Grant Morrison trying to get around a defender
Photo Courtesy of Anna Dishman, Watauga Yearbook
From Dec. 28 to Dec. 30, WHS was the host of the annual High Country Classic Basketball Tournament. The tournament consisted of both the Men's and Women's Varsity Basketball teams from all over Western Carolina and the home team of the Watauga Pioneers.
The teams who participated in the tournament were Watauga, Forbush, Ashe, Central Davidson, Apex Friendship, Hickory Christian, RJ Reynolds, Johnson County, and Pine Lake Prep.
In the Men's Varsity portion of the tournament, both of the Championship teams (Watauga and Apex Friendship) surpassed their first-round competitors, out-scoring their opponents by a combined score of 159-93.
The second round of the tournament was led by the same two dominant teams who took care of business against Ashe and Pine Lake. This meant that Apex Friendship and Watauga would compete for the High Country Classic Men’s Championship.
In the Championship, Apex Friendship would overcome a close match-up with Watauga and win, 64-62. Grant Morrison (senior) of Watauga was voted onto the all-tournament team by the coaches.
For the Women’s Varsity teams, they would each play only two games.
This was no problem for the Women Pioneers as they cruised past the highly talented RJ Reynolds Demons, 67-37. Kate Sears (sophomore) of Watauga would lead the offensive side of the court behind her 16 points. Charlotte Torgerson (junior) followed with 13 points.
Kate Sears going up for a layup
Photo Courtesy of Anna Dishman, Watauga Yearbook
The Championship game for the Women's portion of the tournament was set between Watauga and their cross-county rivals, Ashe.
“Our team's performance over the two games in the tournament was very good. In both games we had different people step up and make major contributions to help us win,” said Sears.
The close match-up between the teams was expected as the halftime score for the game was 35-32 for Watauga.
From the 3rd quarter on, Sears and the pioneers would pile on the score over Ashe and defeat the Huskies 61-50. Sears finished the game with a career-high, 40 points. She also went home with the tournament MVP as well as joining her teammate, senior Brooke Scheffler, on the all-tournament team.
“I was excited to win the MVP, but I was more excited about us winning our home tournament for the second year in a row,” said Sears.
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