RELIVING ‘Friday Night Lights’: Watauga @ Maiden, 47-21

By Zach Smith. MAIDEN, N.C. — The Maiden-hosted gridiron tilt vs. Watauga provided plenty of thrills and spills for home team and visitors alike. Here are some notes and play-by-play of this exciting high school football game.

Pregame Notes

• Watauga (2-0) takes on Maiden (1-0) on the road
  • Watauga defeated Avery County on Aug. 25, 55-6
  • Maiden defeated Foard on Aug. 18, 48-6
  • Watauga defeated Maiden in 2022 meeting, 23-19

Watauga Team Leaders

• QB #4 Maddox Greene
• RB #44 Everett Gryder
• TE/LB #9 Jackson Pryor
• LB #6 Trathan Gragg
• WB/LB #14 Morgan Henry

Maiden Team Leaders

• QB #4 Josh Stover
• RB/LB #6 Kendall Roberts
• WR/LB #2 Raheim Misher
• LB/TE #20 Davin Williams

PLAY BY PLAY

1st Quarter

• • Watauga wins coin toss, elects to receive

• Kick out of bounds, Watauga ball at their own 35

• • Everett Gryder carries up the middle for 2 yards
  • Gryder carries up the middle for 3 yards
    • Personal foul against Maiden, ball at Maiden 45
  • Evan Burroughs carries right for 1 yard
  • Gryder carries up the middle for 16 yards

• TOUCHDOWN WATAUGA
  • #4 Maddox Greene 28-yard pass (1) to #9 Jackson Pryor (1)
  • #41 Jack Wilson PAT is good

Watauga 7 Maiden 0

• • Maiden ball at Watauga 40
  • Josh Stover carries up the middle for 3 yards
  • J. Stover pressured out of pocket, throws ball away
  • J. Stover complete left to Will Stover for 9 yards
  • J. Stover carries up the middle for 5 yards
  • J. Stover incomplete deep
    • Greene with the pass defense
  • J. Stover pass complete left to W. Stover for 11 yards
  • Kendall Roberts carries up the middle for 2 yards
  • Roberts carries right for 9 yards

• TOUCHDOWN MAIDEN

• • #6 Kendall Roberts 1-yard rush (1)

• • #30 Davis Higgins PAT is good

Watauga 7 Maiden 7

• • Watauga ball at their own 35
  • Greene carries up the middle for 12 yards
  • Gryder carries up the middle for 2 yards
  • Greene carries up the middle for 3 yards
  • Morgan Henry carries right for 7 yards
  • Greene complete left to Pryor for 29 yards
    • Illegal substitution against Maiden, ball on maiden 7
  • Greene carries up the middle for 2 yards

• TOUCHDOWN WATAUGA

• • #4 Maddox Greene 5-yard rush (1)

• • #41 Jack Wilson PAT is no good

Watauga 13 Maiden 7

• Maiden ball at their own 40
  • Roberts tackled for 1-yard loss
    • Henry earns TFL
  • J. Stover fumbles, recovered by Maiden for 8-yard loss
  • J. Stover incomplete deep
  • Maiden punts
    • Illegal shift against Maiden, penalty is declined
• Watauga ball at their own 37
  • Gryder carries up the middle for 7 yards
  • Gryder carries up the middle for 5 yards
  • Greene complete right to Evan Burroughs for 11 yards
  • Gryder carries up the middle for 5 yards
  • Burroughs carries right for 4 yards
  • Greene carries up the middle for 11 yards
  • Gryder carries up the middle for 2 yards

End of 1st Quarter

• • Watauga ball, 2nd and 8 on Maiden 18

• TOUCHDOWN WATAUGA

• • Late flag, unsportsmanlike against Watauga will be assessed on kickoff

• • #4 Maddox Greene 18-yard rush (2)

• • #41 Jack Wilson PAT is good

Watauga 20 Maiden 7

• Watauga to kickoff from their own 25
• Maiden ball at their own 48
  • J. Stover complete left to Roberts for 1 yard
  • J. Stover complete right to Raheim Misher for 10 yards

• Pryor forces fumble, Greene recovers

• Watauga ball at their own 36
  • Gryder carries right for 4 yards
  • Greene carries up the middle for 5 yards
  • Gryder carries up the middle for 10 yards
  • Gryder carries up the middle for 4 yards
  • Greene pass complete deep right to Burroughs for 37 yards

• TOUCHDOWN WATAUGA

• • #44 Everett Gryder 3-yard rush (1)

• • #41 Jack Wilson PAT is good

Watauga 27 Maiden 7

• Maiden ball at their own 36
  • Roberts carries left, fumble recovered by Maiden 
    • Facemask against Watauga, ball at the 50
  • Jacob Sifford carries right for 1 yard
    • Luke Edmisten on the tackle
  • Roberts tackled for 1-yard loss
  • J. Stover incomplete deep
    • Pass interference against Watauga, ball on Watauga 35
  • J. Stover complete right to Misher for 5 yards
  • J. Stover tackled for 1-yard loss
    • Morgan Henry with the TFL
  • J. Stover scrambled right for 6 yards
  • Roberts carries up the middle for 7 yards
  • Roberts carries right for 2 yards
  • J. Stover carries left for 9 yards
  • Roberts carries up the middle for 2 yards
  • J. Stover tackled for 5 yard loss

• TOUCHDOWN MAIDEN

• • #4 Josh Stover 10-yard pass (1) to #11 Hampton Reid (1)

• • #30 Davis Higgins PAT is good

Watauga 27 Maiden 14

• Watauga ball at their own 31
  • Gryder carries up the middle for 3 yards
  • Greene carries right for 3 yards
  • Timeout Watauga (1)
  • Greene pass complete left to Pryor for 12 yards
  • Greene complete right to Henry for 22 yards
  • Timeout Watauga (2)

• TOUCHDOWN WATAUGA

• • #4 Maddox Greene 29-yard pass (2) to #9 Jackson Pryor (2)

• • #41 Jack Wilson PAT is good

Watauga 34 Maiden 14

• Kick out of bounds, Maiden ball at their own 38
  • J. Stover pass right complete to Davin Williams for 14 yards
  • J. Stover incomplete pass deep
    • Greene on pass defense
  • Illegal shift against Maiden, ball at their own 47
  • J. Stover incomplete pass right
  • J. Stover sacked

End of 1st Half: Watauga 34, Maiden 14

Watauga Noteables

#4 Maddox Greene

• • • 7/7, 168 Yards, 24.0/att., 37 Long, 2 TD
    • 8 carries, 59 yards, 7.38/carry, 2 TD

#9 Jackson Pryor

• • • 4 Rec., 98 Yards, 24.5/rec., 29 Long, 2 TD

#44 Everett Gryder

• • • 13 Carries, 66 Yards, 5.08/carry, 1 TD

Start of 3rd Quarter

• Maiden ball at their own 45
  • J. Stover mishandled lateral

• TOUCHDOWN WATAUGA

• • #57 Carson Gunnelbeck Scoop and score

• • #41 Jack Wilson PAT is no good

Watauga 40 Maiden 14

• Offsides against Watauga, will kick off from their own 35
• Maiden ball at their own 44
  • Roberts carries up the middle for no gain
  • J. Stover complete to Roberts for 1 yard
  • J. Stover complete to Reid for 17 yards
  • INTERCEPTION: Greene with the INT of Stover pass
• Watauga ball at the 50
  • INTERCEPTION: Maiden’s Sifford with the INT

• Maiden ball at their own 32
  • J. Stover carries up the middle for 4 yards
  • J. Stover complete left to Roberts for 12 yards
  • J. Stover incomplete right
  • J. Stover incomplete deep left
  • J. Stover incomplete right
    • Greene with the pass defense
  • Timeout Maiden (1)
  • J. Stover complete deep right to Misher for 38 yards
    • Personal foul against Watauga, ball on Watauga 7
  • Roberts carries left for 1 yard

• TOUCHDOWN MAIDEN

• • #6 Kendall Roberts 6-yard rush (2)

• • False start on PAT against Maiden

• • #30 Davis Higgins PAT is good

Watauga 40 Maiden 21

• Watauga ball on their own 36
  • Gryder carries up the middle for 3 yards
  • Gryder carries up the middle for 15 yards
  • Timeout Watauga (1)
  • Gryder carries right for 1 yard
  • Gryder carries right for 14 yards
  • Gryder carries up the middle for 4 yards
  • Gryder carries up the middle for 5 yards
  • Gryder carries up the middle for 4 yards
  • Burroughs carries up the middle for 13 yards
  • Greene carries up the middle for 3 yards
  • Gryder carries up the middle for 2 yards

• TOUCHDOWN WATAUGA

• • #44 Everett Gryder 2-yard rush (2)

• • #41 Jack Wilson PAT is good

Watauga 47 Maiden 21

• Offsides against Watauga, will kick off from their own 35
• Maiden ball at their own 43
  • Zane Williams carries right for 8 yards
  • Z. Williams carries up the middle for 2 yards
  • J. Stover complete right to Grant Lawing for 9 yards

End of 3rd Quarter

• Maiden ball, 2nd and 1 at Watauga 38
  • J. Stover incomplete pass deep
  • J. Stover carries left for 3 yards
  • J. Stover scrambles for no gain
  • J. Stover complete right to Ta’len Maze for 11 yards
  • Z. Williams carries right for no gain
  • Cohen Jenkins carries up the middle for 12 yards
  • Jenkins carries up the middle for 1 yard
  • J. Stover tackled for 5-yard loss
    • Gunnelbeck with the TFL
  • J. Stover incomplete right
    • Greene with the pass defense
  • J. Stover incomplete left
  • Turnover on downs
• Watauga ball on their own 16
  • Gryder carries up the middle for 2 yards
  • Gryder fumbles, Maiden recovers
• Maiden ball on Watauga 24
  • J. Stover complete left to W. Stover for no gain
    • Greene with the tackle
  • J. Stover scrambles right for 4 yards
  • J. Stover complete left to Roberts for 15 yards
  • J. Stover carries right for 1 yard
  • J. Stover complete right to W. Stover for 1 yard
  • Roberts tackled for 1-yard loss
  • Timeout Maiden (2)
  • J. Stover incomplete over the middle
  • Turnover on downs
• Watauga ball on their own 4
  • Peyton Ash carries left for 6 yards
  • Ash carries left for 5 yards
  • Ash carries up the middle for 3

FINAL : Watauga 47 Maiden 21

Watauga Noteables

#4 Maddox Greene

• • • 7/8, 168 Yards, 21/ att., 37 Long, 2 TD, 1 INT
    • 9 Carries, 62 Yards, 2 TD
    • 1 INT (Def.), 1 FR

#9 Jackson Pryor

• • • 4 Rec., 98 Yards, 24.5/rec., 29 Long, 2 TD

• • • 1 forced fumble

#44 Everett Gryder

• • 23 Carries, 115 Yards, 5.0/carry, 2 TD

Maiden Noteables

• #4 Josh Stover

• • • 16/30, 164 Yards, 5.47/att., 38 Long, 1 TD, 1 INT

#7 Will Stover

• • • 4 Rec., 21 Yards, 5.25/rec., 11 Long

#6 Kendall Roberts

• • 13 Carries, 27 Yards, 2.08/carry, 9 Long, 2 TD, 1 Fumble
  • 4 Rec., 29 Yards, 7.25/rec., 15 Long