RELIVING Friday Night Lights: Watauga vs. South Caldwell

By Zach Smith for High Country Sports. BOONE, N.C. — It proved to be another runaway win for Watauga, this time making victims out of the South Caldwell Spartans. Here are our pre-game notes and play-by-play.

PREGAME NOTES

• Watauga (5-0) takes on South Caldwell (3-2) at home in the;ir first Northwestern Conference game of the 2023 season.
• Watauga offense is averaging 41.4 points/game
• South Caldwell has not played in a game decided by three or fewer scores
• Teams meet annually in 3A/4A Northwestern Conference play
  • South Caldwell has not beaten Watauga since 2015
  • South Caldwell and Watauga are the two, longest-tenured members of the Northwestern Conference with 4A classification. The only other current member with a 4A classification is Alexander Central.
• The March 29 pairing is “Homecoming” for Watauga at Jack Groce Stadium

Watauga Team Leaders in Non-Conference Play

• 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)

South Caldwell Team Leaders in Non-Conference Play

• QB #2 Luke Williams (So)
• RB/FS #12 Suan Moore (Sr)
• FS/RB #22 Sylas Scruggs

PLAY BY PLAY

1st Quarter

• SC wins toss, elects to receive opening kickoff
• SC ball at their own 28
  • Suan Moore carries left for 9 yards
  • Moore tackled for loss of 1 yard

• PENALTY: False start against South Caldwell, 3rd and 7 at SC 31

• TURNOVER! Luke Williams pass intercepted by Evan Burroughs

• Block in the back against Watauga, 1st and 10 at SC 48

• Watauga ball at SC 48
  • Everett Gryder carries up the middle for 4 yards

• PENALTY: Offsides against SC, 2nd and 1 and SC 39

• • Gryder carries up the middle for 18 yards

• TOUCHDOWN WATAUGA

• • #4 Maddox Greene 21-yard rush (1)

• • #41 Jack Wilson PAT is good

South Caldwell 0 Watauga 7

• SC ball at their own 33
  • SC fumbles the snap, recovered by the offense for loss of 2 yards
• PENALTY: False start against SC, 2nd and 17 at SC 26

• Williams pass complete right to JP Smith for 10 yards
• Williams pass complete left to Bryce Johnston for 6 yards
• Moore carries left for no gain
• Turnover on downs

• Watauga ball at SC 42
  • Greene pass incomplete
  • Gryder carries right for 12 yards
  • Greene carries up the middle for 21 yards
  • Gryder carries up the middle for 8 yards

• TOUHCDOWN WATAUGA

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

• • #41 Jack Wilson PAT is good

South Caldwell 0 Watauga 14

• SC ball at their own 33
  • Sylas Scruggs carries for no gain
  • Moore carries left for 15 yards
  • Williams pass complete right to Carter McGhinnis

• PENALTY: Holding against Watauga, 1st and 10 at Watauga 35

• • Scruggs carries up the middle for 7 yards

• PENALTY: Illegal procedure against SC, 2nd and 8 at Watauga 33

• • Scruggs carries for no gain

• PENALTY: False start against SC, 3rd and 13 at Watauga 38

• • Williams sacked for loss of 9 yards
    • Trathan Gragg with the sack
  • SC punts
• Watauga ball at their own 15
  • Gryder carries up the middle for 3 yards

2nd Quarter

• Watauga ball, 2nd and 7 at their own 17

• TOUCHDOWN WATAUGA

• • #12 Evan Burroughs 83-yard rush (1)

• PENALTY: Unsportsmanlike conduct against Watauga, penalty assessed on kickoff

• • #41 Jack Wilson PAT is good

South Caldwell 0 Watauga 21

• SC ball at their own 43
  • Scruggs carries up the middle for 12 yards
  • Scruggs carries up the middle for 3 yards
  • Moore carries right for 11 yards
  • Scruggs carries up the middle for 2 yards
  • Williams carries up the middle for 20 yards

• PENALTY: Holding against SC, 1st and Goal at Watauga 19

• • Williams pass incomplete

• PENALTY: Offsetting penalties, replay 2nd down

• • Moore carries left for 9 yards
  • Moore carries left for 5 yards
  • Timeout SC (1)
  • Timeout Watauga (1)
  • Moore carries left for 1 yard
• Turnover on downs

• Watauga ball at their own 4
  • Gryder carries right for 5 yards

• TOUCHDOWN WATAUGA

• • #44 Everett Gryder 91-yard rush (2)

• • #41 Jack Wilson PAT is good

South Caldwell 0 Watauga 28

• SC ball at their own 43
  • Moore pass complete right to McGhinnis for 29 yards
  • Williams pass incomplete
  • Moore carries left for 9 yards
  • Landon Borders carries up the middle for 5 yards
  • Williams carries right for 2 yards
  • Moore carries for no gain

• PENALTY: Pass interference against Watauga, 1st and goal at Watauga 6

• • Borders carries left for 5 yards
  • Timeout Watauga (2)

• TOUCHDOWN SOUTH CALDWELL

• • #2 Luke Williams 1-yard rush (1)

• • #23 Eli Speagle PAT is good

South Caldwell 7 Watauga 28

• Watauga ball at their own 24
  • Greene pass complete right to Jackson Pryor for 11 yards
  • Greene pass complete right to Burroughs for 41 yards
  • Greene pass incomplete

• TOUCHDOWN WATAUGA

• • #4 Maddox Greene 24-yard pass (1) to #9 Jackson Pryor (1)

• • #41 Jack Wilson PAT is good

South Caldwell 7 Watauga 35

• DEEP ONSIDE KICK: Watauga kickoff recovered by Burroughs
• Watauga ball at SC 39
  • Greene pass complete left to Matthew Habich for loss of 2 yards
  • Timeout Watauga (3)
  • Greene pass incomplete

• PENALTY: Delay of game against Watauga, 3rd and 16 at SC 41

• • Greene pass incomplete

• TOUCHDOWN WATAUGA

• • #9 Jackson Pryor 41-yard rush (1)

• • #41 Jack Wilson PAT is good

South Caldwell 7 Watauga 42

• ONSIDE KICK: recovered by Watauga
  • Watauga ball at their own 49
  • Greene takes a knee

HALFTIME NOTES

Watauga 

• #4 Maddox Greene is 4-of-8 passing for 74 yards and 1 TD; 2 carries, 42 yards, 1 TD

• #9 Jackson Pryor has 2 pass receptions for 35 yards and 1 TD; 1 carry for 41 yards and a TD
• #44 Everett Gryder has 8 carries for 142 yards (17.8 avg.), 2 TDs

3rd Quarter

• ONSIDE KICK: recovered by SC

• SC ball at Watauga 49
  • Moore carries left for loss of 1 yard
    • Gragg with the TFL
  • Williams carries left for 4 yards
  • Moore carries for no gain
  • Moore carries left for 1 yard
• Turnover on downs
• Watauga ball at their own 45
  • Burroughs carries left for 26 yards
  • Greene pass incomplete
  • Greene tackled for loss of 2 yards
  • Greene pass complete right to Gragg for 8 yards
  • Timeout Watauga (1)
  • Greene pass incomplete
• Turnover on downs

• SC ball at their own 23

• TURNOVER: Williams fumbles, recovered by Watauga’s Gragg

• Watauga ball at SC 38
  • Gryder carries up the middle for 2 yards
  • Gryder carries up the middle for 4 yards
  • Gryder carries right for 8 yards
  • Gryder carries up the middle for 4 yards
  • Gryder carries up the middle for 3 yards
  • Gryder carries up the middle for 3 yards

• TOUCHDOWN WATAUGA

• • #4 Maddox Greene 14-yard pass (2) to #9 Jackson Pryor (2)

• • #41 Jack Wilson PAT is good

South Caldwell 7 Watauga 49

MERCY RULE TRIGGERED (lead by 42 points in 2nd half): Running clock for remainder of game

• SC ball at their own 40
  • Scruggs carries up the middle for 4 yards
  • Scruggs tackled for loss of 4 yards
    • Carson Gunnell-Beck with the TFL
  • Williams carries left for 3 yards
  • Williams pass incomplete
• Turnover on downs

• Watauga ball at SC 43
  • Timeout Watauga (2)
  • Habich carries right for 17 yards

• PENALTY: Offsides against SC, 1st and 5 on SC 21
  • Habich pass incomplete

4th Quarter

• Watauga ball, 2nd 5 at SC 21
  • Matthew Leon carries up the middle for 11 yards

• PENALTY: Holding against Watauga, 1st and Goal at SC 20

• • Habich pass incomplete

• PENALTY: Delay of game against Watauga, 2nd and Goal at SC 25

• • Leon carries up the middle for 4 yards
  • Leon carries left for 10 yards

• TURNOVER! Habich pass intercepted

• SC ball at their own 4
  • Zack Freeman carries right for 5 yards
  • McGhinnis pass complete right for 10 yards
  • McGhinnis pass incomplete
  • McGhinnis pass incomplete
  • McGhinnis pass incomplete
  • SC punts
• Watauga ball at their own 35
  • Nyle Peays carries up the middle for 8 yards
  • Peays carries left for 5 yards
  • Cade Keller pass complete right to Landon smith for 9 yards
• TURNOVER! Keller pass intercepted

FINAL SCORE: Watauga 49, South Caldwell 7

Watauga Noteables

• #4 Maddox Greene

• • • Rushing: 6/12, 96 yds, 2 TD

• #9 Jackson Pryor

• • • Receiving: 3 rec., 49 yds, 2 TD

• #44 Everett Gryder

• • • Rushing: 14 car., 166 yds, 11.9 avg, 2 TD