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Evan Burroughs put on a memorable state championship game performance Friday night.
Burroughs, a jack-of-all-trades for Watauga High School of Boone, scored five touchdowns as the Pioneers ran past Middle Creek of Apex, 47-25, for the N.C. High School Athletic Association’s 6A championship.
Burroughs scored three times on runs, once on a pass, and once on an interception return. His performance helped the Pioneers (15-0) cap a perfect season and win their first state title since 1978. He finished with 14 receptions for 149 yards.
Quarterback Cade Keller, who completed his first 13 passes, finished 22 of 26 for 277 yards.
Middle Creek, making its first state final appearance, finished 11-3.
Burroughs began making his mark early in the game.
After Middle Creek drove for a touchdown on its opening possession and led 7-0, Watauga scored on its second offensive play — a 68-yard pass from Keller to Burroughs. The conversion kick failed, but Watauga didn’t trail for long.
On Middle Creek’s next possession, Burroughs picked off a Mustang pass near midfield and returned it 46 yards for a touchdown.
Middle Creek steadied itself, driving for a 26-yard Ben Ladue field goal with 2:17 left in the first quarter, cutting Watauga’s lead to 12-10.
But the Pioneers struck again before the quarter ended, on a 1-yard run by Matthew Leon. That was set up by a 52-yard pass from Keller to Nyle Peays.
Up 19-10, Watauga tried to pad its lead by successfully converting an onside kick, but one of the Pioneers’ few mistakes ended that possession — Middle Creek picked off a trick halfback pass.
The Mustangs were forced to punt, however, and Watauga started driving again. The drive ended on Burroughs’ 3-yard TD run with 9:38 left in the half.
The Pioneers made it 33-10 with 3:31 left in the second quarter on a 23-yard run by Burroughs, and to close out the half, Burroughs picked off a Middle Creek pass shortly before intermission.
Burroughs’ fifth touchdown came midway in the third quarter, on a 7-yard run. At that point, Watauga was up 41-10 and in position to trigger the running clock, which is used when a team builds a lead of 35 points or more.
That’s when things got interesting. The Mustangs cut the deficit to 41-17 on Ezra Jobe’s 10-yard run late in the third quarter, then got within 41-25 when Lex Sevilla and Nicolas Bocciardi connected on a 10-yard pass with 10:26 remaining.
Watauga fumbled the ball away on its next possession, too, with Middle Creek’s Cullen Hunt recovering at the Watauga 25. The Mustangs drove inside the Pioneers’ 10, but on fourth down, Watauga’s Leon broke up a Middle Creek pass to end the threat.
Watauga added a late touchdown on a 51-yard pass from Keller to Peays.
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Steve Lyttle
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