H.S. FOOTBALL: Freedom ends Watauga’s 46-game NWC win streak
The Freedom varsity football team handed Watauga its first Northwestern Conference loss in nine years on Oct. 2, collecting a 48-14 win in Boone in both teams' league opener.
In other local action on Oct. 2, East Burke enjoyed a bye, Draughn fell by a 60-13 final against East Rutherford in Valdese, and Patton suffered a 42-0 homecoming loss at the hands of R-S Central.
WEEK 8 GAMES
Freedom (5-1, 1-0 Northwestern 6A/7A Conference) hosted St. Stephens in its homecoming contest late Friday, while East Burke (3-3, 1-1 Western Piedmont 3A/4A Conference) visited R-S Central, Draughn (0-7, 0-3 WPC) traveled to Hibriten for its first of three consecutive road games to end the regular season, and Patton (1-6, 1-2 WPC) had a bye before visiting East Rutherford on Oct. 16.
Carson Murdock had 10 carries for 105 yards for the Wildcats, whose touchdowns came on a run from Bryson Seagle (six carries, 43 yards) and a pass from Currie White (3-of-8 passing, 33 yards) to Titus Dodd (two catches, 23 yards). As for the Panthers, their offensive standouts included Alex Ryan (22 carries, 84 yards), River McCrary (nine carries, 55 yards; 9-yard reception), Trenton Kidd (seven carries, 31 yards; 9-yard completion), and Hunter Martin (five carries, 25 yards).
See the Oct. 17 edition of The Paper for details from games played on Oct. 9.
Freedom running back Jusian Perkins (left) carries the ball during a varsity football game against Watauga on Oct. 2 in Boone. Perkins was the game’s leading rusher with eight carries for 109 yards and a touchdown in the Patriots’ 48-14 victory, which snapped the Pioneers’ 46-game Northwestern Conference winning streak that began on Oct. 20, 2017. Freedom totaled 475 yards of offense and scored in all four quarters — beginning with an 82-yard TD scamper from Perkins at the 8:50 mark of the opening period — while the visitors’ other rushing TD on the night came on a 3-yard burst from Christian Chapman (seven carries, 65 yards) late in the second quarter.
- ZACH COLBURN, ZWC SPORTS photos / FOR THE PAPER
Freedom quarterback Ryder Huffman (5) completed 11 of 14 passes for 236 yards and four touchdowns on Oct. 2 at Watauga. Huffman’s first TD pass went for 25 yards to Julius Dominguez (four catches, 71 yards) early in the second quarter, with Dominguez also hauling in a 28-yard scoring strike from Huffman in the third period. Furthermore, Huffman connected with Noah Francis (six catches, 161 yards) for TD passes of 32 and 72 yards in the third and fourth quarter, respectively.
- ZACH COLBURN, ZWC SPORTS / FOR THE PAPER
Freedom’s Nevans Thao (left), Caaden Lipsey (center), and Ty Adkins (right), among others, pursue Watauga’s quarterback on Oct. 2 in Boone. In addition to six offensive touchdowns in the 34-point win, the Patriots also scored on defense when Julius Dominguez recovered a fumble and returned it 32 yards on the final play of the third quarter. Meanwhile, Clayton Bell kicked six extra points for Freedom.
- ZACH COLBURN, ZWC SPORTS / FOR THE PAPER
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Freedom running back Jusian Perkins (left) carries the ball during a varsity football game against Watauga on Oct. 2 in Boone. Perkins was the game’s leading rusher with eight carries for 109 yards and a touchdown in the Patriots’ 48-14 victory, which snapped the Pioneers’ 46-game Northwestern Conference winning streak that began on Oct. 20, 2017. Freedom totaled 475 yards of offense and scored in all four quarters — beginning with an 82-yard TD scamper from Perkins at the 8:50 mark of the opening period — while the visitors’ other rushing TD on the night came on a 3-yard burst from Christian Chapman (seven carries, 65 yards) late in the second quarter.
- ZACH COLBURN, ZWC SPORTS photos / FOR THE PAPER
Freedom quarterback Ryder Huffman (5) completed 11 of 14 passes for 236 yards and four touchdowns on Oct. 2 at Watauga. Huffman’s first TD pass went for 25 yards to Julius Dominguez (four catches, 71 yards) early in the second quarter, with Dominguez also hauling in a 28-yard scoring strike from Huffman in the third period. Furthermore, Huffman connected with Noah Francis (six catches, 161 yards) for TD passes of 32 and 72 yards in the third and fourth quarter, respectively.
- ZACH COLBURN, ZWC SPORTS / FOR THE PAPER
Freedom’s Nevans Thao (left), Caaden Lipsey (center), and Ty Adkins (right), among others, pursue Watauga’s quarterback on Oct. 2 in Boone. In addition to six offensive touchdowns in the 34-point win, the Patriots also scored on defense when Julius Dominguez recovered a fumble and returned it 32 yards on the final play of the third quarter. Meanwhile, Clayton Bell kicked six extra points for Freedom.
- ZACH COLBURN, ZWC SPORTS / FOR THE PAPER
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Josh McKinney
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