By David Rogers. EL PASO, Texas — Not even a minor leg injury that kept him off the field in the second half of the Dec. 31 Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl could dampen Anderson Castle’s enthusiasm for Duke’s 42-39 win over Arizona State.

It was a devilish good time, with the Blue Devils facing the Sun Devils. A three-yard run into the end zone late in the first half for a touchdown was just icing on the proverbial cake for Castle, who played his last collegiate football game against Arizona State in the historic, 92nd Sun Bowl.

Castle is a compelling Watauga County story. A four-year starter at quarterback for head coach Ryan Habich’s Watauga High School Pioneers, he enrolled at App State as a defensive back, with a four-year, “full ride” scholarship. It wasn’t long before the Mountaineers moved him to outside linebacker.

Then, on one fateful day during practice, then Mountaineer head coach Shawn Clark was assessing a running back room that had been thinned out by injuries. As he passed the water cooler, the story goes, he saw Castle and asked “You played option QB at Watauga, right? You are now a running back at App State.”

Castle embraced the challenge of converting to running back and showed flashes of talent for the position, talent that Pioneer football fans already knew about. He battled minor injuries that limited his appearances the first couple of season. After hitting the weight room and beefing up, he showed a lot of power in his second year at the position, especially in short-yardage situations but never seemed to be effectively utilized while playing for the Mountaineers.

So with a coaching change for the 2025 season, his final year of eligibility, Castle entered the transfer portal and, having earned his undergraduate degree at App State, chose to pursue an MBA at Duke — and play football for the Blue Devils, too.

“I can hardly put into words how thankful I am for my decision to transfer to Duke for this final year of eligibility,” Castle recalled in a post-game one-on-one in El Paso with High Country Sports. “God had a plan for me and I am thankful to be here. The people at Duke have been amazing. I transferred here not really knowing what it was going to be like, how everything was going to go. I just trusted God’s plan. The people around me helped out so much. I made so many good friends and those friendships will last a lifetime. I am just thankful for this journey. It has been awesome.”

The year of both gridiron and personal success did not come without work, both in the weight room and on the practice field.

“On the football team, I carved out a role in short-yardage situations. I worked hard in the spring and in fall camp. I have to give a shoutout to Coach (Chris) Foster (assistant coach/running backs). It has worked out well and I am very happy to have done this,” said Castle about his year with the Blue Devils.

“There have been so many special moments,” he added. “I don’t think I can pinpoint just one. There were a lot of fun games and definitely our winning the ACC championship this year was special. The three TDs against North Carolina and NC State, those were definitely memorable games. Clemson… I didn’t have a lot of stats against Clemson but that sticks out as one of the most fun games I will look back on.”

The former Pioneer QB was especially appreciative of the opportunity to play in the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl.

“This bowl game is historic,” said Castle. “I heard it is the second oldest bowl game. It was an honor to be able to play in it. The Sun Bowl organizing committee treated us so well this whole week. It was a great bowl experience. Ultimately, the goal was for us to get a win and that is what we did.

“I couldn’t go the second half today,” he explained. “My leg was pretty banged up and I felt it was better if someone else was in.”

While Castle may not be wrangling any more TDs in college, he is bringing home some of El Paso’s cowboy culture.

“I couldn’t pass up the deal Lucchese, a Sun Bowl sponsor, gave us on boots. I have bought cowboy boots before, but not this kind of quality,” said Castle of the handcrafting bootmaker, which has collaborations with the Dallas Cowboys, the University of Texas Longhorns, the University of Texas A&M Aggies, and country-western star Chris Stapleton, as well as the Sun Bowl and others.

Castle finished his last year of eligibility with the Blue Devils tied for No. 30 in the nation for rushing touchdowns, with 12 in 14 games this season. He was one of Duke’s go-to guys in short yardage situations, including as No. 9 in the ACC for scoring TDs, all rushing and responsible for 72 of the Blue Devils’ points, according to the ACC website.

App State’s Shawn Clark, the late and former head coach, once described Castle to High Country Sports as potentially “the next John Riggins,” the former Washington Redskins power running back. Others have suggested he reminds them of Larry Csonka, the former Miami Dolphins’ fullback. Both men emerged as Hall of Fame running backs, Csonka in the 1970s and Riggins in the 1980s and 1990s.

Whether Castle chooses to pursue a football career at the next level is a question yet to be answered. In addition to his power, we learned from covering him as an option quarterback at Watauga that he also has exceptional flat-out speed (which he flashed at Duke) as well as a quick lateral step, all good attributes for NFL running backs.

Will he get that opportunity? Or does God have other plans for his coming MBA degree from Duke University?

Editor’s Note: This story has been corrected to reflect Castle’s receiving a full, four-year scholarship, not a preferred walk-on opportunity as originally reported.

By David Rogers. BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — It may have been one of the loudest, most audio-effective bowl games of the college football season given the JLab sponsorship of the Birmingham Bowl, but an arguably short-handed App State was unable to make enough noise of their own as Sun Belt Conference rival Georgia Southern celebrated with a 29-10 win in Protective Stadium on Dec. 29.

The Eagles’ O.J. Arnold led a quintet of ball carriers rolling up 252 yards rushing, the 5-9, 195 lb. senior running back accounting for 152 of those yards.

Meanwhile, Georgia Southern’s junior quarterback J.C. French IV spread the ball around to six different receivers in completing 72 percent of his passes (18-of-25) for 171 yards, including one TD vs. one pass interception.

The real story in this game and, arguably, the real difference was in the number of turnovers yielded by the Mountaineers. With the three most veteran QBs on the roster opting out of the bowl game (AJ Swann, JJ Kohl and Billy Wiles), App State head coach Dowell Loggains and his offensive staff were forced to put the ball in the hands of true freshman Noah Gillon and redshirt freshman Matthew Wilson. While that posed a defensive challenge for the Eagles in preparing for the young QBs for which there was little in the way of tape, Georgia Southern came away with four pass interceptions, two each by Gillon and Wilson. Three of them came with the Mountaineers driving, inside or near the proverbial “red zone,” and all of them came inside the GSU 40-yard line.

Turnovers aside, there were noteworthy performances that stood out among the Mountaineers:

• Senior wide receiver Dalton Stroman had among the best games of his App State career, with three catches for 96 yards — and all three grabs were highlight-reel worthy.
• QB Matthew Wilson turned in quite a story. Initially recruited as a QB, his tenure in the crowded QB room this year didn’t materialize as expected, so he spent this season converting to defensive back, a position where he also starred at Rock Hill High School (SC). With the three veterans opting out of the bowl game, Loggains brought him back to the offensive side and he ended up producing some remarkable numbers for his first meaningful Mountaineer appearance at the QB position: completing 12 of 22 passes for 128 yards and recording a team-high rushing with 12 carries for 110 yards and a TD.
• Senior defensive back Ethan Johnson intercepted a Georgia Southern pass late in the first half, giving the Mountaineers good field position just inside the Eagles’ territory. Early in the fourth quarter, Johnson tackled a GSU receiver for a loss.
•  Sophomore linebacker Colton Phares had a busy day, accounting for 12 total tackles (six solo), while sharing credit for a tackle for loss with teammate Kevin Abrams-Verwayne in the second quarter.

The Mountaineers’ appearance in the JLab Birmingham Bowl for its second meeting in 53 days with “deeper than hate” rival Georgia Southern was all but surprising. Finishing the regular season 5-7 and not technically bowl eligible, the App State players had already had their season exit meetings with head coach Loggains. With the fall academic semester drawing to a close, many were already scattering home for the holidays, some to faraway locales. But when the Birmingham Bowl had seven invitations rejected to face 6-6 Georgia Southern, App State may have been late-to-the-party, but was quick to say, “yes.”

With some notable exceptions, a majority of the Mountaineer roster returned to campus to prepare for the bowl game. Seniors were excited to extend their collegiate playing careers. All who returned looked forward to one more chance to compete, especially in a bowl game with its special atmosphere in an unfamiliar venue.

The 41,000-plus capacity Protective Stadium is the recently built home of the University of Alabama-Birmingham. Its modern facilities, especially with the JLab-sponsored audio and entertainment enhancements, made for a first class football stage for these two Sun Belt rivals.

By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — Even though the final score may have been lopsided, the Dec. 27 high school varsity basketball tilt between Watauga and Saluda (SC) may well prove to be one of the most entertaining of the year: fast-paced, high pressure defense, and plenty of offensive action with the Pioneers earning the 91-61 win in the first round of the 2025 Holiday Classic at Lentz Eggers Gym.

This  was a game featuring focal point players on both sides, offensively. Watauga’s Cade Keller poured in a game-high 45 points on the night, almost half of the Pioneers’ total, while Saluda’s C.J. Springs countered with a team-high 36 points — more than half of the Tigers’ offensive output.

There were two key difference-makers:[1] Keller had a more productive supporting cast and [2] the Pioneers’ pesky defensive play, particularly in the second half.

Watauga’s secondary offensive output came from Jackson Love’s 17 points, as well as key contributions from Bowen Mayo (7) and Bryce Scheffler (6).

The Pioneers’ defense produced a whopping 15 steals, including Brady Lindenmuth (4), Mayo (3) and two each by Wit Williamson and Evan Burroughs.

Defensively, the Pioneers were also active on the boards, with a team total of 50 rebounds, 33 of which were on the defensive end to deny the Tigers of second chance opportunities. Love pulled down a leading nine rebounds, with a trio of Pioneers cleaning the glass seven times each, including Williamson, Keller and Burroughs. Scheffler and Lindenmuth added 6 and 5 rebounds, respectively.

If there was a dark spot on Watauga’s team performance against Saluda, it was the number of turnovers (18), although that might be expected in such a fast-paced contest. Nonetheless, an overall pleased Pioneer head coach Bryson Payne said later, “We have to clean those up.”

Next up for Watauga is a second round matchup in the winner’s bracket, a Dec. 29 game vs. Apex Friendship, which ran past South Iredell, 88-53, in the first round. Both teams are undefeated in the young, 2025-26 season, AF at 12-0 and the Pioneers at 6-0. Tipoff in Lentz Eggers Gym is slated for 6:30 p.m.

KEY PERFORMERS

• WAT – Cade Keller: 45 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 deflections
• WAT – Jackson Love: 17 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal
• WAT – Bowen Mayo: 7 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 steals, 2 deflections
• WAT – Bryce Scheffler: 6 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal
• WAT – Wit Williamson: 5 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 2 deflections
• WAT – Jaden McInnis: 4 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, 1 steal
• WAT – Evan Burroughs: 3 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, 1 deflection
• WAT – Eli Bishop: 2 points, 2 rebounds
• WAT – Cole Lewis: 2 points, 2 rebounds
• WAT – Brady Lindenmuth: 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 4 steals, 1 deflection
• WAT – Mason Tate: 1 rebound, 1 steal, 2 blocks

BONUS PHOTOS

By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — A stifling defensive effort in the second half and dominant rebounding up and down the Watauga roster helped the Pioneers to a dominating, 79-57 win over West Caldwell on Dec. 22 in Lentz Eggers Gym.

Fresh off the football field where he was named the “Offensive MVP” in the NCCA East-West All-Star game the day before, senior point guard Cade Keller showed only a little basketball rust in recording a game-high 24 points against the Warriors, including knocking down five 3-pointers from beyond the arc.

Fellow senior gridiron stars Evan Burroughs and Bowen Mayo poured in 16 and 10 points, respectively, joining Keller in double figures.

As a team, the Pioneers pulled down a whopping 34 rebounds, mostly on the defensive end to take away second chance opportunities that might have been considered by the Warriors. Watauga were also not bashful about sharing the ball, dishing out 21 assists, including a game-high six by Keller.

A total of eleven different Pioneers got on the scoreboard. In addition to the three in double figures, sophomore big man Bryce Scheffler contributed eight points as well as four rebounds while getting significant court time with senior Brady Lindenmuth in foul trouble for a good part of the night.

The Series: Evan Burroughs’ defensive play produces points on the other end

With Lindenmuth, Scheffler and junior Colby Whiteside rotating as the Pioneer big inside jobbers, Watauga enjoyed a good presence in the paint, defending the basket.

The Pioneers started the game fairly even with the Warriors, finishing the first quarter tied at 16-16. Watauga pulled ahead marginally in the second period to take a 40-31 lead into intermission. Then opened things up in the third stanza (59-41).

After the game, Watauga head coach Bryson Payne noted that the defensive adjustments made as the game wore on were not just stoppers of any West Caldwell attack, but frequently turned into points by the Pioneers.

Mayo led the team in steals with three, but Keller and Burroughs were close behind with two each.

Now 5-0 overall on the young season and yet to play a Northwestern Conference game, the Pioneers next line up at home against Saluda on Dec. 27, then host the Holiday Classic on Dec. 29 and Dec. 30, with opponents yet to be announced. They will start the new year on the road at Davie County (Jan. 2), face A.C. Reynolds in Lentz Eggers Gym on Jan. 7, then open league play on Jan. 9, at Freedom.

KEY PERFORMERS

• WAT – Cade Keller: 24 points, 6 assists, 2 steals, 3 rebounds, 1 block
• WAT – Evan Burroughs: 16 points, 4 assists, 2 steals, 2 rebounds
• WAT – Bowen Mayo: 10 points, 3 steals, 1 assist, 2 rebounds
• WAT – Bryce Scheffler: 8 points, 4 rebounds
• WAT – Jackson Love: 6 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist
• WAT – Brady Lindenmuth: 4 points, 3 rebounds
• WAT – Colby Whiteside: 3 points, 3 rebounds
• WAT – Eli Bishop: 2 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal
• WAT – Kyle Williams: 2 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal
• WAT – Wit Williamson: 2 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds

BONUS PHOTOS (click on any image for larger view and Slide Show Mode)

All photographic images by David Rogers for High Country Sports

By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — The hardest thing about watching Watauga High School’s varsity women’s basketball team is trying to take your eyes off freshman mainstay, Josie Mayo. Whether on offense or defense, Mayo was seemingly everywhere on Dec. 22 in the Pioneers’ 67-32 win over a hard-working, but outmatched West Caldwell team in Lentz Eggers Gym.

Mayo led all scorers with 18 points on the night, but her quick hands on defense was a difference maker. You want to do a crossover dribble in front of her? Prepare to have the ball taken away. The freshman recorded 10 steals on this night, more than half of the team’s total of 17 poaches.

In reality, the entire Watauga roster saw action in this runaway victory and effectively demonstrated how deep head coach Bill Torgerson can go and still put a capable lineup on the court. The only concern is how young and relatively inexperienced so many of his best players are at the varsity level.

Starting guards Shelby Thompson and Izzy Torgerson are the only seniors on the 2025-26 roster and certainly demonstrated their key roles against the Warriors. Thompson tallied 17 points while Torgerson put up nine points. Torgerson may have jumpstarted the Pioneer rout with a trio of 3-pointers in the first quarter.

West Caldwell had few answers for the Pioneers. Junior guard Sierra Brown scored a team-high eight points, followed closely by junior guard Amazin Icenhour’s six points.

Watauga dominated inside, including 26 total rebounds (a whopping 15 on the offensive side to feed second chance points). Mayo recorded triple double on the night with 18 points, 10 steals and 10 rebounds.

The Pioneers also made 11 of 26 (42 percent) three-point attempts from the perimeter to complement their inside game. Thompson was especially effective from beyond the arc, making good on three of five attempts (60 percent). Mayo hit on two of three attempts from long range (67 percent).

What really sets this edition of the Pioneers apart is their support for one another. The loudest cheers from the Watauga bench came a-screechin’ in celebration when second line players were on the floor and scored or outrebounded an opponent. None were louder than when junior Susanna Goff — a member of Watauga’s 6A state champion cross country team — drove the baseline for a layup or calmly lofted a 3-pointer from beyond the arc, showing her versatility.

Now 5-6 overall and yet to play a Northwestern Conference game, the Pioneers next go on the road at Davie County (Jan. 2) and R.J. Reynolds (Jan. 6) before opening league play on the road, at Freedom (Jan. 9).

KEY PERFORMERS

• WAT – Josie Mayo: 18 points, 10 rebounds, 10 steals, 3 assists, 1 block, 7 deflections
• WAT – Shelby Thompson: 17 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 3 deflections
• WAT – Izzy Torgerson: 9 points, 3 assists, 1 steal, 2 deflections
• WAT – Charlie Mattox: 6 points, 3 assists, 2 steals, 1 rebound, 3 deflections
• WAT – Izzy Mohr: 5 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 4 deflections
• WAT – Susanna Goff: 5 points, 3 rebounds, 2 steals

BONUS PHOTOS (click on any image for larger view and Slide Show Mode)

By David Rogers. GREENSBORO, N.C. — An “Offensive MVP” effort by Watauga High School quarterback Cade Keller and a +7 takeways performance by the defense sealed the deal for the West All-Stars on Dec. 21, defeating the East All-Stars, 50-14,  in the 2025 North Carolina Coaches Association East-West All-Star Game at Jamieson Stadium.

After the East received the opening kickoff but could only move the ball 15 yards in eight plays, Keller led the West to an opening drive touchdown, highlighted by a 20-yard keeper by the Pioneer senior and capped by a 3-yard TD run by Mozes Morris (West Forsyth HS). The West’s opening drive covered 51 yards in 6 plays, in 2:15.

Keller finished the afternoon having completed 10 of 17 passes for 121 yards and two TDs, although he was also on the front end of a trick play that produced a 35-yard TD. On the play, Keller pitched to Ethan Driver (Davie County HS), who in turn threw to wide receiver Aaryn Tate (Northeast Guilford HS).

As is often the case with all-star games, this one was at times sloppy, especially in the hands of the East. The East quarterback was Geronimo Sanchez, a very athletic signal caller from Cape Fear HS, but he finished game having completed 14 of 27 passes and 1 TD — but offset by five interceptions by West defenders, including two “Pick 6” INTs in the first half.

The opportunistic West defense also forced five fumbles by the East, recovering three of them. Each team recorded 10 tackles for loss, but the West’s five INTs stood out, with one each by five different players. Calvin Ramseur (Shelby HS) was named defensive MVP for the game and poached the first “Pick 6” of the afternoon, midway through the first quarter. Kamdon Gillespie’s (Mooresville HS) 41-yard “Pick 6” opened the scoring in the second quarter. Other INTs were by Jeremiah Deese (Northeast Guilford HS), Bubba Sims (Williams HS) and Xavier Porter (West Charlotte).

Watauga’s Brady Lindenmuth, an offensive line selection for the West, said of the experience after the game, “It was such a blast to be able to play this game with all of these guys. It is a real honor.”

J.K. Adkins of Freedom High School served as the West head coach this year and was quick to deflect any praise to the players and his assistant coaches. He offered special praise for offensive coordinator Ryan Habich, Watauga’s head coach, saying, “Ryan Habich is one of the most brilliant offensive minds in high school football.”

BONUS PHOTOS

By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — Coaches, like teachers, impact student athletes, often in dramatic, even life-altering ways. Sometimes they learn just how special they were when, years later, those former student-athletes tell them.

That was the case on Dec. 13, when a committee of former Watauga High School wrestlers pulled off the “73-Year Watauga High School Wrestling Reunion” at the Moose Lodge, in Boone. The central theme of the event was to honor longtime coaches Lee Stroupe and Steve Breitenstein, but the objectives also included recognizing the long history of Watauga Wrestling, with multiple Pioneers through the years earning “state champion” or “conference champion” or “tournament champion” accolades.

It was really a two-day Reunion. The night before, while most of Watauga County’s attention was tuned into the Pioneer football team’s successful quest to win the NCHSAA 6A State Championship football game in Chapel Hill, vs. Middle Creek (Apex), more than 75 Watauga Wrestling alums and High Country fans watched the current Pioneers wrestling team defeat Forbush High School (East Bend, Yadkin County) in Lentz Eggers Gym, 41-40, in spite of forfeiting six weight classes (several Watauga wrestlers were still competing on the football team).

At least 50 of the alums and their spouses, families and friends were able to stay the second day for the dinner and festivities, including reflections on the team’s past achievements, individual performances, and the program’s plans for the future. Stroupe and Breitenstein shared memories of almost every single one of the wrestlers they mentored through the years.

Current head coach Terreyl Williams spoke of the program’s growth these last few years, including 33 wrestlers on the current team and 45 in the growing middle school program. They also shared a pressing need: a new wrestling room because they had outgrown their current practice facility.

The steering committee members included wrestling alums Eddie Miller, Chad Critcher, Tim Haas, Wes Young, Bobby Plemons, Derek Harwood, Lynn Harwood, Todd Rice and Bobby Clawson.

Miller has a primary responsibility for reaching out to alums and encouraging them to attend, with contributions from all of the committee members.

“No stone was left unturned,” said Rice, in describing the all-out efforts of the committee to get maximum participation.

The older brother of Tim Haas, Bryan Haas, served as emcee for the evening and not only directed the almost 30 tables as to their turn to serve themselves at the buffet, but entertained the crowd with Watauga Wrestling trivia questions.

A sampling (with answers):

• What year did WHS have five state qualifiers under coaches Stroupe and Breitenstein? (1983 and 1987 — 1983 qualifiers included Greg Edmisten, Tony Greene, Scott Kund, Bobby Clawson, and Tim Haas. 1987 qualifiers included Jonathan Trull, Derek Harwood, Ray Hemms, Dave McCune and Tim McManus)
• What was Appalachian High School’s notable achievement in wrestling? (For the duration of the program, 13 years, the AHS wrestling team never lost a match)
• What coach had a daughter win the WHS girl’s Hall of Fame Award? (both Lee Stroupe and Steve Breitenstein, daughters Kristin Stroupe and Amy Breitenstein)
• Which Watauga wrestler had the most total wins in a season? (Demetre Kostis, 56-1, in 2013-14)
• In what year did Watauga have seven wrestlers in the finals of the Northwestern Conference Tournament? (1981: Gregg Edmiston, Tommy Gabriel, Kevin Norris, David Phillips, Bobby Clawson, Kevin Cook and Ivan Roten)
• What two Watauga brothers won individual state titles in the same year? (Larry and Scott Stanbery)
• Who won Most Valuable Wrestler recognition at the Northwestern Conference Tournament? (Kevin Norris in 1980 and Kurt Duncan in 1986)
• Which wrestlers were presented with the Watauga High School Trailblazer Award? (Tim Haas, Steve Atwood, Stan Atwood, Tim Church, Shane Austin and Dave McCune)
• What family had the most brothers who wrestled under coaches Stroupe and Breitenstein?
  • Critcher: Anthony, Barry and Todd; parents Sammy and Gloria
  • Lyons: Jeff, Greg and Brent; parents Archie and Joanne
  • Norris: Kevin, Ryan and Eric; parents Dudley and Judy

One of the most poignant moments of the evening came, fittingly, toward the end. After Stroupe and Breitenstein were presented boxes with mementos, including singlets for competing, photos and other memorabilia, Eddie Miller presented each coach with a printed and bound booklet, nearly an inch thick, of statements and reflections from Watauga alums who had trained and competed under the two coaches. Those thoughts included how much the program and their coaching meant to them and what they are doing now, in some cases more than 50 years later.

BONUS PHOTOS

By David Rogers. CHAPEL HILL, N.C. —On 2025’s 12th day of the 12th month, surely there were 12 Watauga players wearing “No. 12” in the Pioneers’ 47-25 win over Middle Creek in the NCHSAA 6A State Championship Game played at UNC-Chapel Hill.

Evan Burroughs, the real (and only) No. 12 playing for Watauga, was seemingly everywhere in the 6A title game against the Mustangs: on offense, on defense and on special teams. Not to overlook quarterback Cade Keller’s top tier performance in completing 22 of 26 passes for 277 yards and two TDs, with no INTs, Burroughs may have set state championship game records for a performance by a single individual player:

• • 7 carries for 46 yards, including 3 TDs
  • 14 catches for 149 yards and 1 Td
  • On defense, two pass interceptions for 54 return yards, including one “Pick 6” TD

And most of that was in the first half as the Pioneers took a 33-10 lead into intermission. From there on out, much of Watauga’s strategy seemed intent on protecting the lead and using up the clock — at least until the Pioneers’ last offensive series when, on 1st-and-15 after an “illegal shift” penalty, Keller hurled a 51-yard, TD-scoring dagger to wide receiver Nyle Peays with just 43 seconds remaining.

While Burroughs deservedly received all kinds of post-game adulation, including “MVP” recognition, the Pioneers’ journey to and including the championship game was a team statement. Throughout the season, the Pioneer playmakers took turns being featured in the individual games on their journey to Chapel Hill for the state championship — undefeated. Keller, Burroughs, Peays, Matthew Leon, Everett Gryder and Bowen Mayo alternated in being the key figures on any given Friday night.

Fittingly, on Dec. 12, it was No. 12’s turn once again to shine behind the steady contributions of the guys in the trenches, the offensive and defensive lines, those guys opening holes in the line of scrimmage or protecting the QB long enough to make a pass possible; those guys pressuring the opposing QBs and forcing them to make mistakes.

Looking beyond the performance of the playmakers like Burroughs, Keller, Leon, Mayo and Peays on this night, these stats stand out:

• Watauga churned up 471 yards of total offense while limiting Middle Creek to 397 yards
• Watauga controlled possession 25:51 vs. 22:09 for the Mustangs
• Watauga converted on six of eight 3rd down opportunities while Middle Creek  was successful on just five of 11 chances.
• Watauga won the turnover battle, highlighted by Burroughs “Pick 6” in the first quarter.
• Early Turning Point: With Watauga having just scored to lead 19-10, a successful onside kick gave the Pioneers the ball back and good field position at the Middle Creek 47 yard line — and just six seconds remaining in the first quarter. On a trick play (double pass), Middle Creek intercepted deep in their own territory but Watauga’s defense held the Mustangs to a three and out and the Pioneers got the ball back on their own 47 yard line. Keller orchestrated a 5-play, 53-yard TD-scoring drive featuring Burroughs, Leon and the QB’s own 27-yard keeper, the drive finished off with a 3-yard run by Burroughs, making it a 26-10 lead for Watauga.
• Complementary Football: When you look at the offensive stats, there is not really such a wide difference to suggest a 22-point gap between the two sides. Dig deeper, and it is the Watauga advantage in all three phases: offense, defense, and special teams.

Besides the significance of the No. 12 on this night, another number emerged as significant by the end of the post-game press conference: “47.”

Many in the stadium might have thought head coach Ryan Habich was being merciful after the Keller-to-Peays TD pass all but prompted the Mustangs to surrender. He later told the media that when he looked at the scoreboard and saw that his Pioneers had taken the 47-25 lead, it hit him that it has been 47 years since Watauga last won a state football championship, in 1978. So he immediately called out to Keller not to kick the PAT, to instead take a knee and preserve the 47-25 score. Those 47 points were a symbolic gesture to the alumni of Watauga who had come before — and many of those Pioneers of 47 years ago were in the grandstands, including the head coach of that 1978 team, Bill Mauldin and his family.

That an estimated 2,000+ Boone fans were in the grandstands for this game demonstrates just how important a connection to the community is to the 2025 Watauga Pioneers.

Not quite a year and a half ago, the High Country was hammered by Hurricane Helene. Many in Western North Caroina lost their homes or businesses to the ravaging floods, mudslides and powerful winds. Habich acknowledged how his players helped others by shoveling mud and clearing debris in the wake of the storm. More recently, the players’ parents helped organize a team-based, mid-week project to help Samaritan’s Purse pack shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child, gifts destined for needful children in distant lands.

So it isn’t surprising that so many in the community made the 3-hour trek to Chapel Hill, to support the team, not just because they are winners, but because they are winners.

SCORING SUMMARY

SELECTED TEAM STATS

• Yards of Total Offense: WAT 471, MCR 397
• Net Yards Rushing: WAT 194, MCR 127
• Net Yards Passing: WAT 277, MCR 270
• Penalties: WAT 3-15, MCR 3-22
• Time of Possession: WAT 25:51, MCR 22:09
• 3rd Down Conversions: WAT 6-of-8, MCR 5-of-11
• 4th Down Conversions: WAT 0-of-0, MCR 0-3

SELECTED INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCES

• WAT – Evan Burroughs: 7 carries for 46 yards and 3 TDs; 14 catches for 149 yards and 1 TD; on defense, 2 pass breakups, 2 INTs (54 return yards), including 1 return for TD
• WAT – Cade Keller: Completed 22-of-26 passes for 277 yards and 2 TDs, no INTs; 5 carries for 41 yards
• WAT – Matthew Leon: 12 carries for 78 yards and 1 TD, 2 catches for 14 yards
• WAT – Bowen Mayo: 5 carries for 29 yards, 3 catches for 25 yards; on defense, 6 tackles
• WAT – Nyle Peays: 2 catches for 82 yards, 1 TD; on defense, 5 tackles
• WAT – John Wilson Mills: on defense, 13 tackles (game-high)
• WAT – Thomas Dieters: on defense, 8 tackles, 1 tackle for loss
• WAT – Brady Lindenmuth: 3 tackles, 2 tackles for loss
• WAT – Aidan Plemons: 5 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 1 QB Hurry