By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — High drama took over the stage at Jack Groce Stadium on Dec. 6. A near capacity audience looked on, witnessing the agony, ecstasy and unbridled joy acted out by the players — except they weren’t acting. This was real.

BONUS PHOTOS AT BOTTOM OF ARTICLE

The football gods wrote a script featuring dramatic tension throughout, right up until the last second prompted a Watauga High School varsity football team’s jubilant celebration. There was no anti-climax in the Pioneers’ 43-42 win over Northern Guilford. The final minute was as thrilling as any other with host Watauga claiming the NCHSAA 6A West title in the North Carolina state playoffs.

With the win, the Pioneers earn a berth in next week’s 6A State Championship game in Kenan Stadium, on the campus of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. They will face the Middle Creek Mustangs, the 6A East champs, on Friday, Dec. 12, with kickoff slated for 4:00 p.m.

Seeded No. 3 in the 6A East, Middle Creek advanced to the final with a 31-21 victory over Jacksonville to earn the state championship opportunity. It is Watauga’s first trip to a state championship game since 1978, almost a half-century ago.

What A Football Game

There were so many great plays by both teams on both sides of the ball in Friday’s thriller pitting Watauga vs. Northern Guilford. Leading up to the pivotal final, decisive seconds, there were plot twists and turns aplenty.

The 6A West’s No. 1 seeded Pioneers and the No. 2 seeded Nighthawks traded touchdowns and PATs in the first quarter to take a 7-7 tie into the second period. Watauga looked to run away with the game in the second frame, the Pioneer defense forcing a pair of Northern Guilford “3-and-outs” to deny the Nighthawks’ offense any kind of momentum. The Watauga defensive stands were capped by an Evan Burroughs-crafted “Pick 6” interception, returned 31 yards for a TD.

Watauga’s three touchdowns to open the second quarter gave the home team a commanding, 27-7 lead — and fueled the Pioneer faithful’s hopes that a trip to the state championship game was well within Watauga’s grasp.

Northern Guilford was not to go away quietly, however. On the first play from scrimmage after the post-INT kickoff, senior QB Jaxson Kemp completed a 70-yard pass-catch-and-run to senior wide receiver Greyson Council for a touchdown and, just like that, the Nighthawks had life. And after a stellar defensive stand by the visitors — and an uncharacteristic “shank” of a 12-yard punt by Watauga QB and punter Cade Keller — the Nighthawks had another great opportunity: 1st-and-10 from inside Watauga territory, at the WAT42.

It only took Northern Guilford four plays to put another TD in the books. The drive finished  with a 30-yard scoring run by star running back Amare Akers, closing the Nighthawks’ deficit to 27-21 after the PAT.

A little more than two minutes remained on the clock, so there was still opportunity for both sides. Another strong defensive effort by Northern Guilford limited the Pioneers to just four plays before having to punt again, giving the ball back to Kemp and his Mustang cohorts with 48 seconds left before halftime.

After Kemp completed a short pass to Akers coming out of the backfield for a 9-yard gain, Watauga’s Burroughs made sure there was no more Nighthawk damage to the scoreboard in the first half when he poached a Kemp pass for his second interception of the second quarter. With just 37 seconds left, Watauga opted to run out the clock and take their 6-point lead into the locker room.

Second Half Adjustments

As the second half got underway, it was apparent that Northern Guilford’s coaching staff made some adjustments during intermission. In receiving the second half kickoff, the visiting Nighthawks had some swagger and it started with senior wide receiver Bobby Bah receiving the opening kick. He returned it 31 yards before the Pioneers’ Thomas Dieters brought him down a yard shy of midfield. Akers carried the ball into Watauga territory with a 12-yard gain, then Kemp wove through Pioneer defenders the remaining 39 yards to the end zone on a designed QB keeper. That gave Northern Guilford its first lead of the night, 28-27, and the second half had only just begun.

Keller & Co. responded with a 13-play scoring drive that kept the Nighthawks’ offense off the field for nearly four minutes of the game clock. The drive featured Keller passes to Matthew Leon, Evan Burroughs, and Nyle Peays, as well as tight end Tyler Leyshon. By handing the ball off to Leon for short gains and keeping it himself a couple of times, Keller kept the defensive Nighthawks off-balance, allowing Leon to finish the drive with a 5-yard burst to the end zone. To make up for an earlier blocked PAT kick, the Pioneers went for a 2-point conversion and were successful with a quick pass from Keller to Mayo, restoring the Pioneer lead to 35-28.

Northern Guilford wasted little time in knotting things up with a 7-play, 75 yard drive, highlighted by another keeper by Kemp, this one for 39 yards to the Watauga 7-yard line. Two plays later, he kept the ball for another rushing TD. With Guardado’s PAT kick, it was a new ball game at 35-35.

After turning back two Watauga 4th down conversion attempts, one at the end of the third quarter and another at the start of the 4th, the Nighthawks took their second lead of the game at 42-35 with a methodical, 14-play, 75 yard drive featuring Akers. While quarterback Jaxson Kemp mixed things up to keep the Pioneers’ defense off-balance, on nine of those 14 plays he simply handed the ball off to Akers, who diced and sliced his way through openings created by Northern Guilford’s stalwart offensive line. Fittingly, it was Akers who punched into the end zone the final yard for the go-ahead TD. Guardado’s PAT kick sailed through the uprights to complete the conversion, giving the Nighthawks a 7-point lead with little time on the clock (3:29).

Final Drama

If the Nighthawks’ goal was to prevent Watauga from responding within the allotted 3:29 remaining time, Northern Guilford didn’t do themselves any favors. Guardado lofted a long kickoff more than 50 yards that the Pioneers’ Kyle Williams fielded near his own 10-yard line, then battled through traffic for an 18-yard return, to the WAT28. As if the return wasn’t enough, the Nighthawks were penalized another 15 yards for an illegal block, setting up the start of Watauga’s next offensive drive near midfield, at their own 43-yard line.

With good field position, Keller completed a 16-yard pass to Mayo. But Keller was hit late on the play, so a “roughing the passer” penalty tacked on another 15-yards and, suddenly, in the space of just the kickoff and one play from scrimmage the Pioneers were on the doorstep of the Nighthawks’ end zone, with 1st-and-10 at the Northern Guilford 26-yard line.

Keller and the Pioneers shrugged off an illegal motion penalty that set them back five yards, looking at 1st-and-15 from the NG31. Keller took care of business with 15- and 7-yard passes to Mayo, getting the ball down to the NG14. Then a short pass to Matthew Leon coming out of the backfield might just as well have been a running play. The speedy senior collected the ball on the right side then dove just inside the right goal line pylon for a 9-yard TD. SCORE: NG, 42, WAT 41, with the conversion attempt forthcoming.

To Be, Or Not To Be…

It was decision time for the Pioneers. Do they go for a 2-point conversion for a probable win with so little time remaining, or tie the game with a Miller Hankins PAT kick? There was risk with either choice. A Hankins PAT to tie might have had the highest probability rating, but…

… In OT, Northern Guilford might well have had an advantage because, thanks to a rushing juggernaut of an offensive attack behind Akers and Kemp, the Nighthawks had a degree of momentum. Worse, still, for Watauga: workhorse running back and defensive star Everett Gryder left the game earlier, limping severely, and electric wide receiver and defensive back Nyle Peays was also newly sidelined, not to return.

After the game, Watauga head coach Ryan Habich deflected any description of his decision to go for the 2-point conversion as a “gutsy call.” He simply said, “I trust my players” in the decision to go for the win at that moment.

So when Mayo caught Keller’s pass for his second successful 2-point conversion catch of the night, all manner of jubilation erupted on the field, on the Watauga sidelines, and on the jampacked Pioneer grandstands. With the student section jumping up and down enthusiastically, the press box had the sway of a downtown San Francisco high-rise during a California earthquake.

As Habich disclosed after the game, there were some circumstances that really made the 2-point conversion play special. He initially suggested a different play, but Keller promptly said, “I want to run ‘mash’.” So that is what they agreed on. But complicating matters was the Peays injury, which put Mayo in the heretofore unfamiliar X-slot. As the play developed, recalled Habich, Keller progressed through two early “reads” before finding Mayo in the end zone.

With the successful 2-point conversion, Watauga had the lead with under a minute remaining, but Northern Guilford still had a chance and either a TD or a field goal would likely win it for them.

Watauga’s kickoffs seem intentionally designed to prevent runbacks by an opposing team’s featured athletes. So it was hardly a surprise when Matthew Leon’s kickoff rolled out of bounds at the NG14, which would have given the Nighthawks starting possession at their own 35-yard line. Instead, Northern Guilford elected to have Watauga kick again from five yards further back, per the terms of the penalty.

This time, Leon pounded the ball 60 yards, where NG’s Bobby Bah pulled it in at the 5-yard line. Exceptional kick coverage by the Pioneers’ special teams, led by sophomore linebacker John Wilson Mills and teammate Brayson Gough, limited Bah’s return to just five yards, to the NG10, but an illegal block penalty pushed the ball back half the distance to the goal line, meaning the Nighthawks had to start their last-minute, desperation offensive at their own 5-yard line.

As it were, Northern Guilford only had 37 seconds to mount a scoring offensive and there were 95 yards between them and the goal line. Watauga’s worst fears were realized when, on the second play, Kemp hurled a long pass downfield. His receiver, Greyson Council again, at 6-2 was taller than all Watauga defenders. He leaped above the Pioneers’ double-coverage, “prevent” defense to haul the pass in for a 49-yard gain, advancing the Nighthawks to the Watauga 38. Another pass to Council gained 10 more yards before the senior wide receiver was pushed out of bounds by Leon at the 28-yard line, stopping the clock with about 19 seconds remaining. Two more Akers rushes (and two more NG timeouts) got the ball to the Watauga 19 with just five seconds on the clock. The Nighthawks called on Guardado for a 36-yard field goal attempt that would win the game, if successful. The snap and hold appeared good, but the ball sailed just inches wide of the left upright as the clock ticked to zero — and it was another highlight reel-filled Watauga win, 43-42.

There’s no way anyone should put Northern Guilford’s loss on Guardado’s shoulders, not with all the visitors’ self-inflicted wounds, i.e. penalties, and all the timely offensive and defensive plays by the Pioneers, including three pass interceptions. The penalties gave Watauga good field position and scoring opportunities. Three passing turnovers poached by the Pioneers, including Burroughs’ “Pick 6” midway through the second quarter, gave Watauga a 27-7 lead before halftime.

When you consider that most of Watauga’s playmakers are playing both ways, offense and defense, and several are even on special teams, the grit and determination, as well as the “next man up” team-focused approach make for a championship-caliber entry in the 6A state playoffs.

SCORING SUMMARY

• Q1 – WAT: Bowen Mayo 26 yard pass from Cade Keller, Miller Hankins PAT is good, 7-0
• Q1 – NG: Amare Akers 1 yard run for TD, Kobe Guardado PAT is good, 7-7
• Q2 – WAT: Bowen Mayo 20-yard pass from Cade Keller, Miller Hankins PAT is good, 14-7
• Q2 – WAT: Bowen Mayo 40-yard pass from Cade Keller, Miller Hankins PAT blocked, 20-7
• Q2 – WAT: Evan Burroughs 31-yard interception return, Miller Hankins PAT is good, 27-7
• Q2 – NG: Greyson Council 70-yard pass from Jaxon Kemp, Kobe Guardado PAT, 27-14
• Q2 – NG: Amare Akers 35-yard run, Kobe Guardado PAT is good, 27-21
• Q3 – NG: Jaxson Kemp 39-yard run, Kobe Guardado PAT is good, 27-28
• Q3 – WAT: Matthew Leon 5-yard run, 2 point conversion, Keller to Mayo, is good, 35-28
• Q3 – NG: Jaxon Kemp 3-yard run, Kobe Guardado PAT is good, 35-35
• Q4 – NG: Amare Akers 1-yard run, Kobe Guardado PAT is good, 35-42
• Q4 – WAT: Matthew Leon 9-yard pass from Cade Keller, 2 point conversion, Keller to Mayo is good, 43-42

SELECTED INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCES

• • NG – Amare Akers: 20 carries, 157 net yards rushing, 3 TDs
  • NG – Jaxon Kemp: 10 carries, 107 yards, 2 TDs; 8-of-18, 188 yards passing, including 1 TD, 3 INTs
  • NG – Greyson Council: 5 catches for 160 yards, 1 TD
  • WAT – Bowen Mayo: 7 catches for 136 yards, 3 TDs, and two 2-pt conversion catches; 4 carries for 24 yards; on defense, 8 total tackles, 1 INT returned 55 yards
  • WAT – Cade Keller: 21-of-30 passing for 267 yards, 4 TDs
  • WAT – Evan Burroughs: 6 catches for 45 yards; 3 carries for 42 yards; on defense, two INTs, including a TD
  • WAT – Matthew Leon: 12 carries for 33 yards, 1 TD; 3 catches for 30 yards, 1 TD; on defense, 3 total tackles
  • WAT – Everett Gryder: 11 carries, 46 net yards rushing; 1 catch for 8 yards; on defense, 6 total tackles
  • WAT – Nyle Peays: 2 catches for 35 yards; on defense, 1 pass breakup
  • WAT – Kyle Williams: 2 kickoff returns for 27 yards; on defense, 3 total tackles and 2 passes defended
  • WAT – John Wilson Mills: on defense, 15 total tackles
  • WAT – Thomas Dieters: on defense, 6 total tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss
  • WAT – Crue Stoddard: on defense, 5 total tackles, 1 tackle for loss
  • WAT – Brady Lindenmuth: on defense, 4 total tackles, 1 tackle for loss
  • WAT – Aidan Plemons: on defense, 4 total tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 1 pass breakup

SELECTED TEAM STATS

• • Total Offense Yards: NG 473, WAT 415
  • Net Yards Rushing: NG 285, WAT 148
  • Net Yards Passing: NG 188, WAT 367
  • Turnovers
    • Fumbles (No.-Lost): NG 1-0, WAT 0-0
    • Interceptions Thrown: NG 3, WAT 0
  • Penalties: NG 9-for-77 yards, WAT 5-for-45 yards
• Time of Possession: NG 18:55, WAT 29:05
• 3rd Down Conversions: NG 4-of-10, WAT 4-of-12
• 4th Down Conversions: NG 2-of-3, WAT 2-of-5
• Red Zone Scores-Chances: NG 3-4, WAT 3-3

BONUS PHOTOS

All photographic images by Jared Everett for High Country Sports

By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — Arms, legs, elbows, and kneecaps flying in all directions, in perfect synchronization… Yep, it was the 2025 edition of “A Carolina Snowbelles Christmas.” The slick production featuring the Carolina Snowbelles and special guest performers was the best yet: entertaining, creative, bold and beautiful in all respects.

BONUS PHOTOS at bottom of article (click any image for larger version and to launch Slide Show Mode)

Few live performances can possibly match the Snowbelles’ Christmas-themed show for getting in the holiday mood. Opening with “Happy Holidays,” featuring guest vocalists Gennard and Christy Lombardozzi, was the perfect introduction for what would come. And with seamless transitions deftly moving the pieces from one dance or musical piece to the next, it was minute-by-minute enchantment.

The show featured dancers from 6 years old to adults, including Emma Dees, a Snowbelle alum who turned professional and spent two years touring internationally in Costa Rica, Peru, and Southeast Asia before returning to Boone where she continues to train and perform. Serving as a teacher and choreographer for the Snowbelles’ parent organization, The Space @ Project Dance, Dees also serves as the organization’s Director of Student Life.

Also performing with the Snowbelles this year is Brooke Handy, yet another professional dancer and choreographer. After graduating from the North Carolina School of the Arts, Handy started work with the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane company in New York City. Her adventures include the Kyoto International Arts Festival in Japan, the American Dance Festival and Paul Taylor Dance Company immersive, dance intensive workshops. Like Dees,  Handy also dances, teaches and choreographs for The Space @ Project Dance and the Carolina Snowbelles.

An oft-featured performer for the Snowbelles in the Christmas themed show was local dancer and second-year choreographer Journey Lockhart. Beginning at age 15, Journey is already a signed professional actress and also competes in track and field. Not surprisingly, her dream job is to one day perform with the Radio City Music Hall Rockettes of which the Snowbelles are modeled after.

Any of the Snowbelles looking for a step toward the Rockettes are in the right place, given that The Space @ Project Dance and Carolina Snowbelles director Cheryl Cutlip spent 15 years with the Rockettes and returns every April with the Snowbelles for live performances in an outdoor free concert on a pop-up stage in Times Square, where Broadway, 7th Avenue and 44th Street all come together. Under Cutlip’s direction, the Snowbelles Christmas performances showed off the hard work and athleticism of her charges, from the young “Snow Flurries” to the more veteran and accomplished Snowbelles.

A special added attraction for the 2025 show was incorporating vocal performances by Gennard and Christy Lombardozzi and Boone native Chelsea Mudiam. The Lombardozzis both have opera backgrounds, but also included more traditional Christmas music in their Snowbelles Christmas performances.

Christy has performed on stages throughout the U.S. and Europe. Gennard has been similarly successful as a performer in opera, oratorio and musical theater throughout the U.S., Europe and Asia. He is currently an Associate Professor of Voice at App State’s Hayes School of Music. The Lombardozzis live in Blowing Rock and were anxious to perform in the Snowbelles Christmas show after young daughter, Maebel, became a member of the Snow Flurries.

While the Lombardozzis’ vocal training is clearly on display throughout all of their performances, Gennard’s playful interactions with the youngest dancers are as endearing as they are entertaining in several of the numbers.

This year, 36 dancers performed in “A Carolina Snowbelle Christmas.” The number was special to Cutlip, since 36 Rockettes perform in New York City’s Radio City Music Hall and that legendary troupe is celebrating their 100th anniversary this year.

But with a new piece called,”Cascade,” Cutlip gave a nod to the Snowbelles’ Appalachian Mountains heritage, including music by the Lombardozzis as well as a brief clogging performance.

It all makes for a combination of beauty, wonder and poignant reminders of what the Christmas season is all about.

But enough of the text to read. Let’s look at the pictures!

BONUS PHOTOS: Click on any image for a larger image and to launch Slide Show Mode)

(All photographic images captured and processed by David Rogers for High Country Sports and Blowing Rock News)

By Bret Strelow. BOONE, N.C. — App State Football had 10 players receive All-Sun Belt Conference recognition from the league, it was announced Dec. 4.

App State linebacker Colton Phares made the second team, while the third team included defensive lineman Kevin Abrams-Verwayne, defensive back Ethan Johnson, running back Rashod Dubinion, tight end Izayah Cummings and kicker Dominic De Freitas.

Offensive lineman Jayden Ramsey, offensive lineman Will Flowers, defensive lineman Rondo Porter and defensive back Emory Floyd received honorable mention.

Phares led the Mountaineers’ defense with 89 tackles, 9.0 tackles for loss, three interceptions, two sacks, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. He ended the regular season as one of three FBS defenders in the country with at least 85 tackles, 9.0 TFLs and three interceptions, along with Texas Tech’s Jacob Rodriguez and Central Michigan’s Jordan Kwiatkowski.

Abrams-Verwayne made the most of his seventh collegiate season by leading App State in sacks (five) and forced fumbles (four) while ranking third on the team in TFLs (6.5) from his edge position. Johnson tied for second among FBS players and led the Sun Belt with 13 passes broken up from his starting cornerback spot.

Dealing with nagging injuries late in the year, Dubinion finished the season as the Sun Belt’s No. 6 rusher with 868 yards (72.3 per game) after ranking as the nation’s No. 5 rusher through the first six games.  Before suffering a season-ending injury in Game 8, Cummings ranked third among FBS tight ends in catches per game and fifth in yards per game. He completed the year with 37 catches for 374 yards and one touchdown.

De Freitas tied App State’s single-season record with 20 field goals made, connecting on 20 of 25 attempts and all 32 extra points en route to 92 points as a true freshman.

Ramsey started 11 of 12 games at left tackle, showing his toughness and leadership while battling injuries throughout the second half of the season, and Flowers started all 12 games at center. Porter had 41 tackles, 5.0 tackles for loss, two sacks and four pass deflections from his interior lineman spot, and Floyd had one interception to go along with 55 tackles from his cornerback position.

2025 SUN BELT CONFERENCE FOOTBALL POSTSEASON AWARDS

• Player of the Year: Alonza Barnett III, James Madison (RS Jr., QB – Whitsett, N.C.)
• Offensive Player of the Year: Colton Joseph, Old Dominion (RS So., QB – Newport Beach, Calif.)
• Defensive Player of the Year: Trent Hendrick, James Madison (Sr., LB – Richmond, Va.)
• Special Teams Player of the Year: Evan Crenshaw, Troy (RS Jr., P – Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.)
• Newcomer of the Year: Camden Brown, Georgia Southern (Sr., WR – Monroe, La.)
• Freshman of the Year: Sahir West, James Madison (RS Fr., DL – Baltimore, Md.)
• Coach of the Year: Bob Chesney, James Madison

All-Sun Belt First Team Offense

• • QB – Alonza Barnett III, James Madison (RS Jr., QB – Whitsett, N.C.)
  • RB – Wayne Knight, James Madison (RS Jr., RB – Smyrna, Del.)
  • RB – Kentrel Bullock, South Alabama (Sr., RB – Columbia, Miss.)
  • OL – Caleb Cook, Georgia Southern (RS Sr., OL – Brunswick, Ga.)
  • OL – Pat McMurtrie, James Madison (Gr., OL – Verona, N.J.)
  • OL – Jax Harrington, Louisiana (RS Sr., OL – Erath, La.)
  • OL – Zach Barlev, Old Dominion (Sr., OL – Bolingbrook, Ill.)
  • OL – Dorion Strawn, Texas State (RS Sr., OL – Ennis, Texas)
  • TE – Toby Payne, Marshall (RS Jr., TE – Poca, W.Va.)
  • WR – Camden Brown, Georgia Southern (Sr., WR – Monroe, La.)
  • WR – Ted Hurst, Georgia State (Sr., WR – Savannah, Ga.)
  • WR – Beau Sparks, Texas State (Jr., WR – El Paso, Texas)

All-Sun Belt First Team Defense

• • DL – Demarcus Hendricks, Arkansas State (RS Sr., DL – San Antonio, Texas)
  • DL – MJ Stroud, Georgia Southern (RS Jr., DL – Covington, Ga.)
  • DL – J’Mond Tapp, Southern Miss (RS Jr., DL – Donaldsonville, La.)
  • DL – Donnie Smith, Troy (Jr., DL – Greenville, Miss.)
  • LB – Trent Hendrick, James Madison (Sr., LB – Richmond, Va.)
  • LB – Jaden Dugger, Louisiana (Sr., LB – Pittsburgh, Pa.)
  • LB – Chris Jones, Southern Miss (So., LB – Byram, Miss.)
  • LB – Jordan Stringer, Troy (Sr., LB – Augusta, Ga.)
  • DB – Boogie Trotter, Marshall (Sr., DB – Nashville, Tenn.)
  • DB – Nehemiah Chandler, South Alabama (RS Fr., DB – Jacksonville, Fla.)
  • DB – Josh Moten, Southern Miss (RS Sr., DB – Waldorf, Md.)
  • DB – Devin Lafayette, Troy (Sr., DB – Brunswick, Ga.)

All-Sun Belt First Team Special Teams

• • K – Lorcan Quinn, Marshall (Fr., K – Donaghmore, Ireland)
  • P – Evan Crenshaw, Troy (RS Jr., P – Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.)
  • RS – Chauncy Cobb, Arkansas State (RS So., RS – Clewiston, Fla.)
  • AP – Wayne Knight, James Madison (RS Jr., AP – Smyrna, Del.)

All-Sun Belt Second Team Offense

• • QB – Colton Joseph, Old Dominion (RS So., QB – Newport Beach, Calif.)
  • RB – OJ Arnold, Georgia Southern (Sr., RB – Quitman, Ga.)
  • RB – Lincoln Pare, Texas State (RS Sr., RB – Germantown, Tenn.)
  • OL – Pichon Wimbley, Georgia Southern (Sr., OL – Newnan, Ga.)
  • OL – Zach Greenberg, James Madison (RS Sr., OL – Livingston, N.J.)
  • OL – Riley Robell, James Madison (RS So., OL – Harrisburg, Pa.)
  • OL – Ryan Joyce, Old Dominion (RS Sr., OL – Stockton, N.J.)
  • OL – Eli Russ, Troy (Sr., OL – Ardmore, Okla.)
  • TE – Ethan Conner, Troy (RS Sr., TE – Columbus, Miss.)
  • WR – Corey Rucker, Arkansas State (RS Sr., WR – Bentonia, Miss.)
  • WR – Demarcus Lacey, Marshall (Sr., WR – Birmingham, Ala.)
  • WR – Devin Voisin, South Alabama (Gr., WR – Crestview, Fla.)

All-Sun Belt Second Team Defense

• • DL – Cody Sigler, Arkansas State (RS Jr., DL – New Hope, Ala.)
  • DL – Immanuel Bush, James Madison (RS Sr., DL – Lancaster, S.C.)
  • DL – Sahir West, James Madison (RS Fr., DL – Baltimore, Md.)
  • DL – Jordan Lawson, Louisiana (RS Sr., DL – Brandon, Miss.)
  • LB – Colton Phares, App State (RS So., LB – Beaufort, S.C.)
  • LB – Blayne Myrick, South Alabama (RS Jr., LB – Fairhope, Ala.)
  • LB – Treylin Payne, Texas State (Sr., LB – San Antonio, Texas)
  • DB – Xamarion Gordon, Coastal Carolina (RS Sr., DB – Houston, Texas)
  • DB – Justin Eaglin, James Madison (RS Jr., DB – Spring Lake, N.C.)
  • DB – Jacob Thomas, James Madison (Sr., DB – Ashburn, Va.)
  • DB – Jerome Carter, Old Dominion (So., DB – Lake City, Fla.)
  • DB – Jaquez White, Troy (Jr., DB – Blackshear, Ga.)

All-Sun Belt Second Team Special Teams

• • K – Tyler Robles, Texas State (RS So., K – Encinitas, Calif.)
  • P – Nathan Totten, Marshall (RS So., P – Ashland, Ky.)
  • RS – Jaylen Jenkins, Texas State (RS Jr., RS – Dallas, Texas)
  • AP – Beau Sparks, Texas State (Jr., AP – El Paso, Texas)

All-Sun Belt Third Team Offense

• • QB – Brad Jackson, Texas State (RS Fr., QB – San Antonio, Texas)
  • RB – Rashod Dubinion, App State (Sr., RB – Ellenwood, Ga.)
  • RB – Bill Davis, Louisiana (RS So., RB – LaPlace, La.)
  • OL – Johnnie Brown III, Georgia Southern (RS Jr., OL – Lilburn, Ga.)
  • OL – Carter Sweazie, James Madison (RS Jr., OL – Ashburn, Va.)
  • OL – Jalen Slappy, Marshall (RS Jr., OL – Columbus, Ohio)
  • OL – Kenton Jerido, South Alabama (RS Jr., OL – Tuscaloosa, Ala.)
  • OL – Matt Henry, Troy (Sr., OL – Auckland, New Zealand)
  • TE – Izayah Cummings, App State (RS Sr., TE – Louisville, Ky.)
  • WR – Landon Ellis, James Madison (Jr., WR – Orange, Va.)
  • WR – Tre’ Brown III, Old Dominion (RS So., WR – Savannah, Ga.)

WR – Chris Dawn Jr., Texas State (Jr., WR – Dallas, Texas)

All-Sun Belt Third Team Defense

• • DL – Kevin Abrams-Verwayne, App State (RS Sr., DL – Marietta, Ga.)
  • DL – Ethan Hassler, Arkansas State (RS Sr., DL – Collierville, Tenn.)
  • DL – Ezekiel Durham-Campbell, Coastal Carolina (RS Jr., DL – Atlanta, Ga.)
  • DL – Aiden Gobaira, James Madison (RS Jr., DL – Fairfax, Va.)
  • DL – Kris Trinidad, Old Dominion (RS Sr., DL – Richmond, Va.)
  • LB – Noah Flemmings, ULM (Jr., LB – Austin, Texas)
  • LB – Jeremy Mack Jr., Old Dominion (RS Sr., LB – Clinton, Miss.)
  • LB – Michael Montgomery, Southern Miss (Jr., LB – Seattle, Wash.)
  • DB – Ethan Johnson, App State (Sr., DB – Huntersville, N.C.)
  • DB – DJ Barksdale, James Madison (Jr., DB – Rock Hill, S.C.)
  • DB – Elijah Culp, James Madison (RS Sr., DB – Charlotte, N.C.)
  • DB – Ian Foster, Southern Miss (RS So., DB – Brundidge, Ala.)

All-Sun Belt Third Team Special Teams

• • K – Dominic De Freitas, App State (Fr., K – Nappanee, Ind.)
  • P – Alex Smith, Georgia Southern (Jr., P – Melbourne, Australia)
  • RS – Dalen Cobb, Georgia Southern (Sr., RS – Washington, Ga.)
  • AP – Chauncy Cobb, Arkansas State (RS So., AP – Clewiston, Fla.)

All-Sun Belt Honorable Mentions (App State Selections)

• • OL – Jayden Ramsey (RS Sr., OL – Anderson, S.C.)
  • OL – Will Flowers (RS Sr., OL – LaGrange, Ga.)
  • DL – Rondo Porter (RS Jr., DL – Columbia, S.C.)
  • DB – Emory Floyd (RS Jr., DB – Marietta, Ga.)

By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — For 11 years now, the perfect “season opener” has been staged in the High Country and it has nothing to do with football or basketball at either App State or Watauga High School.

No, leave it to the Carolina Snowbelles and Project Dance to swoop in with the warmest kind of holiday cheer, beauty and precision athleticism.

“A Snowbelle Christmas” will once again grace the Appalachian Theatre stage in Boone. Because the 2024 shows were so popular, Project Dance show director Cheryl Cutlip announced on Nov. 25 that this year’s Christmas performance features an expanded schedule, including an 8 p.m. curtain on Dec. 5 (Friday); two Dec. 6 (Saturday) shows, at 1:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.; and two Dec. 7 (Sunday) shows at 1:30 p.m and 5:30 p.m.

“A lot of younger families have a hard time getting to the later evening shows, so we have moved things up a bit on Saturday and Sunday,” said Cutlip. “This is fun entertainment for the entire family, young and older alike. The shows are a great way to kick off the holiday season.”

This year’s performances feature some exceptional wrinkles, Cutlip explained, including vocal performances by Gennard and Christy Lombardozzi, as well as Chelsea Mudiam.

The Lombardozzis, said Cutlip, are accomplished professional vocalists, especially in the operatic style. Dr. Gennard Lobardozzi is a member of the faculty at App State’s Hayes School of Music, an associate professor of voice and the director of the Vocal Music Performance degree at the school. He established himself as a successful performer in opera, oratorio, and musical theatre repertoire and has been heard on stages throughout the U.S., Europe and Asia.

Christy Lombardozzi holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Tennessee and is a graduate of the opera program at the Yale University School of Music. She has numerous operatic and theatrical roles to her credit.

Said Cutlip, “The Lombarozzis now have a child in the Snowbelles, Mabel, and she is one of our new Snow Flurries in the show. I knew her parents were incredible singers, so I asked if they would be in the show and they were gracious enough to volunteer. They are singing together and singing separately. Christy performs an opera that is oh, so beautiful. Gennard could do something similar but he is performing more standard tunes like ‘Winter Wonderland’ and ‘Santa Claus is Coming to Town,’ which will be loads of fun. They will be doing an opening number that is more of a Broadway-style piece. They will also be singing a new piece, called ‘Cascade.’ Gennard also accompanies himself with a mandolin.”

Beyond the special music and vocals, Cutlip reported that the 2025 Carolina Snowbelles troupe includes 36 dancers for the Christmas show, the largest performing group they have had in the 11 years of Christmas-themed shows, which began in 2014.

“The larger group allows us to do more, to share more. The ranges are more diverse, starting from six years old to adult,” said Cutlip.

But there is a symbolic significance to that number, 36, too, tied to Cutlip’s long history with the Radio City Music Hall Rockettes.

“This is the 100th anniversary of the Rockettes in New York City, which the Carolina Snowbelles are modeled after. There are 36 Rockettes on the stage at one time, so this is our nod to the Rockettes’ celebration this year,” said Cutlip.

Also new to the show is a piece called “Shine,” which Cutlip described as a very upbeat jazz number.

“In addition, There is a new piece called, ‘Cascade,’ which is a tribute to our heritage here in the Appalachian Mountains, to ‘Simple Gifts,’ which was later made famous as ‘Appalachian Spring’ that Martha Graham did as a more notable piece,” said Cutlip.

“We are also embracing our heritage in the Appalachian Mountains by including a short clogging (piece), which opens to a stage for moving snowflakes in a Berkeley style piece, to the tune and lyrics of ‘Lord of the Dance.’ This is really my tribute to the beautiful and spiritual heritage that we have in the Appalachian Mountains. It represents faith, hope and love. The moving snowflakes give the dancers an opportunity to unite and move together for one idea. I am excited to share it, but there are a lot of moving parts.”

Part of the “Snowflakes” performance features a special visual opportunity for the audience as the Snowbelles will be creating a “snowflake” on stage with an overhead camera and a live feed projecting the images upstage for the audience, to see the intricacies of the movements.

“It was really fun to create something in the studio knowing that you have all these elements. I actually had my son, Evan, come to rehearsal recently and fly a drone overhead. He was able to get a pretty good shot so I could get an idea of what it looks like from above and how to clean it up before the live performance in the show,” said Cutlip. “It is important for us to make adjustments thinking about what the overhead view will be like. In a regular stage performance, the dancers in the front are seen more but with the overhead live feed, all of the dancers will be seen, equally. Most of the movements by the dancers are from sitting or laying down positions in this piece. It is intricate, but also very different compared to how you might see us in our kick lines, for example.”

There will be kick lines, of course, too, which are the Snowbelles’ trademark moves reflecting the Rockettes’ influence. Cutlip was with the Rockettes in New York for 15 years and has brought that level of professionalism to the Snowbelles

“Our focus is not just training the dancers to dance, but the whole person. We teach them not just what to expect, but what is expected of them, too. A number of our alumni have gone on to grace the stage not just at the college level, but professionally, too. Gracie Epperson is now a member of the Radio City Music Hall Rockettes. At 15, Journey Lockhart began getting contracts, including solo performances,” said Cutlip.

But the level of professionalism goes beyond the choreography and dance routines with the Snowbelles.

“Our lighting director for this year’s show comes all the way from Houston. Her name is Tiffany Schrepferman and I have worked with her before. She is terrific.”

Altogether, this year’s “Snowbelles Christmas” promises to again be fun and colorful, with an abundance of creativity in the hands and minds of the choreographers.

Tickets may be purchased online (https://www.thecarolinasnowbelles.com/) or at the door (subject to availability).

SUMMARY OF SHOWTIMES:

• Friday, Dec. 5, 8 p.m. (CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS)
• Saturday, Dec. 6, 1:30 p.m. (CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS)
• Saturday, Dec. 6, 5:30 p.m.(CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS)
• Sunday, Dec. 7, 1:30 p.m. (CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS)
• Sunday, Dec. 7, 5:30 p.m. (CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS)

By David Rogers. ASHVILLE, N.C. — Winning NCAA Division I basketball games is challenging enough — especially when you dig a 19-2 hole to start a matchup with a team that has gone to the NCAA Championship Tournament as recently as two years ago. Once App State gathered itself on Nov. 30, it played pretty even with UNC Asheville but could never quite overcome that opening, 17-point deficit before losing, 67-55.

While the Mountaineers scored more points off of turnovers than the Bulldogs (11-9) and got decisively more scoring from their bench (26-4), this game was largely won in the trenches, inside the paint. Asheville finished with a 28-24 advantage in points scored inside and, thanks largely to 36-25 margin in rebounding, held a 13-8 advantage in second chance points.

App State had few answers for Asheville forward Toyaz Solomon, a fifth year senior originally from Enfield, N.C., a small farming community east of I-95, north of Rocky Mount. The-6-9 forward scored a game-high 25 points while also pulling down 8 rebounds. Game-high honors in clearing the boards went to Bulldog guard Kameron Taylor, with 10 rebounds and 12 points to record the only double-double of the afternoon.

At one point late in the first half, the Mountaineers went on a run and closed to within two points of the Bulldogs, 23-21, but then let the game slip away again. By intermission, it was a 7-point deficit. With just over two minutes remaining in the game, the lead was back to 14 and App State was getting desperate for possession and opportunities to score.

Toward the end, the disparity in foul shots got inflated as the Mountaineers were fouling in an effort to get the ball back, but the UNC Asheville players sent to the charity stripe kept making them, good on 22-of-27 foul shots (81.5 percent), compared to App State’s success on only 7-of-15 foul shots (46.7 percent).

“We got off to a really bad start and I can’t quite put my finger on it, but that’s on me,” said Mountaineer head coach Dustin Kerns after the game. “After that we settled in and did some good things but in the second half we simply couldn’t keep them off the free throw line, where they made 22 of 25 free throws for the game. Where we might have gotten a stop, we weren’t rebounding… We have to do better and it starts with me.”

Speaking of his expectations coming into the game, Kerns was candid.

“I expected us to get off to a better start than being down 19-2 in the first eight minutes,” he said. “I knew we were playing a good team, a team that was 0-2 in their last two games so their backs were against the wall and they came out ready to go.”

The Mountaineers now turn their attention to a Wednesday, Dec. 3, matchup with the University of Virginia-Lynchburg Dragons. It will be the team’s last home game in the early portion of its nonconference schedule. Tipoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. and will also be broadcast on ESPN+.

By Bret Strelow. BOONE, N.C.  —  App State Wrestling took four of 10 matches in a 21-14 loss to No. 10 NC State on Sunday, highlighted by Jarvis Little’s ranked win at 133 pounds before the Mountaineers closed their first home dual of the season in a packed Varsity Gym with decisive victories from Tomas Brooker, Logan Eller and Stephan Monchery.

A crowd of 943 created an energetic environment in the matchup between the Mountaineers (2-4) and Wolfpack (3-2). NC State had a ranked wrestler at each of the first seven weights, including five wrestlers with top-11 national rankings.

A redshirt freshman who earned All-America recognition this summer at the U23 Freestyle Nationals and opened this collegiate season with a ranked win during the Southeast Open, Little allowed the first takedown in a 9-4 decision against No. 26 Zach Redding. Little responded with a takedown of his own in the first period and rode out the second period with the score officially tied at 4-all. He moved ahead 5-4 on a third-period escape and sealed the win on a takedown with 22 seconds remaining.

Brooker, a 2024 SoCon champion who suffered a season-ending injury in his 2024-25 dual debut at NC State, built an 11-2 lead in his 11-5 decision against Don Cates at 184.

Eller won a 13-0 major decision at 197 against Andrew Macchiavello, posting a first-period takedown and riding out the second period before dominating the third. Monchery recorded five takedowns in a 17-3 major decision against Xavier Wilson in the heavyweight finale.

Little is one of four first-year starters for the Mountaineers. A pair of true freshmen gave strong efforts against top-five opponents, as Cooper Foster got in the first shot and nearly posted a reversal at the end of an 11-2 loss to reigning national champion and top-ranked Vincent Robinson at 125 pounds. Colt Campbell had a third-period takedown to cut his deficit to 8-6 (counting riding time) with 1:25 left in a 9-6 loss to fourth-ranked Matty Singleton at 174 pounds.

The only ranked showdown occurred at 149 pounds, where No. 9 Koy Buesgens from NC State won a 4-2 decision against No. 31 Kaden Keiser thanks to a tiebreaking takedown with 1:12 left in the third period.

The 2025-26 season is presented by Hungry Howie’s and Penn Station. App State returns to action this week with wrestlers competing at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational and the Patriot Open.

#10 NC State 21, App State 14

• 125: #1 Vincent Robinson (NCST) def. Cooper Foster (APP), 11-2 maj. dec.
• 133: Jarvis Little (APP) def. #26 Zach Redding (NCST), 9-4 dec.
• 141: #11 Ryan Jack (NCST) def. Aldo Hernandez (APP), 14-4 maj. dec.
• 149: #9 Koy Buesgens (NCST) def. #31 Kaden Keiser (APP), 4-2 dec.
• 157: #11 Jackson Arrington (NCST) def. Jeremiah Price (APP), 14-1 maj. dec.
• 165: #21 Will Denny (NCST) def. Anthony Conetta (APP), 11-4 dec.
• 174: #4 Matty Singleton (NCST) def. Colt Campbell (APP), 9-6 dec.
• 184: #33 Tomas Brooker (APP) def. Don Cates (NCST), 11-5 dec.
• 197: Logan Eller (APP) def. Andrew Macchiavello (NCST), 13-0 maj. dec.
• HWT: Stephan Monchery (APP) def. Xavier Wilson (NCST), 17-3 maj. dec.

Attendance: 943

By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — A missed field goal for the would-be game winner as time expired spelled heartbreak for the App State Mountaineers on Nov. 29, losing to the Arkansas State Red Wolves, 30-29, in Kidd Brewer Stadium.

This Sun Belt Conference matchup of two 5-6 teams needing a win to become bowl eligible and prospectively add another game to their respective 2025 campaigns was about as close a contest as could be. Pregame, oddsmakers had Arkansas State a 1.5-point favorite and the teams lived up to the tight billing. The score was tied 3-3 at the end of the first quarter, 16–16 at halftime and 23-23 at the end of the third quarter.

The Mountaineers’ star freshman placekicker, Dominic De Freitas, made five of six field goal attempts earlier in the game when App State offensive drives stalled, with one blocked, but on the decisive seventh attempt pushed the ball just outside the right upright, allowing the Red Wolves to win the game and, in the process, become bowl eligible.

While the freshman placekicker may have reservations about his performance at game’s end, a sometimes sputtering Mountaineer offense that required them to settle for seven field goal tries must share a good portion of any blame. That said, on the final drive with only 42 seconds remaining to work with, QB J J Kohl led an impressive advance to get De Freitas and the special teams unit into range. Starting from their own 29-yard line, in seven plays Kohl hit three different receivers, including senior tight end David Larkins twice, to move the ball 44 yards to the Arkansas State 27-yard line. The 45-yard attempt was certainly in the mix of his earlier successful efforts from 43-, 38-, 45-, 48- and 29-yards, but the fickle finger of fate — and a strong, swirling wind — denied the potential game winner.

Although the offense had difficulty in scoring touchdowns, not all of the blame can fall on the shoulders of sophomore quarterback J J Kohl, who completed 26 of 39 passes for 271 yards, two TDs, and suffered zero interceptions. His favorite receivers on this day were Sam Mbake (9 receptions, 68 yards, 1 TD), David Larkins (6-72-0) and Dalton Stroman (3-64-1).

The Red Wolves QB, Jaylen Raynor, completed 32 of 47 passes for 363 yards and 3 TDs, offset by one interception. While senior wide receiver Corey Tucker caught 10 Raynor passes on 16 targets for 90 yards and 2 TDs, junior wide receiver Chauncy Cobb was the “big play” target with five receptions for 117 yards. Cobb’s yardage came in chunks of 43-, 22- and 37-yard gainers.

Credit Arkansas State’s defense for keeping the Mountaineers out of the “red zone” and forcing long field goal attempts by De Freitas, who made five (the team record is six), had one blocked and then suffered the fatal miss at the end. The Red Wolves defenders were disruptive, tallying four tackles for loss, 3 pass breakups, and eight quarterback hurries to go with one sack.

By comparison to the Mountaineers having to settle for seven field goal attempts, almost all outside of the “red zone,” the visitors did their scoring with TDs (4) and only two field goal tries, one from 24 yards out and the other missed from 52 yards.

At the end of the day, Arkansas State now awaits its potential post-season bowl opportunity. Meanwhile, App State looks ahead to next season, the upcoming “National Signing Day” on Feb. 4, 2026, with early signing opportunities Dec. 3-5.

Scoring Summary

By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — An old adage says, “Statistics don’t lie” — but maybe football game statistics lie, after all.

BONUS PHOTOS at bottom of article

Statistics lie, after all? That might be the only way to explain Watauga varsity football’s 31-28 win over Sun Valley in Round 4 of the NCHSAA 6A state playoffs, on Nov. 28. Or was it home field advantage in Jack Groce Stadium, in sub-30 degree temperatures? Divine intervention?

At the very least, it was as improbable a gridiron victory that anyone could have imagined, statistically speaking.

Consider:

• Sun Valley outgained Watauga, 363 total yards of offense vs. 319 for the Pioneers.
• The visiting Spartans ran 77 offensive plays vs. just 33 for the host Pioneers.
• SV had possession of the ball for 29:38 compared to just 18:22 for Watauga.
• Sun Valley had a +2 advantage in takeaways for the game. The Spartans suffered just one turnover (a pass INT that all but ended the game) but benefited from two Watauga INTs and one lost fumble.
• Watauga recorded seven penalties, including five pre-snap, “false start” infractions that could well have disrupted offensive possessions.
• Sun Valley limited the Pioneers’ coveted rushing attack to just 74 yards on 21 carries, and that was at minus-3 yards for the entire first half.

Coming into the game, MaxPreps.com had No. 5-seeded Sun Valley ranked as No. 1 team in North Carolina’s 6A classification “power rankings,” thanks to a 9-3 record and the highest rated “strength of schedule” among the 57 teams competing at the 6A level. The 12-0 Pioneers were No. 2 in the power rankings, but with a relatively weak strength of schedule, overall.

At least some of Watauga’s upset is explained by one of head coach Ryan Habich’s favorite phrases, “complementary football,” with contributions from all three units: offense, defense and special teams. Beyond the X’s and O’s and the scheming, said Habich after the game, it comes down to execution by the players on the field.

“Big-time players make big-time plays,” noted Habich.

And the Pioneers got big-time plays aplenty from all three units on Nov. 28 — and it all started from the get-go, after Sun Valley won the coin toss and elected to defer, meaning they would kickoff to the Pioneers:

• SPECIAL TEAMS: With some key blocks from his special teams comrades, wide receiver Nyle Peays collected the Spartans’ opening kickoff at his own 18-yard line, then wove his way through the center of Sun Valley’s coverage to outsprint all defenders, an 82-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. Head coach Ryan Habich said later, “That was huge because it established momentum.”
• DEFENSE: On Sun Valley’s opening drive, behind the hard running of running back Zach Cullen, the Spartans advanced the ball into Watauga territory but faced an increasingly stingy Pioneer defense. On 4th-and-1 from the WAT 41 yard-line, Pioneer defenders Crue Stoddard and Bowen Mayo “stood up” Cullen for no gain, giving the ball back to Watauga with reasonably good field position.
• DEFENSE and SPECIAL TEAMS: After Sun Valley tied the game at 7-7 on a balanced drive that featured runs by Cullen and key pass completions from QB Noah Lineberry to three different receivers, on their next possession the Spartans threatened to go ahead, moving the ball down to the Pioneers’ 12-yard line. But on 3rd-and-8, Watauga defensive back Kyle Williams broke up a Lineberry pass to SV wide receiver Thanasi Papazis. Sun Valley opted for a short, 26-yard field goal attempt — but pressure from Watauga’s Thomas Dieters, Aidan Plemons and Evan Burroughs helped Sun Valley kicker Braden Carr push the ball just outside the posts.
• OFFENSE: It didn’t take long for Watauga to take advantage as the first quarter was winding down. After the missed field goal, Watauga had the ball at their own 20-yard line — but a false start penalty moved them back to their own 15. No matter, said QB Cade Keller, who on the first play found wide receiver Nyle Peays in the left flat and the speedy senior turned upfield to outrace the only Spartan defender with a glimmer of a chance to stop him. One last desperate lunge by the DB nicked the back of Peays’ heel, but he stepped out of it and finished his race to the goal line.
• OFFENSE: After a Watauga fumble was recovered by Sun Valley’s Andrew Doody, the Spartans made short work of the good field position to score a TD and knot the game at 14-14. But in response, it took Keller & Co. just three plays to push the home team back to the lead, 21-14. First, Keller found Peays for a 15-yard gain to near midfield. Two plays later, Keller found Bowen Mayo for a 57-yard pass-catch-and-run to TD paydirt.
• DEFENSE: Sun Valley tied the game before halftime, 21-21, then took the second half kickoff 67 yards in 10 plays with a methodical drive that could well have spelled doom for the Pioneers, facing a 28-21 deficit and potential loss of momentum. Rather than allow Sun Valley to establish dominance, however, the Pioneers’ defense buckled down and forced a three-and-out possession by the Spartans, then another 5-play stoppage to force an SV punt. Watauga effectively put the brakes on Sun Valley’s Cullen, with key stops by Everett Gryder, Crue Stoddard, Nyle Peays, Bowen Mayo and Brady Lindenmuth — and critical “QB hurries” with pressure on Lineberry from Matthew Leon and Lindenmuth.
• OFFENSE and SPECIAL TEAMS: Suddenly, Watauga’s offense began to look more like the opportunistic, if grinding juggernaut that Pioneer fans have come to expect. Evan Burroughs rushed around the perimeter for 17 yards. Keller completed a 4-yard pass to Mayo before manufacturing a 17-yard “keeper”. Keller to Burroughs for another 14 yards, then to Burroughs for 13 yards as the 4th quarter got underway. Matthew Leon punched ahead for three yards — then Keller found an open Bowen Mayo in the left corner of the end zone for a 12-yard TD. On the PAT, Watauga committed another “false start” penalty, making placekicker Miller Hankins’ PAT attempt more of a field goal. But with a snap-place-boot (and solid line play to protect the kicker), Hankins’s kick was straight and true to tie the game at 28-28. Could Sun Valley respond?
• DEFENSE: Nope. In three plays, the Spartans were able to manage just one yard before punting. Crue Stoddard, Bowen Mayo and John Wilson Mills all figured prominently in the three-and-out.
• OFFENSE and SPECIAL TEAMS: Getting possession of the ball at their own 46, the Pioneers went to work with good field position. Keller mixed up a balanced attack of QB keepers, rushes by Burroughs, and a 20-yard pass to Matthew Leon coming out of the backfield before the drive stalled at the Sun Valley 20-yard line. In only his second field goal attempt of the season, Miller Hankins drove the 37-yarder right down the middle for a field goal that might have been good from 50 yards.  The kick pushed Watauga back into the lead, 31-28 — but there was just over five minutes remaining on the game clock and Sun Valley was getting possession. A field goal would tie the game, but a time-consuming TD drive could well win it for the visitors.
• DEFENSE and DEFENSE: There is no obvious explanation as to why Sun Valley moved away from the punishing rushing attack featuring Zach Cullen to advance the ball and take time off the clock.  Instead, the Spartans chose to pass the ball and were initially successful with Lineberry-to-Doody completions for 7 and 25 yards. But inside Watauga territory, the Watauga defense stiffened with good defensive back play from Nyle Peays, Evan Burroughs, Everett Gryder and Bowen Mayo to thwart Lineberry passes. When Sun Valley forced a Watauga 3-and-out, the Spartans got the ball back for one final attempt to tie the game or score, with 1:43 left on the clock. It was enough time, but after advancing the ball into Watauga territory, Lineberry’s long pass down the middle of the field was intercepted by the Pioneers’ Everett Gryder at his own 30. With just 50 seconds remaining on the game clock, Watauga’s 31-28 victory was all but in hand, advancing the Pioneers to the 6A West championship game — the North Carolina 6A semifinals — on Dec. 5.

The Series: Bowen Mayo (8) TD Catch-and-Run

“It is the grit and determination of this team,” said Habich. “We knew it was going to be a battle and the weather out there is cold. We had the pre-snap penalties, with the offensive line flinching and all that. We had the turnovers, but they weren’t big turnovers. We flipped the field position a little bit with those long (pass interceptions). But our defense… We played complementary football. Ok, we turned the ball over but our defense finds a way to get a stop and we get the ball back.

“The biggest thing,” Habich continued, “is what happens after a turnover. How do you respond? Our guys responded in the right way. Our kids stayed in the fight. You keep attacking and it starts in August. You attack every challenge and adversity with a growth mindset. That’s what this team did tonight to beat a very good football team in Sun Valley.

“A lot of people may not realize how good Sun Valley is,” added Habich. “They are a very good football team, with a lot of player that were 3-year starters on varsity. We might have been the No. 1 seed in the 6A West, but Sun Valley was the No. 1 team in the power rankings that we just knocked off, tonight.”

Speaking about the defensive adjustments at halftime, Habich was candid.

“Our defensive coaches made some good adjustments,” said Habich. “We are undersized up front a little bit, but the way we slant our line and bring pressure differently, with different angles. Our coaches did a really good job with that. So many of our guys play both ways, offense and defense, so really the only opportunity we have to make adjustments is at halftime.”

With the No. 1 seed, Watauga will host the 6A West championship game against No. 2 seeded Northern Guilford (Greensboro), which defeated No. 3 Ashbrook (Gastonia), 39-14, to advance.

SCORING SUMMARY

• • Q1 – WAT: Nyle Peays, 82-yard return for TD on opening kickoff. Miller Hankins PAT is good. WAT 7, SV 0
  • Q1 – SV: Zach Cullen, 14-yard run for TD. Braden Carr PAT kick is good. WAT 7, SV 7
  • Q1 – WAT: Nyle Peays, 85 yard TD pass-catch-run from Cade Keller.  Miller Hankins PAT kick is good. WAT 14, SV 7
  • Q2 – SV: Joshua Bell, 1-yard TD run. Braden Carr PAT kick is good. WAT 14, SV 14
  • Q2 – WAT: Bowen Mayo, 57 yard TD pass-catch-run from Cade Keller. Miller Hankins PAT kick is good. WAT 21, SV 14
  • Q2 – SV: Zach Cullen, 4-yard TD run. Braden Carr PAT kick is good. WAT 21, SV 21
  • Q3 – SV: Thanasi, Papazis, 13-yard TD pass from Noah Lineberry. Braden Carr PAT kick is good. WAT 21, SV 28
  • Q4 – WAT: Bowen Mayo, 12 yard TD pass from Cade Keller. Miller Hankins PAT kick is good. WAT 28, SV 28
  • Q4 – WAT: Miller Hankins, 37-yard field goal. WAT 31, SV 28

SELECTED TEAM STATS

• • Total Offense, Yards: SV 363, WAT 319
  • First Downs: SV 22, WAT 12
  • Net Yards Rushing: SV 206, WAT 74
  • Net Yards Passing: SV 157, WAT 245
  • Turnovers
    • Interceptions: SV 1, WAT 2
    • Fumbles Lost: SV 0, WAT 1
  • Penalties-Yards: SV 3-15, WAT 7-40
  • Time of Possession: SV 29:38, WAT 18:22
  • 3rd Down Conversions: SV 6 of 16, WAT 1 of 6
  • 4th Down Conversions: SV 3 of 5, WAT 0 of 2

INDIVIDUAL OFFENSIVE STATS

Passing

• • WAT – Cade Keller: completed 14 of 22, 3 TDs, 2 INTs
  • SV – Noah Lineberry: completed 17 of 30, 1 TD, 1 INT

Receiving

• • WAT – Nyle Peays: 2 receptions for 100 yards, 1 TD
  • SV – Andrew Doody: 9 receptions for 82 yards
  • WAT – Bowen Mayo: 4 receptions for 81 yards, 2 TDs
  • WAT – Evan Burroughs: 7 receptions for 44 yards
  • SV – Thanasi Papazis: 3 receptions for 36 yards, 1 TD
  • SV – Zach Cullen: 2 receptions for 28 yards
  • WAT – Matthew Leon: 1 reception for 20 yards
  • SV – Chris Stafford: 2 receptions for 12 yards

Rushing

• • SV – Zach Cullen: 37 carries for 168 yards, 2 TDs
  • WAT – Cade Keller: 5 carries for 37 yards
  • WAT – Evan Burroughs: 5 carries for 24 yards
  • SV – Joshua Bell: 6 carries for 24 yards, 1 TD
  • WAT – Matthew Leon: 9 carries for 15 yards
  • SV – Noah Lineberry: 2 carries for 11 yards

DEFENSIVE HIGHLIGHTS

• • SV – Brandon Creech: 7 tackles
  • SV – Xavier Flowe: 6 tackles, tackle for loss (TFL)
  • SV – Malachi Mays: 6 tackles, TFL
  • SV – Zach Cullen: 5 tackles, TFL
  • SV – Thanasi Papazis, 4 tackles, 1 pass INT
  • SV – Andrew Doody: 2 tackles, 1 fumble recovery, 1 pass breakup
  • SV – Joseph Jones: 1 tackle, 1 pass INT
  • SV – Joshua Bell: 1 tackles,TFL
  • WAT – Everett Gryder: 15 tackles, 1 pass INT, 1 pass breakup, 1 QB hurry
  • WAT – John Wilson Mills: 12 tackles, 2 QB hurries
  • WAT – Bowen Mayo: 11 tackles, 2 TFLs, 1 pass breakup
  • WAT – Thomas Deiters: 11 tackles. TFL
  • WAT – Crue Stoddard: 10 tackles, TFL, QB hurry
  • WAT – Matthew Leon: 6 tackles, TFL, QB hurry
  • WAT – Nyle Peays: 6 tackles, pass breakup
  • WAT – Brady Lindenmuth: 6 tackles, pass breakup, QB hurry
  • WAT – Kyle Williams: 3 tackles, TFL, pass breakup
  • WAT – Aiden Plemons: 4 tackles
  • WAT – Evan Burroughs: 1 tackle, pass breakup

BONUS PHOTOS

All images captured by Jared Everett, processed by David Rogers for High Country Sports

By Bret Strelow, BOONE, N.C. — With 10 entries advancing to title matches, App State Wrestling produced four champions at the Mountaineer Open on Nov. 23 in Varsity Gym. The event featured wrestlers from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, NC State, Ohio University, Duke University, Tennessee-Chattanooga, Presbyterian and unattached competitors.

Stephan Monchery (heavyweight), Tomas Brooker (184 pounds), Kaden Keiser (149) and Cooper Foster (125) secured titles. App State’s other finalists were Colby McBride (also at 125), Aldo Hernandez (141), Jeremiah Price (157), Anthony Conetta (165), Colt Campbell (174) and Logan Eller (197).

Monchery overcame what was essentially a 5-0 deficit (because of riding time) in a 9-6 overtime victory against North Carolina’s Jacob Levy.

Monchery had a second-period takedown and then posted another one with 24 seconds left in the third period, with Levy’s escape a few moments later meaning the match would go to a Sudden Victory period at 6-all. Monchery fought off an immediate shot and earned a takedown just six seconds into the overtime period against Levy, who entered the final with six pins as part of a 9-0 record.

Brooker trailed 3-1 after one period in the 184 final against North Carolina’s Nick Fea, rode out the second period and finished on top to win 7-3 after recording a takedown with 1:30 remaining. It was Brooker’s first title since he suffered a season-ending injury in the first dual of the 2024-25 season.

Foster topped McBride in the 125 final thanks to an early takedown in a 5-3 victory, and Keiser won by fall in the first period of the 149 final against Bentley Sly, a high school senior and top-60 national recruit who has signed with the Mountaineers.

North Carolina accounted for champions at 133, 141, 165 and 174 pounds, while Ohio won a title at 157. Patrick Brophy, formerly a standout at The Citadel, won the 197 title while officially wrestling as an unrostered entry.

Campbell drew some of the loudest cheers of the day in his quarterfinal and semifinal wins. He trailed 4-2 before getting a takedown and two near fall points with 48 seconds left in a 7-4 quarterfinal win, then trailed 4-1 entering the third period of his semifinal win against UNC’s Cade Tenold. Campbell was still down 4-3 before he recorded a takedown with 23 seconds left, and he won by fall with three seconds remaining.

The Mountaineers got a quarterfinal pin with three seconds left from Kai O’Dell, who trailed 7-6 against UNC’s Joey Showalter before executing a reversal with eight seconds left and then winning by fall.

O’Dell (157), Jarvis Little (133) and Brayden Fahrbach (149) all finished third in their brackets, with Fahrbach bouncing back from an overtime loss in his first match to win five consecutive times, including the rematch against Ohio’s Carson Weber.

App State’s 2025-26 season is presented by Hungry Howie’s and Penn Station. The Mountaineers host No. 10 NC State next Sunday in a 3 p.m. dual at Varsity Gym.

APP STATE RESULTS