WHS boys win,

girls fall to S.C.
From staff reports

SAWMILLS — Zach Greene scored 25 points and Chad Eppley made a critical three-point play to lift Watauga’s boys basketball team to a 64-61 victory over South Caldwell in the Pioneers’ first Northwestern 4-A Conference game of the season.

Greene gave the Pioneers (5-3, 1-0 NWC) 15 first-half points, which helped them take a 29-26 lead by halftime. The Pioneers increased their lead to 38-30 in the third quarter, but South Caldwell rallied with an 11-0 run to claim a 41-38 lead.

That was when Eppley stole a pass, hit the ensuing layup and got fouled on the play. He converted the foul shot, giving him a three-point play and the Pioneers a 41-41 tie with .8 seconds left in the third quarter.

Watauga went on to hold off South Caldwell in the fourth quarter. Eppley finished with 10 points, while Alan Herndon had seven. Jeff Newell finished with six points.

South Caldwell got 21 points from Matt Whiteside, 15 from Casey Collins and 10 from Landon Shook.

S. Cald. 65, WHS girls 59
SAWMILLS — Watauga got 10 points from Emily Pineda, but the Pioneers could not keep up with South Caldwell’s top three scorers.

Kayla Gross led the Spartans with 20 points. Matison Hall, a freshman, finished with 15 points, as did Allison Minton.

Nicole Tesh finished with seven points for the Pioneers. Chandler Butler, Sarah Caldwell, Katherine Mayhew and Christina Rees each scored six for the Pioneers.

Watauga led 24-17 before the Spartans went on a 6-0 burst and trailed 24-23. The Spartans broke the game open in the third quarter with an 18-3 run and claimed a 12 point lead. Watauga never got closer than eight points the rest of the game.

The Pioneers were to play at Wilkes Central Monday night, but it was postponed because of bad weather. Watauga hosts Ashe County Friday night.

Wrestling
Watauga’s wrestling team beat Ashe County 42-36 in a dual meet held last week.

Jacob Earp (135), Savva Kostis (145), Justin Hyatt (152), Nathan Jackson (215) all won by pinfall for the Pioneers. Ethan Henson (103), Tyler Poe (125) all won matches by decision.

The Pioneers wrestle at Patton this Thursday.

Women’s basketball
STATESBORO, Ga. — Whitney Randolph set a career high with 20 points, but Appalachian State lost to Georgia Southern 72-58 Sunday.

Randolph also led the team with 10 rebounds.

ASU shot 34 percent from the field and 41 percent from beyond the arc, but GSU shot an even 40 percent from both distances.