RELIVING ‘Friday Night Lights’: Independence 34, Watauga 14

By Zach Smith. BOONE, N.C. — All good things eventually come to an end and here is how the Watauga Pioneers’ 2023 football season came to a close at Jack Groce Stadium on Nov. 17.

Team Leaders

#2 Watauga

• • QB/DB #4 Maddox Greene (Jr)
  • RB #44 Everett Gryder (So)
  • Has not played since Oct. 27 injury
  • WB/DB #12 Evan Burroughs (So)
  • TE/LB #9 Jackson Pryor (Sr)

#23 Independence

• • QB #7 Justin Little (Jr)
  • RB #21 Jayden Jones (So)
  • WR #3 Vontrez Burch (Sr)
  • TE #17 Will Brown (Sr)

Play by Play

• Watauga wins toss, elects to receive opening kickoff

• Watauga ball at their own 20

• Penalty: False start against Watauga, 1st and 015 at their own 15
  • Everett Gryder  carries up the middle for 1 yard
  • Gryder carries up the middle for 2 yards
  • Maddox Greene scrambles right for 28 yards
  • Cade Keller scrambles for no gain
  • Gryder carries up the middle for 3 yards
  • Evan Burroughs carries right for 7 yards
  • Gryder arries up the middle for 3 yards
  • Greene carries left for 6 yards
  • Greene carries right for 4 yards
• TOUCHDOWN WATAUGA
  • #4 Maddox Greene 31-yard pass (1) to #14 Morgan Henry (1)
  • #41 Jack Wilson PAT is good

Watauga 7 Independence 0

• Independence ball at their own 49
  • Jayden Jones carries right for 5 yards

• Penalty: Holding against Independence, 2nd and 11 at their own 48

• • Justin Little pass complete left to Jones for 45 yards

• TOUCHDOWN INDEPENDENCE
  • #21 Jayden Jones 7-yard rush (1)
  • #87 Lyric Kopera PAT is good

Watauga 7 Independence 7

• Watauga ball at their own 20
  • Greene tackled for loss of 1 yard
  • Gryder carries up the middle for 3 yards
  • Greene pass complete right to Jackson Pryor for 12 yards
  • Greene carries left for 8 yards
• Penalty: Facemask against Independence, 1st and 10 at their own 47
  • Greene carries right for 1 yard
  • Greene carries up the middle for 5 yards
  • Burroughs carries right for 1 yard
  • Timeout Watauga (1)
  • Greene carries up the middle for 1 yard
  • Turnover on downs

• Independence ball at their own 45
  • Jones carries left for 13 yards
  • Jones carries up the middle for 11 yards
• Penalty: Ineligible man downfield against Independence, 1st and 15 at Watauga 36
  • Jones carries up the middle for 10 yards
  • Travis Hill carries right for 4 yards
  • Jones carries right for 9 yards
  • Little scrambles left for 3 yards
• TOUCHDOWN INDEPENDENCE
  • #21 Jayden Jones 11-yard rush (1)
  • #87 Lyric Kopera PAT is good

Watauga 7 Independence 14

• Watauga ball at their own 17
  • Gryder carries left for 9 yards
  • Gryder carries for no gain
  • Gryder carries left for 4 yards
  • Greene pass incomplete
  • Greene pass incomplete
  • Greene pass complete left to Burroughs for no gain
  • Watauga punts

• Independence ball at their own 34
  • Hill carries right for 2 yards
  • Little scrambles left for 14 yards
  • Jones tackled for loss of 6 yards
  • Carson Gunnell-Beck with the TFL
  • Little pass complete over the middle to Will Brown for 16 yards
• Penalty: Unsportsmanlike conduct against Independence, 1st and 10 at their own 47
  • Jones carries up the middle for 9 yards
  • Little pass complete right to Coleton Belcher for 12 yards
  • Jones carries up the middle for 9 yards
  • Hill carries right for 5 yards
  • Jones carries left for 2 yards
  • Little pass complete right to Belcher for 11 yards
• TOUCHDOWN INDEPENDENCE
  • #7 Justin Little 4-yard rush (1)
  • #87 Lyric Kopera PAT is good

Watauga 7 Independence 21

• Watauga ball at their own 19
  • Greene carries for no gain
  • Matthew Leon carries left for 2 yards
• Penalty: Offsides against Independence, 3rd and 3 at their own 26
  • Greene carries left for 38 yards
  • Greene pass incomplete
  • Greene pass incomplete
• Penalty: Illegal touching against Watauga, 4th and 16 at Independence 42
  • Greene pass incomplete
  • Turnover on downs
• Independence ball at their own 42
  • Jones carries right for 5 yards

HALFTIME

Key Stats

Watauga

• • QB/DB # 4 Maddox Greene
    • 10 car., 90 yards, 9.0 avg.
  • RB #44 Everett Gryder
    • 8 car., 25 yards, 3.1 avg.

Independence

• • QB #7 Justin Little
    • 4/4, 84 yards
  • RB #21 Jayden Jones
    • 12 car., 85 yards, 7.1 avg., 2 TD

3rd Quarter

• Independence ball at their own 49
  • Jones carries right for 6 yards
  • Little carries for no gain
• TOUCHDOWN INDEPENDENCE
  • #7 Justin Little 45-yard pass (1) to #3 Vontrez Burch
  • #87 Lyric Kopera PAT is good

Watauga 7 Independence 28

• Watauga ball at their own 20
  • Burroughs carries right for 4 yards
  • Gryder carries up the middle for 6 yards
  • Greene carries left for 2 yards
  • Greene pass incomplete
  • Greene pass complete left to Henry for 14 yards
  • Gryder carries up the middle for 8 yards
  • Greene pass complete right to Pryor for 15 yards
  • Greene sacked for loss of 5 yards
  • Greene tackled for loss of 1 yard
  • Greene pass complete left to Pryor for 16 yards
  • Gryder carries left for 2 yards
  • Greene pass incomplete
• TOUCHDOWN WATAUGA
  • #4 Maddox Greene 19-yard pass (2) to #14 Morgan Henry (2)
  • #41 Jack Wilson PAT is good

Watauga 14 Independence 28

• Penalty: Offsides against Watauga, Watauga to kick off from their own 35
• Penalty: Illegal touching on onside attempt by Watauga

• Independence ball at Watauga 49
  • Jones carries up the middle for 6 yards
  • Little pass complete over the middle to Burch for 20 yards
  • Jones carries right for 13 yards
  • Jones carries up the middle for 8 yards
• TOUCHDOWN INDEPENDENCE
  • #21 Jayden Jones 2-yard rush (2)
  • #87 Lyric Kopera PAT is blocked

Watauga 14 Independence 34

• Watauga ball at their own 20
  • Gryder carries up the middle for 2 yards
  • Greene carries up the middle for 9 yards
• Penalty: Personal foul against Independence, 1st and 10 at their own 46
  • Gryder carries right for 4 yards
  • Gryder carries up the middle for 3 yards
• Sideline warning against Independence, 1st and 10 at Independence 32
  • Gryder carries right for 1 yard
  • Henry tackled for loss of 1 yard
• Penalty: Pass interference against Independence, 1st and 10 at Independence 17

• Turnover: Greene pass intercepted

• Independence ball at their own 1

• Penalty: Facemask against Watauga, 1st and 4 at their own 6
  • Jones carries right for 5 yards
  • Jones carries left for 2 yards
  • Jones carries up the middle for 5 yards
  • Little pass complete right to Belcher for 5 yards
  • Laramey Watson carries left for 2 yards
  • Hill carries up the middle for 3 yards
  • Little pass complete left to Burch for 12 yards
  • Watson tackled for loss of 2 yards
    • Henry with the TFL
  • Watson carries left for 3 yards
  • Little sacked for loss of 8 yards
  • Timeout Independence (1)
  • Independence punts

• Watauga ball at their own 38
  • Greene pass incomplete
  • Gryder carries up the middle for 2 yards
  • Greene pass complete left to Burroughs for 8 yards
  • Greene pass incomplete
  • Burroughs tackled for loss of 3 yards
  • Timeout Watauga (1)
  • Greene pass complete left to Burroughs for 14 yards
  • Greene pass incomplete
• Penalty: False start against Watauga, 2nd and 15 at Independence 46
  • Greene pass complete right to Burroughs for 9 yards
  • Greene pass incomplete
  • Greene pass complete left to Pryor for 7 yards, Pryor pitches to Gryder, Gryder carries for 22 yards
• Turnover: Greene pass intercepted 

• Indpendence ball, QB Little takes a knee

FINAL: Independence 34, Watauga 14

Key Stats

Watauga

• QB/DB #4 Maddox Greene
  • 11/23, 145 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT
  • 13 car., 100 yards, 7.7 avg.
• RB #44 Everett Gryder
  • 17 car., 75 yards, 4.4 avg.
• WB/LB #14 Morgan Henry
  • 3 rec., 64 yards, 21.3 avg., 2 TD

Independence

• QB #7 Justin Little
  • 8/8, 166 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT
• RB #21 Jayden Jones
  • 20 car., 132 yards, 6.6 avg., 3 TD
• WR #3 Vontrez Burch
  • 3 rec., 77 yards, 25.7 avg., 1 TD