By Zach Smith. MORGANTON, N.C. — The high school football action was wild and wooly on Oct. 20, as a highly athletic Freedom team hosted a precision-focused, disciplined contingent from Watauga. The visiting Pioneers outlast the Patriots, 54-48, with a number thrills and spills, twists and turns and could-have-beens along the way. Beginning with our Pregame Notes, here is how it unfolded.
Pregame Notes
- Watauga (8-0, 3-0) faces Freedom (3-5, 2-1) on the road
- Watauga can clinch Northwestern Conference title with victory
- Watauga leads NWC in scoring offense (42.3 pts/gm) and scoring defense (18.4 pts allowed/gm)
- Freedom ranks third in NWC in both scoring offense and scoring defense
- Watauga has not lost to Freedom since 2015
Watauga Team Leaders
- QB/DB #4 Maddox Greene (Jr)
- TE/LB #9 Jackson Pryor (Sr)
- RB #44 Everett Gryder (So)
- LB #6 Trathan Gragg (Jr)
- WB/DB #12 Evan Burroughs (So)
PLAY BY PLAY
- Freedom wins toss, defers to second half
- Watauga ball at their own 22
- Everett Gryder carries right for 13 yards
- Maddox Greene carries left for 6 yards
- Gryder carries up the middle for 6 yards
- Gryder carries right for 14 yards
- Penalty: False start against Watauga, 1st and 15 at Freedom 44
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- Gryder carries up the middle for 6 yards
- Gryder carries left for 7 yards
- TOUCHDOWN WATAUGA
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- #12 Evan Burroughs 31-yard rush (1) for TD
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- #41 Jack Wilson PAT is good
Watauga 7 Freedom 0
- After short kickoff, Freedom ball at their own 41
- Jaylen Barnett carries left for 17 yards
- Kaden Davis pass incomplete
- Davis pass complete right to Kaleb Greene for 5 yards
- Davis pass complete right to Kayden Lytle for 8 yards
- Barnett carries left for 20 yards
- Davis pass complete left to Kobe Johnson for 2 yards
- Davis pass incomplete
- Barnett carries up the middle for 3 yards
- Penalty: False start against Freedom, 4th and 8 at Watauga 9
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- Davis pass incomplete
- Turnover on downs
- Watauga ball at their own 9
- Gryder carries up the middle for 16 yards
- Greene carries left for 44 yards
- Gryder carries up the middle for 4 yards
- Gryder carries up the middle for 9 yards
- Penalty: Holding against Watauga, 1st and 17 at Freedom 25
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- Burroughs carries right for 10 yards
- Greene carries up the middle for 8 yards
- Gryder carries up the middle for 6 yards
- TOUCHDOWN WATAUGA
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- #44 Everett Gryder 1-yard rush (1) for TD
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- #41 Jack Wilson PAT is good
Watauga 14 Freedom 0
- Freedom ball at their own 33
- Davis pass incomplete
- Barnett carries up the middle for 5 yards
- Davis pass incomplete
Second Quarter
- Freedom ball, 4th and 5 at their own 38
- Freedom punts
- Watauga ball at their own 31
- Gryder carries up the middle for 4 yards
- Burroughs carries right for 16 yards
- Greene carries up the middle for 11 yards
- Offsetting personal fouls, Watauga given 5 additional yards
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- Greene pass complete right to Morgan Henry for 30 yards
- Gryder carries up the middle for 3 yards
- TOUCHDOWN WATAUGA
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- #44 Everett Gryder 1-yard rush (2) for TD
- Offsetting unsportsmanlike conduct penalties, touchdown stands
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- #41 Jack Wilson PAT is no good
Watauga 20 Freedom 0
- Penalty: Facemask against Watauga, 15 yards added to kickoff return
- Freedom ball at Watauga 45
- Penalty: Holding against Freedom, 1st and 10 at Watauga 45
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- Barnett carries right for 25, fumbles
- Fumble recovered by Freedom
- Barnett carries left for no gain
- Davis pass complete right to Lytle for 15 yards
- Barnett carries right for 25, fumbles
- TOUCHDOWN FREEDOM
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- #7 Jaylen Barnett 5-yard rush (1) for TD
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- #16 Jake Kota PAT is good
Watauga 20 Freedom 7
- Watauga ball at their own 29
- Gryder carries up the middle for 3 yards
- Burroughs carries right for 12 yards
- Penalty: Illegal procedure against Watauga, 1st and 15 at their own 39
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- Greene carries up the middle for 5 yards
- Penalty: Holding against Watauga, 2nd and 8 at their own 46
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- Greene pass incomplete
- Jackson Pryor carries left for 11 yards
- Greene sacked for loss of 7 yards
- Gryder carries up the middle for 5 yards
- Greene scrambles left for 14 yards
- Gryder carries up the middle for 5 yards
- Penalty: Personal foul against Freedom, 1st and 10 at Freedom 13
- Penalty: Holding against Watauga, 1st and 14 at Freedom 17
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- Burroughs tackled for loss of 8 yards
- Penalty: Personal foul against Freedom, 2nd and 5 at Freedom 8
- TOUCHDOWN WATAUGA
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- #12 Evan Burroughs 8-yard rush (2) for TD
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- #41 Jack Wilson PAT is good
Watauga 27 Freedom 7
- Freedom ball at their own 41
- Davis pass incomplete
- Barnett carries up the middle for 16 yards
- Davis pass complete right to Lytle for 8 yards
- Timeout Watauga (1)
- Penalty: Personal foul against Watauga, 1st and 10 at Watauga 20
- Penalty: Holding against Freedom, 1st and 20 at Watauga 30
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- Davis pass incomplete
- Davis pass incomplete
- Penalty: Unsportsmanlike conduct against Freedom sideline, 3rd and 35 at Watauga 45
- Barnett carries up the middle for 1 yard
SECOND HALF
- Freedom ball at their own 44 after short Watauga kickoff
- Barnett carries up the middle for 4 yards
- Davis pass complete left to Johnson for 25 yards
- Barnett carries right for 22 yards
- Penalty: false start against Freedom, 1st and Goal at Watauga 10
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- Barnett carries left for 9 yards
- TOUCHDOWN FREEDOM
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- #7 Jaylen Barnett 1-yard rush (2) for TD
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- #16 Jake Kota PAT is good
Watauga 27 Freedom 14
- Watauga ball at their own 40
- Gryder carries up the middle for 6 yards
- Greene carries left for no gain
- Greene carries up the middle for 17 yards
- Gryder carries left for 17 yards
- Gryder carries up the middle for 7 yards
- Gryder carries up the middle for 8 yards
- TOUCHDOWN WATAUGA
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- #44 Everett Gryder 5-yard rush (3) for TD
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- #41 Jack Wilson PAT is good
Watauga 34 Freedom 14
- TOUCHDOWN FREEDOM
- #7 Jaylen Barnett 75-yard kick return (1)
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- #16 Jake Kota PAT is blocked
Watauga 34 Freedom 20
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- Freedom attempts onside kick, Watauga ball at Freedom 49
- TOUCHDOWN WATAUGA
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- #4 Maddox Greene 49-yard rush (1) for TD
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- #41 Jack Wilson PAT is good
Watauga 41 Freedom 20
- Penalty: Kick out of bounds
- Freedom ball at the 50
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- Barnett carries left for 6 yards
- TOUCHDOWN FREEDOM
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- #5 Kaden Davis 44-yard pass (1) to #3 Kobe Johnson (1) for TD
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- #16 Jake Kota PAT is good
Watauga 41 Freedom 27
- Watauga ball at their own 36
- Gryder carries up the middle for 9 yards
- Gryder carries right for 7 yards
- Greene carries left for 7 yards
- Gryder carries up the middle for 28 yards
- Gryder carries up the middle for 4 yards
- Greene tackled for loss of 1 yard
- TOUCHDOWN WATAUGA
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- #4 Maddox Greene 10-yard rush (2) for TD
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- #41 Jack Wilson PAT is no good
Watauga 47 Freedom 27
- Penalty: Offsides against Watauga, Watauga to kick off from their own 35
- Freedom ball at Watauga 48
- Barnett carries right for 15 yards
- Barnett carries up the middle for 2 yards
- Timeout Watauga (1)
- TOUCHDOWN FREEDOM
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- #5 Kaden Davis 31-yard pass (2) to #2 Kayden Lytle (1) for TD
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- #16 Jake Kota PAT is good
Watauga 47 Freedom 34
- Freedom attempts onside kick, Watauga ball at Freedom 49
- TURNOVER: Gryder fumbles, Freedom recovers
- Freedom ball at their own 46
- Barnett carries up the middle for 6 yards
FOURTH QUARTER
- Freedom ball, 2nd and 4 at Watauga 48
- Davis pass incomplete
- Barnett carries up the middle for 1 yard
- Timeout Freedom (1)
- Penalty: Offsides against Watauga, 1st and 10 at Watauga 41
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- Barnett carries left for no gain
- Davis pass complete left to Johnson for 16 yards
- Davis pass incomplete
- Davis pass complete right to Lytle for 10 yards
- Barnett carries up the middle for 2 yards
- TOUCHDOWN FREEDOM
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- #5 Kaden Davis 8-yard pass (3) to #3 Kobe Johnson (2) for TD
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- #16 Jake Kota PAT is good
Watauga 47 Freedom 41
- Watauga ball at their own 43
- Greene carries up the middle for 6 yards
- Gryder carries up the middle for 5 yards
- Greene carries up the middle for 7 yards
- Gryder carries up the middle for 4 yards
- Greene carries for loss of 2 yards
- Greene carries up the middle for 10 yards
- Gryder carries up the middle for 1 yard
- Gryder carries up the middle for 2 yards
- Penalty: Holding against Watauga, 1st and 9 at Freedom 28
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- Burroughs carries left for 11 yards
- Greene carries up the middle for 3 yards
- Burroughs carries right for 8 yards
- Timeout Watauga (2)
- TOUCHDOWN WATAUGA
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- #44 Everett Gryder 1-yard rush (4) for TD
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- #41 Jack WIlson PAT is good
Watauga 54 Freedom 41
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- Freedom ball at the 50
- Davis pass complete right to Lytle for 19 yards
- Davis pass incomplete
- Davis pass incomplete
- Penalty: Illegal shift against Freedom, 3rd and 15 at Watauga 36
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- Timeout Watauga (3)
- Davis pass complete over the middle to Barnett for 15 yards
- Davis pass incomplete
- Davis scrambles left for 15 yards
- TOUCHDOWN FREEDOM
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- #5 Kaden Davis 6-yard pass (4) to #11 Kaleb Greene (1) for TD
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- #16 Jake Kota PAT is good
Watauga 54 Freedom 48
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- Freedom’s onside kick recovered by Watauga at their own 39
- Penalty: Offsides against Freedom, 1st and 5 at Watauga 44
- Greene takes a knee
- Timeout Freedom (3)
- Greene takes a knee
- Greene takes a knee
FINAL SCORE: Watauga 54, Freedom 48
Watauga Noteables
- QB/DB #4 Maddox Greene
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- 17 car., 194 yds, 11.4 avg, 2 TD
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- RB #44 Everett Gryder
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- 32 car., 207 yds, 6.5 avg, 4 TD
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- WB/DB #12 Evan Burroughs
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- 8 car., 88 yds, 11.0 avg, 2 TD
Freedom Noteables
- QB #5 Kaden Davis
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- 15/27 (55.6%), 212 yds, 4 TD
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- RB #7 Jaylen Barnett
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- 20 car., 160 yds, 8.0 avg, 2 TD
