By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — It was a 3-sweep for the App State men’s cross country team on Aug. 30 in the Covered Bridge Open, contested against seven other regional college programs. Junior Ethan Lipham topped the field in the 6k run, crossing the finish line in 18:14.72.
The Mountaineer harriers also captured five of the next 12 finishes in the 96-man field competing on the Don Kennedy Trails, including No. 2 (Calbert Guest, 18:19.59), No. 3 (Chase Burrell, 18:35.58), No. 5 (Aaron Kidd, 18:45.50), No. 8 (Rowan Gwin, 18:53.30) and No. 13 (Thomas Wlazlowski, 19:04.09)
App State clinched the team title with 19 points.
“We had positive results for the guys today,” said men’s distance coach Brad Herbster. “Trying out different race tactics and keeping the gap closed were all good things. Junior Ethan Lipham and redshirt senior Calbert Guest work together in the middle. Redshirt junior Chase Burrell being back is good and the freshmen (Aaron Kidd, Rowan Gwin, and Thomas Wlazlowski) all had good showings.”
TEAM SCORES:
App State (19)
Mercer (71)
Western Carolina (97)
App State – Unattached (105)
Montreat (109)
High Point (129)
USC-Upstate (191)
UNC-Asheville (229)
Winthrop (268)
UP NEXT
The Mountaineers will return to the Don Kennedy Trails at State Farm on Sept. 13 for the Firetower Project Run. The men’s 8K is slated for 6 p.m. with the women’s 6K to follow at 6:40 p.m.
By Matt Present. BOONE, N.C. — Freshman Ellie Garrison netted a pair of goals in the final 15 minutes of the opening half — the first two tallies of her collegiate career — to lead the Mountaineers past Longwood 2-0 Thursday at The Valley.
The victory extends the Mountaineers’ (2-0-2) home unbeaten streak to 13 consecutive games.
After waiting out a two hour and 10-minute weather delay that went into effect less than four minutes into the match, Garrison put on a show for the fans who valiantly waited for the game to resume.
Defender Skylar Walk looks to start a counterattack vs. Longwood in App State’s 2-0 win on Aug. 29. Photo by Taylor Newton, courtesy of App State Athletics
Her first goal came in the 30th minute of play. Off a corner kick from Shannon Studer, the ball deflected around in the box and landed on the right foot of Garrison who slotted it home into the top left corner of the net.
Then, less than five minutes before halftime, the Trinity, N.C. native was at it again. Garrison collected the ball near midfield, sprinted down the pitch and ripped a right footed shot just inside the near post to give the Mountaineers a 2-0 lead, which they would not relinquish.
For the third time in four games, redshirt freshman Sarah Wommack posted a shutout in goal. Wommack recorded four saves on the night.
App State’s Kyli Switalski (11) fights for possession of the ball against Longwood’s Emma Jones (28) on Aug. 29. Photo by Taylor Newton, courtesy of App State Athletics
Despite coming up empty on the score sheet, Izzi Wood put the pressure on the Longwood (0-3-1) defense throughout the match. Wood finished with seven shots and four on target, including a near-goal in the opening half that was foiled by a lunging Lancer defender after the goalkeeper came out to make the initial save on Walker Bristow’s shot attempt.
App State out-shot Longwood 14-7 for the match, including 7-4 in shots on target.
App State will put its unbeaten record to the test on Sunday, as the Mountaineers visit the 13th-ranked Auburn Tigers. First touch is set for 2 p.m. ET and the match will be broadcast on SECN+.
By Katherine Jamtgaard. BOONE, N.C. — The App State men’s and women’s cross country teams are set to open the 2024 season on Friday with the Covered Bridge Open at the Don Kennedy Trails at State Farm. Competition will start at 10 a.m. with the women’s 5K. The men’s 6K will follow at 10:40 a.m.
Joining the Mountaineers in the field of competition will be High Point, Mercer, Montreat, South Carolina, UNC Asheville, USC Upstate and Western Carolina.
Last Season
The App State men’s squad clinched its first Sun Belt title since 2019 last fall, totaling 28 points and recording four of the top six finishes, outpacing Arkansas State by 19 points. In his first season as the men’s distance coach, Brad Herbster was voted SBC Coach of the Year by his peers. On the women’s side, the Mountaineers finished fifth in the team standings with 125 points.
At the NCAA Southeast Regional, the men’s team recorded its best team finish since 2014, rounding out the top-10 with 332 points. The women’s squad was represented by Jasmine Donohue, who finished 92nd out of 243 runners.
Roster Review
Nine Mountaineers return on the men’s squad, including redshirt seniors Calbert Guest and Dwayne Lillie, who garnered First-Team All-SBC honors last fall. Joining Guest and Lillie for his senior season is Second-Team All-SBC selection Garrett Bivens. Ten newcomers will join the Mountaineers on the men’s side.
Twelve Mountaineers return on the women’s squad, including Donohue, who returns for her senior season after earning Second-Team All-SBC honors last year. Joining Donohue will be senior Karsyn Kane and sophomore Rhys Ammon, who finished among the top-25 at the conference meet. Eight newcomers join the women’s ranks this fall.
2024 Preseason Polls
In this season’s Sun Belt Preseason Coaches Poll, the men’s team was favored to defend its 2023 title with 80 points and eight first-place votes. The women’s team rose to fourth in the conference preseason poll with 127 points. In the USTFCCCA Preseason Rankings, the men’s squad was ranked 12th in the NCAA Southeast Region.
Up Next
The Mountaineers will host their second of three home meets, the Firetower Project Run, on Sept. 13 at the Don Kennedy Trails at State Farm in Boone. The men’s 8K is scheduled for 6 p.m. with the women’s 6K to follow at 6:40 p.m.
Now No. 1, here are Anderson Castle photos wearing No. 7 and No. 44:
Watauga High School alum Anderson Castle has his number ‘7’ back. On March 25, he looked good slicing through the defensive line in scrimmages for big gains in traffic. Photographic image by David RogersWatauga High School alum Anderson Castle (44) fends off a would-be tackler during a 19-yard TD run in the second half, Oct. 29, 2022, for App State vs. Robert Morris University in Kidd Brewer Stadium. Photo by Gregg Forwerck, courtesy of App State Sports
By David Rogers. CONNELLY SPRINGS, N.C. — Growling Wolverines owned the day on Aug. 28, when the visiting Watauga District Middle School football team defeated East Burke, 24-6. There was good play in all three phases: offense, defense and special teams.
PHOTOS: Click on any image for Slide Show mode.
All photographic images by Jared Everett for High Country Sports
Hardin Park 8th grader Gaines Hunt pick em up and lays em down vs. East Burke on Aug. 28, in the Watauga Wolverines 24-6 win. Photographic image by Jared Everett for High Country Sports
BOONE, N.C. – App State director of track & field/cross country Damion McLean has been chosen as the Sun Belt Conference Representative for the USTFCCCA Coaches Committee and will serve through December 2025.
McLean is entering his seventh season at the helm of the program and earned a contract extension that will run through the 2027-28 season. McLean oversaw the hiring of men’s distance coach Brad Herbster and women’s distance coach Annie Richards last fall. Herbster later guided the men’s team to its first Sun Belt title since 2019 and was named 2023 Sun Belt Coach of the Year.
Over the cross country, indoor track, and outdoor track season, the Mountaineers broke eight program records, collected 24 All-SBC honors, and four Mountaineers totaled eight SBC Athlete of the Week accolades, including two three-time selections. McLean also coached the 2024 Sun Belt Women’s Outdoor Track & Field Newcomer of the Year, Ashlee Osaji. App State sent seven Mountaineers to the NCAA East Preliminary Round, which is the most individual qualifiers the program has sent to the first round of the NCAA Outdoor Championships in program history.
The Mountaineers will open the 2024 cross country season on Friday with the Covered Bridge Open at the Don Kennedy Trails at State Farm. The Women’s 5K is slated for a 10 a.m. start with the men’s 6K to follow at 10:40 a.m.
By David Rogers. BLOWING ROCK, N.C. — It doesn’t happen often, but it does happen. And it happened at the Aug. 26 special meeting of the Blowing Rock Town Council.
By 4-1 vote, local resident Greg Bergstrom was removed as a sitting member of the Blowing Rock Planning Board because of a letter to the editor he penned in the Aug. 21 issue of High Country Press.
Mayor Charlie Sellers explains his concerns about how the Town and Town Council were depicted in Greg Bergstrom’s Aug. 21 letter appearing in High Country Press-Blowing Rock. Photographic image by David Rogers for Blowing Rock News
In the letter, which he wrote in response to another resident’s previously published letter, Bergstrom questioned the Town Council’s and town staff’s transparency and honesty. The issue in question: a proposal to raise the height of a utility pole used for communications among fire, police and public works employees from 57 feet to 80-feet, on the town-owned property near the water storage tank in the middle of Green Hill Circle.
Mayor Charlie Sellers acknowledged at the outset that he called for the special meeting because of concerns that the Town Council and town staff were not depicted fairly or accurately by Bergstrom and that his remarks were especially egregious since he sits on the Planning Board.
Sellers said he didn’t want to deprive Bergstrom of his First Amendment rights to free speech but especially since he was an appointed member of the Planning Board his depiction of the town council, staff and the process were neither accurate nor appropriate.
Commissioner David Harwood expressed concerns about Greg Bergstrom’s depiction of the town and town council in his Aug. 21 letter to the editor of High Country Press, but felt censure was sufficient, not removal. Photographic image by David Rogers for Blowing Rock News
Commissioner Cat Perry stated that an appointed member of an advisory body such as the Planning Board should be held to a higher standard and similarly expressed a concern that the Town and the actions of the Town Council were inaccurately depicted and untruthful.
Before entertaining any kind of motion or vote, Sellers allowed Bergstrom to address the council members. He stated that he did not sign his letter as a member of the Planning Board and was exercising his personal right to express an opinion. Then he essentially doubled down on his criticism of the Council in not being transparent in the Green Hill Circle issue.
Commissioner Pete Gherini on Aug. 26, speaking at the special meeting of Town Council in which Greg Bergstrom was removed from the Planning Board by 4-1 vote. Photographic image by David Rogers for Blowing Rock News.
Bergstrom’s Aug. 21 letter followed the Aug. 15 meeting of the Planning Board in which he was argumentative with Town Manager Shane Fox and didn’t seem to grasp the idea that a conditional zoning request allowed for more public input than a special use permit application, which is a quasi-judicial process limiting the permissible dialogue between and among board members, as well as their communication with other relevant constituent interests, including town staff and local residents. That is not the case with a conditional zoning permit, which is a legislative process without those restrictions.
In the same meeting, Bergstrom implied that the Town was being applicant, judge, jury and executioner regarding the utility pole issue, apparently failing to understand that the final say in the matter was not up to the Town Manager or any member of staff, but decided upon by the Board of Commissioners, whose members are elected representatives of Bergstrom’s peers, the town residents, and who are not employed by the Town.
Commissioner David Harwood stated that while he didn’t like or agree with Bergstrom’s depiction of events or town council decisions, he felt that censuring Bergstrom was sufficient and he moved to that effect. Since the motion to censure did not get a second, it died.
With Commissioner Melissa Pickett listening intently, Commissioner Doug Matheson moved to remove Greg Bergstrom from the Blowing Rock Planning Board, for cause. Photographic image by David Rogers for Blowing Rock News
Commissioner Doug Matheson followed with his own motion, to remove Bergstrom from the Planning Board, because he felt that Bergstrom’s actions at least reflected a conflict of interest, one of the four reasons for potential dismissal outlined in Town Code (16-3.1.1) and the Planning Board By-Laws (Article III, Section 4). Commissioner Pete Gherini seconded the motion and it passed, 4-1, with Harwood being the lone dissenting vote.
There was no subsequent discussion as to whether the vacated seat on the Planning Board will be filled.
By Matt Present. BOONE, N.C. — App State Soccer extended its home unbeaten streak to 12 consecutive games, and remains unbeaten on the season following a 1-1 draw against Charlotte, Sunday evening at The Valley.
The Mountaineers (1-0-2) opened the scoring in the 33rd minute. Ellie Garrison played the ball out wide to the right wing, and after one dribble, Stephanie Barbosa fired a pass to the center of the box, where Shannon Studer was waiting, and put it away with a right-footed finish. Studer has now scored in back-to-back games, also scoring the first App State goal in a 5-0 win over Wofford on Thursday.
Charlotte (0-3-1) evened the score in the 57th minute. Payton Patrick drilled a shot on goal that was saved by Sarah Wommack but the rebound bounced right to Macey Bader who was there for the finish. Wommack finished with a career-high six saves in the contest.
It was a high-tempo game from start-to-finish and even more so in the second half. Both teams finished with double-digit shots and combined to place 11 shots on target in a game that featured just two goals. The teams also combined for 18 fouls and four yellow cards.
Studer, Mumu Guisasola and Skyler Walk played all 90 minutes, while freshman Lauren Smith made her Mountaineer debut.
Prior to the match the Mountaineers hosted a Senior Day ceremony, where the team honored fourth year players Barbosa, Gracie Giacoletto, Walk and Sarah Widderich, as well as fifth-year players Guisasola and Izzi Wood.
App State will be back in action on Thursday when the team welcomes Longwood to Boone for a 6 p.m. matchup. The Lancers are 0-2-1, following a 2-2 draw with Western Carolina on Aug. 25. It will mark the first meeting between App State and Longwood since 2012. The match slated to be broadcast on ESPN+.
By David Rogers. BUFFALO, N.C. — Touchdown passes to three different receivers helped visiting Carolina roll up 414 yards of total offense on Aug. 24, propelling the Panthers to a 31-26 win over the Buffalo Bills in the 2024 season’s third and final preseason game.
In his first game action of the preseason, second year quarterback Bryce Young directed a 12 play, 85-yard TD-scoring drive that took almost seven minutes off the game clock in the opening drive of the contest. Carolina’s first team starters didn’t play much in this game but made the best of it. Young completed 6 of 8 passes for 70 yards and was sacked once in what turned out to be the Panthers’ only offensive possession of the first quarter. Young hit Jordan Matthews for an 8-yard scoring pass open the game, before backup QB Jack Plummer took over for the rest of the way. Plummer completed 21 of 29 passes for 278 yards and two TDs. He was sacked once for an 8-yard loss.
Jalen Coker hauls in a 36-yard TD pass from Jack Plummer on Aug. 24, for the Carolina Panthers final preseason game vs. the Buffalo Bills. Photo courtesy of the Carolina Panthers
Being on the receiving end of a 36-yard TD pass from Plummer in the fourth quarter allowed Jalen Coker to finish among the pass reception leaders among the 16 Panthers receivers catching at least one pass. Wide receiver Terrace Marshall, Jr. caught a 15 yard TD pass from Plummer midway through the third quarter, finishing with 3 catches for 39 yards. Tight end Jesper Horstad was the big play workhorse on this day, hauling in a pair of passes for a game-high 63 yards.
In evaluating Young after the game, Panthers head coach Dave Canales was understandably excited about what he saw.
“It was great, right?,” The Panthers’ first year head coach asked, rhetorically. “Couldn’t have dreamt it better. A nice long drive, 12 plays to get the guys some good work, get them tired in the drive. A fourth down conversion in there, but saw [Bryce Young] extend plays with his legs, keeping his eyes down the field, finding guys. You can see the carry-over from practice to the game of people creating space, the play after the play. Those are the things that are so critical for us. He handled the run game with great expertise and got us to the right runs in those situations. So, I felt great about it.”
Jack Plummer looked sharp in completing 21 of 29 passes for 278 yards against Buffalo in the Panthers’ final preseason game, Aug. 24. Photo courtesy of the Carolina Panthers
The decision to play Plummer the rest of the way after Young’s opening series also meant that the primary reserve, veteran Andy Dalton, also had to sit.
“He (Dalton) felt ready. It was really me. I just saw putting Andy [Dalton] in a competitive situation after we’ve gotten him completely healthy (as counterproductive). He had a great week of practice, and I thought, ‘If I put him in a competitive situation, he’s going to go win.’ He’s going to take off. I just really thought this is a great opportunity to give Jack Plummer another chance to be evaluated. He took full advantage of that, which was awesome,” said Canales.
Of local interest, former Appalachian State star running back Darrynton Evans recorded the Bills’ first TD of the day, coming out of the backfield to catch a pass QB Ben DiNucci on the left side, near the line of scrimmage. He shook off a would-be tackler along the sidelines, then sprinted into the end zone to complete the 18 yard TD-scoring play. Evans is competing with several other running backs to potentially make the 53-man active roster. All 32 NFL teams will be active during the next three days to make the necessary cuts, to get their respective rosters down to 53 by 4 p.m, Eastern time, on Tuesday, Aug. 27.
The Panthers open the regular season on Sept. 8 in New Orleans (1 p.m. kickoff), then face the Los Angeles Chargers in Bank of America Stadium for the Week 2 matchup on Sept. 15 (also 1 p.m. kickoff).
One of the Carolina Panthers’ prized draft picks, tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders makes contact after a catch and run against Buffalo in the final preseason game, Aug. 24. Photo courtesy of the Carolina Panthers
By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. and ASHEBORO, N.C. — A young Watauga volleyball team that started out losing 3 of its first four non-conference matches in the 2024 season evened their season record at 3-3 with consecutive wins against tough opponents.
vs. St. Stephens
The Pioneers have long had a challenging, friendly rivalry relationship with St. Stephens through the years, dating back to when both teams competed in the 3A/4A Northwestern Conference.
An undefeated, 3-0 Indians team came into Lentz Eggers Gym to face a 1-3 Pioneer team on Aug. 21, but a solid offensive performance combined with gutsy defense allowed Watauga to sweep the Indians, 3-0 (25-20, 25-23, 25-21).
Key Players
WAT – Grace Tillery: 17 kills, 5 total blocks, 4 digs
WAT – Kora Knight: 12 kills, 8 total blocks
WAT – Ashlyn Smith: 8 kills, 7 serve receives
WAT – Carolina Childers: 18 digs, 3 assists, 24 serve receives, 2 service aces
WAT – Lainey Gragg: 26 assists, 6 digs
WAT – Quinn Haines: 17 assists, 7 digs, 1 service ace
SST – Ady Mchenry: 32 serve receives, 1 service ace
SST – Delayna Spencer: 15 digs
vs. Southwestern Randolph
A year ago, Southwestern Randolph finished the season as the No. 3 ranked 2A team in the state, with an overall record of 25-5 and 12-0 in the 1A/2A Piedmont Athletic Conference, but lost five seniors to graduation coming into the current campaign. Under head coach Darby Kennedy, though, the SW Randolph program has thrived and become one of the 2A levels most dominant programs since she took the helm in 2013, without a losing record either in conference play or overall for any season.
In hosting Watauga on Aug. 22, it was two young teams going against each other, both wanting to prove something. And the scores reflected the combativeness, with Watauga surviving as a tenacious, five-set winner, 3-2 (25-16, 14-25, 25-20, 17-25, 15-11).
Although SW Randolph had a size advantage with two players over six feet in height (junior middle blockers Bailey Blackmon, 6-0, and Kinlin Hulin, 6-2), and others approaching that height in sophomore outside hitter Carolina Cagle (5-10) and senior middle blocker Jade Matias (5-10), Watauga’s overall athleticism, quickness and skill won the day in the back-and-forth, 5-set thriller.
Key Players
WAT – Grace Tillery: 14 kills, 8 service aces, 2 total blocks
WAT – Ashlyn Smith: 10 kills, 11 digs, 23 serve receives, 1 service ace
WAT – Gracyn Phelps: 8 kills,3 service aces, 2 total blocks
WAT – Kora Knight: 6 kills, 4 total blocks
WAT – Quinn Haines: 15 assists, 2 service aces
WAT – Caroline Childers: 25 serve receives, 18 digs, 1 service ace
WAT – Hadleigh Windish: 4 total blocks, 2 kills
WAT – Lainey Gragg: 20 assists, 14 digs
WAT – Kaitlyn Darner: 14 digs, 8 serve receives
WAT – Katie Matheson: 12 digs, 12 serve receives, 1 service ace
