Watauga Runs Through Spartans Defense by Dan O’Neal
BOONE, NC (September 27, 2019) — Going into the third game of a four-game road stretch, South Caldwell held their own in the first two with a win and a loss. It can be said that the Spartans have shown steady improvement in the 2019 juncture compared to the previous seasons. Much perseverance and resiliency was played out in the way in which the Spartans came from behind with three minutes left in the contest at R-S Central for a 44-43 victory.
South began their conference portion of the schedule this night at Watauga. The Pioneers have won three straight in this series and South looked to change such matters. After pulling off the stunner early on at Maiden, they sought to repeat the same feat in Boone.
After receiving the opening kickoff, the Pioneers drove thirty-eight yards to the Spartans 23, obviously three yards outside the red zone. On third and three, the Spartans defensive front not only sacked Pioneers quarterback Anderson Castle; the sack also resulted in a fumble where defensive back Triston Adkins picked up the loose ball and for seventy-five yards to the end zone for the game’s first score at the 9:18 mark of the first period.
From that moment on, it was all Watauga. The Pioneers scored on eight of eleven touchdown drives and four of those scores came about from South turnovers. Pioneers tailback Jaiden Bond and Castle were basically a two-man wrecking crew who managed to run and maneuver their way through and around the Spartans defense. Bond finished the evening with 188 yards rushing and four scores while Castle ran for 117 yards and two scores along with throwing a thirty-yard touchdown strike to Seb Best pacing them to a 56-12 win.
South’s only other score came late in the first half as quarterback Avery Raynor punched the football in from four yards out. Raynor would finish the contest with fifteen complete passes, seven of those to Isaiah Kirby for fifty-six yards and four tosses to Gray Felts for fifty-six yards. Congratulations by the way to Kirby on recently being named the Charlotte Observer Player of the week based upon this outstanding play for the win at R-S Central.
South has an open date this Friday evening. The next game, the final of the four straight games on the schedule being away, will be at McDowell, who upset the Spartans last season. South will certainly carry much motivation into that contest scheduled for October 11 beginning at 7:30pm.
Scoring by Quarters
SC 6 6 0 0- 12
W 14 28 7 7- 56
Scoring Summary
SC- Adkins 75 fumble return, pass failed 9:18 1st
W- Bond 10 run, Everett kick 7:12 1st
W- Bond 84 run, Everett kick 1:25 1st
W- Castle 15 run, Everett kick 11:53 2nd
W- Watson 1 run, Everett kick, 8:44 2nd
W- Castle 11 run, Everett kick, 3:21 2nd
SC- Av. Raynor 4 run, run failed :59 2nd
W- Castle 30 pass to Best, Everett kick :41 2nd
W- Bond 12 run, Everett kick, 6:49 3rd
W- Bond 25 run, Everett kick, 11:49 4th