Mellow Mushroom

Invitational March 7-8:

Pioneers host top teams
By Steve Behr
sports@wataugademocrat.com

If the Mellow Mushroom Invitational has a familiar look to it, there’s a reason for that.

The same four teams that played in last year’s girls’ soccer tournament return this year for the two-day event.

Two-time defending champion Greensboro Page returns with Watauga, T.C. Roberson and New Bern for games on Friday and Saturday.

T.C. Roberson opens the tournament Friday at 5 p.m. against Page. Watauga takes on New Bern at 7 p.m.
Saturday’s games include Robertson playing New Bern at 1 p.m., which is followed by Watauga taking on Page at 3 p.m. All the games are at Jack Groce Stadium.

Watauga coach Doug Kidd has always brought in tough teams to the tournament and this year is no different.

New Bern, the runner-up last year, reached the semifinals last year and has more of its players back.

T.C. Roberson is one of the favorites to win the 3-A championship and Page also returns several players from last year.

“They’re not ranked, but they should be,” Kidd said of Page.

Roberson is coached by Rob Wilcher, an Appalachian State grad who has coached with Kidd during the state games. New Bern is coached by Tim Guter and Zack Osborne coached Kidd at Page.

Kidd expects both New Bern and Page to be patient on offense when they take on Watauga.

“They are very similar,” Kidd said. “They’re very skillful teams. They like to possess the ball and be patient and look for a breakdown in the defense. When they find that, they make you pay for it.”

Watauga worked on its offensive attack during practice this week after falling 1-0 to East Forsyth last Friday.

“It was not a lack of goal-scoring as much as it was a lack of an attack,” Kidd said. “It was our inability to keep possession of the ball. We’ve been working on that a lot this week.”