By Bret Strelow. BOONE, N.C. — A respected offensive play-caller at both the NFL and college levels, Dowell Loggains has been chosen as the next head coach of App State Football, Director of Athletics Doug Gillin announced Saturday.

Loggains (pronounced LOG-ans), 44, is the 23rd head football coach in program history. His five-year contract, which runs through the 2029 season, was approved Saturday afternoon by Interim Chancellor Heather Norris and the Appalachian State University Board of Trustees.

Most recently the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the top-15 ranked South Carolina Gamecocks, Loggains will be formally introduced Monday during a noon press conference at Kidd Brewer Stadium’s Grandview Ballroom that is open to the public and will also be streamed live on App State Football’s YouTube, Facebook and X pages.

“We have a longstanding and proud football tradition at App State, with a national reputation for excellence and success on and off the field,” Norris said. “App State has one of the nation’s best home-field advantages, as well as a strong academic record. I’d like to thank Doug Gillin for his leadership and his work to quickly hire a new head football coach. We are looking forward to Dowell becoming a Mountaineer.”

“We are very excited for Dowell Loggains to be the next leader of App State Football and to welcome him, his wife, Beth, and their children, Reese, Aven, Connor and Ryne, to the App Family,” Gillin said. “He brings experience as a leader and play-caller at the highest levels of professional and college football. He is a great recruiter and believes strongly in building relationships. He is aligned with our core values of academic integrity, competitive excellence, social responsibility and world-class experience. This is a great day for App State.”

Season tickets for the 2025 App State football season will go on sale soon.

Before serving as South Carolina’s offensive coordinator the last two seasons, Loggains was an assistant for two years at his alma mater, Arkansas, after spending 16 years in the NFL (2005-20) with time as an offensive coordinator or quarterbacks coach for the Tennessee Titans (2010-13), Cleveland Browns (2014), Chicago Bears (2015-17), Miami Dolphins (2018) and New York Jets (2019-20).

“My family and I are thrilled to join the Mountaineer family and build on the rich championship tradition of App State Football,” Loggains said. “Thank you to the Board of Trustees, Chancellor Norris, Doug Gillin, and all of App Nation for this incredible opportunity to lead such a storied program. We are eager to become part of the community, engage with the student-athletes and fans, and give our all for App State.”

Loggains’ offense this season has helped the Gamecocks reach the brink of the College Football Playoff with a 9-3 record that includes wins over Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Missouri and Clemson. South Carolina has the third-best rushing offense in the SEC at 188.9 yards per game while ranking top 50 in the country in scoring, yardage, rushing, first downs and completion percentage.

He has developed redshirt freshman LaNorris Sellers into one of college football’s most dangerous dual-threat quarterbacks. Sellers has thrown for 2,274 yards with 17 touchdowns and seven interceptions while also rushing for 655 yards and seven scores against one of the country’s toughest schedules. He ranks 20th nationally in passing efficiency, 14th in yards per attempt, 25th in yards per completion, 28th in total offense and 35th in completion percentage. Loggains has also found success utilizing Raheim “Rocket” Sanders, one of the SEC’s best running backs, to form a dynamic rushing attack.

In his first season in Columbia, Loggains turned future NFL quarterback Spencer Rattler and a future NFL first-round draft pick, wide receiver Xavier Legette, into one of the most lethal pass-and-catch combinations in the country.

Loggains spent the 2021 and 2022 seasons as the Arkansas Razorbacks’ tight ends coach, earning a reputation as a top-25 national recruiter there.

During his decade-plus as an NFL coordinator and quarterbacks coach, he mentored the likes of Sam Darnold, Jay Cutler, Mitchell Trubisky, Brian Hoyer and Vince Young at QB, as well as running backs Kenyan Drake, Jordan Howard and Chris Johnson.

Loggains graduated from the University of Arkansas with a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology in 2003 and a master’s degree in education in 2005. He walked on to the Razorback football program in 2000 as a quarterback and holder before earning a scholarship and becoming a four-year letterman, appearing in 50 games.

Loggains and his wife, Beth, have four children: daughters Reese, Aven and Connor, and son, Ryne.

LOGGAINS AT A GLANCE

Coaching Experience

• 2005: Dallas Cowboys (Scouting assistant)
• 2006-07: Tennessee Titans (Coaching administrative assistant)
• 2008-09: Tennessee Titans (Quality control)
• 2010-12: Tennessee Titans (Passing game coordinator/QBs)
• 2013: Tennessee Titans (Offensive coordinator)
• 2014: Cleveland Browns (QBs)
• 2015-17: Chicago Bears (Offensive coordinator/QBs)
• 2018: Miami Dolphins (Offensive coordinator)
• 2019-20: New York Jets (Offensive coordinator/QBs)
• 2021-22: Arkansas (Tight ends)
• 2023-24: South Carolina (Offensive coordinator/QBs)

Bowls Coached

• 2021: Outback
• 2022: Liberty

Playing Experience

• 2000-04: Arkansas (Quarterback/holder)

Alma Mater: Arkansas, 2003

Hometown: Newport, Ark.
Wife: Beth
Children: Reese, Aven, Connor, Ryne

By David Rogers. ORLANDO, Fla. — Running a good part of the women’s OUC Orlando Half Marathon seemingly by herself, Blowing Rock-based ZAP Endurance team member Amanda Vestri toppled the distaff field by running the fourth fastest half marathon by an American woman in 2024, to capture the title in 1:08:12, more than two minutes ahead of her nearest distaff rival, Katie Izzo (Flagstaff, Ariz., 1:10.28). It was Vestri’s first race at the half marathon distance (13.1 miles).

“This was an impressive debut by Amanda,” said ZAP Endurance head coach Pete Rea following the race. “She won the women’s race but was also the seventh fastest overall. Her time was also the 13th fastest all-time by an American woman.”

VIDEO: ScreenRecording_12-07-2024 06-36-08_1

With the win, Vestri picked up the first place winner’s check for $6,000.

Running against other professional runners, too, ZAP Endurance veteran Josh Izewski finished No. 4 out of the 2,600 athletes taking on the nearly 80-degree Orlando heat and humidity.

Kenya-born American Sam Chelanga, of Fayetteville, N.C., captured the men’s title in 1:02:13, followed by James Quattlebaum (Greenville, S.C., 1:02:26) and Reid Buchanon (Kansas City, Mo., 103:51). Izewski’s No. 4 time was 105:15.

“This was also a good rebound race for Izewski,” said Rea, “running his first race since the New York City Marathon.”

The USATF-certified Orlando course winds through scenic downtown Orlando streets before finishing in Lake Eola Park. In addition to the normal water stations (every 1.5 miles), there is live music along the course, local beer and a post-race, lakeside party.

By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — Four players in double figures, including 30 by combination junior guard Cade Keller, propelled host Watauga men’s varsity in dispatching High Country rival Avery County, 89-64, on Dec. 6 at Lentz Eggers Gym.

As usual for these annual rivalry games, it was a packed house on both sides of the court providing an electric atmosphere. While the Pioneers started slow, even allowing the Vikings to lead, 23-21, at the end of the first quarter, they turned things up several notches as the game progressed.

Four 3-pointers by Keller and a total of 18 first half points from the junior sharpshooter invigorated the Pioneers, who picked up another first half “trey” by Logan Greene in the second quarter, augmented by strong inside play from senior Josiah Railey and junior big man, Jace Blocker, pushing Watauga out to a 40-36 lead by intermission.

In the second half, the Pioneers ratcheted up their defensive efforts and turned on the scoring jets, with Keller, Blocker and Railey continuing their production augmented by an 11-point second half run by junior guard Jackson Love.

“In the first half tonight, defensively we were not good,” noted Keller to reporters after the game. “There was a lot of miscommunication and, really, lack of effort… not getting back on defense. We will clean that up and get better at it.

“I thought we battled well,” said Watauga head coach Bryson Payne after the last whistle. “I was happy with the way we finished the game. Our energy was a little low to begin the game, so it took us a little while to get our groove and play like we want to play. In the second half, we came out and started doing some things that we want to do, like running in transition and choosing better shots, including not settling for threes.”

“When we started getting momentum, we did not let up. Our guys stayed in attack mode and kept that momentum,” Payne added.

For Railey, a senior, the 2024-25 season is the culmination of four years working on things.

“This is a last run. Ever since I got here as a freshman we have been building the program, going from a losing record to a Northwestern Conference winning record last year. We want to build on that this year. I was kept out a lot tonight because of foul trouble, so I had to make every moment count,” said Railey.

Next up for the Pioneers is a rescheduled home tilt against North Wilkes on Dec. 7, following the two junior varsity games and the women’s varsity contest. Tipoff time is estimated to come at about 6 p.m.

SCORING SUMMARY

• WAT – Cade Keller – 30
• AVY – Hank Johnson – 20
• WAT – Josiah Railey – 17
• WAT – Jace Blocker – 16
• AVY – Landon Harmon – 13
• WAT – Jackson Love – 11
• AVY – Oak Markland – 8
• AVY – Cain Hart – 7
• AVY – Silas Garceau – 6
• AVY – Weston Woody – 6
• WAT – Brady Lindenmuth – 4
• AVY – Landon Liner – 4
• WAT – Logan Greene – 3
• WAT – Maddox Greene – 2
• WAT – Seth Greene – 2
• WAT – J T Cook – 2

By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — With a new combination of players this season after losing four seniors from its state playoffs contending team, the Watauga women’s varsity finally jelled in the second half on Dec. 6 to run away from Avery County, 52-32.

Thanks largely to a pair of 3-pointers from Izzy Torgerson in the second quarter and one each from long distance in the first half by Julie Matheson and Blair Haines, Watauga managed to score 20 first half points while keeping the Vikings subdued, with 18.

Then Matheson and senior Kate Sears went on mini-runs of their own after intermission to propel the Pioneers to their lopsided win, combined with a pressing defensive effort to disrupt Avery County possessions.

“I congratulated the girls on the win after losing so many starters and putting players in different roles. We got a little uptight in the first half and haven’t shot the ball well. It looked that way in the first half. We missed some pretty easy shots and forced the ball to take some tough shots,” said head coach Bill Torgerson after the game.

“But we kept living in the moment and tried to string together some stops,” Torgerson added. “We knew we were going to have to play defense (better), but eventually we put together some good shots and pulled away. I am proud of the way the girls stayed poised in a tough game… Julie’s (Matheson) run in the third quarter really helped put it away.”

One of the surprise additions to the 2024-25 Pioneers is softball player Chloe Wilson, playing competitive basketball for the first time. A 6-0 center, the athletic Wilson showed a lot of promise. As she learns the game, things become more instinctive and develops chemistry with the other athletes, her role should grow.

“I heard in the spring that a softball player and friend of Julie Matheson’s was going to come out for basketball this year,” Coach Torgerson recalled, smiling. “I had no idea who this girls was. I had never met her. But Chloe is one of the best athletes on the team. She has never played basketball, so we are spending a lot of time together. Basketball, like everything else, has its own special language with all the jargon, then with all the things you do instinctively from years of playing. She has a lot to learn but Chloe is a great athlete. I told her I am open to seeing how much she can learn and how good she can be.”

Torgerson was generous in his observations about High Country rival, Avery County.

“I think this is one of the best Avery County women’s teams in years and I told (head coach Allison Phillips) that I thought it was her best team. Coaching travel ball since my daughter Izzy was in seventh grade, I have coached against these girls for several years and they often beat us. So I am very familiar with how good this Avery County team can be. But then you add Izzy’s teammates to play with the likes of Kate Sears, Julie Matheson and Kaitlyn Darner (and you have a different dynamic).

Next up for the Pioneers is a rescheduled home encounter on Dec. 7 vs. North Wilkes (4-0). Tipoff follows the girls and boys junior varsity games, so should start about 4:30 p.m.

SCORING SUMMARY

• WAT – Kate Sears – 19
• WAT – Julie Matheson – 13
• AVY – Marley Jones – 9
• AVY – Hallie Johnson – 8
• WAT – Blair Haines – 7
• AVY – Caroline Hollifield – 7
• WAT – Izzy Torgerson – 6
• WAT – Kaitlyn Darner – 7
• AVY – Maddy Barnett – 3
• WAT – Shelby Thompson – 2
• AVY – Tillie Carver – 2
• AVY – Adyson Bellinger – 2

By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — Led by 10 first half points from Cole Lewis, including two shots from long distance, and another six points before intermission on strong inside play from Colby Whiteside, the Watauga boys junior varsity dismantled visiting Avery County on Dec. 6, 67-40.

The Pioneers stepped on the proverbial gas early, leading 18-7 by the end of the first quarter, and kept the good times rolling throughout to defeat the Vikings. All 11 of the Pioneers’ rostered players saw court time and all 11 of them found the bottom of the net at least once.

Lewis poured in a team high 13 points and Whiteside 8. Blake Bance and Miller Hankins both saw significant minutes on the floor and each contributed 7 points.

Avery County’s Blane Kirkpatrick tallied a game-high 17 points in the losing cause.

Boys JV Scoring

• AVY – Blane Kirkpatrick – 17
• WAT – Cole Lewis – 13
• WAT – Colby Whiteside – 8
• WAT – Miller Hankins – 7
• WAT – Blake Bance – 7
• WAT – Bryce Scheffler – 6
• WAT – Wit Williamson – 6
• WAT – Lucas Cash – 6
• AVY – Hayden Cordell – 6
• WAT – Mason Tate – 5
• AVY – Colt Austin – 5
• WAT – Caleb Ogden – 4
• WAT – Chase McInturff – 4
• AVY – JJ Washington – 4
• AVY – Sawyer Byrd – 3
• AVY – Owen Walsh – 3
• AVY – Max Milliron – 2
• WAT – Asa Privette – 1

Pioneer JV Girls dominate Avery County JVs, 49-10

In a game that was as much as over by the end of the first quarter, Watauga’s junior varsity girls ran roughshod over the Vikings JVs, 49-10.

Presli Wood and Steph Mendez each scored a game-high 13 points, Wood finding the net three times from beyond the 3-point arc and Mendez making good from long distance twice.

Watauga JV Girls Scoring

• Presli Wood – 13
• Steph Mendez – 13
• Charlie Mattox – 8
• Madison Millsaps – 7
• Susanna Goff – 4
• Izzy Mohr – 2
• Dylan Buckwalter – 2

By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — Getting into the Christmas season will come easily for the High Country this year as The Project Dance Foundation brings “A Carolina Snowbelle Christmas” to the Appalachian Theatre with four shows Dec. 6-8, and one more opportunity to see the dance spectacular on Dec. 14, at the Ashe Civic Center, in West Jefferson.

Anyone who has taken in the previous Christmas performances of the talented Snowbelles will know what fun and sensory delights to expect. Anyone who hasn’t — well, let’s just say they are in for a treat, to be sure.

Preview Video

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1noQ2BG2KfKhxoJsC8nKec-65dF_b_l5z/view?usp=sharing

A precision dance team formed in 2015 under the umbrella of The Project Dance Foundation, the Snowbelles incorporate tap and jazz styles while teaching teamwork, self-esteem, mentorship and community involvement skills. The mission is to equip and encourage dancers age 10 and up in this unique style of dance through training and performance opportunities.

Founder and executive director Cheryl Cutlip said, “The Carolina Snowbelles are a 100 percent scholarship program. Participation is obtained through an audition process and based solely on merit.”

Cutlip went on to explain that the troupe trains for three hours weekly, appears in local parades as well as puts on various community and theatrical performances, including “A Snowbelles Christmas.” The team has performed on the Millennium Stage at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and in the middle of New York City’s Times Square for “Project Dance,” a day-long free, open-air dance concert involving as many as 30 dance companies from around the U.S.

A Mix of Old and New

“This year’s Christmas show takes the audience on new adventures,” said Cutlip. “It features a cast of 30 new, emerging and established artists gracing the stage in a series of elaborately choreographed works, dancing their way through Arctic glaciers at the North Pole to the city streets of Manhattan in New York City.”

Cutlip shared that the show’s opening number, “Christmas Cheer,” features a young professional singing artist, Asher Saab, from Raleigh, N.C. Then the Snowbelles take a trip down Memory Lane with two signature routines, “Sing” and “Merry and Bright,” then celebrate what she calls the sisterhood of the Snowbelles in “Sisters.”

Returning to this year’s show is “Nutcracker Twist,” what Cutlip calls “… a contemporary take on the classic music we all love and hold dear.”

There will once again be a flurry of penguins in “Arctic Adventure,” but new this year is “Sparkle-Jingle.”

“That adds a pop of colored twinkle lights and a swing tap dance frenzy,’Jinglebelles’ created by Stephanie Brooks Martin and featuring Asher Saab,” said Cutlip.

This year’s show also features Los Angeles-based singing artist Sacha Calson, who makes his debut in Boone singing, “Santa Claus is Coming to Town,” “Winter Wonderland,” and “Carolina in My Mind.” Calson is best known for his role as “Nick” in the Netflix series, “Julie and the Phantoms.” He recently released his first single, “Remnants of a Fallen Star.” The music video features Calson as well as Carolina Snowbelles alum and Blowing Rock native, Ava Jean Cutlip.

The Show Schedule

• At Appalachian Theatre, 559 West King Street, Boone, N.C.
  • Friday, Dec. 6, 8 p.m.
  • Saturday, Dec. 7, 1:30 p.m.
  • Saturday, Dec. 7, 5:30 p.m.
  • Sunday, Dec. 8, 2:30 p.m
• At Ashe Civic Center, 962 Mt. Jefferson Road, West Jefferson, N.C.
  • Saturday, Dec. 14, 2 p.m.

Cheryl Cutlip, founder and executive director of The Project Dance Foundation and principal organizer of the Carolina Snowbelles, is a North Carolina native who began her early professional career at Opryland USA and Tokyo’s Disneyland. She is a former member of the New York City-based “Rockettes” and assistant choreographer of The Radio City Christmas Spectacular, dancing with the group from 1993 through 2008.

By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — App State men’s basketball stampeded past the Mid-Atlantic Christian University Mustangs on Dec. 3, 85-43. The mismatch against the small, Elizabeth City, N.C. private school provided the Mountaineers with ample opportunities to refine some individual and team skills while giving head coach Dustin Kerns an opportunity to see different combinations of players on the floor against an otherwise scrappy opponent.

Fourteen different Mountaineers saw at least six minutes of playing time, with the usual second tier of rotation players seeing the most opportunities on the hardwoods.

Alonzo Dodd poured in a game-high 19 in his almost 25 minutes on the court. Center Luke Wilson dominated inside play in recording 17 points to go along with 7 rebounds in just over 18 minutes of playing time. Starter C J Huntley only saw the court for a little more than seven minutes but certainly made the best of it as App State’s third player in double figures, with 14 points.

It was a special opportunity for teammates Huntley, Jackson Threadgill and Will Coble, who played high school basketball together at Davidson Day, as all three started against the Mustangs.

Point guard Myles Tate swooped down the lane for the Mountaineers’ first points of the night, just 19 seconds after Huntley won the tipoff. Coble followed with a 3-pointer and Huntley added consecutive “up and ins” with the game not even 90 seconds old, extending the App State lead to 9-0 — and prompting the Mustangs to call a timeout to gather themselves.

Although MACU was the next to score, the Mountaineers kept pouring it on, leading by 25 points by halftime. In a little less than 9 minutes on the court, Tate only scored four points, but was credited with 7 assists as he kept feeding his teammates.

Forward Michael Marcus, Jr. came off the bench to collect 10 rebounds and make two blocks to accompany his three points, two assists and a steal.

App State now has 10 days off to allow the student athletes to prepare and sit for exams before playing against High Point on Dec. 14, in Greensboro, at 2 p.m., in the Novant Health Fieldhouse at the Greensboro Complex.

They have two other road games before Christmas, opening Sun Belt Conference play at Louisiana, in Lafayette, La., on Dec. 18 (8 p.m. ET), then two days later in Denton, Texas, to face North Texas on Dec. 20, 8 p.m. ET). They will be at home on Jan. 2 to face Troy in another Sun Belt Conference encounter.