers clawed their way back, scoring nine of the final 10 tallies of the half. Both sides went into the locker room with 40 points each.
The third period continued the game of back-and-forth runs. Rylan Moffitt opened the half with a layup while Marshall’s Sydni Scott followed with another three-pointer. App State then scored the next seven points before Tamia Layhorne drained back-to-back shots from beyond the arc for the Thundering Herd. A period of back-and-forth scoring led to a three-point Mountaineer lead before Meredith Maier hit a trey at the buzzer, tying the game entering the final quarter.
App State seemed to run out of steam in the final ten minutes. Marshall’s Sun Belt-best offense took over, extending The Herd’s lead to as many as 17 points. The Mountaineers held the visitors without a made shot from the field over the final two minutes, but the damage was done. Marshall retained their top spot in the conference, defeating App State on the road.
App State head coach Angel Elderkin shared her thoughts on the matchup postgame.
“Marshall is a really good basketball team, their style presents a lot of challenges,” Elderkin said. “The experience at their place I thought gave us the gameplan to be ready to execute at home. For the most part, you know, from an effort standpoint, I thought our kids left everything they had on the court and for that, I’m proud.”
Elderkin went on to explain what she thought could’ve been better for the Mountaineers.
“There’s two areas that we continue to talk about with our group in order for us to go from being a good team to a great team,” Elderkin said. “It’s taking care of the basketball, you saw us today with 26 turnovers, and then it’s rebounding. You know, I thought their effort on the boards was better than ours. We won the rebounding, but to [allow] 13 offensive rebounds for 18 second-chance points was not part of the plan.”
Referring to Alexis Black’s career-best 24 points in the game, Elderkin provided an insight on Black’s improvement over her two seasons as a Mountaineer.
“When we first started, she was trying to find that consistency, and she’s given that,” Elderkin said. “She’s continuing to get better, she’s getting in the gym, she’s providing another threat for us. And so I thought [her performance] was big.”
App State began one of the toughest portions of their schedule in the loss to Marshall. Including Thursday’s loss, the Mountaineers play consecutive games against each of the top five teams in the Sun Belt standings. Elderkin spoke on what it will take for her squad to bounce back and be prepared for their next test against Georgia State.
“The Sun Belt presents several women’s teams in the top of the country,” Elderkin said. “And so, it’s a completely different game on Saturday (Feb. 17). So, like I’ve been all season, you know, I can’t hem and haw over this Marshall game, because Georgia State’s not Marshall. You know, they’re a different version of Georgia State, which is a very, very good basketball team.”
Despite the loss, App State continued to shoot at a high mark. Their 44 percent mark from the field bested Marshall’s 39 percent clip. The Mountaineers outrebounded the Thundering Herd, 43-34, but Marshall’s 13 offensive boards topped App State’s 11 second-chance opportunities. App State turned the ball over 26 times leading to 29 Marshall points.
With the win, Marshall holds their position at the top of the Sun Belt standings. The next test on the Herd’s four-game road trip is a matchup with Old Dominion Feb. 17. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m., and the game can be streamed on ESPN+.
App State falls to 6-7 in conference play with their loss to Marshall. The Mountaineers kicked off a four-game homestand, with their next battle against Georgia State coming Feb. 17. The game will be the first part of an App State basketball doubleheader with the men’s team. The Mountaineers’ and Panthers’ battle is slated for 2 p.m. and can be streamed on ESPN+.
By David Rogers. MOORESVILLE, N.C. — Two Watauga High School wrestlers advanced to the North Carolina State Tournament, to be held Feb. 15-17, at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex Fieldhouse. Eight Pioneers qualified to compete in the NCHSAA 4A West Regionals.
In the Regionals’ 165 lb. weight class, No. 3 seeded Palmer Smith advanced to the semifinals with two consecutive falls, but lost by fall in the semifinals match to T C Roberson’s Connor Reese, placing No. 3 for the tournament. The top four in each weight class qualify for the state championship tournament.
To get to the quarterfinals, Smith pinned Matthew O’Dell of Marvin Ridge in Round 1 and Marlon Castro of Mooresville Senior in Round 2. Creed Casner had a little easier route to the semis at 120lbs. , receiving a bye in the first round before losing to LaShaun Going of South Caldwell in the quarterfinals.
Although the No. 3 seeded Casner lost in the quarterfinals to Going, he took a 6-0 decision in the third place match vs. Mooresville Senior’s Landon Neith, the No. 5 seed.
Other Watauga entries:
106 lbs. – Bryan Chen lost in Round 1 to South Mecklenburg’s Blake Dover, which relegated the Watauga sophomore to the Consolation bracket, where he lost in the first round to East Mecklenburg’s Edward Mayers.
113 lbs. – Liam Perry lost in Round 1 of the Championship bracket to Ian Whitt of Ardrey Kell, 2-1. In the Consolation bracket, he defeated Lake Norman’s Cooper Mathon in a major decision, 13-0; then by technical fall over Lucas Messer of Hopewell; before losing to Olympic’s Cameron Massey, 10-5.
126 lbs. – no Watauga entry
132 lbs. – no Watauga entry
138 lbs. – Ryder Sullivan dispatched Providence’s Lucas Otero by fall in the first round, then lost by fall to McDowell’s Rylan Patterson. In the Consolation bracket, he lost to Mallard Creek’s Isaac Marez, 7-2.
144 lbs. – Lucas Bishop lost his first round match to eventual champion Austin Emmert of Mooresville Senior by fall, then dropped his first round consolation match to South Caldwell’s Mason Hollar.
150 lbs. – no Watauga entry
157 lbs. – no Watauga entry
175 lbs. – no Watauga entry
190 lbs. – Watauga sophomore Mikey Portante battled fiercely in his first round match, but lost, 15-10, to eventual quarterfinalist, Logan Shoemaker of Alexander Central. He then lost his first round of the Consolation bracket by fall to James Davis, a Charlotte Catholic senior.
215 lbs. – no Watauga entry
285 lbs. – Watauga’s Eli Greene pinned his Round 1 opponent, Kearon Redfeam of Myers Park, then was outpointed in Round 2 by Charlotte Catholic sophomore Dominic Basrawala, 5-2. Dropped to the Consolation bracket, he was pinned by McDowell’s Edward Cervantes.
By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — Torrid, second half scoring by two Pioneers broke open a critical Northwestern Conference women’s basketball game on Feb. 13, propelling Watauga to a decisive, 72-52 win over visiting Freedom at Lentz Eggers Gym.
At halftime, Watauga held a tenuous, 25-23 lead over the Patriots, thanks largely to a big first quarter by point guard Kate Sears and forward Laney Shook. While Freedom trailed 16-6 after the first quarter ended, the Patriots battled back, outscoring the Pioneers 17-9 in the second frame to pull within just two points at intermission. Freedom’s Peyton Caldwell accounted for 10 of the visitors’ 17 points in the second period rally.
Watauga’s Laney Shook (23) scored 12 points on Feb. 13 vs. Freedom, but they were not always easy. Photographic image by Flaco Rafael
Watauga gained a degree of separation in the third quarter, with Sears putting the Pioneers on her back, scoring every which way both inside and outside. Three made shots from outside the arc along with 5-for-5 shooting from the free throw line and a short jumper for good measure added up to 16 Q3 points of Sears’ game-high 33 points on the night.
Kate Sears had a big third quarter, Julie matheson in the fourth.
While the Pioneers didn’t exactly stop Freedom’s Caldwell, Watauga’s pressing, defensive scheme limited most of the other Patriots. Freshman forward Cheryllana Cunningham added five points to Caldwell’s seven points in the third frame to help Freedom stay within striking distance, Watauga holding a 46-39 lead as the two longtime NWC rivals readied for the decisive fourth quarter.
Just as Sears had the hot hand in the third quarter for the Pioneers, junior guard Julie Matheson scorched the rim for four 3-pointers in the final stanza, accounting for 12 of her 14 points on the night. When combined with five more points from Sears and four more from Shook on the offensive end during period, the Patriots saw their deficit widening by game’s end.
Watauga point guard Kate Sears rises to the occasion to score two of her game-high 33 points vs. Freedom on Feb. 13. Photographic image by Flaco Rafael
Watauga head coach Bill Torgerson told High Country Sports after the game that his charges had worked hard in preparing for Freedom.
“We knew we were in for a battle,” Torgerson said. “We squeaked out a win about a month ago at their place, in overtime. The Freedom coaching staff always has their kids prepared and they always have some surprises for us that we have never seen.”
Torgerson added, “A big difference in the second half was that big third quarter Kate had scoring. She really helped us stretch the lead out a bit. Then Julie Matheson caught fire in the fourth quarter in hitting four 3-pointers. It reminds me of the Hibriten game when they were really coming after Kate and Julie knocked down a couple of big shots. She did it again tonight.”
Freedom did not go quietly into the night on Feb. 13. Here, Watauga guard Charlotte Torgerson finds getting to the basket a challenge. Photographic image by Flaco Rafael
Strategically, Torgerson was quick to point out the impact of broad scoring up and down his roster.
“Laney Shook played a really steady game. Her 12 points gave us another player in double figures and that makes defenses have to think about more than just stopping Kate.”
With the win, Watauga is 19-4 overall on the season, 8-1 in conference play and No. 1 in Northwestern Conference standings — but not by much. Ashe County is just behind at 7-2 and Watauga ends their regular season campaign at the Huskies home court in West Jefferson on Friday, Feb. 16.
“Tonight’s win sets up a big game on Friday, against Ashe County,” said Torgerson. “They are a talented and skilled team. They have rebounding, athleticism, and really good team speed. After the game tonight, we talked about having to come in at tomorrow’s practice with energy and focus up. We have a couple of days practice coming up to prepare.”
By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — A speedy Freedom team may have led (23-20) at the end of the first quarter on Feb. 13 in Lentz-Eggers Gym, but once host Watauga gained the lead in the second period the Pioneers never looked back in the convincing, 83-66 win over the Patriots.
Four Watauga starters posted double figures in scoring, led by Josiah Railey’s 21 points that included 4-for-4 shooting from the charity stripe. Point guard Cade Keller and forward Wyatt Kohout each contributed 17 points, while Jackson Pryor shook off early foul trouble that cost him court time to add 13 points on the night.
Watauga’s Josiah Railey scored a team-high 21 points on Feb. vs. Freedom. Photographic image by Flaco Rafael
Kohout tallied three 3-pointers in the second half, each one a dagger in the hearts of the Patriots’ thoughts of a comeback. Keller and Railey were consistent throughout the contest.
Freedom’s Kobe Johnson poured in a game high 23 points thanks to a big first half when he tallied 17 points. The Pioneers’ defensive adjustments held Johnson to just six points in the second half.
With the win, Watauga (8-1 in conference, 18-5 overall) remained No. 1 in the Northwestern Conference standings, a mere half game ahead of second place South Caldwell (7-1, 16-6). The Pioneers look to claim sole possession of the regular season title on Friday, Feb. 16, when the travel to West Jefferson to face Ashe County (3-5, 8-14). In the season’s earlier game, on Jan. 26, the Pioneers dismantled the Huskies, 78-38, but this regional rivalry has produced upsets in the past.
By Zach Smith. BOONE, N.C. — On a day full of marquee matchups in college hoops, over 5,000 High Country fans witnessed what might have been the best of them all.
App State played host to Toledo on Feb. 10 in the Holmes Convocation Center for the second leg of the MAC-Sun Belt Challenge. The Mountaineers defeated the Rockets in a double-overtime, instant classic, 109-104.
App State was led by a “vintage” 24-point performance from fifth-year forward Donovan Gregory, who was one of six Mountaineers to reach double-digit points. Gregory was joined by Myles Tate (20), Jordan Marsh (17), Terence Harcum (16), CJ Huntley (13) and Justin Abson (11) as top scorers for App State. Tate and Abson recorded seven rebounds each, while Marsh joined Abson in dishing out a team-best four assists.
Donovan Gregory posted a team-high 24 points in App State’s Feb. 10 victory over Toledo. Photographic image by Flaco Rafael for High Country Sports.
Toledo also saw six players log at least 10 points: Dante Maddox Jr. (25), Tyler Cochran (17), Sonny Wilson (17), Ra’Heim Moss (16), Javan Simmons (15) and André Lorentsson (10). Simmons added a game-high 10 rebounds to notch a double-double in the contest, while Maddox Jr. tacked on a game-high five assists.
Strength vs. Strength
Entering Saturday’s matchup, Toledo had the top-rated scoring offense in the MAC, while App State had the Sun Belt’s best defense. The game was shaping up to be a battle of the bests on both sides of the ball, but the offenses quickly took over.
Following a rough start for App State that saw Toledo jump out in front by five points, the Mountaineers responded with a 7-0 run. Each of the final four shots leading to the first media break resulted in a lead change, a trend that continued throughout the game. Toledo forced App State to adapt to their style of play but the Mountaineers’ 76 percent field goal shooting proved the home side was up to the task. And yet, despite App State’s impressive shooting clip, the Rockets took a 47-46 lead into halftime.
Both sides kept their foot on the gas pedal through the first six minutes of the second period. The Rockets went on a scoring tear through the second media timeout, cashing in on 12 of 14 shots approaching the “under-eight minutes” media timeout.
The App State fans looked on, nervously. With an 11-point lead, Toledo looked to upset the hometown favorites. After a period of back-and-forth scoring that saw the Mountaineers come back to within nine points, App State evened the game via a 9-0 run over the final 90 seconds of regulation. So, with the score knotted at 90-90, at least one five-minute overtime period was required to decide the victor.
“Winning is hard”
Overtime opened with a quick, step-back jumper from Myles Tate, but the Rockets’ Tyler Cochran responded with a midrange make of his own. Toledo eventually went on a 5-0 run to take a three-point advantage before Donovan Gregory cashed in on a floater while drawing a foul — and he knocked down the resulting “and-one” opportunity. Following a quick transition layup from Jordan Marsh, Toledo’s Sonny Wilson converted on a jumper to tie the game at 99. Gregory drew a foul with two seconds on the clock, but missed both free-throws, sending the game to a second overtime period.
What proved to be the final, five minutes of OT began with Justin Abson’s sixth block of the afternoon, setting the tone for the final minutes. Toledo took a 104-103 lead, but App State finished the extra minutes with a 6-0 run to complete one of the most exciting, memorable games to be played at the Holmes Center.
Mountaineer junior Myles Tate was one of two 20-point scorers in App State’s 2OT victory over Toledo. Photographic image by Flaco Rafael for High Country Sports.
App State head coach Dustin Kerns was complimentary of Toledo’s program postgame.
“It was just an awesome college basketball game between two really good teams,” Kerns said. “You know, Toledo has won their league three straight years, they’re one of the best programs. They’re a program that we try to model ourselves after.”
The Mountaineers’ victory marked their 20th on the 2023-24 campaign, their first time reaching that milestone since the 2009-10 season. Kerns spoke on what that means to the team, but explained that their work isn’t finished.
“I think it’s a big deal because we did it on Feb. 10,” Kerns said. “You know, I think that’s a big deal. There’s a month left in the season, so we’ve got to keep going. We’ve got to stay hungry for more but I think to get 20 wins sometimes comes in the last week of the season. Winning is hard.”
Terence Harcum fires a three-pointer in the Mountaineers’ thrilling Feb. 10 victory over Toledo. Photographic image by Flaco Rafael for High Country Sports.
Kerns tested different player combinations and defensive schemes against an unfamiliar opponent. He settled on a look with four guards, led by freshman Jordan Marsh, to keep up with Toledo’s fast-paced offense. Kerns shared his perspective on the different looks the Mountaineers employed early in the first half.
“Jordan gave us a big spark,” Kerns said. “You know, certainly Xavion [Brown] and Tre’Von [Spillers] did not have their best game, but that’s part of the strength of our team. Everybody’s human, everybody’s not gonna (always) play their best game, but somebody else can step up.”
“we’ve won in different ways this year”
App State was forced to do something they haven’t had to do through the majority of the season — keep up with a high-powered offense. Kerns focused on his team’s ability to adapt to a different style of play than they’ve been used to. At times, Kerns said, Toledo used schemes that were not seen on film in preparing for this tilt.
“Fortunately, we’ve won in different ways this year,” Kerns said. “We’ve won ‘grind it out’ games, like James Madison, 59-55 (Jan. 13). We’ve won a shootout and that could keep going. We’ve found different ways to win games.”
As a team, App State made 61 percent of their shots from the field, compared to Toledo’s 49 percent clip. The Rockets outrebounded the Mountaineers, 37-36, led by 12 offensive boards. App State’s biggest advantage came from bench scoring as the Mountaineers’ reserves scored 50 points, compared to Toledo’s 14 points off substitutions. The double-overtime thriller saw 17 lead changes, with 16 different ties throughout the afternoon.
With the loss, Toledo falls to 15-9 on the season. The Rockets return to MAC action Feb. 16, as they travel home for an in-state matchup with Ohio University. Tipoff is set for 9 p.m., and the game will be broadcast nationally on ESPNU.
App State’s win puts them back into the win column following a loss at Texas State Feb. 7. The Mountaineers look to remain perfect at the Holmes Center Feb. 15, as they play host to Marshall. Tipoff is set for 6:30 p.m., and can be streamed on ESPN+.
By Jacob Plecker. ELON, N.C. — On day two of the Elon Softball Classic, the App State Mountaineers dropped a pair of contests with the Miami (Ohio) RedHawks at Hunt Softball Park.
The Mountaineers (0-3) started the day strong, scoring the first two runs in the fourth inning of game one and taking their first lead of the season. Taylor Thorp started the inning with a double and three straight hits from Killian Roberts, Olivia Cook and Sidney Martin brought home a pair of runs. Cook’s fourth-inning knock marked her first hit in a Mountaineer uniform.
Game 1 saw Sejal Neas make her first start of the season for the Mountaineers, going six strong. Neas pitched well, shutting out the RedHawks through the first four innings while striking out three. But a grand slam off the bat of Sami Bewick capped off a five-run inning to give the RedHawks the lead for good.
App State tallied seven hits against Miami (4-0) starting pitcher Addy Jarvis and did well to battle against the good pitcher. Jarvis struck out five in the game.
The Mountaineer offense struggled in Game 2, tallying just three hits and one run. Saturday’s nightcap against the RedHawks was highlighted by Peyton Darnell’s third-inning solo shot to left field, marking her second home run in as many days. The graduate transfer was the lone Mountaineer to post a multi-hit outing in game two.
Alannah Hopkins started game two for App State, marking her first start of the season. The RedHawks scored 10 runs in the first two innings to take control early and never looked back.
How it Happened
Game 1: Miami (Ohio) 5, App State 2
Neas’ night started strong in the first game as she struck out the first hitter she saw. Neas walked a hitter in the inning, but she was able to keep them stranded.
Killian Roberts slapped App State’s first hit of the doubleheader and marked the first baserunner for the Mountaineers. Roberts got as far as second base in the inning but a Macy Hamby flyout ended the threat.
The RedHawks found some offensive action in the third as Reagan Bartholomew and Chloe Parks each reached via singles. But Neas settled back in, retiring the next two hitters to end the inning. Neas’ two strikeouts were key in eliminating the RedHawk threats in the first two innings.
After Neas retired the RedHawks in order in the third, App State found its offense in their half of the fourth, tallying four hits and scoring two runs. The inning started with Thorp, who bashed a ball down the left-field line as she cruised into second for a double. Hits by Cook and Roberts helped bring in App State’s first run and a fourth hit from Martin drove in a second. Each run scored in the inning was scored with nobody out.
Martin stole second base to put another runner in scoring position, but Jarvis settled back in and retired the next three hitters to end the frame. Despite that, the Mountaineers led 2-0 after four.
Now with a lead, Neas continued her great start, recording two quick outs in the bottom of the fourth. The RedHawks got two runners on courtesy of a walk and a single, but the Mountaineer starter struck out Shelby Kunkel to strand two more.
Miami’s offense clicked in the fifth inning as it scored all five of its runs in the frame. The first Miami run came courtesy of Jenna Golembiewski who hit an RBI double into left to trim the deficit to one. After a walk to Karli Spaid, Sami Bewick brought home four runs with a grand slam to take a 5-2 lead. Neas did well to leave the deficit at three as she retired the next three batters in order, picking up another strikeout of Chloe Parks to end the inning.
Neas ended up finishing what she started, but the App State offense couldn’t crack Jarvis to end the game as it fell 5-2.
Game 1 Notes Home runs
App: none
Miami: Bewick (2)
Despite a solo shot to left field by Peyton Darnell, the Mountaineers fell in game two 12-1. The RedHawks scored 10 runs in the first two innings to take a commanding lead. Darnell tallied two of App State’s three hits in the game, but the rest of the offense couldn’t follow suit in the loss.
Golembiewski started game two off with a bang as she hit a two-run home run down the left-field line. The RedHawks scored twice more to extend their lead to four by the end of the frame.
The Mountaineers answered with two hits in the bottom of the first courtesy of Martin and Darnell, but a fielder’s choice and a ground out ended the threat.
Miami scored six more times in the top of the second, using six hits to get there.
The RedHawks scattered two more runs in the third, but in the bottom of the inning, the Mountaineers answered with a two-out solo homer from Darnell. Darnell’s homer marks her 34th career long-ball and second in as many days.
After the run by the Mountaineers, Ashley Hitchcock, Miami’s starter, settled back down and closed the game out, recording the win.
Up Next
The Mountaineers conclude play at the Elon Softball Classic on Sunday, squaring off with the host Elon. First pitch from Hunt Softball Park is set for 2:30 p.m. and can be streamed on FloSoftball.
By Katherine Jamtgaard. KALAMAZOO, Mich. The App State women’s basketball team defeated Western Michigan, 78-68, in the second installment of the MAC-SBC Challenge on Saturday. The Mountaineers have gone 2-0 in the 2023-24 MAC-SBC Challenge, having downed Ohio on Nov. 11. With the conclusion of the Feb. 10 game, the Mountaineers (13-11 (6-6 SBC)), have won three consecutive games in the month of February.
App State controlled the lead for the duration of the game.
Four Mountaineers scored in double figures, led by junior Emily Carver, who netted 16 points. Senior Faith Alston netted 15 points and led the team with four assists. Carver and fellow junior Zada Porter combined for six of the Mountaineers’ 12 treys on the night. Porter matched her season high of 14 points, which she last reached against Furman on Nov. 23. Sophomore Chaé Harris netted 10 points, shooting a perfect 4-of-4 from the field, which included 2-of-2 from the arc. Fellow sophomore Rylan Moffitt led the team with six rebounds, marking her 15th game as the Black and Gold’s top rebounder. She also shot 4-of-6 from the field for eight points on the night.
App State controlled the lead for the duration of the game and shot 47.3% from the field, 42.9% from the arc, and 77.8% from the line. The Mountaineers held Western Michigan to three treys, five second chance points, seven offensive rebounds, and nine fast break points.
Porter netted 11 of her 14 points in the pivotal third quarter.
App State held Western Michigan to a mere eight points, while establishing an early lead in the first quarter. Alston and Harris combined for 12 of the Mountaineers’ 19 points, both shooting 100% from the field. Western Michigan worked to catch up with the Mountaineers, despite being turned over by the Mountaineers nine times. Carver netted five points in the period, including her first trey of the game, to contribute to the Mountaineers’ 32-23 lead at the half.
Porter came out strong in the third quarter, netting 11 of her 14 points and shooting 3-of-4 from the field, 2-of-3 from the arc, and a perfect 3-of-3 from the line. Carver contributed another five points, drilling a 3-point bucket and pair of freebies. Western Michigan chipped away at the Black and Gold’s lead over the course of the period, narrowing it down to a mere two points, but the Mountaineers were quick to extend the deficit after a pair of Porter treys and a pair of Carver freebies. App State closed the quarter with a 60-48 lead.
In the fourth quarter, Alston and fifth-year senior Taylor Lewis combined for 10 of the Mountaineers’ 18 points, while Carver and Porter combined for six. The Mountaineers caused eight Western Michigan turnovers, and never turned the ball over in the period. App State steadily maintained the lead through the period to record a 78-68 victory.
UP NEXT
The Mountaineers will return to Boone for a four-game homestead, tipping things off with a 12 p.m. Education Day game against Marshall on Feb. 15. Admission will be free for fans. The Mountaineers will then host Georgia State at 2 p.m. on Feb. 17 for their Play4Kay Pink Day game. App State women’s basketball alumni are encouraged to join the Mountaineers for Alumni Day festivities on Feb. 17 as well.
App State will host Old Dominion on Feb. 22 at 6:30 p.m. and James Madison on Feb. 24 at 2 p.m.
By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — Double- and triple-teaming Watauga’s Kate Sears proved an exercise in futility for the visiting Hibriten women’s basketball team on Feb. 9. Sears defied the blanket coverage and still poured in a game-high 27 points in the 77-55 “Senior Night” win.
And yet, the real difference in this game could just as easily been the performances of the Pioneers left open because of the Panthers’ defensive focus on Sears.
Much of the Pioneers’ damage was from behind the 3-point arc. As a team, Watauga recorded 11 three-pointers (33 points) and only two of them by Sears.
Sears’ backcourt buddy, Charlotte Torgerson, benefited the most with the attention given Sears. The senior guard tallied 19 points on the night, including five from beyond the arc (15 points). Others stepping up included Julie Matheson (7 points, 2 treys), Blair Haines (7 points, 2 treys) and Laney Shook (6 points, 1 trey).
Kaitlyn Darner (6 points) didn’t score any 3-pointers but picked up a trio of layups, often cleaning up errant shots underneath.
Coming off a loss to Alexander Central, the Northwestern Conference’s first place Pioneers needed to get back on track. But, said head coach Bill Torgerson, Hibriten was also trying to record a win after suffering recent losses so could be equally “hungry.”
“Hibriten is a dangerous team,” said Torgerson. “They are really talented and are coming off a couple of losses. We faced the same situation at Alexander Central and we got pushed around a little bit and they seemed more hungry than us. Now that we were coming off a loss, I thought we brought an extra competitive edge that showed in the win.”
As many in the packed Lentz Eggers Gym felt, Torgerson marveled at Sears’ tenacity.
“Kate Sears really took over in that third quarter,” Torgerson observed. “They pretty much had three players on her and she just drove right through the defense and scored anyway. The third (quarter) was a 10-point quarter for her.”
What his other varsity players contributed was not lost on Torgerson, now in his first year as the Pioneers’ head coach.
“We had a bunch of players step up in different moments,” said Torgerson. “When Hibriten was trapping Kate, Julie Matheson hit back-to-back threes and Charlotte Torgerson had five (3-pointers) in the game. So, when those kids step up and hit big shots, it makes opponents have to think harder about doubling Kate.
With the Pioneers now 18-4 overall and 7-1 in Northwestern Conference play, Torgerson was mindful of each remaining game’s importance.
“It was a huge win as far as the goal of winning the conference goes. We had a one-game lead and with Ashe winning tonight, the win tonight allows us to hold on to the lead. Winning the regular season conference title is also important to seeding when it comes to the state playoffs,” noted Torgerson.
Torgerson saved his highest praise for the four seniors on the team.
Watauga has two remaining conference games for the 2023-24 season, on Feb. 13 vs. Freedom and on Feb. 16, at archrival Ashe County.
“I just really admire the character of these four seniors,” said Torgerson. “They are hard workers, really coachable, and set the tone with their enthusiastic attitudes every time we come together as a group. When you get to coach a team with seniors like this, it makes your job a lot easier. They’ve set a great example for our underclassmen and I am so thankful and appreciative for all they have poured into the program. All four of them are an inspiration to me.”
By Katherine Jamtgaard. LEXINGTON, Va. – The App State women’s track and field team’s first day of competition at the VMI Winter Classic was highlighted by a matched school record and eight top-five finishes. Six Mountaineers also advanced to Saturday’s women’s 60 meter and 60-meter hurdle finals.
Action resumes on Saturday with field events starting at 9 a.m. and track events at 10 a.m.
The Mountaineers went 1-2-3-4 in the women’s pole vault, led by sophomore Ava Studney, who matched the App State school record of 4.06m (13′ 3.75″). The record was set in 2004 by Suzanne Makinson. Graduate students Celia Agee and Noelle Meeker took second (3.60m (11′ 9.75″)) and third (3.45m (11′ 3.75″)). Sophomore Caroline Fowlkes placed fourth with a clearance of 3.30m (10′ 10″).
In the women’s 300 meters, freshman Nicole Wells stopped the clock at 39.05 for a personal best and first-place finish. Sophomore Daye Talley secured second with a personal best of 39.55. Wells’ time puts her second in the App State all-time list, while Talley’s time moves her to fifth.
Junior Catherine Breault set pace for the pack in the women’s 5,000 meters, clocking a personal best of 18:08.41 to place first overall. Fellow junior Abby Granberg also clocked a personal best of 18:35.82 to finish third.
Junior Daiyanna Cooper posted a season best in the women’s weight throw, recording a toss of 16.85m (55′ 3.5″) to place second overall. In the women’s long jump, freshman Gabrielle David placed eighth overall with a personal best leap of 5.54m (18′ 2.25″).
Advancements
Graduate student Alexia Moehling secured a spot in the women’s 60-meter hurdle final after clinching first with a time of 8.82 in the prelims. The women’s 60-meter hurdle final is slated for 11:10 a.m. on Saturday.
Five Mountaineers advanced to Saturday’s women’s 60-meter final. Freshman Jayla Adams led the Mountaineers, finishing second with a time of 7.60. Senior Taylor Smith, Wells, and freshman Kendall Johnson followed close behind, finishing third (7.62), fourth (7.64), and fifth (7.66), respectively. Talley rounded out the qualifiers with a time of 7.75 to place eighth. The women’s 60-meter final is slated for 11:20 a.m. on Saturday.
