By David Rogers. HICKORY, N.C. — It wasn’t the prettiest or most artful Watauga gridiron performance, but it was just enough to secure the program’s eighth straight, undefeated Northwestern Conference championship. The Pioneers prevailed against a big, athletic and physical St. Stephens squad, 28-18.

Given the number of seniors that graduated last year, including from key positions, there was widespread, preseason speculation Watauga would not repeat as conference champions, even with the reorganization of the Sun Belt into a 6A/7A league under the revamped NCHSAA classifications. This would be a rebuilding year, or so the pundits wagged.

To lose proven veterans like Maddux Greene (QB/DB), J.T. Cook (OL/DL), Caleb Dewey (OL/DL), Carson Gunnell-Beck (OL/LB), Dillon Zaragoza (WR/DB), Landon Smith (TE/LB), Trathan Gragg (TE/LB), Matthew Habich (WR/DB), and others left a hard-to-fill void, especially in the defensive and offensive line trenches. For the 2025 campaign, the returning juniors, sophomores and freshmen, by and large, had limited playing experience.

The Series: Evan Burroughs (12)

There were exceptions, of course, like the dynamic playmaker, Evan Burroughs (now a senior) at wide receiver and defensive back, as well as senior Brady Lindenmuth, an anchor to build around in the line on both sides of the ball.

That veteran returning group this year also included a pair of speedy, slash-styled running backs in Everett Gryder and Matthew Leon, but there were still a lot of holes to fill on both offense and defense, as well as on special teams — and they presented opportunities for the younger guys to step up and embrace their new, starring roles.

That is the nature of high school football, every year: younger guys growing, developing and taking over for the players that went before them.

With the help of what Pioneer head coach Ryan Habich describes as one of the best teams of assistant coaches in North Carolina high school football, that core group of returnees and younger players have developed into what many local pundits consider is one of the best Watauga teams to ever take the field.

That said, St. Stephens even further exposed some vulnerabilities if the often undersized players of Watauga don’t execute. Against the Indians, their big, athletic backs and receivers all too frequently broke what should have been tackles for loss on first contact, turning the plays into big gainers. On offense, run blocking was uneven, perhaps missing the aforementioned Lindenmuth, inactive because of a nagging, lower body injury.

Then there were a couple of turnovers, fumbles recovered by St. Stephens, and post-play penalties (i.e., unsportsmanlike conduct) that Habich bemoaned after the game as uncharacteristic of Watauga football. Those mental errors are costly, he said.

“We often started offensive drives with poor field position, backed up inside our 15-yard line, and that makes it (challenging) for the offense,” said Habich.

In the end, when the final buzzer had sounded, the Pioneers had done enough to secure the win. They survived a grueling season to emerge 10-0 overall and 5-0 in Northwestern Conference play.

WATAUGA STAT HIGHLIGHTS (UNOFFICIAL)

In the win, quarterback Cade Keller completed 12-of-19 passes for almost 200 yards and two TDs. Everett Gryder carried the ball 9 times for 46 yards and a pair of TDs. Matthew Leon had 5 carries after intermission for 32 yards, punctuating a key drive that used up a lot of second-half clock.

Gryder was also effective on defense, credited with a pass deflection and a pair of TFLs (tackles for loss).

Evan Burroughs was on the receiving end of some big aerials, five pass receptions of 10 yards or more, including an early 25-yard pickup and a 47-yard TD romp. He was also responsible for one of Watauga’s key plays, defensively, with an interception of St. Stephens’ QB Ryland Milligan’s pass near midfield and returned about 15 yards to setup rare good field position for the offense.

Bowen Mayo caught two passes for 24 yards, including a 7-yard TD reception. An even bigger contribution may have been on defense, where he recorded five tackles, including a pair of TFLs and a pass breakup.

Kyle Williams was relatively quiet on offense, but was instrumental in five tackles and a pair of defended passes.

Aidan Plemons was a menace on defense, credited with five solo or assisted tackles, a quarterback hurry that forced Milligan to throw the ball away in the second half, and a QB sack.

Nyle Peays’ night, on offense, was marred by a lost fumble after a 29-yard pass reception-and-run, but he made amends on defense with 6 tackles and a pair of pass breakups.

Not to be left out, sophomore linebacker John Wilson Mills was again all over the place, defensively, credited with at least 13 tackles, a TFL and a quarterback hurry.

SCORING SUMMARY

• 7-0: WAT – 6-yard run by Everett Gryder, PAT kick by Miller Hankins is good
• 14-0: WAT – 4-yard run by Everett Gryder, PAT kick by Miller Hankins is good
• 14-6: SS – 55-yard run, PAT kick is blocked
• 14-12: SS – 3-yard run by Izzy Payne, PAT fails
• 21-12: WAT – +47-yard pass from Cade Keller to Evan Burroughs, PAT by Miller Hankins is good
• 28-12: WAT – Pass from Cade Keller to Bowen Mayo, PAT by Miller Hankins is good
• 28-18: SS – +40-yard screen pass to Izzy Payne from Ryland Milligan, PAT failed

BONUS PHOTOS (Click on any image for larger version and Slide Show Mode)

All photographic images captured and processed by Jared Everett for High Country Sports