By Zach Smith. BOONE, N.C. — Round 1 of the 2023 NCHSAA 4A West playoffs is in the history books and boy, what a game played on Nov. 3 by Watauga vs. Hickory Ridge. Let’s relive “Friday Night Lights.”
Pregame Notes
- #2 Watauga (10-0, 5-0) faces #31 Hickory Ridge (3-7, 3-3) at home in the first round of the NCHSAA 4A playoffs
- Watauga earned an undefeated season, winning their 6th straight conference title
- Hickory Ridge finished 4th in a difficult Greater Metro conference that features other top Charlotte area schools
- This is the first meeting between Watauga and Hickory Ridge
Team Leaders Coming Into the Game
Watauga
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- QB/DB #4 Maddox Greene (Jr)
- TE/LB #9 Jackson Pryor (Sr)
- RB #20 Matthew Leon (So)
- LB #6 Trathan Gragg (Jr)
- WB/DB #12 Evan Burroughs (So)
Hickory Ridge
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- QB #4 Caden Haywood (Sr)
- RB/WR #9 Connor Shulman (Sr)
- WR/RB #3 Dominic Testa (Jr)
Play by Play
- HR wins toss, elects to receive opening kickoff
- HR ball at Watauga 47
- Connor Shulman carries up the middle for 3 yards
- Caden Haywood pass complete right to Jelon Springs for 4 yards
- Shulman carries up the middle for 3 yards
- Haywood pass complete left to Shulman for no gain
- Haywood pass incomplete
- Haywood pass incomplete
- Haywood pass incomplete
- Morgan Henry with QB pressure
- Turnover on downs
- Watauga ball at their own 37
- Matthew Leon carries up the middle for 8 yards
- Leon carries up the middle for 26 yards
- Leon carries up the middle for 9 yards
- Maddox L sacked for loss of 5 yards
- Penalty: Holding against Watauga, 3rd and 15 at HR 34
- TOUCHDOWN WATAUGA
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- #4 Maddox Greene 34-yard pass (1) to #14 Morgan Henry (1)
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- #41 Jack Wilson PAT is good
Watauga 7 Hickory Ridge 0
- Penalty: Illegal touching against Watauga on onside kick attempt
- HR ball at Watauga 49
- Shulman tackled for loss of 1 yard
- Brady Lindenmuth with the TFL
- Haywood pass incomplete
- Haywood pass incomplete
- HR punts
- Shulman tackled for loss of 1 yard
- Watauga ball at their own 5
- Leon carries up the middle for 1 yard
- Henry carries left for 2 yards
- Greene fumbles, loses 5 yards
- Watauga punts
- HR ball at Watauga 42
- Haywood pass complete right to Dominic Testa for 4 yards
- Haywood carries up the middle for 4 yards, fumbles
- Recovered by Harrison Black for total gain of 13 yards
- Haywood pass incomplete
- TOUCHDOWN HICKORY RIDGE
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- #9 Connor Shulman 25-yard rush (1)
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- #80 Andrew Schmidt PAT is good
Watauga 7 Hickory Ridge 7
- Watauga ball at their own 20
- Greene carries right for 63 yards
- TOUCHDOWN WATAUGA
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- #4 Maddox Greene 17-yard rush (1)
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- #41 Jack Wilson PAT is no good
Watauga 13 Hickory Ridge 7
- Penalty: Kick out of bounds
- HR ball at their own 35
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- Haywood carries right for 23 yards
- Shulman carries left for 9 yards
- Testa carries up the middle for 3 yards
- Shulman carries up the middle for 5 yards
- Testa carries up the middle for 9 yards
- Haywood tackled for no gain
- Lindenmuth and Trathan Gragg with the tackle
- TOUCHDOWN HICKORY RIDGE
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- #3 Dominic Testa 14-yard rush (1)
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- #80 Andrew Schmidt PAT is good
Watauga 13 Hickory Ridge 14
- Watauga ball at their own 22
- Greene tackled for loss of 6 yards
- Evan Burroughs carries right for 5 yards
- Timeout Hickory Ridge (1)
- Greene pass incomplete
- Watauga punts
- HR ball at Watauga 31
- TOUCHDOWN HICKORY RIDGE
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- #4 Caden Haywood 31-yard pass (1) to #3 Dominic Testa (1)
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- #80 Andrew Schmidt PAT is blocked
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- #9 Jackson Pryor with the block
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Watauga 13 Hickory Ridge 20
- Watauga ball at their own 18
- Leon carries up the middle for 6 yards
- Leon carries left for 17 yards
- Penalty: Facemask against HR, 1st and 10 at HR 43
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- Leon carries up the middle for 1 yard
- TOUCHDOWN WATAUGA
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- #4 Maddox Greene 44-yard rush (2)
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- #41 Jack Wilson PAT is no good
Watauga 19 Hickory Ridge 20
- HR ball at Watauga 49
- Penalty: Holding against HR, 1st and 20 at their own 41
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- Haywood pass incomplete
- Shulman carries up the middle for 3 yards
- Haywood pass incomplete
- Four different Pioneers with the QB pressure
- HR punts
- Watauga ball at their own 11
- Greene tackled for loss of 2 yards
- Greene carries left for 6 yards
- Greene pass complete left to Pryor for 4 yards
- Timeout Watauga (1)
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- Greene carries left for 2 yards
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- 4th down conversion at their own 21
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- Timeout Watauga (2)
- Greene pass incomplete
- Timeout HR (2)
- Greene carries up the middle for 2 yards
- Pryor tackled for loss of 2 yards
- Timeout HR (3)
- Watauga punts
- HR ball at their own 39
- Haywood pass incomplete
- Carson Gunnell-Beck with the QB pressure
- Haywood pass incomplete
- Haywood pass incomplete
End of 1st Half: Hickory Ridge 20, Watauga 19
Noteables
- QB #4 Maddox Greene
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- 2/3, 38 yards, 1 TD
- 9 car., 121 yards, 13.4 avg, 2 TD
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- RB #20 Matthew Leon
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- 7 car., 68 yards, 9.7 avg
SECOND HALF
- Watauga ball at their own 29
- Leon carries up the middle for 4 yards
- Penalty: Illegal motion against Watauga, 2nd and 11 at their own 28
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- Leon carries right for 30 yards
- TOUCHDOWN WATAUGA
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- #20 Matthew Leon 38-yard rush (1)
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- 2-pt conversion is good
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- #4 Maddox Greene 3-yard rush
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Watauga 27 Hickory Ridge 20
- Onside kick recovered by Watauga
- Landon Smith covers the ball at the HR 41
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- Greene pass complete right to Burroughs for 27 yards
- Leon carries up the middle for 4 yards
- Leon carries up the middle for 2 yards
- TOUCHDOWN WATAUGA
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- #12 Evan Burroughs 7-yard rush (1)
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- 2-pt conversion is no good
Watauga 33 Hickory Ridge 20
- Onside kick recovered by Watauga at their own 49, recovered by Callan Riordan
- TOUCHDOWN WATAUGA
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- #15 Cade Keller 51-yard pass (1) to #9 Jackson Pryor
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- 2-pt conversion is good, Greene pass to Burroughs
Watauga 41 Hickory Ridge 20
- HR ball at their own 32
- Testa carries left for 10 yards
- Shulman carries up the middle for 1 yard
- Haywood pass complete right to Testa for 9 yards
- Shulman carries for 8 yards
- Shulman carries for 3 yards
- Haywood carries up the middle for 8 yards
- Snap is fumbled, recovered by the offense
- Penalty: Personal foul against Watauga, 1st and 10 at Watauga 20
- Penalty: Ineligible man downfield, 1st and 15 at Watauga 25
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- Testa carries up the middle for 2 yards
- Haywood pass complete over the middle to Testa for 4 yards
- Shulman carries up the middle for 7 yards
- Shulman carries up the middle for 1 yard
- Turnover on downs
- Watauga ball at their own 11
- Leon carries up the middle for 5 yards
- Greene pass complete left to Burroughs for loss of 1 yard
- Greene tackled for loss of 1 yard
- Watauga punts
- HR ball at their own 47
- Shulman tackled for loss of 2 yards
- Luke Edmisten with the TFL
- Haywood pass incomplete
- Henry with the QB pressure
- Haywood pass complete left to Shulman for 6 yards
- Haywood pass incomplete
- Burroughs with the pass breakup
- Turnover on downs
- Shulman tackled for loss of 2 yards
- Watauga ball at their own 49
- Greene pass incomplete
- Greene pass complete left to Burroughs for 16 yards
FOURTH QUARTER
- Watauga ball, 1st and 10 at HR 35
- Leon carries up the middle for 1 yard
- Leon carries left for loss of 3 yards
- Penalty: Offsetting penalties, replay 3rd down
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- Timeout Watauga (1)
- Greene scrambles for 1 yard
- Turnover: 7-yard completion to Pryor, Pryor laterals to Leon, Leon fumbles and HR recovers
- HR ball at their own 42
- Haywood pass incomplete
- Greene with the pass breakup
- Haywood pass complete over the middle to Testa for 38 yards
- Haywood carries up the middle for 2 yards
- Haywood pass complete right to Shulman for 4 yards
- Haywood pass incomplete
- Penalty: Facemask against Watauga, 1st and Goal at Watauga 2
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- Haywood carries up the middle for 1 yard
- TOUCHDOWN HICKORY RIDGE
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- #4 Caden Haywood 1-yard rush (1)
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- #80 Andrew Schmidt PAT is good
Watauga 41 Hickory Ridge 27
- Penalty on kickoff: Offsides against HR, set to kickoff from their own 35
- Onside kick unsuccessful, recovered by Watauga
- Watauga ball at HR 46
- Leon carries up the middle for 1 yard
- Leon carries up the middle for 8 yards
- Leon carries up the middle for 3 yards
- Greene carries right for 28 yards
- TOUCHDOWN WATAUGA
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- #4 Maddox Greene 6-yard rush (3)
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- #41 Jack Wilson PAT is good
Watauga 48 Hickory Ridge 27
- HR ball at their own 47
- Haywood pass complete right to Rodney Garrison Jr for 14 yards
- Haywood pass complete right to Shulman for 3 yards
- Haywood scrambles for 3 yards
- Penalty: False start against HR, 3rd and 9 at Watauga 48
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- Haywood pass over the middle complete for 20 yards
- TOUCHDOWN HICKORY RIDGE
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- #4 Caden Haywood 28-yard pass (2) to #85 Carter Crosby (1)
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- #80 Andrew Schmidt PAT is good
Watauga 48 Hickory Ridge 34
- Watauga ball at their own 47
- Leon Carries left for no gain
- Timeout HR (1)
- Greene carries left for 8 yards
- TOUCHDOWN WATAUGA
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- #20 Matthew Leon 45-yard rush (2)
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- #41 Jack Wilson PAT is blocked
Watauga 54 Hickory Ridge 34
- HR ball at their own 41
- Haywood pass incomplete
- Henry with the QB pressure
- Haywood pass complete to Testa for 10 yards
- Haywood pass incomplete
- Haywood carries up the middle for 2 yards
- Haywood pass complete left to Testa for 6 yards
- Haywood pass complete right to Jelon Springs 6 yards
- Haywood pass incomplete
- Ben Gosky with the pass breakup
- Haywood pass incomplete
FINAL: Watauga 54, Hickory Ridge 34
Key Stats
Watauga
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- QB #4 Maddox Greene
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- 5 of 7 passes, 80 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT
- 14 car., 163 yards, 11.6 avg, 3 TD
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- RB #20 Matthew Leon
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- 20 carries, 206 yards, 10.3 avg, 2 TD
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Hickory Ridge
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- QB #4 Caden Haywood
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- 16 of 31 passes, 187 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT
- 9 carrries, 44 yards, 4.9 avg, 1 TD
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- RB #9 Connor Shulman
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- 13 carries, 65 yards, 5.0 avg, 1 TD
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- WR #3 Dominic Testa
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- 7 receptions, 102 yards, 14.6 avg, 1 TD
- 5 carries, 38 yards, 7.6 avg, 1 TD
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