HobbsDailyReport.com
ST. STEPHENS 26
WATAUGA 21
HICKORY – St. Stephens High’s football team gave its head coach a birthday present worthy of remembering on Friday night.
HICKS
Making big plays on offense and defense, the Indians nipped visiting Watauga 26-21 in a win that keeps St. Stephens solidly in the running for the 11th state playoff bid in school history.
Indians head coach Wayne Hicks’ 55th birthday is Sunday, and his 16th victory at St. Stephens was a nice present from his players.
St. Stephens won via a 23-yard TD pass from quarterback Justin Bullock to wide receiver Teavius Henry, their fourth connection of the season, with about seven minutes to play.
“Our quarterback told me to go (deeper on the route) and it was open,” Henry said in a postgame interview with WNNC 101.3 FM radio.
The score finished off a strong fourth quarter by the Indians (3-5, 2-2) who pulled within 21-20 with about 11 minutes to go when Bryce DeSantis kicked a 31-yard field goal, his second of the game, fifth of the season and 10th of his career (see graphic).
That field goal came after Watauga had fumbled and the Indians recovered.
KICKING THREAT
Kicker Bryce DeSantis kicked two field goals on Friday night in a home victory over Watauga, reaching 10 for his career that includes five this season. His field goals:
2015
Opponent Distance
*Hibriten 27
2016
Opponent Distance
W. Iredell 32
Maiden 25
Watauga 37
Patton 34
2017
Opponent Distance
Fred T. Foard 29, 34
McDowell 32
Watauga 31,23
*in state playoff game
SOURCE: HobbsDailyReport.com research, files.
Running back Xavian King, who had two scoring runs, ran for more than 100 yards for St. Stephens for the fourth time this season. He had 28 carries, giving him 50 in the last two games.
King helped the Indians rally from a 14-0 deficit, with his first TD run – of 46 yards – coming in the first quarter.
When King scored from the 2 for the only second-quarter score by either team, and DeSantis added a PAT, it was tied 14-all.
DeSantis hit a 23-yard field goal about four minutes into the second half, putting the Indians up 17-14, but Watauga answered with a 26-yard TD run by Bryce Satterfield, who ran for nearly 120 yards.
The Pioneers (6-2, 2-2) grabbed a 14-0 lead when Anderson Castle scored on a short-yardage run to open the scoring and Satterfield ran 5 yards for a TD and a two-score lead.
The Indians’ defense limited Watauga quarterback Anderson Castle, coming off a 300-yard rushing game, to 40 rushing yards and 51 passing.
Henry caught seven passes for 64 yards and Bullock was 7 of 9 for 64 yards for St. Stephens.
The victory moved St. Stephens into a four-way tie for third place in the league. The Indians share that spot with Watauga, West Caldwell and Hickory, all one game back of second-place Freedom and two games back of league-leading Alexander Central.
St. Stephens snapped a five game losing streak in its series with Watauga and denied Pioneers head coach Ryan Habich his 90th career victory.
The Indians play at Alexander Central next Friday at 7:30 p.m. in a conference game while Watauga meets McDowell, also at 7:30 p.m., in a league game in Boone.