High Country Sports

Author: Zach Smith

  • Tate, Huntley lead Mountaineers past Royals

    By Zach Smith. BOONE, N.C. — A career-defining performance from graduate forward CJ Huntley led the Mountaineers over Queens Nov. 19. App State closed out a low-scoring battle with the Royals, winning 65-53, in front of 2,678paid attendance.

    Huntley led the way for the Mountaineers with a career-high 27-point performance, while senior guard Myles Tate netted 19 of his own. Huntley and Tate both posted eight rebounds, also leading the team.

    Energy among the App State students and fans was high on Nov. 19 at the Holmes Center for the men’s basketball game vs. Queens. Photographic image by David Rogers for High Country Sports.

    Queens had just one player reach double-digit points, freshman guard Asjon Anderson with 13. Senior center Malcolm Wilson used every inch of his seven-foot height on his way to blocking six shots and grabbing 10 rebounds.

    The game began with three minutes of no score before Tate found Huntley on an alley-oop, before a deadlock at 4-4 entering the first media timeout. Later in the half, the Mountaineers found themselves trailing their visitors by five, 17-22. App State then went on a 14-2 run to close the opening period, punctuated by a dramatic buzzer-beater by Tate, a three-pointer just before time expired. The 3-pointer gave the Mountaineers a 31-24 lead at the break.

    Jackson Threadgill had two breakaway dunks in the closing minutes against Queens on Nov. 19, at the Holmes Convocation Center. Photographic image by David Rogers for High Country Sports

    Coming out of the locker room, Huntley drained a three-pointer before App State went on a scoring drought of nearly three minutes. Fortunately for the hosts, Queens was able to make just one shot from the field during that stretch, a three-pointer off the hands of Anderson. Two Tate free-throws and another Anderson three-pointer later, the Mountaineers went on a 6-0 scoring run to extend their lead to 12. With just under four minutes on the clock, Huntley hit on a layup through traffic to secure his career-high in both points and field goals made. The 6-11 forward followed that up with a three-pointer to secure his 27th point of the night.

    As a team, App State shot at a 47% mark, topping Queens’ 32% clip. The Mountaineers outrebounded the Royals, 43-39, and forced the visitors to shoot just 6-37 from beyond the arc.

    Myles Tate lays the ball up and in, early in the Nov. 19 game vs. Queens. Photographic image by David Rogers for High Country Sports

    App State head coach Dustin Kerns shared his thoughts on his team’s 65-53 victory postgame.

    “Queens is a team that, I think, in three of the last five years have won 30 games,” Kerns said. “They’ve got a really good program, and a program of winning. So, a hard fought, App State kind of ‘grind it out’ win. Really proud of our guys.”

    Kerns went on to speak of CJ Huntley’s performance in practice leading to his career night.

    “He had a really good week of practice,” Kerns said. “When you talk to your players about the importance of practice and every rep, not taking those things for granted, it pays off. CJ is going to be a perfect example. [It will] be easy for me, when we get back with our team on Thursday (Nov. 21), to say ‘listen, we all know CJ practiced really well, and he played well.’ So, really proud of him.”

    Myles Tate dribbles around a Queens University defender on Nov. 19, in the first half of App State’s 65-53 win. Photographic image by David Rogers for High Country Sports

    The Mountaineers kicked off a stretch of seven straight games in North Carolina with their victory over Queens, including a tournament series in Wilmington. Kerns spoke on the importance of playing in-state games.

    “It’s very important for us to play in-state,” Kerns said. “Certainly, we try to. We’ve played a lot of teams in the Carolinas, a lot of teams in this region, so, certainly it’s very important. We’ve got so many passionate fans and alumni.”

    Queens drops to 2-3 with the loss. The Royals look ahead to Nov. 23, when they face South Carolina-Upstate at East Tennessee State’s tournament. Tipoff is set for 6:00p.m..

    App State improves to 2-2 with their victory. The Mountaineers face William & Mary Nov. 24, where Dustin Kerns looks to become the fourth-fasted Mountaineer head coach to reach 100 career wins. Tipoff at the Holmes Center is slated for 1:00p.m..

  • Watauga chases down Ashe County, 33-6

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

    BONUS PHOTOS & STATS at bottom

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

    COMING THROUGH! — Matthew Leon Sequence

     

     

    Watauga running back Matthew Leon hurdles a ‘dogpile’ at the line of scrimmage, then breaks free for a big gain on Nov. 5 in the Pioneers’ 33-6 win over Ashe County. Photographic image by Jared Everett for High Country Sports

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

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

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

    Watauga’s Brady Lindenmuth (56) applies pressure on Ashe County QB Bryce Peters, Nov. 5, 2024. Photographic image by Jared Everett for High Country Sports

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

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

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

    For the Nov. 5 High Country rivalry game at Ashe County, a large contingent of Watauga fans braved the inclement weather to watch the 33-6 Pioneer win over the Huskies. Photographic image by Jared Everett for High Country Sports

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

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

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

    SCORING SUMMARY

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

    SELECTED TEAM STATS

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

    SELECTED INDIVIDUAL STATS

    Passing

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

    Rushing

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

    Receiving

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

     BONUS PHOTOS

  • Mountaineers drop season opener to Miami (Ohio), 77-63

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

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

    Graduate forward CJ Huntley (15) drains a three-pointer in App State’s Nov. 4 loss to Miami (Ohio). Photo by Joel Franquiz, courtesy of App State Athletics.

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

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

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

    Redshirt freshman Luke Wilson (3) throws an aggressive dunk in App State’s Nov. 4 loss to Miami (Ohio). Photo by Michael Mann Jr., courtesy of App State Athletics.

    App State head coach Dustin Kerns shared his thoughts postgame.

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

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

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

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

  • Pioneers roll through Rockets

    By Zach Smith. BOONE, N.C. — The often erratic weather in the High Country reared its head Sept. 13, but that didn’t keep the Watauga offense from showing out in their matchup against perennial powerhouse AC Reynolds. The Pioneers moved to 4-0 on the season, defeating the Rockets in a rainy blowout, 48-21.

    Senior quarterback/cornerback Maddox Greene showed his ability on both sides of the ball, producing five touchdowns while making key tackles on defense. 

    At the end of a 55-yard pass-catch-run, Evan Burroughs is pulled out at the one yard line. Photographic image by Jared Everett for High Country Sports

    Watauga opened the game with a 15-play, 80-yard drive that took over half of the first quarter, a contrast to the usual “NASCAR” offense that head coach Ryan Habich employs. The Pioneers followed their opening score with another touchdown late in the first stanza, before Reynolds quarterback Ely Hamrick drove his squad to the end zone early in the second frame.

    Watauga responded with four consecutive touchdowns, widening the gap to 34 points early in the fourth quarter. AC Reynolds hit paydirt two more times before the game clock reached zero, but it was too little, too late for the Rockets.

    Maddox Greene (4) waltzes into the end zone vs. A C Reynolds, virtually untouched. Photographic image by Jared Everett for High Country Sports

    Ryan Habich shared his thoughts on Watauga’s second victory in as many years over AC Reynolds, postgame.

    “Who would’ve thought that we’d beat AC Reynolds two years in a row?” Habich said. “That’s a huge win for our program, for our school and our community. I’m really proud of the kids, I thought we played a complete game.”

    Watauga typically uses a fast-paced offense, dubbed the “NASCAR offense” by Habich. In their victory over AC Reynolds, the Pioneers shifted to a slower, more time-consuming style. Habich talked about how that played into the coaching staff’s game plan.

    “That was the game plan, to keep the ball away from AC Reynolds’ offense,” Habich said. “When you keep the ball away from that offense, it frustrates them. They start forcing balls and start pushing the ball down the field. That was the game plan. When you can get a 15-play drive and then score a touchdown, that’s huge. I think it takes the wind out of the other team.”

    Watauga running back Everett Gryder (44) burst through a gap in the line for a big gain, early in the first quarter vs. A C Reynolds. Photographic image by Jared Everett for High Country Sports

    AC Reynolds senior running back Max Guest is a crucial player for the Rockets, and was a focus for the Watauga defense. The App State commit was largely held in check by Habich’s squad.

    “I thought our defense did a really good job,” Habich said. “When you play a special player like Max Guest… we wanted to stop the run. We want to make sure that we’re covering the receivers, but we want to stop their running back (Guest). We put a lot of effort on that throughout the week in practice and our defensive coaches did a tremendous job. Our defense is playing some pretty good football this year.”

    Watauga moves to 4-0 on the season, the last undefeated school in the Northwestern Conference. The Pioneers host North Davidson Sept. 20 in their final matchup in non-conference play. Kickoff is set for 7:30p.m..

  • Watauga routs Avery County in weather-shortened game

    By Zach Smith. NEWLAND, N.C. — Looking to win their second road matchup in as many weeks, Watauga traveled to face long-time, High Country rival Avery County Aug. 30. A weather-shortened game couldn’t slow the Pioneers down as they routed the Vikings, 56-7.

    After holding Avery County scoreless in the opening drive, Watauga needed just five snaps to reach the end zone. That drive set the tone for the Pioneers, who scored on all but one of their eight possessions.

    Maddox Greene was instrumental in Watauga’s blowout victory. The senior quarterback was responsible for five touchdowns, three of them coming via the Pioneers’ efficient pass game. After throwing an interception on his second pass of the night, Greene completed nine consecutive targets including scoring attempts of 35, 53 and 66 yards. 

    Rivalry games always bring a lot of energy and that was certainly the case on Aug. 30 when Watauga invaded Avery County. Photographic image by Jared Everett for High Country Sports

    Junior running back Everett Gryder had his best performance of the season as well. The top Watauga running back in 2023 tallied 89 yards on eight carries, breaking through the goal line twice — and that was before halftime, when the game was called because of lightning in the area. 

    Senior Carson Gunnell-Beck punctuated Watauga’s victory with a 19-yard defensive touchdown with under a minute left in the first half. With Avery County quarterback Kaleb Liner lined up under center, Gunnell-Beck tore through the offensive line and snatched the ball before breaking a tackle and sprinting to the end zone.

    Following halftime, a lightning delay led to a meeting between head coaches where the decision was made to end the game.

    Watauga head coach Ryan Habich spoke on the contrast between his squad’s victory over Avery County and their much tighter win at TC Roberson Aug. 23.

    “We worked a lot on the basics, the fundamentals on both sides of the ball,” Habich said. “[We] worked on the pass protection. Last week we did not do a very good job with our pass protection.”

    While the decision to end the game at halftime was mutual between Watauga and Avery, Habich expressed disappointment for some of his younger players who missed an opportunity to get involved in the game.

    Wataiga’s Matthew Leon makes the tackle vs. Avery County on Aug. 30. Photographic image by Jared Everett for High Country Sports

    “That’s the disappointing thing about when a game gets called at halftime,” Habich said. “We were gonna play a lot of kids, so I’m a little disappointed for them that they didn’t get in.”

    Watauga’s away game at Avery County is their last road trip until early October. Habich shared his thoughts on what it means to the players to have a lengthy homestand against quality opponents.

    “We’re excited about playing at Jack Groce [Stadium],” Habich said. “Our kids love representing our community at Jack Groce. I think if you look at our record over the 11 years I’ve been here, our teams have done a really good job playing at home. We play for more than just ourselves.”

    Watauga begins their three-game homestand Sept. 6 against Maiden. The Pioneers will look to open their season 3-0 for the third straight season at 7:30p.m.

  • Watauga opens season with shutout victory over TC Roberson

    By Zach Smith. ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Gritty, hard-working and “blue collar” have been terms used in the past to describe the mentality of Watauga High School football by head coach Ryan Habich. Those traits were on display Aug. 23, when the Pioneers defeated TC Roberson in a tough, low-scoring contest, 14-0.

    Junior Matthew Leon scored the 2024 edition of Watauga football’s first points late in the first quarter. With the ball on the Rams’ 24-yard line, Leon broke through the offensive line with explosive speed, crossing the goal line without a defender in sight.

    With offensive lineman Carson Gunnell-Beck (57) paving the way, Watauga QB Maddox Greene attacks space at TC Roberson on Aug. 23. Photographic image by David Rogers for High Country Sports
    Photographic image by David Rogers for High Country Sports

    Late in the half, another Habich mantra — “win the middle eight [minutes]” (last four minutes of the first half and the first four minutes of the second half) — was reinforced. Senior Landon Smith pounced on a fumble coughed up by TC Roberson quarterback Laron Mills, providing the Pioneers a golden opportunity to extend their lead with a short field. Five plays later, senior Maddox Greene powered his way to a four-yard score with less than 15 seconds on the clock.

    While the Watauga offense was largely stifled, the Pioneer defense was stellar against an athletic Rams team. The Pioneers forced four fumbles, two of which resulted in turnovers, while intercepting two passes to create four Roberson turnovers. 

    Ryan Habich praised his defense for their performance post-game.

    “Defensively, I thought we played really good,” Habich said. “We played assignment football, and that’s a big thing about our program. We want to play complimentary football. I thought we did that.”

    On a keeper, Watauga QB Maddox Greene reaches for the goal line at T C Roberson, Aug. 23. Photographic image by David Rogers for High Country Sports

    Watauga’s offense was never able to find a groove in their win over TC Roberson. The longest run that didn’t result in a touchdown for the Pioneers was 13 yards, which is uncharacteristic for a Habich-led team. He spoke on the team’s struggles in the run game.

    “We didn’t block very well,” Habich said. “When that happens, it’s not a good situation for us. We’re trying to find different ways that we can pop running backs through [the offensive line], and we’re not blocking.”

    Habich compared his team’s performance to the Pioneers’ previous bout with the Rams in 2023, an even closer game in which Watauga emerged winners of a one-point contest, 13-12. He pointed out that his squad improved drastically in the following weeks.

    “It’s that first game,” Habich said. “It’s like the same thing that happened last year when we played TC Roberson, and we got better. I told the guys at the game, ‘continuous improvement.’”

    Watauga opens the season 1-0 with their victory over TC Roberson. The Pioneers return to action Aug. 30, traveling to Avery County for a High Country rivalry game. Kickoff is slated for 7:30p.m.

  • App FC escapes with draw against Greenville United, 1-1

    By Zach Smith. BOONE, N.C. — Looking to remain unbeaten, Appalachian FC faced Greenville United June 8 in NPSL competition. The home side relied on late-game heroics to salvage a draw after 90 minutes.

    Solid defensive play was the theme of the first half. Greenville had the best opportunity through the first 45, but App FC goalkeeper Charlie Walker was there to smother the loose ball. Both teams remained scoreless into the locker room.

    Scoring chances were more frequent in the second half, but both goalies held strong as the game approached the 60-minute mark. In the 59th minute, Walker received a red card resulting in a Greenville penalty kick. Luc Achermann-Stanfield sent the ball past backup goalkeeper Lucas Hatsios, and the visitors scored the game’s first goal. 

    With time running out and playing down a man, Appalachian seemed to produce their best chances. Forward Elie Bokota had a solo opportunity against the Greenville goalkeeper in the 86th minute, but sent the ball over the crossbar. Defender Rashawn Kellman followed that with a dangerous look in the 89th minute before the ball glanced off the side of his foot and the visitors cleared the ball.

    In stoppage time, App FC set up for a free kick. The ball was sent into the chaotic penalty area, and Kevin Arguello was able to poke it just past the Greenville goalie, knotting the game with just minutes to play. The final whistle sounded, and the home side escaped with a draw.

    Appalachian FC head coach Dale Parker was happy that his side salvaged a draw, but felt that they could have come away with more.

    “Obviously delighted that we built the result out of [the game] under difficult circumstances, to play as long as we did with 10 players and to somehow find a way to equalize” Parker said. “Really, we should have won it. We had enough chances in that second half to win it.”

    Parker explained his message to the team after losing his goalkeeper to a red card.

    “Keep doing what we’re doing,” Parker said. “They weren’t causing us a problem. I felt we could play with nine men, we could play with eight, and we’d still be the better team. It didn’t bother me that much.”

    Appalachian FC concludes their three-game homestand June 15 with a match against 865 Alliance. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. at the Ted Mackorell Soccer Complex in Boone.

  • Appalachian FC earns clean sheet victory over Bristol, 4-0

    By Zach Smith. BOONE, N.C. — Soccer fans in the High Country couldn’t have asked for better weather June 1, when Appalachian FC took on Bristol Rhythm AFC in a Saturday night match. App FC came away with three goals of their own after 90 minutes of dominating play — plus a generous “own goal”,  given to them by Bristol, for a 4-0 shutout win.

    Elie Bokota contributed a goal and an assist in Appalachian FC’s 4-0 victory over Bristol Rhythm AFC June 1. Photo by Josh Floyd, courtesy of Appalachian FC.

    Following sustained pressure through the first 10 minutes of play, Appalachian forward Elie Bokota continued his hot streak with a low drive from beyond the penalty area that just got past Bristol goalkeeper Logan Cassel. 

    Just six minutes later, Bristol defender Grayson Cunningham attempted to pass the ball to his goalie. Before Cassel could react, the ball trickled into his own net, doubling App FC’s advantage in the 19th minute.

    Later in the half, Bokota headed the ball to teammate Thomas de Graauw, who drilled it into the upper corner. Appalachian took a 3-0 lead into halftime.

    Trailing by three out of the locker room, Bristol had a clear chip on their shoulders. Cunningham’s day went from bad to worse as he received an immediate red card following a hard foul in the 49th minute. Fellow Rhythm defender Archie Day received a yellow card for dissent in the aftermath of Cunningham’s being sent off. Day picked up a second yellow card minutes later, and the visitors were forced to play with just nine men for the remaining 35 minutes.

    Following early fireworks in the second half, there was a lull in action. Appalachian was focused on holding their three-goal advantage by dominating possession, and Bristol was unable to get their offense going. A goal in the 90th minute by substitute forward Kevin Arguello sealed the match for App FC.

    Appalachian head coach Dale Parker shared his gameplan following his team’s dominant victory.

    The Appalachian FC faithful showed up in full force to watch their team’s 4-0 victory over Bristol Rhythm AFC June 1. Photo by Josh Floyd, courtesy of Appalachian FC.

    “I think the message before the game was to make sure we start well, leave no doubt in that first 10, 15 minutes,” Parker said. “This is a home game, get the fans involved. We always like to do that as quickly as we can. I think we definitely accomplished that and it typically leads to a strong performance.”

    Elie Bokota was key for the home side, scoring the eventual game-winning goal and assisting on another. Bokota spoke on his motivation to continue his impressive form.

    “Right now, I’m on a mission,” Bokota said “This year I want to score as many goals as possible. Last year, I heard that there’s a guy that played a couple of years back who had a record of 14 or 15 goals. I want to break that record.”

    “Right now, I’m on a mission”

    Parker was complimentary of Bokota and his role on the team.

    “He’s a massively important player for us,” Parker said. “He’s tricky, he’s slippery, he can score goals. He’s added that to his game over the past year. Hopefully that continues. It’s going to be a long season and we need him fit, healthy and scoring goals if we want to have team success.”

    Appalachian FC is No. 2 in the NPSL Southeast standings but have played one less game than first-place Hickory FC. Their next match is against Greenville United June 8 at the Ted Mackorell Soccer Complex in Boone at 7 p.m..

  • App State loses heartbreaker to Arkansas State, 67-65

    By Zach Smith. PENSACOLA, Fla. — March is known for upsets and wild endings in the college basketball world, and that proved true when App State faced Arkansas State in the Sun Belt Tournament semifinals March 10. The Mountaineers fell to the Red Wolves in heartbreaking fashion, 67-65.

    Terence Harcum led the way for App State with 15 points. Myles Tate added 11 points off the bench and Justin Abson netted 10 to round out the Mountaineer scoring effort. Abson was App State’s top rebounder with seven boards, and Donovan Gregory dished out a team-best four assists.

    Terence Harcum scored a team-high 15 points in App State’s March 10 loss to Arkansas State. Photo courtesy of Sun Belt Sports.

    Caleb Fields netted 23 points while distributing six assists, both team-highs for Arkansas State. Freddy Hicks followed up with a 19-point performance of his own, and Izaiyah Nelson grabbed a game-best 13 rebounds.

    Both teams showed offensive struggles early, but Arkansas State began to pull away in the first half. The Red Wolves took control just under six minutes into the game, never relinquishing their lead over the final 14 minutes of the period. App State was not able to piece together more than four consecutive points in the first half, and entered the locker room trailing by 10.

    The second half was nearly the opposite of the first. Playing from behind for nearly 30 straight minutes, the Mountaineers went on a 6-0 run to regain the lead with just under five on the clock. Following a pair of free-throws from Caleb Fields, Myles Tate drained a three-pointer to match App State’s game-high two-point lead. Fields responded with a game-tying layup with just over two minutes remaining before both teams went on scoring droughts. With 14 seconds on the clock, Arkansas State inbounded the ball following a timeout. The Red Wolves got the ball to Freddy Hicks, who hit a jumper as the buzzer sounded to deny the Mountaineers’ hopes of playing for a Sun Belt championship.

    Arkansas State’s Freddy Hicks fires the game-winning shot at the buzzer to beat App State March 10. Photo courtesy of Sun Belt Sports.

    An emotional App State head coach Dustin Kerns shared a short statement on his team’s heartbreaking loss to Arkansas State.

    “Heartbreaking loss for our program after a special season,” Kerns said. “Credit Arkansas State. They made plays when they needed to make them. It’s a tough way to lose.”

    “I think everybody in our locker room is pretty heartbroken”

    Kerns shared an insight on how the locker room felt following their semifinals loss.

    “There’s a lot of emotions right now,” Kerns said. “I think everybody in our locker room is pretty heartbroken.”

    First-year head coach Bryan Hodgson transformed Arkansas State’s basketball program from the No. 13 seed in last year’s Sun Belt Tournament to the No. 4 ranked team this year. Hogdson credited his team for that improvement.

    “I’ve been a part of some really good basketball teams,” Hogdson said. “I’m not taking anything away from any of the teams I’ve coached in the past, but I don’t know if I’ve had a team in 15 years of coaching this game that’s grown as much as this team. The selflessness, the discipline, the attention to detail. It seems like it gets better and better every single game.”

    Tre’Von Spillers with a slam in App State’s loss to Arkansas State March 10. Photo courtesy of Sun Belt Sports.

    Hogdson was sure to not understate how big of a win this was for his team.

    “We just beat a really, really good basketball team,” Hogdson said. “Dustin Kerns is a great coach. Obviously Coach of the Year in this league, deservingly so. Undefeated at home. They’ve got wins over Auburn. They’ve got wins over several teams that are gonna play in the NCAA Tournament. That’s a team that not many people would wanna play in the NCAA Tournament.”

    Freddy Hicks was the hero for Arkansas State, releasing the eventual game-winning shot with 0.3 seconds on the clock. Hicks explained what went into the final shot.

    “My teammates just trusted me to make the right play at the end,” Hicks said. “I said I wanted the ball and they trusted me. We just ran a play and it just worked out. Anybody could have hit that shot.”

    Justin Abson, the fourth-best in the nation in blocks per game, swats an Arkansas State layup in App State’s loss to the Red Wolves March 10. Photo courtesy of Sun Belt Sports.

    Hogdson gave Hicks praise for his motivation to take the game-winning shot.

    “I’m gonna intervene there a little bit because [Hicks] is a humble dude,” Hogdson said. “We went into that timeout [with 14.6 seconds remaining] and he grabbed me and said ‘Coach give me the ball, I’m gonna win the basketball game.’ I’m not making that up. He said that to me about three times.”

    Although they were on the wrong end of the final score, App State’s 49 percent shooting mark was higher than Arkansas State’s 44 percent clip. The Red Wolves were just the eighth team to out-rebound the Mountaineers this season, 36-27. The nine-rebound margin was the second-largest deficit on the boards App State saw in the 2023-24 campaign. 

    Arkansas State moves on to the Sun Belt Championship Game for the first time since 2007. The Red Wolves will face the No. 2 seed James Madison March 11 at 6 p.m. Central (7 p.m. Eastern). The game will be broadcast in front of a national audience on ESPN.

    App State’s Sun Belt Tournament hopes come to an end with their loss to Arkansas State. The Mountaineers look to Selection Sunday March 17, where they will find out if a bid to a postseason tournament awaits them.

  • Mountaineers survive OT thriller over Georgia Southern, 85-80

    By Zach Smith. PENSACOLA, Fla. — There are three guarantees in life: death, taxes, and a thrilling game between App State and Georgia Southern. Once again, the Mountaineers found themselves on top in an overtime thriller with their rivals March 9, 85-80.

    App State was led by a 22-point performance from fifth-year forward Donovan Gregory. Sophomore Justin Abson and junior Tre’Von Spillers each notched a double-double in the Mountaineers’ win. Abson proved himself worthy of his Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year award with his seven blocked shots.

    App State sophomore Justin Abson slams home two of his 13 points in the Mountaineers’ March 9 OT victory over Georgia Southern. Photographic image by David Rogers.

    Senior guard Tyren Moore was on fire for Georgia Southern. Moore netted a career-high 36 points in the Eagles’ loss. Avantae Parker and Malik Tidwell scored 14 and 11, respectively, to round out Georgia Southern’s top scorers.

    App State looked nearly unstoppable in the first half. The Mountaineers scored 11 of the game’s first 13 points and later extended their lead to as many as 14 points. Moore scored eight of Georgia Southern’s final 12 points of the half, closing the deficit to 10 points at the buzzer.

    The Eagles clearly made adjustments in the locker room because they came out swinging. Georgia Southern took just over a minute to cut the App State lead in half. Later, the Eagles took a 17-4 run to gain their first lead of the afternoon, before junior Terence Harcum was fouled with 16 seconds on the clock and the Mountaineers trailing by two. Harcum knocked down both shots from the line, and Georgia Southern’s game-winning attempt missed. For the second time this season, App State and Georgia Southern required an extra period to decide a winner.

    The bonus stanza was where Georgia Southern’s fatigue might have set in. Having played another game earlier in the week, the Eagles made just one shot in the first four minutes of overtime. The well-rested Mountaineers took advantage, out-scoring Georgia Southern in the extra five minutes, 9-4.

    Fifth-year forward Donovan Gregory scored a team-high 22 points in App State’s OT victory over Georgia Southern March 9. Photo courtesy of Sun Belt Sports.

    App State head coach Dustin Kerns shared his thoughts on App State’s thrilling victory over Georgia Southern.

    “Sun Belt Tournament play,” Kerns said. “We expect games like this. Our guys found a way and we made some winning plays down the stretch. Just really proud of our guys for finding a way to win.”

    “We expect games like this”

    Georgia Southern head coach Charlie Henry also shared his perspective on his team’s overtime loss.

    “They’re a really good team, Coach Kerns does a great job,” Henry said. “You know, it’s all part of what you sign up for when you’re in sports and you’re in basketball. Things come down to one play. Credit to them, they made a lot of plays. Our guys did too.”

    App State improved to 4-1 in games that went to overtime on the season. Kerns spoke on what he thinks makes his team so good at closing down the stretch.

    “These guys are really experienced,” Kerns said. “We’ve been in these situations. There’s no panic, there’s a unified belief. We know that the game is not over until the buzzer sounds. Every possession matters and these guys have a great understanding of that. We have a cool, calm, collected kind of approach to it.”

    Junior Terence Harcum fires a shot in App State’s quarterfinals OT victory over Georgia Southern March 9. Photographic image by David Rogers.

    Donovan Gregory echoed that thought.

    “In those moments, being able to stay together and trusting the work that we put in together as a team, and knowing that, at the end of the day, we’re the better team and we’re prepared for those moments,” Gregory said.

    App State’s depth has been a key factor in their success over the course of the season. Kerns spoke on how that impacted App State’s quarterfinals win over Georgia Southern.

    “It was big,” Kerns said. “With the overtime period, playing 45 minutes, we still only had one guy with 35 minutes. An average 40-minute game that’s right at 30. Being able to get some guys some rest and breaks is huge. Once again, it’s somebody different every night. Everybody scored that played. That shows that you gotta prepare for nine different guys.”

    Junior Tre’Von spillers earns one of App State’s 12 blocked shots in their OT victory over Georgia Southern March 9. Photo courtesy of Sun Belt Sports.

    As a team, App State shot at a 52 percent mark, topping Georgia Southern’s 37 percent clip. The Mountaineers out-rebounded the Eagles, 47-36, but turned the ball over 17 times, leading to 18 Georgia Southern points. App State improved on their nation-best blocks per game with 12 swatted shots. Justin Abson led that effort with seven of his own, his third time with at least that many this season.

    With the loss, Georgia Southern has been eliminated from the Sun Belt Tournament. The Eagles complete the 2023-24 season with a 9-24 record, an impressive turnaround following their 0-12 start.

    App State moves on to the Sun Belt Tournament semifinals with the win. The Mountaineers will face No. 4 seed Arkansas State, who defeated Louisiana later on March 9. Tipoff is slated for 5 p.m. Central (6 p.m. Eastern) at the Pensacola Bay Center in Pensacola, Fla. March 10. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.