By David Rogers. TAYLORSVILLE, N.C. — “When it rains, it pours…” might be an understatement in describing the Watauga varsity women’s basketball team’s 65-52 loss to Alexander Central on Feb. 28, in Round 3 of the NCHSAA 6A state playoffs.
Certainly it was raining 3-pointers early, compliments of the Cougars’ junior starting forward Ava Head and sophomore reserve forward Hannah Chapman. In the first quarter alone, Head connected on three from beyond the arc while Chapman came off the bench to add yet another.
Watauga’s early inability to defend the perimeter, as well as the team’s penchant for throwing long, wild passes (creating turnovers) proved to be the Pioneers’ undoing against a veteran Alexander Central team whose starting lineup is comprised of three seniors and two juniors. By contrast, the Pioneers’ starters include two seniors, two juniors and a freshman, while the first two off the bench are a sophomore and a freshman.
After the game, Watauga head coach Bill Torgerson conceded that one of the hardest things for younger, still developing players to understand, especially against a veteran side that has learned to “read” or anticipate an opponent’s passes — intercept — is patience, waiting for the best pass or shooting opportunity.
At one point in the first half, the Pioneers trailed by 16 points and it looked like the Cougars would run away with their fourth win this season over their Boone-based, Northwestern Conference rivals.
Very much to their credit, Watauga clawed its way back to a mere 3-point deficit early in the fourth quarter, but ACHS seniors Malayah Adams and Meredith Wike, as well as Head, poured in enough points to put the game away. Add in the Cougars’ pressing defense, and Pioneer mistakes were made.
It is testimony to the improving strength of the Northwestern Conference to see two NWC members playing each other in the state playoffs’ third round. While Alexander Central defeated Watauga in each of the four times they played them this season, each game has been more competitive as the younger Pioneer squad developed both individual and team skills. Watauga took ACHS to double overtime in the Northwestern Conference semifinal before losing to the Cougars, 63-61, on Adams’ buzzer beater.
Interviewed after the game and asked which Watauga players the Cougars were most concerned about, Adams quickly listed seniors Izzy Torgerson and Shelby Thompson, as well as freshman Josie Mayo.
“We know they are dangerous,” said Adams.
Both teams had three players in double figures, scoring. For Alexander Central, Adams poured in 17 points, mostly driving the lane, while Wike and Head added 16 and 17, respectively.
For Watauga, freshman forward Mia Mitchell came off the bench to tally a team-high 15 points, while starters Torgerson and Mayo contributed a dozen each.
Coach Torgerson expressed an abundance of pride in his young team.
“At the beginning of the year, I was hopeful that we would win a couple of games, so going this far into the playoffs is a (big win for the program),” said Torgerson.
He added that this group of young athletes have been special in how much they enjoy one another.
“For most of the teams I have coached over the years, I am the one who is really positive about everything, encouraging the players. This team… they lift me up,” said Torgerson.
With the win, the playoffs’ No. 2 seeded Alexander Central advances to Round 4 where they will host No. 3 A.C. Reynolds in a quarterfinal matchup to determine who will face the winner between No. 1 Northern Guilford and No. 12 T.C. Roberson in the 6A West bracket’s other quarterfinal. A.C. Reynolds advanced by defeating No. 11 Charlotte Catholic, 60-48.
In the 6A East bracket, the quarterfinal matchups pit No. 2 Seventy-First and No. 14 Northern Durham in the lower half of the bracket, with No. 1 Terry Sanford HS hosting No. 4 Vance County in the bracket’s upper half.
All quarterfinal games are scheduled for Monday, March 2.
