HobbsDailyReport.com
BOONE – Watauga High scored on eight of its nine possessions on Friday night, closing the varsity football regular season with a 42-21 home win over West Caldwell to finish second in the Northwestern 3A-4A.
The Pioneers (9-3, 5-2) were a game back of Alexander Central and one game up on three teams (Freedom, Hickory and St. Stephens) in the conference race, and they’ve earned a state playoff spot for the seventh straight season and for the 11th time in 12 years.
WATAUGA 42
WEST CALDWELL 21
Watauga outgained the Warriors (6-5, 3-4) — who finished sixth one season after winning a Southern District 7 Athletic 2A title — 469-218.
Pioneers running back Bryce Satterfield has two rushing TDs and gained 108 yards on 16 carries before leaving the game with an elbow injury during the third quarter, The Watauga Democrat reported. His status for next Friday’s first-round state playoff game is unknown.
Watauga led 28-14 at the half over the Warriors after Satterfield had scored twice and quarterback Anderson Castle’s scoring runs of 19 and 43 yards.
There was no scoring in the third quarter.
Watauga extended its lead in the final quarter on scoring runs by Zach West and Castle, who had 15 carries for 186 yards and threw for another 76 yards. Jaiden Bond added 81 rushing yards on seven carries.
Taye Dula led West Caldwell with 28 carries for 161 yards. He ran for two scores and caught a pass for another.
“That’s a college running back right there,” Watauga head coach Ryan Habich told The Democrat, speaking of Dula. “He’s pretty good and you can’t go three-and-out and give them more possessions.
“We had to score and our quarterback is doing a phenomenal job with our option game. That’s not coaching. That’s the quarterback making plays.”
Watauga converted all nine of its third down conversions and had the ball nearly 27 minutes as it reached nine wins for the second straight season under Habich.
Coaching his 60th game in Boone, Habich picked up wins No. 42 there and the 91st of his career.