By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — In one respect, it was like watching the Watauga men’s varsity soccer team play itself, only the real Pioneers didn’t quite make it to the field. With sharp ball-handling and putting numbers in the Pioneer half of the field throughout the match, West Forsyth cruised to a 4-0, non-conference win.

“It is hard to explain,” said Pioneer head coach Josh Honeycutt after the match, “but we did not play our brand of Watauga soccer. Most importantly, we didn’t play with passion.”

Now 2-0-1 in non-conference play, West Forsyth played like Watauga normally plays with short, crisp passes, keeping the ball on the ground, with one and two-touch deliveries to teammates as they worked the ball downfield.

West Forsyth head coach Jeffrey Williams was expecting a hard challenge from the Pioneers.

“Watauga is always well coached and plays hard,” said Williams after the match. “We knew we were in for a battle tonight and luckily we came out on the winning side of that. We were able to get numbers in our attack and we counterattacked very quickly. To a degree, we were able to overwhelm them in the final third with our numbers and then we got some quality finishes.”

Honeycutt was very complimentary of what the Titans brought for the contest.

“West Forsyth is a good team,” said Honeycutt. “I am not going to take anything away from them because they are a solid team. They possess the ball well, move it quickly and they have a dangerous attack. If you walked down to my office right now you would see a list of those things on the board, describing them. We got exactly what I told our boys we would be getting. We just weren’t our best tonight, for whatever reason. We didn’t play with a lot of passion. So that was a little bit disappointing.”

Watauga will try to regroup and recover on Aug. 24, at home against Forbush.

BONUS PHOTOS

By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — After jumping out to a 2-0 lead in the first half, Watauga’s junior varsity soccer team lost a defender to a “red card” roughly three minutes before intermission. Forced to play a man down (no substitutions for players sent off after receiving a red card), the Pioneers battled fiercely but were simply outgunned in the second half, the visiting Titans earning a 2-2 draw.

“It was really unfortunate,” said the Pioneers JV head coach Vern Collins afterward. “Noah Van Werkhoven was battling hard to stop a goal, but he came at the West Forsyth player from behind and drew the red card. At halftime, we changed our formation to account for being a man down while trying to strengthen our defense, but West Forsyth did a good job of taking advantage.”

Watauga will try to get back to its winning ways on Thursday, Aug. 24, when the Pioneers host Forbush.

BONUS PHOTOS

By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — Even without previous No. 1 player Siena Davidson, who left the team for undisclosed reasons, Watauga women’s tennis continued its winning ways in the young 2023 season with a 9-0 decision over visiting Hickory on the first official day of classes, Aug. 21.

Everyone stepped up a position but the team hardly skipped a beat. Freshman Addison Cohen won at No. 1, with an 8-0 decision over the Red Tornadoes’ senior Mebane White, 8-0.

At No. 2, Pioneer sophomore Larson Berry got by Hickory junior Kate Banks, 8-0, while at No. 3, sophomore Kennedy Moore dispatched junior Kate Bridges, 8-1.

Watauga sophomore Fiona Russell prevailed at No. 4 singles, shutting out Hickory junior Caitlyn McCrary, 8-0.

The No. 5 singles win went to Watauga senior Abbi Shuman, defeating junior Addison Beard, 8-0, and the Pioneers’ junior Hatherly Armfield moved up to the No. 6 singles and defeated the Red Tornadoes’ sophomore, Gracie Nexson, 8-0.

In doubles, the No. 1 tandem of Cohen and Berry bested Hickory’s No. 1 duo, White and Banks, 8-2. At No. 2 doubles, Moore and Russell collaborated to defeat Bridges and McCrary, 8-0. Finally, at No. 3 doubles, Shuman and Armfield dominated Beard and Nexson, 8-1, to complete the Pioneer sweep.

Next, Watauga will host Maiden on Aug. 23.

By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — Watauga junior Will Bradbury took top honors in the 11th grade division of the “Clash of the Classes” high school and middle school cross country event on Aug. 19, on the Pioneers’ home course.

More than 1,000 runners from 36 high school and middle schools converged on the Don Kennedy cross country trails for the second annual “Clash” event. With an even larger number of spectators jamming the course sidelines in and amongst the colorful array of school tents, the event took on a festival-like atmosphere celebrating the sport of cross country.

Watauga County taxpayers were surely getting their money’s worth in the use of the high school property as the “Clash of the Classes” was just one of several events on the venue, including the Watauga County Sheriff’s William Mast motorcycle ride, a High Country United youth soccer tournament, and one of the featured women’s volleyball matches of the non-conference schedule, Watauga vs. Cox Mill. In a word, every parking space on campus was occupied, and then some.

12th Grade Men’s Division

A big field of 97 young men were drawn to the 12th Grade Men’s ‘Clash,’ the two mile race won by Luke Mussard of Dobyns-Bennett High School (Kingsport, Tenn.), the only harrier to get under the 10-minute mark, finishing in 9:53. West Henderson’s Hudson Rice was some 40 seconds behind in second (10:38).

While Owen Johnson of Science Hill navigated the ups, downs and arounds at No. 3 (10:58). Watauga’s Sam Nixon was the top Pioneer finisher at No. 4 and only a second behind the third place spot in 10:59.

Other selected Watauga finishes in the division: Collin Anderson (No. 26), Davis Crymes (No. 28), and Miles Page (No. 40).

12th Grade Women’s Division

According to meet director and longtime Watauga head coach Randy McDonough, a few of Watauga’s top women senior performers were sidelined with COVID-19 or being quarantined after having been exposed, so the Pioneers were less competitive in the division than they might have been. Even without the full contingent of Pioneers, the 12th Grade Women’s division saw 56 student athletes take to the 2-mile course.

Breanna Budzinski of West Henderson topped the field as the No. 1 runner to cross the finish line, in 12:15. Second place went to Ella Battel of Daniel Boone High School (Gray, Tenn.), in 12:54, with the No. 3 spot earned by Katie Johnson of North Buncombe (Weaverville, N.C.).

The top Watauga finishes was Ellary Smith at No. 26 (15:22). Another Pioneer in the top half of the field was Maggie Souza (No. 28).

11th Grade Men’s Division

Watauga’s Will Bradbury raced to the No. 1 spot in the 11th Grade Men’s Division, navigating his home course in 10:25, well ahead of West Henderson’s Eli Clonch, No. 2 in 10:41. Connor Hodgson of Jefferson County High School (Dandridge, Tenn.) crossed the line at No. 3 (10:43), among the 90 student athletes from 25 schools competing in the race.

As a team, Watauga was the top finisher among the 10 teams qualifying with at least five runners. Other top Pioneers: Jonah Norris (No. 14), Sam Rex (No. 22), Haines Heistand (No. 29).

11th Grade Women’s Division

Maggie Bellamy of David Crockett High School (Jonesborough, Tenn.) was the No. 1 finisher in the 11th Grade Women’s division, in 12:44, just 16 seconds ahead of Sarah Siner of Dobyns-Bennett HS (Kingsport), in 13:00. Ardrey Kell (Charlotte) junior Reese Hohenberger was only a second behind in third (13:01).

Watauga’s top finishers in the 11th Grade “Clash” of 61 competing student athletes included Sadie Buchanan (No. 12), Mia Libre (No. 19), Hadley Carpenter (No. 32) and Kara Schneider (No. 33).

10th Grade Men’s Division

The 10th Grade Men’s division was one of the largest fields, with 105 student athletes competing. Watauga had a strong team showing, led by Calvin Zwetsloot’s No. 4 finish (11:22). No. 1 honors went to Fisher Battel of Daniel Boone HS (10:42), with Michael Ferguson of North Buncombe at No. 2 (11:14) and Connor Shaw of David Crockett HS at No. 3 (11:19).

Other top Watauga finishers included Zeke Walker (No. 9), Cameron Nance (No. 10), Silas Powell (No. 11) and Santino Wood (No. 24).

10th Grade Women’s Division

Lake Norman High School’s Kasey Dingman was the top sophomore to cross the line in the 10th Grad Women’s division, in 11:56. She was followed by No. 2 Sadie Honeycutt (12:51) of Daniel Boone HS and No. 3 Chloe Jackson (13:22) of North Buncombe.

Watauga’s top competitors were Janie Beach-Verhay (No. 9), Sydney Cate Townsend (No. 13) and Bailey Collins (No. 33).

9th Grade Men’s Division

Tennessee was well-represented in the 9th Grade Men’s “Clash” with Adam Kelley of Daniel Boone HS taking the No. 1 spot in 11:14 and Josh Estes of Dobyns-Bennett HS capturing the No. 2 spot, in 11:37. Ardrey Kell’s George “Adam” Dreier was No. 3 (11:38).

Watauga’s top performer in the class was Grady Gates (No. 7). Other Pioneers in the field of 82 runners included Andreas Rlman (No. 12), Brian Newmark (No. 27) and Isaac James (No. 34).

9th Grade Women’s Division

Science Hill High School (Johnson City, Tenn.) freshman Lorraine Hunter crossed the line No. 1 in the 9th Grade Women’s division, in 12:42, She was followed by Daniel Boone HS’s Mahri Layne at No. 2 (12:46) and Science Hill teammate Ava Nutter at No. 3 (13:08). A total of 80 student athletes competed in the freshman “Clash” of young women.

Top Watauga performers included Lainey Johnston (No. 12), Carrie Bradbury (No. 16), Winter Shaw (No. 17) and Maddie Maple (No. 23).

Congratulations and thanks are in order for the Watauga organizers and volunteers for the event, which drew student athletes from A.C. Reynolds, A.L. Brown (Kannapolis), Alexander Central, Ardrey Kell, Avery County, Cannon County (Woodbury, Tenn.), Chase (Forest City), Cloudland (Roan Mountain, Tenn.), Daniel Boone (Gray, Tenn.), David Crockett (Jonesborough, Tenn.), Dobyns Bennett (Kingsport, Tenn.), Elizabethton (Tenn.), Greer Middle College Charter (Taylors, S.C.), Jefferson County (Dandridge, Tenn.), Lake Norman, Lakeshore Middle (Mooresville), McDowell, Mooresville, North Buncombe, North Stokes (Danbury, N.C.), Pisgah (Canton), Providence Academy (Johnson City), Providence Academy Middle School (Johnson City), R-S Central (Rutherfordton), Run 4 Life Iredell, Science Hill (Johnson City), South Caldwell, Surry Home Educators (Dobson, N.C.), T.A. Dugger Junior HS (Elizabethton, Tenn.), University School of Johnson City, Watauga, Watauga Middle Schools, West Cabarrus (Concord), West Henderson (Hendersonville), and West Stokes (King, N.C.) as well as unattached student athletes.

By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — After the Watauga junior varsity thumped the Cox Mill JVs, 2-0, on Aug. 19, many in Lentz Eggers Gym thought the varsity matchup would be a mere formality. Not so, as an athletic, powerful hitting Chargers squad upended the Pioneers in straight sets, 29-27, 25-20, 25-20.

In the first set, the teams battled neck and neck for most of it, with Watauga looking to have taken as much as a 4-point lead late in the frame. But the Chargers battled back to trade leads once again, finally getting the upper hand in overtime.

The final two sets found the Pioneers making uncharacteristic handling errors in and around some sensational digs off of rocket-like kill shots by Cox Mill’s sophomore outside hitter, Jordyn Gray. The 6-1 southpaw did most of her damage at the net on kill shots, but also proved troublesome for the Pioneers when serving.

Watauga lost the match in spite of 26 kills from Emma Pastusic and Brooklyn Stanbery combined, 13 each. Libero Evie Robbins led the Pioneers in digs, with 15, while Lainey Gragg and Madi Combs recorded 15 and 11 assists, respectively.

Now 2-1, the Pioneers host former Northwestern Conference rival Hickory on Aug. 22, 6 p.m., before consecutive road games against Draugh (Aug. 24), Cuthbertson (Aug. 28) and Foard (Aug. 31).

By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — When a football game is decided by a failed 2-point conversion with no time remaining at the end of the fourth quarter, you have to figure it was a good football game. Watauga’s 13-12, season-opening win over T C Roberson (Asheville) at Jack Groce Stadium on Aug. 18 was an edge-of-your-seat thriller, but hardly a well-played game. Truth be told, it was more of a well-deserved “escape,” even if a victory.

The Pioneers’ football culture is built around three acronyms: WTW (work to win), TBM (team before me) and GPE (give perfect effort). Credit the third, by the Pioneer defense, for preserving the positive outcome.

Watauga head coach Ryan Habich said after the game that whatever else had transpired during the struggles leading up to the Rams’s 2-point conversion attempt (that would have won the game for the Rams, if successful), he asked them to remember GPE just before the final, decisive play. And, to be sure, in that moment they gave perfect effort to stop the Rams’ run up the middle, linebacker Jackson Pryor credited with leading the tackling brigade.

Early in the game, Watauga’s young offense (heavily sprinkled with sophomores and juniors having very little previous varsity experience) appeared to take control with Habich’s grinding, ball control rushing attack that serves two purposes: take time off the clock while keeping the opposition offense off the field.

Both of the Pioneers’ touchdowns came in the first half. The first one came came at the end of a series featuring sophomore running back Everett Gryder bulldozing his way up the middle or QB Maddox Greene slashing off tackle on keepers. They got the ball to the Rams’ 18-yard line before Greene found senior wide receiver Jackson Pryor curling toward the right side of the end zone. He lofted a high, arching pass that Pryor caught, leaping over the outstretched hands of Ram defenders as he backpedaled across the goal line. The PAT kick came up short, leaving the score, 6-0.

As it turned out, the Watauga student section’s early chant of “That’s too easy” was a bit premature. The visiting Rams responded with a march of their own, finished off with a 1-yard keeper by senior QB Lex Dinwiddie for the TD (kick failed), knotting the score at 6-6.

Before the opening quarter ended, Watauga tallied another scoring possession, capped off with a 2-yard run by Gryder for a TD and a successful Matthew Leon PAT kick to give the Pioneers a 13-6 lead.

The remaining three quarters of play were, for the most part, ugly football. There were fumbles, penalties and failed, short-yardage conversion attempts by both sides. On Watauga’s last possession, Greene (who is also a starting defensive back) took a hard hit and was forced to the sidelines on Roberson’s last, desperation drive.

The Rams quickly established momentum and took the ball inside Watauga territory, inside the 5-yard line. The Pioneers stopped Roberson’s third down effort, leaving the Rams with 4th-and-goal from the one-yard line and only a couple of seconds on the clock. Nearly everyone in the stadium expected the Rams to run senior running back Reno Jeter up the middle or perhaps Dinwiddie with a keeper off tackle. Watauga expected it, too, and loaded up the box.

It was one of those classic, good coaching decisions executed perfectly by the Rams. Instead of handing off the ball to a crashing Jeter, Dinwiddie faked the handoff and dropped back to find senior tight end Maurice Metz-Sacricson floating left, all alone in the endzone.

No one among the 2,000-plus fans packing the grandstands left their seats as Roberson head coach JD Dinwiddie and his staff pondered their next, win-or-lose decision: try for a PAT kick for a tie or go for two and win.

Coach Dinwiddie told High Country Sports after the game, “I thought we had the right call, but I will probably try to kick myself in the rear end at some point.”

And who among the onlookers could argue with the decision after the Rams’ last drive covered some 75 yards in less than two minutes? The Rams were moving the ball with relative ease, the best they had done all game.

Fortunately, for the Pioneer faithful, Pryor filled that gap in the line of scrimmage and the Watauga defense came through. The 2-point conversion attempt came with no time on the clock and after it failed, the triumphantly raised arms of junior defensive lineman Carson Gunnell-Beck as he looked back toward the Pioneer sideline and grandstands said it all: Watauga escaped with a win to open the team’s 2023 gridiron campaign.

“That was two really good football teams going head to head,” said Roberson head coach Dinwiddie. “We gambled on the two-point conversion and came up a half-yard short. We have a team that we feel can make some noise. It is always a challenge to play Watauga. Coach Habich and I are longtime friends, going back some 20 years. We like to hookup in the early part of the year and test each other out. Both of us have teams that can do really good things this year. Habich has created a championship caliber culture here. Tonight, both teams had some ball security issues. It was a game that could have gone either way.”

Habich was thankful for the win but knows his team has work to do.

“Roberson has a number of senior and returning players and we have a lot of neophytes within our program — and it showed with just two weeks of preparation,” said Habich in speaking with reporters after the game. “Even our upperclassmen guys are not experienced and that showed on the field. We did not play well. We played awful and you can quote me on that.”

That said, Habich suggested that he and his staff were prepared to see lackluster execution.

“I didn’t think we were going to be crisp offensively or defensively. But before the game, I challenged our kids to play with unbelievable effort even where mistakes were made, to give perfect effort and play with a great attitude. Roberson was favored to win but I challenged our guys to make it a fourth quarter game and we would find a way to win it. That is what we do here at Watauga,” said Habich. “As far as execution on the field, we have to clean things up. We have to build our depth at certain positions. Some of our guys have to figure out what they are doing because we had too many false-start penalties, too many times not lining up correctly, too many fumbles. We have to clean those up if we want to compete for a conference championship.”

Ever the mentor about life, too, Habich summed things up in saying, “The great thing about football is that there are teachable lessons. We are teaching 16-, 17- and 18 year-olds about how to respond to adversity and challenges. There may be 2,000 people in the stands who think they know everything, but 16- and 17-year olds are making the plays on the field, competing. There are teachable lessons. Every Monday at 7:15 a.m. the team meets and we address the mistakes, we erase them, then we move on to the next week. They will enjoy their weekend, then at 7:15 on Monday morning we will watch our mistakes. But at 4:00 p.m. on Monday our focus is on the huge rivalry game next week against Avery County.”

TEAM STATS

• Total Plays: WAT 56, TCR 47
• Total Yards: WAT 299, TCR 196
• Passing Yards: WAT 94, TCR 71
• Rushing Yards: WAT 205, TCR 125
• First Downs: WAT 17, TCR 10
• 3rd Down Efficiency: WAT 6-10 (60%), TCR 1-7 (14%)
• 4th Down Efficiency: WAT 1-3 (33%), TCR 2-4 (50%)
• Turnovers: WAT 2, TCR 1
• Fumbles Lost: WAT 2, TCR 1
• Interceptions Thrown: WAT 0, TCR 0
• Penalties: WAT 5, TCR 5
• Penalty Yards: WAT 42, TCR 17

SELECTED INDIVIDUAL STATS

Passing

• WAT – Maddox Greene: 5/7, 94 yards, 1 TD
• TCR – Lex Dinwiddie: 7/10, 71 yards, 1 TD

Rushing

• WAT – Everett Gryder: 28 carries, 126 yards, 1 TD
• TCR – Reno Jeter: 16 carries, 108 yards
• WAT – Maddox Greene: 15 carries, 67 yards, 1 fumble
• TCR – Lex Dinwiddie: 9 carries, 15 yards, 1 TD, 1 fumble
• WAT – Evan Burroughs: 1 carry, 12 yards

Receiving

• WAT – Jackson Pryor: 4 catches, 91 yards, 1 TD
• TCR – Maurice Metz-Sacricson: 5 catches, 41 yards, 1 TD
• TCR – Reno Jeter: 1 catch, 18 yards
• WAT – Morgan Henry: 1 catch, 3 yards