By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — With an undefeated regular season (10-0), Watauga High School drew the No. 5 seed in the NCHSAA 4A West bracket it was announced on Nov. 10 and will play No. 29 seeded Ragsdale HS (4-6 overall, 2-5 in Metro 4A Conference).
On the surface, comparing an undefeated regular season vs. a 4-6 overall record might be considered the proverbial “feeding lambs to the lions” — but when it comes to the North Carolina state playoffs nothing is certain.
Ragsdale is based in Guilford County and part of the Greensboro/High Point metropolitan area. The Tigers finished the regular season No. 6 in the powerful Metro 4A Conference, with seven conference members receiving 4A West entries into Round 1. Ragsdale is that sixth team, behind No. 1-seeded Grimsley (10-0, 7-0), No. 10 Northern Guilford (9-1, 6-1), No. 11 Northwest Guilford (8-2, 5-2), No. 17 Southeast Guilford (6-4, 4-3) and No. 24 Page (3-7, 3-4), but ahead of No. 32 Western Guilford (4-6, 1-6). In short, even though they are sixth out of eight teams in the Metro 4A, Ragsdale’s admission to the 4A West bracket speaks to its strength of schedule and how very strong the Metro 4A league is.
Watauga’s Carson Gunnell-Beck (57) pressures the South Caldwell QB in 63-19 Pioneer win. Photographic image by David Rogers for High Country Sports
This explains why every year there seems to be a major upset of higher seeded teams by lower seeded entries. In the 2023 4A West bracket, Round 1 upsets included No. 24 Charlotte Catholic over No. 9 Myers Park, 42-24; No. 19 Mount Tabor def. No. 14 Davie County, 48-26; No.23 Independence over No. 10 Lake Norman, 35-0; and No. 18 Mallard Creek vs. No. 15 Marvin Ridge, 41-7.
What to look for in Ragsdale
The Tigers feature a strong rushing attack and averaged more than 200 yards per game in that department, scoring 15 TDs running the football. At the same time, Ragsdale completed 109 out of 234 pass attempts for 1,148 yards through the air, including nine TDs vs. eight INTs.
Ragsdale’s offense appears to revolve around senior running back Fabian Diggs, who accounted for 1,518 of the Tigers 2,658 total yards during the regular season. In his last game, Nov. 1, in a 45-42 win over Western Guilford, Diggs carried the ball 26 times for 227 yards and a TD. One game earlier, against Southwest Guilford, the senior RB carried 22 times for 178 yards and three TDs.
Although Diggs may be the feature back for the Tigers, they also have core competency in junior QB Braylon Louis. Including seven passing TDs during the regular season, Louis completed 86 of 168 passes (51.2%) for 999 yards. His chief receiving threat is athletic sophomore Anthoney Washington, Jr., who also plays cornerback and safety on defense. Washington averaged a little more than 10 yards per reception during the regular season, catching 30 passes for 304 total receiving yards. His longest was a 51-yarder on Aug. 30, in a 21-20 win over Glenn HS.
The 3A/4A Northwestern Conference of which Watauga is a member and yet again the conference champion only has one other 4A school invited to the 4A West playoffs, the No. 27 seeded Alexander Central. The Cougars will take on No. 6 Mooresville in Round 1.
If Watauga gets by Ragsdale, the Pioneers will host the winner of No. 13 Mallard Creek and No. 20 Lake Norman.
FULL 4A WEST PAIRING FOR ROUND 1
No. Grimsley vs. No. 32 Western Guilford
No. 16 Reagan vs. No. 17 Southeast Guilford
No. 8 Charlotte Catholic vs. No. 25 Porter Ridge
No. 9 Palisades vs. No. 24 Page
No. 5 Hough vs. No. 28 South Iredell
No. 12 Mount Tabor vs. No. 21 Independence
No. 13 Mallard Creek vs. No. 20 Lake Norman
No. 4 Watauga vs. No. 29 Ragsdale
No. 3 East Forsyth vs. No. 30 Butler
No. 14 West Forsyth vs. No. 19 Cuthbertson
No. 6 Mooresville vs. No. 27 Alexander Central
No. 11 Northwest Guilford vs. No. 22 Olympic
No. 7 Asheville vs. No. 26 Marvin Ridge
No. 10 Northern Guilford vs. No. 23 West Cabarrus
No. 15 Sun Valley vs. No. 18 TC Roberson
No. 2 Weddington vs. No. 31 AL Brown
OTHER GAMES OF INTEREST
3A West – No. 9 Freedom vs. No. 24 West Rowan
3A West – No. 12 AC Reynolds vs. No. 21 Central Davidson
3A West – No. 3 Hickory vs. No. 30 Tuscola
2A West – No. 15 Lincolnton vs. No. 18 Maiden
1A West – No. 8 South Stanly vs. No. 25 Avery County
1A West – No. 12 Mitchell vs. No. 21 Draughn
1A West – No. 2 Mountain Heritage vs. No. 31 North Stokes
By David Rogers. BLOWING ROCK, N.C. — Some people may have thought the baby grand piano at the front of the Rumple Memorial Presbyterian Church sanctuary had limitations. In the hands, fingers and pedal-tapping feet of Joseph Martin on Nov. 9, there were apparently no limits at all.
Martin, the award-winning composer and lyricist now lives in Austin, Texas, but was born and raised in Rutherfordton, N.C. He performed at the invitation of church leadership for Rumple’s “Composer Workshop Series.”
With a Bachelor of Music from Furman University and a Master of Music degree from the University of Texas, Austin — both degrees in Piano Performance — you might guess Martin was talented, but at times it sounded like six people running their hands across the keyboard all at once, beautifully in synch and harmony.
“I get paid by the note,” quipped Martin after his opening number of the Saturday night concert. And you could almost see all those notes flying around Rumple’s inner sanctum.
Before the concert for which all were invited to come, free of charge, Martin worked with the Rumple sanctuary choir, tweaking five anthems they performed during Sunday’s worship service.
Joseph Martin at Rumple Memorial Presbyterian Church for its ‘Composer Workshop Series’ and concert. Photographic image by David Rogers for Blowng Rock News
Rumple’s senior pastor, the Rev. Kathy Beach, was quick to credit music director Dave McCollum for the “Composer Workshop Series.” McCollum articulated the thoughts behind his brainchild.
“This series started with the traditional hymns we sing as a gathered congregation and how a composer or arranger expands them and changes them to a presentation that a choir might perform,” explained McCollum. “A lot of times, we may like the finished works but we don’t know what the composer or arranger was thinking about the hymns when they were re-working them. Having the composer here provides us with context for the work we are performing.”
An opportunity to expose his choir and the church community to Martin was something that couldn’t be passed up.
“Specifically, with Joseph Martin, he is so talented not just with the music but in the lyrics, too,” said McCollum. “Joe has been around such a diverse body of experiences, all denominations, all kinds of different settings,” added McCollum, “He gets inspired then writes his texts based on those experiences. He is in a unique spot because of the diversity of experiences to express music and lyric, not just one or the other. That is a special talent and that’s why I chose him. He is at the very top of this game.”
Getting to know Joseph Martin
Martin taught for five years in the Piano Pedagogy Department at the University of Texas. Earlier, while at Furman, he was accompanist for choral director and composer Milburn Price and, inspired by Price’s teaching, Martin began to compose.
It has been a fulfilling career endeavor. At this writing, he has had more than 2,700 songs published, which is mind-boggling enough for most people to think about — but there are more, too.
“I write just about every day,” Martin told Blowing Rock News during a quiet moment alone on Nov. 10. “I won’t live long enough to see all of the more than 10,000 songs that I have written get published.”
I just look and listen — and there is a song to write, everywhere. It is how I translate my life. I see things and they become music.
You might say art and creativity are in his DNA, but developed a little differently in him. Where other members of his family are talented painters, Martin’s mother says that when he was three years old Martin climbed up on a piano bench and started banging out all of the church hymns he had heard in a Sunday worship service.
“I don’t remember that at three years old but my mother has never lied to me,” he said, before adding with a wry smile, “except about Santa Claus and the Easter bunny!”
For fear of crushing children’s hopes, dreams, and imaginations, Martin didn’t elaborate on his mother’s “lies.”
“My mother said I really never jumped off the piano bench once I got up there. I started formally studying music at five years old, sitting next to her, learning to play duets out of the old Broadman hymnals, some of the old standards, and some of her classical music. She was an accomplished pianist as well as an artist. My brother and grandfather were also artists. In my lineage, there are sculptors and other creative types. I got the sonic version of the DNA!” he chuckled.
Sue Martin was the original live performance ‘Ariel’ in ‘The Little Mermaid’ and, accompanied by husband Joseph Martin on piano, sang a selection of Disney-inspired and other songs. Photographic image by David Rogers for Blowing Rock News
The idea of performance is also in Martin’s genetic makeup.
“My father was in radio. He owned a radio station in Spindale, which is another little town near Rutherfordton. He also owned a station in Gastonia. Radio was his first love. He had a golden voice, a beautiful speaking voice, which helped make him an effective minister, pastor and orator,” said Martin. “I really learned a lot listening to his sermons. It was a good childhood.”
Finding music has never been difficult for Martin.
“I just look and there is a song to write, everywhere,” he said. “It is how I translate my life. I see things, and they become music. Other people might look at things more visually. Some people are more tactile, liking to make things, physical things. My wife will tell you there are only a couple of things that I can do. That’s music, but I also like to write words. I journal my journey of faith by writing lyrics and poems. I just finished writing my sixth children’s book and my mother is doing all of the illustrations. Did I tell you she is a fabulous artist?”
Martin credited his love of music and the spoken word with why he is so vested in choral music.
“Choral music is at the intersection of music and message,” he said. “That is such an enjoyable place to live.”
Gaining inspiration through experience
Living in that intersection space is purposeful for Martin because of the many different experiences he has had around the world and the music-based experiential learning allows him to create. While a good bit of his work may be differing arrangements of more traditional hymns, many are original songs borne of his experiences.
Martin recalled for the Rumple sanctuary choir on Saturday an invitation he once received to work in The Cayman Islands.
“I fell in love with how the people worshiped God in their own style and their own style of music,” said Martin. “I went to a service there that was on the beach and there was a baptism. That was the trigger for my song, ‘Come to the Water,’ which has a gentle Islands feel.”
Martin also shared how he was commissioned to write an anthem for Kirkwood, Missouri, to be performed on the anniversary of the tragic mass murder shootings that took the lives of five city officials, a police sergeant, and critically wounded the city’s mayor.
My little dots and dashes are not just a reflection of my own personal journey, but of the things that are around me at any given moment in time.
“I was struggling with this one,” Martin admitted. “Then I was in Stroudsburg, Pa., staying at a budget hotel. When I got to my room, the curtains were open and I looked out onto a graveyard and a large trash bin, filled with garbage. It wasn’t something I really wanted to see so I quickly closed the curtains. The next morning, I woke up to what had been a generous snowfall. I opened those curtains and you couldn’t tell it was a graveyard and the trash bin was all covered with white snow. That moment triggered the inspiration for ‘Canticle of Peace.'”
“Canticle of Peace” incorporates Martin’s original poetry with traditional text and music from “Agnus Dei,” a collection of Christian liturgies as well as text that appears in Antonio Vivaldi’s “Gloria.” It all adds up to an inspiring and moving anthem under Martin’s hand.
To me, those spirituals are ministry, they are artistry and they are history… Out of this terrible experience bloomed these beautiful, hopeful messages. It stops me in my tracks.
“I love all styles of music,” Martin noted in the interview with Blowing Rock News. “I know they call them worship wars and culture wars, but I get to travel the world and I just absorb all of that music. As a composer, you pull from those experiences for your own compositions. My little dots and dashes are not just a reflection of my own personal journey, but of the things that are around me at any given moment in time. In the case of ‘Come to the Water,’ I actually wrote it or got the ‘vibe’ of it by witnessing the joy of the worship services and the authenticity of their faith expression. I really enjoy writing in different styles, from Gospel to Celtic music. Several of my Christmas cantatas take you on a travelogue of sorts around the world. Listening to others has kept me interested and growing as a musician.”
History matters
The music of Christianity is inspired, too, and Martin is a student of it.
“When you think about it, it is history and it is ministry… In studying the history of Western music one must first study the history of the Christian church. That is where a lot of our melodic syntax came out of phrasings. Of course it began to amalgamate and change. It has grown to be a wonderful variety now,” said Martin.
What we came to know as Negro spirituals are a good example of inspiration and variety.
“To me, those spirituals are ministry, they are artistry and they are history. And if you can take all three things about those spirituals and understand that out of this terrible experience (of slavery) bloomed these beautiful, hopeful messages… It just stops me in my tracks.
“If I ever get to heaven, and I know that I will,” Martin continued, “I want to talk to the man or woman who wrote the Negro spiritual, ‘Give me Jesus.’ To me, that is just the most perfect song. It is so succinct and so perfectly fashioned. It is artful and it is authentically sincere. I strive for those things in my own music but when confronted with that kind of masterpiece I realize I have a ways to go. I have to get up the next morning and try again.”
Martin has a lot of product.
On becoming a pseudonym factory
According to his publishers, he said, Joseph Martin writes too much music for the marketplace so they have asked him to write under different names. Now, in addition to his own name, he publishes under a total of 10 “nom de plumes,” including nine different pen names.
“It is kind of fun because I will be in a conference and hear one of my pieces and nobody knows I am the guy that wrote it! I just sit there and have this little secret, laughing,” said Martin.
The prolific music composer and arranger explained that what distinguishes each pseudonym is either style or function.
“One of them is an a cappella composer, Joseph Graham. The pen names are usually family names that I just combine in honor of nephews and grandmothers, and other relatives. At least I hope it is an honor!,” he said smiling.
So nothing to do with Billy Graham?
“No, but that is something I suppose I could have done! Actually, I have a nephew named Graham,” he explained. “I liked the way it sounded and it looked good on the page, so…”
Martin further explained that other pseudonyms are stylistic, like “Michael Barrett.” He writes more contemporary. It is more rhythmic. Another writer is a composer and arranger of pop tunes for the school and community chorus markets. So not all of them are sacred music.
“Those are things that the publishers wanted me to do to help them market the product.”
And Martin has a lot of product.
“There are a lot of things that I can’t do, but one thing I couldn’t do is stop writing. I write every day. I have about 10,000 finished songs and I will never live long enough to see them all in print. For me, it is more of a ritual or spiritual discipline to chronicle my life through song. Sometimes it’s words. Sometimes it’s music. Sometimes it’s both,” said Martin. “There are triggers every day. So those nom de plumes have helped me be more present in more sanctuaries. Not every church is the same. Not every denomination is the same — and I want to be useful.”
So Martin really has 10 brands, similar to a company that owns a variety of different style restaurants, from high end to low end, from tacos and pizzas to steak.
“Almost every industry has experienced that kind of diversity, in one way or another,” he said.
Composer and piano performance professional, Joseph Martin at Rumple Memorial Presbyterian Church on Nov. 9. Photographic image by David Rogers for Blowing Rock News
Pursuing perfection?
Martin shared a valuable nugget his father offered when the young musician was practicing eight, nine, ten hours a day.
“‘Joe, don’t try to be perfect. Just don’t let them outwork you and you will be fine,’ my father said,” Martin said.
“But there is also a secret,” the pragmatist said. “There is a reason they call it ‘playing’ the piano and not ‘working’ the piano. I so love it. If I won the lottery tomorrow my life would change very little except I might live life in a much better car! Truthfully, I cannot imagine not doing the life I have been doing for the last 30 years. It brings me joy. It animates me. It brings me life.”
Already prolific, Martin just finished cantata No. 70, but was asked about what was behind his writing and composing of “Joseph’s Song” found in one of his earlier cantatas, “The Voices of Christmas,” released in 2004.
“You are always looking for new ways to tell the old, old story,” explained Martin. “It is hard because the story of Jesus’ birth and emergence as the Messiah doesn’t change. But as a composer, you can move around inside the story and your perspective can change. You can see new things and there are new lessons to be learned no matter how many times you have read or heard the story.
Sometimes it is just a very special revelation that you really don’t feel privileged to be the caretaker of. Once you put it down on paper, you feel at rest.
“In that particular piece,” added Martin, “with the writer I was working with at the time, we were discussing how Joseph never gets a song. It seems like we go from Mary to the shepherds, who get to dance and have fun and fellowship with angels. Then there are the three wise men.
“But there is this faithful man in the background which is a movie in itself, in my opinion.” Martin continued. “But the idea of a carpenter and not knowing all of these miracles that were happening in his life and how to respond to them. To show his humbleness and his inability to disparage Mary’s dreams, the angels and all of that, and to realize that all he can do his teach his son to hold and use a hammer and nails… Of course, on this side of the crucifixion we know how sad that is, the irony of what Joseph could teach vs. how his son’s death came about. It does take your breath away when you think about the irony.”
Writing music is often an emotional journey for Martin, who is quick to laugh and crack a joke, often involving a word’s double meaning.
“I cry, too,” he admitted. “It is not my truth I am sharing (in these songs). Sometimes it is just a very special revelation that you really don’t feel privileged to be the caretaker of. Once you put it down (on paper), you feel at rest. You find peace in that thought being shared.”
Inspiration can come from the smallest and simplest of places, including from a picnic with his wife and kids.
“When I was writing my cantata, ‘A Winter Rose,’ I was walking through a rose garden in Austin, with my kids running around,” Marin recalled. “I saw this beautiful garden with the roses fully blooming and I had the revelation, ‘The rose died for its thorns.’ And I thought of Jesus and his thorns. The song is ‘The Rose of Sharon.’ He died to release the fragrance of grace to the rest of the world. I scrambled for my notepad. I didn’t have an iPhone back then. I started talking about how roses are like our faith and so much like Jesus.”
Listening to others has kept me interested and growing in music.
Martin reflected on how Shakespeare used roses in his writing and noted that some churches use roses when they perform the cantata.
“It comes to the moment where you plant the rose on the hill, far away. And I have seen performances where a little child walks up to a rose on the alter and pulls each little petal off and toss them on the alter as the song is being sung,” he recalled. “The same imagery like Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, when the petals were falling off the roses. Roses have been a universal symbol and it is great for the sanctuary as well.”
Martin’s pre-Thanksgiving activities are only just picking up steam with his early November appearance at Rumple.
“In two weeks, we will be in Carnegie Hall, in New York City, for the presentation of one of my cantatas. It is one I wrote during COVID-19 called, ‘The Weary World Rejoices.’ My wife, Sue, will be there doing solos and I will have 200 voices in the choir and a giant orchestra. So that is going to be a mountaintop experience. I love the idea of turning Carnegie Hall into a cathedral for a night. It will be a magnificent evening, I know.”
Magnificent is among the words used to describe Martin’s weekend in Blowing Rock, at Rumple, said senior pastor Kathy Beach.
“Clearly, from this experience, it is not just a wonderful thing for the choir but for the entire congregation and the larger community who participated. To have a composer here, the impact on the choir is remarkable to see how amazing the anthems sounded and how enthusiastic the choir members were to work with someone like that. He has such an incredible gift. Everyone who left worship this morning said this was just what they needed and wanted today. It was an amazing experience for the congregation and for the community members who attended today and were at last night’s concert.”
By Jacob Plecker. MADISON, Wisc. — In the program’s first trip to Wisconsin since Dec. 2002, the App State Mountaineers (1-2) fell 87-56 against traditional Big Ten power Wisconsin (3-0) at the Kohl Center on Sunday.
The 31-point loss was App State’s largest loss against a high-major opponent in the Kerns era since falling by 41 against the tenth-ranked Tennessee Volunteers in 2020.
App State got off to a hot start against the Badgers, leading by as many as nine points in the first half but a 24-0 run from Wisconsin helped them come from behind to take the lead. The Badgers never looked back, going in front by as many as 34 points in the game.
Despite the outcome, Jackson Threadgill and CJ Huntley both eclipsed double figures. Threadgill’s 11 points marked his first double-digit point outing as a Mountaineer. Jalil Beaubrun returned from a one-game absence and made his second Mountaineer start against the Badgers, tallying nine points and grabbing five rebounds.
The Mountaineer bench played well again on Sunday, scoring 18 points. App State has scored at least 15 bench points in every game this season. Overall, nine Mountaineers scored in the game.
How it Happened
App State’s first ever game against Wisconsin saw the Mountaineers start well as Beaubrun scored the game’s first points off a turn-around hook shot in the paint. The Badgers tallied their first points to tie it, but Threadgill answered from behind the 3-point arc to give the Mountaineers a 5-2 lead with 17 minutes remaining in the half.
Strong play defensively helped the Mountaineers claim a six-point lead by the 14:40 mark as the Badgers missed two of their first five shots. Five straight points from Myles Tate and an alley-oop slam by CJ Huntley kept App State in front by six before Anthony Alston’s three extended the lead to nine by the under-12 timeout.
Another Threadgill basket kept the lead at nine, but Wisconsin was able to compose itself and go on a run to close the gap. Makes by Badgers Nolan Winter and Stephen Crowl tied the game by the under-eight timeout and the Badger crowd of more than 14,000 started to get loud.
Wisconsin continued to apply pressure on the Mountaineer offense, forcing five turnovers and nine straight misses to claim a lead of seven points by the 6:09 mark. The Badgers tallied 11 points off 13 Mountaineer turnovers in the first half.
A three-pointer from Huntley finally ended the large Badger run but Wisconsin used a 24-0 run to take a 32-17 lead with three minutes to play in the opening frame. When the first-half horn sounded, the Badgers led by 16 points.
Five different Mountaineers tallied a basket in the first half with Huntley, Threadgill and Tate leading the charge with five apiece. App State shot it well from the three-point line in the opening half, nailing four of its 11 attempts.
Beaubrun opened the second half with a free throw to start his strong second-half outing and closed the gap to 15. The Mountaineers buried their first two shot attempts out of the halftime break.
But the Badgers pushed their lead to 19 by the 17:24 mark as Stephen Crowl tallied his point No. 15 of the game. A John Tonje driving layup bumped the App State deficit to 20 by the first media timeout.
Alonzo Dodd and Luke Wilson provided a second-half spark to shrink the deficit. Dodd made a tough floater over Crowl before Wilson powered home a ferocious two-handed dunk.
After a Beaubrun layup with 11 minutes to play, Wisconsin took control once again, scoring nine straight points to take a 30-point lead by the under-eight break. A Threadgill floater ended the scoring drought as he tallied four straight points before the timeout.
Wisconsin’s Jack Robison3-pointer with 12 seconds to play gave the Badgers their largest lead of the game at 34, but App State’s Jason Clarke Jr. countered with his first collegiate three, the shot rattling home before the buzzer to give Wisconsin a 31-point win.
Top Performers
Two players reached double-figures for the Mountaineers in the game in CJ Huntley and Jackson Threadgill. Huntley’s 13 points led the team as he shot it well, hitting four of his seven shots and three three-pointers. Threadgill also shot it well, nailing 11 points on 5-8 shooting. Beaubrun’s one-game absence didn’t bother him much as he recorded nine points on the night.
Next up for App State, the Mountaineers will host Queens University on Nov. 19, with tipoff slated for 6:30 p.m. at the Holmes Center.
By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — In and amongst a great defensive battle between two really good high school soccer teams, No. 4-seeded Watauga managed to scrape together a goal in the second half to break a scoreless deadlock on Nov. 9, then hung on to defeat No. 29-seeded Palisades (Charlotte) and advance in the NCHSAA 4A West bracket, to Round 2.
On a well-placed corner kick by wing Quincy Honeycutt that was flicked on by striker Asher Hampton, fellow striker Curtis Sevensky powered a shot by the Pumas’ goalkeeper and put the home team in front at Jack Groce Stadium.
Palisades goalkeeper Juan Herrera was kept busy throughout the game in Round 1, vs. Watauga, here making a dramatic save vs. Ben Myers (17). Photographic image by David Rogers for High Country Sports
“We played excellent defensively and Jude Jackson, our goalkeeper, made a couple of really amazing saves,” said Pioneer head coach Josh Honeycutt after the game. “This was a battle between two really good teams and we had to dig deep to grind out this win. It was truly a team effort and I am really proud of these boys for their heart, tenacity and resilience.”
The first half started out with Watauga dominating possession, at least in the early going, but Palisades battled back and created their own attack opportunities. Only brilliant defensive play on both ends of the field saved the matchup from being a high-scoring affair. Both teams got good looks and good shots. They were just turned away.
Curtis Sevensky (7) battles for a ball in the first round of the NC soccer playoffs on Nov. 9. Photographic image by David Rogers for High Country Sports
4A WEST BRACKET SCORES, ROUND 1
No. 1 West Forsyth def. No. 32 South Caldwell, 9-0
No. 17 Charlotte Catholic def. No. 16 East Forsyth, 3-0
No. 8 Asheville def. No. 25 RJ Reynolds, 3-1
No. 24 Hough def. No. 9 Hopewell, 2-1
No. 5 Northwest Guilford def. No. 28 Glenn, 7-0
No. 21 South Mecklenburg def. No. 12 Ardrey Kell, 2-0
By David Rogers. HUDSON, N.C. — It has been 41 games since Watauga’s Pioneers lost a 3A/4A Northwestern Conference football contest and the capper may well have been the team’s 63-19 thumping of longtime 4A rival South Caldwell on Nov. 8, at Spartan Field.
A 51-11 halftime score set up a running clock as soon as the High Country visitors scored early in the third quarter. It was almost as an inevitable afterthought.
Brady Linenmuth (56) leads the way for Maddox Greene at South Caldwell on Nov. 8. Photographic image by Jared Everett for High Country Sports
Senior quarterback Maddox Greene secured another milestone: for the second consecutive year he has more than 1,000 yards rushing the football and 1,000 yards passing the football.
Coming into the game, Greene needed just over 50 yards to complete the 1,000 yard passing standard and he got it, and then some, completing 7-of-12 passes for 142 yards through the air, including three TDs against one interception. He already had the 1,000 season rushing standard, but added on in a big way against South Caldwell in carrying the ball 16 times for 170 yards and a TD.
An Evan Burroughs Sequence
Evan Burroughs (12) shakes loose against South Caldwell — and look at Dillon Zaragoza out there blocking! Photographic images by David Rogers for High Country Sports
As the score might indicate, Greene wasn’t alone in big play creativity. Evan “Swiss Army Knife” Burroughs caught six passes (out of six targets) for 99 yards and a hat trick (3) of TDs. He carried the ball five times for 50 yards. And he was in the middle of making lemonade out of some razzle-dazzle lemons — in which he hurled what became a 36-yard TD pass to Greene.
Hollywood could hardly have scripted Burroughs’ “making lemonade” play any better. Greene rolled right, handed the ball off to Everett Gryder sweeping back left on a reverse, who then flipped the ball to Burroughs in the center of the backfield, coming back right on a double reverse. But Burroughs errantly dropped the ball, it bounding to the turf and starting to hop forward with Spartan defenders littering the backfield, wondering where the ball would go next. The athletic junior, though, calmly reached down and picked up the ball and off one foot jumped in the air and delivered the intended pass downfield. Although not the “prettiest” pass in gridiron history, Greene was waiting for it. The senior leaped up, brought it down, and somehow carved a path through and around four would-be tacklers, sprinting to the end zone.
Photographic image by Jared Everett for High Country Sports
Pioneer head coach Ryan Habich acknowledged after the game how special Burroughs’ abilities are.
“There are very few athletes that could recover from the dropped ball, then jumped in the air to make that pass,” said Habich, smiling in saying that the fumbled ball was not part of the play design.
South Caldwell’s biggest moment came on the Spartans’ first offensive drive. After Watauga’s quick strike score on the game’s opening drive (4 plays, 64 yards, in just 53 seconds) featuring a 43-yard ramble by Greene before a 1-yard plunge into the end zone by Gryder, the Spartans looked to answer. On the first play, junior QB Corbin Mcghinnis found receiver J P Smith along the right sideline, the pass-catch-run covering 60 yards to the Watauga 5-yard line. Two plays later, on punches up the middle by running back Landon Borders, and South Caldwell was in the end zone. South Caldwell elected to go for a 2-point conversion and were successful on a run left by Bryson Genwright, leaving the early score 8-7, in favor of the Spartans.
Maddox Greene (4) runs around official vs. South Caldwell, in Watauga’s 63-19 win over the Spartans on Nov. 8. Photographic image by David Rogers for High Country SportsNyle Peays (9) breaks up a pass vs. South Caldwell on Nov. 8. Photographic image by Jared Everett for High Country Sports
But that was the only lead of the game for the Hudson hosts celebrating Senior Night. After Pioneer running back Matthew Leon capped off an 8-play, 65 yard scoring drive with a 1-yard dive into the end zone with still a little over 10 minutes remaining in the first quarter, Wilson’s PAT kick was successful this time, giving Watauga a 13-8 lead from which they would never look back.
The rest of the opening quarter was a battle with South Caldwell using nearly five minutes of clock on the next possession but being forced to punt after a couple offsides penalties turned the drive into a three steps forward, two steps back affair. The Spartans seemed to make the best of it with a punt downed at the Watauga 2-yard line, but Greene & Co. were undaunted by the awkward field position.
Landon Smith (7) collects a pass from Maddox Greene and runs to the end zone on Nov. 8 at South Caldwell in 63-10 Pioneer win. Photographic image by Jared Everett for High Country Sports
In fact, Watauga poured it on in the second period, playing inspired football on both sides of the ball. Taking advantage of Spartan turnovers and their own near-flawless execution with the ball in hand, the Pioneers scored 36 more points in the second period, taking the lead at halftime to 49-11. They did it with Greene rushes, Greene passes to Burroughs, Burroughs’ pass to Greene and rushes by Leon and Gryder. Backup QB and placekick holder Cade Keller even got in the act with a surprise 2-point conversion try.
By the second half, Watauga had the luxury of trying different things, just to give the players more experience in certain situations.
“We wanted Maddox to pass, not run in the second half because we know that in the playoffs we are going to rely more on passing,” said Habich later, in part explaining why Greene was even still on the field.
Among the good news for the rout: a lot of athletes saw playing time.
“Everyone on the roster played,” Habich said later, smiling about the position depth he was able to develop with player experience, resting his starting playmakers some — and getting his reserves a chance to prove themselves and having fun.
Cade Keller (10) hands the ball off to Matthew Leon with blockers in front during 4th quarter action at South Caldwell on Nov. 8. Photographic image by Jared Everett for High Country Sports
Watauga finishes the regular season, 10-0, an undefeated regular season they also achieved in 2023 and 2018 before falling deep in the playoffs.
Pairings for the first round are anticipated to be announced on Sunday, Nov. 10. As the top 4A team in the Northwestern Conference, Watauga is likely to receive a high seed and facing a lower seeded opponent but Habich has no illusions about the task ahead. He noted that not only 11 of the top 25 teams in North Carolina coming from the 4A West bracket, but the lower seeded teams coming out of highly competitive metro area conferences, especially from Charlotte, are really good programs who just happened to fall to the very best.
SCORING SUMMARY
Q1 – WAT – Everett Gryder 1 yard rush for TD; PAT by Jack Wilson kick: 7-0
Q1 – SC – Landon Brothers 3-yard rush for TD; PAT rush by Bryson Genwright: 7-8
Q1 – WAT – Matthew Leon 1-yard run for TD; PAT kick failed: 13-8
Q2 – WAT – Maddox Greene 5-yard run for TD; Greene run for PAT: 21-8
Q2 – WAT – Evan Burroughs 40-yard pass from Maddox Greene for TD; PAT run by Cade Keller: 29-8
Q2 – WAT – Maddox Greene 36-yard pass from Evan Burroughs for TD; PAT kick failed: 35-8
Q2 – WAT – Evan Burroughs 23-yard pass from Maddox Greene for TD: PAT by Jack Wilson: 42-8
Q2 – WAT – Everett Gryder 1-yard rush for TD; PAT kick by Jack Wilson: 49-8
Q2 – SC – 42 yard field goal by Armando Gomez; 49-11
Q3 – WAT – Evan Burroughs 9-yard pass from Maddox Greene for TD; PAT kick by Jack Wilson: 56-11
Q4 – SC – Kaleb Flores 1-yard rush for TD; PAT run by Corbin Mcghinnis: 56-19
Q4 – WAT – Cade Keller 8-yard rush for TD; PAT kick by Jack Wilson: 63-19
By David Rogers. BLOWING ROCK, N.C. — Celebrating excellence was the Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce’s theme for its 2024 Annual Awards Luncheon, and that was certainly the case.
While every award winner was deserving, a highlight of the event was the surprise recognition of Blowing Rock Chamber CEO Charles Hardin, who is retiring at the end of the year. How Chetola Mountain Resort owner Warren Cathcart was able to sneak into the Meadowbrook Inn venue with a black cloth-covered, Bob Timberlake painting to give to Hardin without the retiring executive knowing something was up is a mystery.
But surprise Hardin it did — and it was well-deserved recognition for the man who led the Blowing Rock Chamber for more than two decades, since 2004.
After Hardin recognized outgoing Chamber president Billy Chick and outgoing board members Melissa Pickett, Ronnie Mark and Chelsea Garrett, the program got down to the award business.
Town Tavern owner Justin Davis (second from left) and staff from his restaurants. Photo by Lonnie Webster
Business of the Year: Town Tavern. Few businesses in the region have had to deal with as much adversity as Justin Davis’ The Town Tavern, which grew in a relatively short time from its one location in Blowing Rock to sister locations in Banner Elk and Morganton, both of which suffered major damage from Hurricane Helene. While the Morganton restaurant remains closed, the Banner Elk operation is back up and running. Another sister location, the River Street Ale House, is in Boone. Davis also has an ownership interest in Social on Main, in Blowing Rock.
Steve Barker, owner/developer of The Embers Hotel. Photo by Lonnie Webster
New Commercial Construction Award: The Embers Hotel. The Embers Hotel and owner Steve Barker set an elevated standard for lodging destinations in the the region.
Sandy Miller and Susie Greene of the Blowing Rock Community Foundation. Photo by Lonnie Webster
Outstanding Non-Profit Award: Blowing Rock Community Foundation. Led by Sandy Miller and formed in 1985, the Foundation continues to award award college scholarships and grants, annually, thanks to fundraisers like “Groovy Nights” and “Community Service Days,” golf and tennis tournaments hosted by Blowing Rock Country Club.
The Brinker Family. Photo by Lonnie Webster
The Community Service Award: The Brinker Family for the work done by their Build for Good Foundation. Of note, the Brinkers and their foundation provided “boots on the ground” and critically needed labor, equipment and organizational resources for High Country communities after Hurricane Helene.
Tom O’Brien, left, receiving the Jerry Burns Ambassadorial Award from Ashli Kemo, of ERX. Photo by Lonnie Webster
Jerry Burns Ambassadorial Award: Tom O’Brien. Blowing Rock Historical Society president, Tom O’Brien, was recognized for his leadership in always trying to help Blowing Rock put its best foot forward.
Velda and Al Shackleford. Photo by Lonnie Webster
Volunteer of the Year – Al & Velda Shackleford
Ian Stewart, of Mustard Seed. Photo by Lonnie Webster
Young Professional of the Year – Ian Stewart.
Kitty Hollins, of J. McLaughlin. Photo by Lonnie Webster
By David Rogers. CONWAY, S.C. — When everything else is pretty equal in football, the outcome often comes down to turnovers. That was certainly the case on Nov. 7 when Coastal Carolina defeated Appalachian State, 38-24.
When all was said and done, it wasn’t that App State could not move the football. They just moved the football too many times with self-inflicted wounds. Three turnovers, a lost fumble and two pass interceptions, were converted into 17 points by the host Chanticleers, who won by 14.
It was ‘crunch time’ in Conway, with redshirt senior DE Michael Fletcher and linebacker Brendan Harrington converging on CCU quarterback Ethan Vasko in the backfield. Photographic image by Jared Everett for High Country Sports
The time of possession was nearly identical, with App State having the ball 29:15, Coastal Carolina for 30:45. The Mountaineers edged the Chanticleers in total yards. 376-353.
But as they have done too many times this season, once again the Mountaineers dug a hole for themselves, starting with the defense giving up a touchdown to CCU on their 7-play opening drive that covered 68 yards and took more than four minutes off the clock.
Makai Jackson (15) hauls in a Joey Aguilar for a big gain at Coastal Carolina, Nov. 7. Photographic image by Jared Everett for High Country Sports
It looked like the App State offense would storm right back and make amends for the lackluster defensive performance when quarterback Joey Aguilar opened with 12- and 15-yard keepers, then handed the ball off to running back Ahmani Marshall for three consecutive runs that gashed the Chanticleer defense for another 12 yards. On first down from the Coastal 36, a Mountaineer TD looked all but inevitable when Aguilar hit Makai Jackson crossing to the left side, gathering the ball in at the 14-yard line and advancing it 10 more yards before being brought down at the Chanticleer 4-yard line.
But this is where the Mountaineers’ night of post-Halloween turnover horrors began. Under pressure from an untouched linebacker, Clev Lubin, a redshirt sophomore transfer from Iowa Western Community College, Aguilar was technically sacked for a 21-yard loss and lost control of the football for a fumble before being able to get a pass off, the ball fluttering to the teal-hued turf. It was nearly a “scoop and scoot” by Coastal’s defensive lineman Naejaun Barber, but the redshirt junior transfer from South Carolina State could not keep his balance and sprawled to the ground.
Turnovers proved App State’s albatross on Nov. 7 at Coastal, including this moment when an Aguilar pass arrived a little behind Makai Jackson (15), was tipped, and recovered by a CCU defensive back. Photographic image by Jared Everett for High Country Sports
However pretty the fumble recovery wasn’t for the Chanticleers, it returned possession to the home team’s Ethan Vasko-led offense — and the redshirt sophomore from Chesapeake, Va. by way of the University of Kansas didn’t waste much time in capitalizing with a 6-play, 68-yard TD drive that consumed another 3:28 of time off the clock.
Suddenly, App State was down, 14-0, and the visitors’ fate seemed all but sealed when Aguilar & Co. could only move the ball 32 yards in four plays before coughing up a first interception. The ball was thrown slightly behind Jackson, bounced off his awkwardly outstretched hands and into the arms of Courtney Eubanks, CCU’s graduate student defensive back who transferred from FCS powerhouse North Dakota State after his junior year.
The Mountaineer defense was able to hold Vasko’s offense to a field goal, but the visitors were looking at a 17-0 deficit just three plays into the second quarter.
‘Yike’s, the posse is after me!’ App State QB Joey Aguilar could have been thinking on this long keeper in the first quarter, Nov. 7. Despite Aguilar’s efforts, Coastal ended up winning, 38-24. Photographic image by Jared Everett for High Country Sports
App State made the scoring deficit manageable going into halftime, 17-10, thanks to 38-yard field goal and a 10-play, 77-yard TD drive, while the defense produced a couple of three-and-outs, but things hardly improved in the second half.
The Mountaineers got the football to start the third quarter, but could do nothing with it, punting the ball back to Coastal Carolina after just three plays.
Redshirt junior Cash McVay (43), from Anaheim, Calif., with kickoff duties on Nov. 7 @ Coastal Carolina. Photographic image by Jared Everett for High Country Sports
The Chanticleers seemed to take command with a couple of TDs that served as bookends for App State’s second pass interception, another Aguilar pass that got tipped in the air on tight coverage by defensive back Matthew McDoom, pulled in by A J Williams and returned to the App State 1-yard line. An initial QB keeper by Vasko was ruled to have been stopped short of the goal line, but the 6-3, 220 lb. quarterback did his best imitation of the “tush push” to slide into the end zone on the next play.
With the Chanticleers up 31-10 and the game clock soon to turn the page into the fourth quarter, App State’s hopes for their fifth win of the season were dimming.
The Mountaineers did manage a 12-play, 75 yard drive early in the final stanza, but it also took almost five minutes off the game clock. The two Sun Belt Conference rivals traded touchdowns in the finals minutes, App State moving the ball 75 yards in four plays, highlighted by a 25-yard TD reception by Kaedin Robinson, but with only 1:40 left on the clock and down by 14 points. Vasko ran one play, then went into victory formation to run out the clock and seal the win for Coastal Carolina.
App State’s Ahmani Marshall ran for 124 yards and 2 TDs, but three Mountaineer turnovers could not be overcome at Coastal Carolina. Photographic image by Jared Everett for High Country Sports
With App State moving to 4-5 overall and 2-4 in Sun Belt play, and Coastal Carolina at 5-4 overall and 2-3 in conference, it appears that 2024 will be the first year one or the other of them will not be in the Sun Belt title game since the conference split into its East and West divisions, in 2018. The Mountaineers represented the East Division in 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022 and 2023, Coastal Carolina in 2020.
POSTGAME NOTES, compliments of App State Strategic Communications
Coastal Carolina snapped App State’s two game-win streak. At 4-5 overall, the Mountaineers will need to win their final two games to earn bowl eligibility and avoid their first losing season since 2013 (their last year in the FCS).
App State lost the turnover battle (3-0) for the seventh time in the last eight games.
App State holds an all-time series lead of 7-4 against Coastal Carolina, but the Chanticleers have won four of the last five meetings, including three straight in Conway.
Elijah Mc-Cantos started at nickelback to earn a starting nod for the first time as a Mountaineer.
OFFENSE
Ahmani Marshall rushed a career-high 28 times for a season-high 124 yards and two touchdowns, while adding a team-high six catches for 36 yards. It was his third straight 100-yard rushing effort and the fourth of his career. His 2-yard touchdown with 3:07 left in the second quarter cut the Mountaineers’ deficit to one score at 17-10. His 2-yard score at the beginning of the fourth quarter turned a three-score deficit back to a two-score deficit at 31-17.
Joey Aguilar passed for 226 yards and a touchdown, with two interceptions, while running for 30 net yards (95 gained, 65 lost).
Kaedin Robinson, who led the Mountaineers in receiving yards (76) for the ninth time in nine games, caught his second touchdown of the season on a 25-yard pass from Aguilar for the game’s final score.
Robinson has caught a pass in 34 consecutive games, which ranks top 15 among all FBS players. He entered the game ranked 10th nationally and first in the Sun Belt in receiving yards per game.
Makai Jackson had a big first half with two catches for 71 yards.
DEFENSE
App State’s defense held Coastal Carolina to just 353 total yards and 150 passing yards, but multiple turnovers by the Mountaineer offense gave the Chanticleers a short field.
Brendan Harrington had a season-high 10 tackles and 1.5 TFLs for his second consecutive season-best game.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Jackson Moore got App State on the board with a 38-yard field goal to make it 17-3 with 10:23 left in the second quarter. He is now 4-of-6 on field goals since taking over for injured starter and team captain Michael Hughes.
Selected game stats made possible and distribute by Coastal Carolina University and StatBroadcast.
By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — At least one home game awaits Watauga men’s soccer in the NCHSAA 4A West playoffs, it was revealed with the brackets released on Nov. 7. The Pioneers will host Palisades (Charlotte), with kickoff slated for 2 p.m. in Jack Groce Stadium.
As the No. 4 seed, the Pioneers have a dangerous first round pairing vs. the No. 29-seed Pumas, which completed the regular season 12-8 overall, 6-6 and No. 4 in the highly competitive South Meck 4A Conference.
In addition to Palisades, other South Meck 4A members in the 4A West bracket include No. 2-seeded Myers Park (16-0-2 overall, 11-0-1 in conference), No. 12 seed Ardrey Kell (16-2-5, 9-1-2), and No. 21 South Mecklenburg (14-6-4, 7-4-1).
As the No. 2 seed, Myers Park is in the lower half of the bracket and will face off against No. 31 West Cabarrus in Round 1. By luck of the draw and seedings, Ardrey Kell and South Mecklenburg will play each other in Round 1 with the winner potentially facing the winner of Watauga vs. Palisades in Round 3, depending on who advances.
West Foryth (20-1-2 overall, 12-1-1 in Central Piedmont 4A Conference) was awarded the No. 1 seed in the 4A West bracket, and will face Watauga’s latest vanquished foe, South Caldwell, which made the playoffs as the No. 32 seed. Of interest: West Forsyth and Watauga played early in the season, on Aug. 19, and battled to a 3-3 tie.
All three Northwestern Conference 4A schools made the 4A West bracket, with South Caldwell at No. 32 and Alexander Central at No. 26.
Full Round 1 pairings for the 4A West bracket:
No. 32 South Caldwell @ No. 1 West Forsyth
No. 17 Charlotte Catholic @ No. 16 East Forsyth
No. 25 R J Reynolds @ No. 8 Asheville
No. 24 Hough @ No. 9 Hopewell
No. 28 Glenn @ No. 5 Northwest Guilford
No. 21 South Mecklenburg @ No. 12 Ardrey Kell
No. 20 Mount Tabor @ No. 13 Ragsdale
No. 29 Palisades @ No. 4 Watauga
No. 30 A.L. Brown @ No. 3 Lake Norman
No. 19 Porter Ridge @ No. 14 Grimsley
No. 27 Parkland @ No. 6 Marvin Ridge
No. 22 Providence @ No. 11 Cox Mill
No. 26 Alexander Central @ No. 7 Garinger
No. 23 Mooresville @ No. 10 Reagan
No. 18 Weddington @ No. 15 Hickory Ridge
No. 31 West Cabarrus @ No. 2 Myers Park
OTHER PAIRINGS OF INTEREST
3A West – No. 4 Hibriten vs. No. 29 Jesse C. Carson
3A West – No. 3 South Point vs. No. 30 Ashe County
3A West – No. 11 Hickory vs. No. 22 West Henderson
3A West – No. 2 A. C. Reynolds vs. No. 31 Ben L. Smith
2A West – No. 4 West Caldwell vs. No. 29 West Wilkes
By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — An electric Holmes Center atmosphere greeted tiny St. Andrews University’s men’s basketball team on Nov. 6, as the NAIA-level (small school) Knights prepared to take on an NCAA Division I opponent in Appalachian State. With an undergraduate enrollment of just over 700 students competing against a school in App State with 21,000-plus students enrolled, the outcome was pretty much as expected for the 2024-25 early season: the Mountaineers rolled over the Knights, 108-54. It was David vs. Goliath, with Goliath winning.
Fifteen Mountaineers saw valuable court time on the night and all 15 put at least one point on the board. The Mountaineers were led by freshman Michael Marcus, Jr., coming off the bench to record the game’s only double-double, 18 points and 10 rebounds in 24 minutes of play.
Ben Ezeagu was decisive in scoring these points for App State vs. St. Andrews on Nov. 6. Photographic image by David Rogers for High Country Sports
App State led from the start, a 3-pointer from the left side by guard Jamil Muttilib in the first 14 seconds setting the tone. Grad student returnee C J Huntley scored the next seven points before a pair of free throws by junior guard Alonzo Dodd expanded the lead to 12-0 before the visiting Knights could find the bucket.
The Mountaineers’ scoring barrage continued, leading 35-12 at the halfway point of the first half when center Luke Wilson slammed home a thundering dunk. By halftime, with the Mountaineers filtering in second and third tier replacements, the Knights heard the halftime buzzer sound with App State holding a commanding, 55-27 lead.
An enthusiastic student section in the Holmes Center kept the energy high for the Mountaineers matchup vs. St. Andrews. Photographic image by David Rogers for High Country Sports
Crisp passing, old fashioned hustle, and a punishing defense were the Mountaineers’ calling cards on this night, with a pointed effort to work the ball inside the paint and take advantage of their height advantage. While the Knights never quit working, it mattered little who was on the floor representing App State. More than half (68 points) of App State’s end-of-game total came from the bench.
App State will be hoping the winning lessons from their game vs. St. Andrews rub off as they prepare for their next opponent, Wisconsin, on Sunday, Nov. 10, with a 12 noon tipoff.
SELECTED TEAM STATS
Field goal %: APP 57, SA 29
3-point FG%: APP 40, SA 16
Free Throws: APP 20-of-31 (65%), SA 10-of-15 (67%)
By Katherine Jamtgaard. NEW ORLEANS — The App State men’s and women’s cross country teams collected a host of postseason awards after sweeping the Sun Belt men’s and women’s team titles at the SBC Championships on Nov. 1.
Men’s distance coach Brad Herbster was named Sun Belt Men’s Cross Country Coach of the Year for a second consecutive year and women’s distance coach Annie Richards was named Sun Belt Women’s Cross Country Coach of the Year.
Henry Stark and Breanna Budzinski swept the SBC Freshman of the Year honors, and senior Lauren Johnston was named the SBC Women’s Newcomer of the Year. Additionally, 10 Mountaineers earned All-SBC honors.
“Thank you to the team for their tremendous work this fall and to the support from our director of track & field/cross country Damion McLean, our director of athletics Doug Gillin, and our alumni,” Herbster said.
Herbster led the App State men’s cross country team to its second consecutive Sun Belt Men’s Cross Country team title on Friday as the team recorded a score of 30, which was two points more than last year’s total of 28 (the lowest total at the Sun Belt Championships since 2013). Six Mountaineers finished in the top-10 to collect all-conference honors.
Junior Ethan Lipham finished fourth with an 8K time of 24:40.60 and redshirt junior Chase Burrell took fifth with a time of 24:47.20 to earn First Team All-SBC honors. Redshirt senior Calbert Guest (24:55.20, sixth), Stark (24:56.40, seventh), freshman Thomas Wlazlowski (24:56.90, eighth), and graduate student Ethan Turner (25:02.10, 10th) collected Second Team All-SBC honors. Burrell garnered the Sun Belt’s Elite Award for his performance and sportsmanship, while Stark’s performance earned him Freshman of the Year Honors.
Richards guided the women’s cross country team to its first Sun Belt team title since 2018 in her second year leading the program. The Mountaineers scored 45 points, which was 61 fewer points than the runner-up team score. Four Mountaineers finished in the top-15 to collect all-conference honors.
Senior Jasmine Donohue placed third overall and collected First-Team All-SBC honors with a personal best 5K time of 17:18.85. Fellow seniors Lauren Johnston and Emma Russum finished sixth (17:43.92) and seventh (17:46.34) to earn Second-Team All-SBC distinction. Johnston was also named SBC Women’s Cross Country Newcomer of the Year for her efforts on the course. Senior Lana Farris stopped the clock at 18:01.82 to finish 13th and earn Third-Team All-SBC honors. Budzinski was the first freshman to cross the finish line in the women’s 5K, clocking a time of 18:14.24 to place 16th overall.
“Congratulations to Jasmine, Lauren, Emma and Lana on their All-Conference finishes,” Richards said. “Breanna impressed with her strength and resilience throughout the fall culminating in her Freshman of the Year award. Lauren is making a name for herself in the Black and Gold and I’m proud she won Newcomer of the Year.”
The Mountaineers will compete in the NCAA Southeast Regional, which is slated for Nov. 15 in Rock Hill, S.C.
2024 Sun Belt Women’s Cross Country Coach of the Year: Annie Richards, App State
2024 Sun Belt Women’s Cross Country Newcomer of the Year: Lauren Johnston, App State
2024 Sun Belt Women’s Cross Country Elite Award Winner: Molly Jones, Coastal Carolina
2024 Sun Belt Women’s Cross Country Runner of the Year: Kylee Mastin, Marshall
2024 Sun Belt Women’s Cross Country Freshman of the Year: Breanna Budzinski, App State
2024 Women’s Cross Country First Team All-Conference
Jasmine Donohue, App State
Molly Jones, Coastal Carolina
Katherine Lawson, James Madison
Kylee Mastin, Marshall
Maria Kaylor, Southern Miss
2024 Women’s Cross Country Second Team All-Conference
Lauren Johnston, App State
Emma Russum, App State
Isabelle Russell, Louisiana
Hannah Wyler, Marshall
Charleen Elizondo, South Alabama
2024 Women’s Cross Country Third Team All-Conference
Lana Farris, App State
Maja Dzialoszewska, Arkansas State
Addison Laughlin, Coastal Carolina
Ella Segura, Louisiana
Abigail Parra, Texas State
2024 Sun Belt Men’s Cross Country Coach of the Year: Brad Herbster, App State 2024 Sun Belt Men’s Cross Country Newcomer of the Year: Sacha Perrier, South Alabama 2024 Sun Belt Men’s Cross Country Elite Award Winner: Chase Burrell, App State 2024 Sun Belt Men’s Cross Country Runner of the Year: Jacob Pyeatt, Arkansas State 2024 Sun Belt Men’s Cross Country Freshman of the Year: Henry Stark, App State
2024 Men’s Cross Country First Team All-Conference
Chase Burrell, App State
Ethan Lipham, App State
Nati Enright, Arkansas State
Jacob Pyeatt, Arkansas State
Sacha Perrier, South Alabama
2024 Men’s Cross Country Second Team All-Conference
Ethan Turner, App State
Calbert Guest, App State
Henry Stark, App State
Thomas Wlazlowski, App State
Evan Stevens, Arkansas State
2024 Men’s Cross Country Third Team All-Conference
Adam Groves, Coastal Carolina
Peyton Chiasson, Louisiana
Carson Barlow, South Alabama
Amos Pkemoi, South Alabama
Koket Jimata, Texas State
