HobbsDailyReport.com
BOONE – Watauga High had more than 500 yards of total offense on Friday night, bouncing back from a loss to overwhelm visiting McDowell 61-17 in Northwestern 3A-4A football.
Running back Bryce Satterfield ran for 241 yards and scored four rushing touchdowns to lead the Pioneers (7-2, 3-2), who a week before fell 26-21 at St. Stephens.
WATAUGA 61
McDOWELL 17
The win moved Watauga into a four-way tie with Freedom, Hickory and West Caldwell for second place.
Watauga ran for 358 yards with quarterback Anderson Castle having 75 and also throwing for 142 yards and two scores.
Satterfield’s third TD of the game, a 63-yard run with one minute, seven seconds in the first half, gave the Pioneers a 27-3 edge by halftime.
“It was a disappointing loss last week and we thought we got beat up last week,” Watauga head coach Ryan Habich told The Watauga Democrat after Friday’s victory. “We didn’t really sustain blocks up front, so one of the things we did was really challenge the guys up front.”
McDowell (1-8, 0-5) was limited to 259 yards with quarterback Ben Balluw throwing for 99 yards and running back J.C. Olivio rushing 18 times for 88 yards, The Democrat reported.
The Pioneers made some position changes up front with Dakota Silvers moving to tackle and Sterling Sauls playing center, The Democrat story said. Additionally, tackle Josh Headlee (6-foot-3, 275 pounds) moved to guard, opening holes for Satterfield.
“We just can’t simulate that in practice with our scout team,” McDowell head coach Andy Morgan said of Watauga’s offense. “We knew they were physical, but we’ve played some pretty physical teams throughout the year. We just didn’t have any response.”
Both teams have two conference games to go, with McDowell on the road next Friday at 7:30 p.m. against West Caldwell and then on No. 3 at Freedom.
Watauga plays Freedom in Boone at 7:30 p.m. next Friday and West Caldwell, also in Boone, on Nov. 3 at 7:30 p.m.