By Katherine Jamtgaard. BOONE, N.C. — The App State women’s basketball team posted a 97-43 victory over Columbia College to open play in the Holmes Convocation Center on Nov. 6, marking Alaura Sharp’s first win as head coach for the Mountaineers.

All 14 Mountaineers scored against the Koalas, with four registering double-figures. Senior J’Mani Ingram netted 18 points. Fellow senior Mara Neira netted 16 points, accounting for four of the Mountaineers’ eight treys. Tallying a career-high 15 points on the night was senior Zada Porter, who sank 6-of-8 from the field and 3-of-5 from the line. Junior Seneya Martinez posted 11 points and grabbed a team-high seven rebounds. Fellow junior Elena Pericic pulled down six rebounds. Senior Asjah Inniss dished out a team-high five assists. Martinez, Neira, senior Emily Carver, and freshman Hekla Nökkvadóttir combined for eight of App State’s 13 steals, each contributing a pair.

All 14 Mountaineers scored against the Koalas

The Mountaineers controlled the lead for the duration of the game and tallied 32 points off turnovers compared to Columbia’s six. App State also saw 49 points off the bench and 58 points in the paint. The Black and Gold recorded 17 fastbreak points to Columbia’s two. The Black and Gold held Columbia College under 10 points in three of four quarters. The Mountaineers also caused 25 Koala turnovers.

The Mountaineers set to work in the first quarter, holding the Koalas to a mere six points. App State started things off with a 4-0 lead after an early free throw from Zoë McCrary and a 3-point bucket from Carver. Neira contributed eight points, draining a pair of treys in addition to sinking a layup. Ingram went 3-for-3 from the field for six points in the quarter. The Mountaineers netted 15 unanswered points by the close of the quarter.

Columbia only scored nine points in the third and fourth quarters, combined.

Porter opened the second quarter with a layup, which she promptly followed with a jumper to extend App State’s score to 28-9. Inniss made a layup and completed the three-point play with a free throw to keep the Mountaineers ahead 33-14. The Mountaineers went on a 10-0 scoring run over 2:22 to extend the lead to 40-14. App State closed out the quarter, 50-25, after a pair of free throws from Martinez, a trey from Neira, and a layup from Porter, assisted by Inniss.

The Mountaineers held the Koalas to nine points in both the third and the fourth quarters. Neira opened the third quarter with a 3-point bucket, extending App State’s lead to 53-25. Over the course of the period, the Mountaineers went on a 15-point run, which included layups from Neira, McCrary, Carver, Porter, as well a free throw from senior Georgia Gray, and was capped with a trey from junior Emily Hege. The Mountaineers capped the third quarter, 78-34 after a pair of freebies from Ingram.

In the fourth quarter, Ingram recorded eight of the Mountaineers 19 points, draining 4-of-5 from the field. Hege and Martinez managed to break away from layups in the paint to bring the Mountaineers to a 93-41 lead. Senior Samantha LaFon made the Mountaineers’ final layup as App State sealed the win, 97-43.

Up Next

The Mountaineers will head to Greensboro, N.C. to take on UNC Greensboro on Nov. 16. Tipoff is set for 3:30 p.m. and the game will be available to stream on ESPN+.

By Zach Smith. WEST JEFFERSON, N.C. — Braving the elements on election night, Watauga football traveled to West Jefferson, N.C. for a conference clash with Ashe County. The Pioneers won their 11th straight over the Huskies, 33-6.

BONUS PHOTOS & STATS at bottom

Watauga scored all but one of their touchdowns in the first half, going a perfect 4-4 on drives across the opening 24 minutes. Senior quarterback Maddox Greene was key for the Pioneer offense, accounting for two touchdowns of 40 or more yards on the ground, and another through the air, passing. 

COMING THROUGH! — Matthew Leon Sequence

The Pioneer defense did their job as well, forcing five turnovers on downs while intercepting one of Ashe County quarterback Bryce Peters’ passes. That defense was led by senior linebackers Trathan Gragg and Luke Edmisten, who accounted for 30 total tackles. Gragg was credited with one of two sacks by the team, coming on an Ashe County fourth down conversion attempt in the first quarter.

Watauga head coach Ryan Habich shared his thoughts on the team’s victory, postgame.

“I think we had the talent advantage against Ashe County,” Habich said. “They did a really good job of keeping the ball away from our offense in the first half, doing some onside kicks and some things that we would do if we were at a disadvantage athletically against superior teams.”

Junior Evan Burroughs was key for the Pioneers in this High Country rivalry game. Burroughs accounted for 125 total yards from scrimmage, including a 46-yard pass reception for from Greene for Watauga’s lone score through the air. 

“He’s a very dynamic player,” Habich said later, speaking of Burroughs. “As a junior, he does a really good job for us. He plays that slot receiver position on our offense, which is a mixture between a running back and a slot receiver… Very athletic, very good target for Maddox [Greene].”

The weather in West Jefferson was rainy and in the mid-50s, which some call “football weather.” Habich talked about how the elements affected his game plan.

“Maybe it was more conservative,” Habich said. “More run the ball inside the tackles, maybe a little bit less triple option, a little bit less shotgun, less throwing the football. It’s how the game flows, too. We knew that we had to score in the first half. We were able to run the ball inside. The second half [Ashe County] kind of brought more people inside.”

The Pioneers held Ashe County’s potent, “Air Raid” offense to just 138 total yards, picking up 411 of their own. Maddox Greene accounted for a game-high 151 yards on the ground while averaging nearly 17 yards per rushing attempt.

Watauga returns to action Nov. 8 when they complete a stretch of eight days with three games due to the Hurricane Helene-induced, condensed schedule. Their regular season finale at South Caldwell is slated to kick off at 7:30p.m., in Hudson.

SCORING SUMMARY

• WAT (Q1)- Maddox Greene rush for 41 yards, TD; Jack Wilson PAT is good: 7-0 (6 plays, 58 yards, 2:58)
• ASHE (Q2) – Bryce Peters rush for 1 yard, TD; 2-pt. conversion failed: 7-6
• WAT (Q2) – Maddox Greene rush for 45 yards, TD; Jack Wilson PAT is good: 14-6 (6 plays, 67 yards, 1:52)
• WAT (Q2) – Evan Burroughs pass from Maddox Greene, 46 yards, TD; Jack Wilson PAT is good: 21-6 (1 play, 46 yards, 0:12)
• WAT (Q2) -Matthew Leon rush for 13 yards, TD; 2-point conversion failed: 27-6
• WAT (Q4) – Evan Burroughs rush for 53 yards, TD; Jack Wilson PAT failed: 33-6

SELECTED TEAM STATS

• Total Yards, Offense: WAT 411, ASHE 138
• Yards Rushing: WAT 37-358, 4 TDs; ASHE 18-36, 1 TD
• Yards Passing: WAT 3-of-9, 53 yards, 1 INT, 1 TD; ASHE 23-of-43, 118 yards, 1 INT, 1 TD
• Time of Possession: WAT 19:45, ASHE 21:44
• Penalties: WAT 5-55, ASHE 0-0
• Turnovers
  • Fumbles-Lost: WAT 0-0, ASHE 1-1
  • Interceptions: WAT 1. ASHE 1
  • On Downs: WAT 1, ASHE 6
• 3rd Down Efficiency: WAT 1-4 (25%), ASHE 5-15 (33%)
• 4th Down Efficiency: WAT 2-3 (67%), ASHE 2-8 (25%)

SELECTED INDIVIDUAL STATS

Passing

• • ASHE – Bryce Peters: 23-43-118, 1 sack, 1 INT
  • WAT – Maddox Greene: 3-7-53, 1 INT, 1 TD

Rushing

• • WAT – Maddox Greene: 9 carries, 151 yards, 2 TDs
  • WAT – Everett Gryder: 14 carries, 70 yards
  • WAT – Evan Burroughs: 4 carries, 69 yards, 1 TD
  • WAT – Matthew Leon: 6 carries, 34 yards, 1 TD
  • ASHE – Luke Osborne: 10 carries, 24 yards
  • WAT – Nyle Peays: 1 carry, 12 yards
  • WAT – Cade Keller: 2 carries, 11 yards
  • WAT – Thomas Dieters: 1 carry, 11 yards
  • ASHE – Bryce Peters: 2 carries, 6 yards, 1 TD

Receiving

• • ASHE – Ian Graybeal: 10 catches, 58 yards
  • WAT – Evan Burroughs: 2 catches, 56 yards, 1 TD
  • ASHE – Preston Edgell: 3 catches, 20 yards

 BONUS PHOTOS

By David Rogers. HUDSON, N.C. — For the first time since Watauga men’s soccer head coach Josh Honeycutt was a player in the 1998-99 academic year, the Pioneers are the undefeated 3A/4A Northwestern Conference regular season champions, finishing league play with a dominant, 7-0 win over 4A rival South Caldwell on Nov. 5.

With the unblemished (10-0) record in conference play and 18-3-2 overall, the Pioneers now await their seeding by the NCHSAA in the upcoming playoffs for the 4A West bracket. Being the top finisher in conference along with eight more wins in a challenging non-conference schedule (early in the season) should earn the Pioneers a top five seeding and a first round home game. The playoffs are set to start on Saturday.

Against South Caldwell on the Spartan’s home turf, Watauga arguably defied the odds. Conditions were wet, it having rained most of the day leading up to kickoff. While the well-manicured football stadium field has a good crown that allows for excellent drainage, the day’s runoff was evident by the large pools of water around the sloping edges, making for moat-like conditions.

Just as the night before, Watauga dominated possession in the early going, but South Caldwell’s defense held firm for most of the first half, including a handful of brilliant saves by junior goalkeeper Armando Gomez. Even if the Spartans rarely threatened in the Pioneers’ defensive third, South Caldwell’s defense kept the home crowd hoping for an upset, at least for the first 31 minutes.

With 9:35 remaining in the first half, the defensive dam broke. Awarded a penalty kick, Watauga midfielder slammed home a driving shot to the right that left Gomez paralyzed and muttering to himself, “They always go to the right.”

Moments later, junior striker Asher Hampton sent the first of two goals on the night searing the back of the net, helping the Pioneers to a 2-0 halftime lead — a lead similar to what Watauga had the night before in Jack Groce Stadium.

But unlike the night before, the Pioneers did not grow complacent. They kept the proverbial “pedal to the metal,” scoring five more goals before their night’s work was done.

First was a goal by Quincy Honeycutt, just nine minutes into the second half, with Ganley credited with an assist. From there, it seemed Watauga was a regular customer at the back of the South Caldwell net.

In the 52nd minute, senior Curtis Sevensky pushed through for the first of his two scores. Five minutes later, Gavin Lapinski got on the scoresheet with a goal, followed by Sevensky’s second goal in the 72nd minute. Hampton finished off the night’s scoring with five minutes remaining in the game, an assist credited to junior midfielder Shiris Kandel.

“I could not be prouder of this team,” Josh Honeycutt said afterwards. “They played a complete game. They played exactly the way we needed to play to get the win. Even in bad weather with sloppy conditions, that is exactly what we did. To finish the regular season undefeated in conference play is unbelievable. To the best of my knowledge, that hasn’t been done by the Pioneers since 1998-99 when I was a player. So that is a super awesome accomplishment. I am proud of these guys and how they battled not just in this game but throughout the season.”

By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — In what was almost an ugly Senior Night story for Watauga men’s soccer against Northwestern Conference 4A rival South Caldwell, the Pioneers recovered from second half complacency to defeat the Spartans, 4-2.

The home side took a 2-0 halftime lead into intermission at Jack Groce Stadium, thanks to dominating first half possession and goals by Curtis Sevensky and Asher Hampton. In between, and even after those tallies, Watauga was on attack but failed to capitalize on their opportunities.  The closest they came in the first half was a brilliant header by Alex Aguilar on a nifty crossing pass from Quincy Honeycutt — but the shot clanged off the crossbar to no avail.

While Watauga head coach Josh Honeycutt felt afterwards that his charges were somewhat “lazy,” lacking intensity the entire first half, there is no disputing the Pioneers held sway during the opening period in dominating possession, enabling the 2-0 lead at halftime.

But “lazy” morphed into complacency by the Pioneers almost from the beginning of the second half and South Caldwell seemed to flip the switch when it came to possession — and scoring a pair of goals to knot the score at 2-2. Well into the final 10 minutes, that’s where things stood until Gavin Lapinski rocked the ball past the South Caldwell goalkeeper from about 15 yards out and, for good measure, Luke Hamilton did the same a couple of minutes later.

“To me, we were complacent the entire game,” said Honeycutt, “right from the start. We still had a 2-0 lead at halftime but got complacent and the next thing you know we were in a 2-2 game, having to battle back to actually get the win. There is a lot to learn from tonight, but it is a win. That is what I told our players at the end: a win is a win and we’ll take it — but (our play) has got to be better if we are going to go down there tomorrow night for the last regular season game and expect to remain undefeated in conference play.”

Some of Watauga having an “off” night might be explained by having to make some roster adjustments and players in unfamiliar roles on the field due to a couple of key players being unavailable. Most notably, that included Ben Myers, who saw limited minutes on the left side after starting and Evan Mawhinney, who usually replaces Myers on the left without the Pioneers missing a beat. While Mawhinney didn’t play at all due to a bruised knee, held out as a precaution, Myers “tweaked something” early and exited as a precautionary measure.

Quincy Honeycutt took on the challenge of playing from the left side instead of his usual spot on the right, which he normally shares with Aguilar. Hampton, David Ganley, Lapinski, Thomas Moss, Bennett Munson and Hamilton all took on more responsibilities in attack.

Whether what the head coach described as lazy or just uncertainty from being in different roles, Watauga had moments of outstanding one- and two-touch passing that has become a Pioneer hallmark, as well as in outmaneuvering Spartan opponents.

“Myers and Mawhinney give us a lot of speed and a lot of depth, missing them could explain some of the team’s (underperformance),” said Coach Honeycutt. “When you are used to playing on one side or the other, it is definitely an adjustment but we have to make it.”

To complete the regular season schedule, Watauga hopes to finish the 2024 Northwestern Conference competition undefeated when they travel to Hudson to face South Caldwell in their Nov. 5 finale. Then the Pioneers will await knowing their fate for the playoffs, for which Round 1 begins on Saturday, Nov. 9, time and opponent to be determined.

If Watauga wins on Nov. 5 in the regular season finale, the Pioneers will take a 16-3-2 record into the playoffs. As the top 4A team in the Northwestern Conference, High Country Sports predicts the Pioneers will receive a No. 3 or No. 4 seeding in the NCHSAA 4A West bracket, but MaxPreps currently has Watauga ranked No. 13 in a 4A West headed by Winston-Salem area powerhouse West Forsyth (20-1-2), Charlotte-based Myers Park (16-0-2), and Lake Norman (19-2-1).

Other highly ranked teams likely to get Round 1 home games include Reagan (17-4-2), Northwest Guilford (19-2), Garinger (18-4-1), Ardrey Kell (15-2-5), Cox Mill (16-4-2), Charlotte Catholic (16-4), Marvin Ridge (13-4-2), Asheville (15-2-1), and Grimsley (17-4-1).

BONUS PHOTOS

By Jacob Plecker. BOONE, N.C. — For the first time since Feb. 18, 2023, the App State Mountaineers dropped a home men’s basketball contest, falling 77-63 to the Miami (Ohio) RedHawks in the first leg of the MAC-SBC Challenge. It’s also the first time since 2013 the Mountaineers lost their home opener.

Despite the result, eight different Mountaineers found the basket with Myles Tate leading all scorers, dropping in 21 points. In his first collegiate contest, Michael Marcus Jr. tallied nine points on a perfect 3-3 from the field, while Jackson Threadgill also scored nine points in his first game with the Mountaineers.

Turnovers played a large part in the App State (0-1) loss, coughing up the ball 19 times, which led to 10 RedHawk (1-0) points. That is in sharp contrast to a season ago when App State turned the ball over 15 times or more in only four contests.

Tight first half

App State started fast to open the season, running out to an early four-point lead by the first media timeout. Tate played a large role in the hot start, nailing two 3-pointers, while Threadgill and Huntley each buried free throws.

Luke Wilson made his presence felt early in the contest and helped the Mountaineer crowd out of their seats with a thunderous slam at the 14:50 mark, capping off a solo 4-0 run for the redshirt freshman. The lead grew to as large as seven after Tate picked off a pass that led to a fast break layup.

After Peter Suder hit a floater to bring the RedHawks within five, Tate’s tenth point of the contest shot the lead back up to seven by the 13-minute mark of the first half. Miami and Suder answered right back with a layup, plus a foul, to trim its deficit to four by the under-12 timeout.

With the lead now at four, CJ Huntley’s aggressiveness paid off with two free throws to push the App State lead back to six with 10 minutes to play in the half, but the RedHawks and the explosiveness of their backcourt tied the game at 22 with just over seven minutes remaining before intermission.

The lead changed hands four times over the final seven minutes of the half, with both teams jockeying for position to open the season. Dior Conners, playing in his first NCAA Division I game, scored his first basket with a three-pointer to push App State ahead. Miami took a three-point lead, its largest lead of the first half, just before the final media timeout.

A top-of-the-key three by Huntley propelled the Mountaineers ahead with 50 seconds to play in the period, but a late three by Kam Craft gave the RedHawks a one-point lead at halftime.

Tate’s 11 points led all scorers in the first 20 minutes as he shot 4-6 from the field to go along with three rebounds and three assists. Huntley started the game hot from the field as well, tallying nine. Both teams shot less than 40 percent from the field in the opening frame, but Miami’s 42 percent clip from three was the difference in a tightly contested first half.

Second half, faltering

A third 3-pointer in four attempts from Tate gave the Mountaineers the lead back 30 seconds into the second half, but Miami got hot, hitting five of its next seven shots to take a six-point lead by the under-16 timeout.

The Redhawks pushed their lead to eight by the 14:10 mark, but two straight threes by Anthony Alston and Marcus Jr. shrunk the deficit back to two with just under 13 minutes to play. Alston’s three was his first collegiate points.

Miami answered the quick threes from App State by scoring the game’s next six points to reclaim an eight-point advantage. The lead grew to nine by the under-eight timeout as Jackson Kotecki made a layup.

Threadgill’s fifth point of the game closed the Mountaineer deficit back to seven by the 7:35 mark, but the RedHawks continued to shoot it well to grow their lead. Three straight threes from Suder and Craft ballooned the RedHawk lead to 12 with five minutes to play.

The fourth three-pointer from Tate and a free throw by Marcus Jr. trimmed the score back to seven with four minutes to play, but it was Miami that stayed hot to close the game as it scored 10 of the final 14 points to claim a 14-point win in Boone.

Top Performers

Playing all but two minutes of the game, Tate’s 21 points led all scorers and marked his fourth career 20-point performance. He was also efficient, nailing eight of his 15 attempts and four of his seven threes. In just 14 minutes of play, Marcus, Jr. tallied nine points in his first collegiate game on 3-of-3 shooting from beyond the arc. Threadgill played well in his first game at App State, scoring nine points while also blocking two shots, which led the team.

Up Next

App State will take the floor again on Wednesday night, facing off with the St. Andrews Knights at the Holmes Convocation Center. Wednesday’s game will be a part of a doubleheader with the Mountaineer women. The women will tip off at five with the men’s game to follow approximately 30 minutes after. Both games can be streamed on ESPN+.

By Katherine Jamtgaard. OXFORD, Ohio — The App State women’s basketball team fell short to Miami University, 75-48, in its season opener and first installment of the 2024-25 MAC-SBC Challenge, Nov. 4.

Junior Seneya Martinez led the Mountaineers with 15 points off the bench. Martinez combined with senior Mara Neira for six of App State’s seven treys, draining three apiece. Neira also got into double-figures on the night with 11 points. Fellow senior Zada Porter pulled down a team-high eight rebounds and dished out a team-high three assists. The Mountaineers saw 22 points off the bench.

Miami established an early lead over the course of the first quarter. The Mountaineers cut the deficit to 34-22 in the second quarter and outscored the RedHawks 18-11. Neira and Inniss combined for 14 of App State’s 18 points in the period with Neira knocking down three of four from beyond the arc and Inniss draining a 3-point bucket as well as making a fastbreak layup. Junior Elena Pericic contributed a trio of points, draining three from the line.

Miami (Ohio) continued to extend its lead in the third and fourth quarters. The Mountaineers’ Martinez nonetheless found some momentum in the second half, scoring all 15 of her points over the third and fourth quarters. Porter also contributed six points in the second half. In the fourth quarter, App State outscored the RedHawks, 17-12, and went on a 9-0 scoring run. Despite the Mountaineers’ late surge, Miami walked away with the victory.

Up Next

The Mountaineers will return to Boone for their home opener against Columbia College (S.C.) on Nov. 6. Tipoff is set for 5 p.m. and will be available to stream on ESPN+. Wednesday’s game is part of a doubleheader with the men’s team, who will play St. Andrews at 7:30 p.m.

By Zach Smith. BOONE, N.C. — Shooting woes and turnover troubles plagued App State men’s basketball Nov. 4 in their season opener. The Mountaineers fell to Miami (Ohio) in the first leg of the MAC-Sun Belt challenge, 77-63.

Senior guard Myles Tate was a key contributor for App State, posting team-highs with 21 points and five assists. Junior guard Jamil Muttilib grabbed seven rebounds, leading the Mountaineers despite playing just 17 minutes.

App State took an early lead in the first half, jumping in front by as many as seven points with just over 13 minutes on the clock. Miami (Ohio) clawed their way back over the next six minutes before drawing even. Following a Myles Tate free throw that put the Mountaineers back on top, the RedHawks took the first lead of the night courtesy of an Evan Ipsaro layup. Miami (Ohio) led by one at halftime.

The second half started as well as it could have for App State. Tate drained a go-ahead three-pointer 30 seconds into the frame and, following a made jumper by RedHawks forward Antwone Woolfolk to tie the game, redshirt freshman Luke Wilson threw an emphatic dunk to give the Mountaineers the lead for the final time. Miami (Ohio) went on three separate runs of at least five consecutive points to put App State away.

The RedHawks won the shooting battle, posting a 46% clip compared to App State’s 40%. The Mountaineers’ struggles were highlighted by a 28% three-point mark. Miami (Ohio) outrebounded App State, 35-34, while the home side turned the ball over 19 times compared to their MAC opponents’ 14.

App State head coach Dustin Kerns shared his thoughts postgame.

“We’ve got some things to improve on in a lot of areas, but appreciate the fans and the students coming out,” Kerns said. “We’ll be better, it won’t define our season. A lot of ball left, but certainly not our best game. Miami (Ohio) had a lot to do with that, and they deserved to win.”

Myles Tate stepped into a new role after primarily coming off the bench last season. Kerns spoke on his performance with a team-high 21 points.

“We want Myles to be aggressive,” Kerns said. “I feel like Myles is going to be the reason that other people play well.”

App State returns to action Nov. 6 when they host St. Andrews in a doubleheader with the women’s team. The men’s game is slated to tipoff at 7:30p.m. and will be streamed on ESPN+.

By David Rogers. NEW YORK, N.Y. — By all accounts, ZAP Endurance professional running team member Ryan Ford had one of history’s best marathon debuts, finishing his first race over the 26.2 miles’ distance through the five boroughs (Staten Island, Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx and Manhattan) at No. 11, in 2:11:08.

Ford’s time around the grueling NYC course was roughly seven minutes faster than the time of 2:18 needed to run in last February’s U.S. Olympic Trials, in Orlando, where Connor Mantz ran just two minutes faster to win the Olympic Trials event. Not bad for a “rookie.”

“That was a terrific race,” said Sam Grotewold of Ford’s performance, in a text to ZAP endurance head coach Pete Rea. “One of the best marathon debuts ever by an American.”

As the race coordinator of the professional and elite athletes program for New York Road Runners (the NY Marathon’s organizer), Grotewold knows a thing or two about the professionals who choose to run one of the world’s most iconic marathon races.

“Ryan ran a really good race,” said Rea, “and pretty much according to our plan going into it. That plan was to run fairly conservatively the first half of the race and then see how many people he could pass in the last half. Well, he did just that. In fact, he ran the second half of the race 22 seconds faster than he ran the first half, which is quite an accomplishment because the second half is harder, with more ups and downs and turns. At the halfway point running with the wave of elite professional marathoners, Ryan was No. 24.  Going into the last 100 yards, he had moved up to No. 12, but sprinted past a very experienced Colin Bennie to beat him by eight seconds and grab the No. 11 spot and the No. 4 American prize money.”

ZAP Endurance’s lone female representative in the race this year was Tristin (Van Ord) Colley, who finished a respectable No. 13 in the women’s division.

“Tristin faced a pretty deep field of athletes in the women’s division this year,” said Rea, “so No. 13 overall and the No. 5 American runner is pretty good. She has faced some adversity this year, so today’s really good performance reinvigorated her career probably for the next few years.”

The Blowing Rock-based ZAP Endurance team’s third athlete in the New York Marathon this year battled through pain to finish No. 24.

“For Josh, it was nothing short of a courageous race,” said Rea. “He came into the week in tremendous shape and poised for a breakthrough performance, so what he had to endure to even finish the race is remarkable, even if the overall result was not what he was aiming for.”

Sheila Chepkirui, or Kenya and running for adidas, was the top women’s performer at 2:2449. Tristin Colley’s 2:30:02 was just over two minutes outside of the top 10, overall, for the women’s race.

Abdi Nageeye of The Netherlands won the men’s race on behalf of NIKE, running the course in 2:07:39. Ford was just 11 seconds out of a top 10 finish.

SALEM, Va./CHARLESTON, S.C. — App State Wrestling opened its 2024-25 schedule over the weekend with 27 wrestlers in action across two tournaments, highlighted by Luke Uliano’s individual title at the Southeast Open in Virginia on Saturday, Nov. 2.

Tomas Brooker’s runner-up finish at the Battle at The Citadel in South Carolina led the Mountaineers on Sunday, Nov. 3.

SOUTHEAST OPEN

Uliano captured the title at 174 pounds on Saturday in Salem, going 4-0 in his bracket and claiming a 7-1 decision against Morgan State’s Darrien Roberts in the final.

Uliano won a tournament title for the second time, pairing this one with his 2023 title at the Appalachian Open.

In a semifinal match with four reversals, a conceded escape to Uliano to open the third period was the difference in a 5-4 win against North Carolina’s Isaiah Estrada. He won his first two matches in the Open Division by major decision.

The other top results from App State’s six entries in Salem, Va., were runner-up finishes from Carson Floyd (197 pounds, Open Division) and true freshman Stephan Monchery (heavyweight, Freshman/Sophomore Division). Chad Bellis dropped his first match but took fifth at 133 pounds with a 5-1 record, while Jeremiah Price was fifth at 157 pounds with a 5-2 record.

Floyd overcame a 9-3 deficit entering the third period against West Virginia’s Rune Lawrence in the semifinal round, forcing overtime on takedowns with 50 seconds left and seven seconds left, then advanced via a medical forfeit. Virginia Tech’s Sonny Sasso won the final by fall.

Monchery won his first collegiate match by fall and advanced to the final of his bracket with a 5-1 decision.

Bellis’ last two wins came against 2024 SoCon semifinalists Blake Boarman of Chattanooga (17-7 major decision) and Dyson Dunham of VMI (5-2 decision).

BATTLE AT THE CITADEL

Brooker went 2-0 with a head-to-head win against teammate Dalton Battle in a 184-pound semifinal before falling 4-2 in the final against The Citadel’s Billy Janzer, who was an NCAA qualifier for Rutgers in 2020 and 2021. Janzer recorded a tiebreaking takedown with 33 seconds left.

The Mountaineers got third-place finishes from true freshman Jarvis Little (4-1 at 133 pounds), Aldo Hernandez (3-1 at 141 pounds) and Logan Eller (3-1 at 184 pounds), while Anthony Conetta placed fourth at 157 pounds with a 3-2 record.

The 2024-25 season is presented by Hungry Howie’s and Penn Station.

By Lance McNary. HARRISONBURG, Va. – The App State field hockey team defeated James Madison by a score of 4-3 on Nov. 3. With Sunday’s win, the Mountaineers are back-to-back MAC Regular Season Co-Champions and earn a first-round bye in the MAC Tournament.

The Mountaineers (11-7, 7-1 MAC) came into today’s matchup after previously defeating Queens, and App State’s win against James Madison (13-5, 7-1 MAC) is the third consecutive win against the Dukes.

Lise Boekaar, Kassie Paul and Florine Koopman all found the back of the cage against the Dukes, with Paul tallying two on the day.

The Mountaineers played both sides of the ball extremely well, holding a James Madison team that is first in the MAC in goals to seven shots for the game. The Mountaineers earned 10 corners in the contest, a sharp comparison to the two from James Madison.

How it Happened

1st Quarter: The Mountaineers opened the game putting pressure on the Dukes, tallying five shots and earning four corners in the period. Boekaar put the Mountaineers on the board first six minutes into the game, giving App State a 1-0 lead going into the second.

2nd Quarter: It was more of the same for the Mountaineers, tallying three shots and earning a corner. Both teams were held scoreless in the period, as both teams battled for possession before heading into the halftime break.

3rd Quarter: It was an offensive clinic for both teams, with four goals scored in the period. Paul scored her first goal of the game early in the quarter, but James Madison answered back with 2 goals of their own. Paul ended the quarter with her second goal of the game, giving the lead back to the Mountaineers. App State earned three corners and three shots, as they dominated a lot of the possession. App State held a 3-2 lead going into the final period of the game.

4th Quarter: The final period was a thrilling one, as Koopman scored her fifth goal of the season early in the period. James Madison answered back on a penalty corner, trimming the lead back to one with five minutes left in the contest. The Mountaineers held firm in the final minutes of the contest, even being down one on a Frederique Grimbergen yellow card. App State prevailed in the end, defeating the Dukes 4-3.

Winning Goalie – Claire Grenis (13-5): 1 save, 3 goals allowed
Losing Goalie – Katie Fricke (3-1): 3 saves, 4 goals allowed

Up Next

The Mountaineers will travel to Oxford, Ohio to play in the MAC Tournament on Thursday. The Mountaineers will have a first-round bye in the tournament and will play the winner of Game 2 of the tournament.