Pioneers host NWC opener
From staff reports

Watauga’s softball team could not close out Wilkes Central and fell 8-6 in the Pioneers’ final game of the regular season Wednesday night.

The Pioneers’ Maddi Bakken got a no-decision after striking out seven and walking just two. She gave up four runs, but just one was earned.

Watauga (8-14) turns its attention back to the Northwestern 4-A Conference Friday night when the Pioneers host McDowell at 6 p.m. in the first round of the playoffs. Watauga beat McDowell at the Carroll Complex earlier this season, but lost to the Titans in Marion.

Watauga would like to get the production from Chandler Butler, Beth Wilson and Hannah Yates that it got Wednesday night. Butler walked three times, had a hit and scored a run.

Wilson doubled and scored a run, while Yates had a hit and scored two runs.

Girls’ soccer
ASHEVILLE — Watauga lost to Asheville 1-0 on the road Tuesday in a non-conference game.

The Pioneers, who saw their streak of shutouts end at seven games, gave up a goal 20 minutes into the first half.

The Pioneers outshot Asheville 9-7, including one off a corner kick that bounced off the crossbar.

But the Pioneers, after scoring 14 goals in their last three games, struggled to find the net against Asheville.

“We’re just not finishing our chances,” Pioneers coach Doug Kidd said. “We had our chances, but we didn’t finish. It’s something we need to work on as far as making good decisions and finishing our chances.”

The Pioneers, who have clinched at least third place in the NWC, close out their regular season at South Caldwell. Should Watauga win and McDowell lose to Alexander Central, Watauga would claim second place.

Kidd does not know who the Pioneers would play in the first round of the state 4-A playoffs. If Watauga finishes third in the NWC, it would face a wildcard entry into the playoffs. If the Pioneers are second in the league, they would play a team from the Metro 4-A Conference from the Triad area.

Boys tennis
SAWMILLS — All six of Watauga’s tennis players advanced to the Western 4-A Regional Tournament, which is in Charlotte May 9-10.

In doubles, Graham Battle and Steve Lake advanced by beating Skyler Warren and Trey Peterson of A.C. Reynolds 6-1, 6-2 to win the doubles tournament. They also beat Alex Austin and Kyle Anderson, also of A.C. Reynolds, 6-0, 6-0, and a team from Freedom 6-0, 6-0 in the first round.

Watauga’s other team of Preston Stigall and Davis Roberts qualified for the regional by beating Alexander Central’s Meng Yang and Justin Chapman 10-6 in a pro set. To get there, they heat Josha Hutchins and Adam Hall of McDowell 10-4.

Stigall and Roberts opened the tournament with a 6-3, 6-2 win over South Caldwell’s Matthew Mackie and Matthew Kinkle, but fell into the loser’s bracket after losing to Freedom’s tandem of John Eskridge and Kevin Boggs, 6-0, 6-0.

In singles, Brian Geldmeier beat Derek Jager of A.C. Reynolds 6-2, 6-3 to win the tournament. Geldmeier had to beat East Burke’s John Linkhous 6-1, 6-0, Alexander Central’s Garrison Sigmon 6-0, 6-2 and South Caldwell’s Steve Gullette 6-1, 6-3 to reach the finals.

Watauga’s other singles player, Beau Wilson, also reached the regional. He beat Rainer Robinson of South Caldwell 6-1, 6-1 and Alexander Central’s Patrick Wyke 6-4, 6-2, but fell to Jager in the semifinals 6-4, 7-5.