The Watauga (Boone, NC) varsity football team will host Mallard Creek (Charlotte, NC) in a playoff game on Friday, November 22, at 7:30 p.m.
Here’s what you need to know:
What: North Carolina High School Football
Who: Mallard Creek vs Watauga
When: Friday, November 22, 2024
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Bracket: 2024 NCHSAA Football Championships – 4A
Live Stream: Watch Here
Game Preview: Mallard Creek vs. Watauga
The Mallard Creek and Watauga football teams will meet in the playoffs for an exciting matchup. Here’s an in-depth look at their season performances, key statistics, and what to expect in this high-stakes game.
Season Records
Mallard Creek
- Overall Record: 9-2
- Conference Record: 6-1
- Home Record: 4-1
- Away Record: 3-1
- Neutral Record: 2-0
- Win Percentage: .818
- Conference Win Percentage: .857
- Points For (PF): 349
- Points Against (PA): 143
Watauga
- Overall Record: 11-0
- Conference Record: 5-0
- Home Record: 6-0
- Away Record: 5-0
- Neutral Record: 1-0
- Win Percentage: 1.000
- Conference Win Percentage: 1.000
- Points For (PF): 468
- Points Against (PA): 145
Watauga has been perfect this season, entering the playoffs with an undefeated record. They are a very strong team, especially given their perfect conference and away records. Mallard Creek, while a solid team, has two losses and has been a little less dominant overall.
Scoring Averages
- Mallard Creek:
- Q1: 7.0
- Q2: 4.7
- Q3: 3.5
- Q4: 7.7
- Final Average: 31.7
- Watauga:
- Q1: 11.1
- Q2: 18.5
- Q3: 5.1
- Q4: 7.8
- Final Average: 42.5
Watauga has a high-scoring offense, averaging 42.5 points per game, which is significantly higher than Mallard Creek’s average of 31.7 points per game. Watauga has been especially strong in the second quarter, scoring an average of 18.5 points in that period.
Team Statistics
| Category | Mallard Creek | Watauga |
|---|---|---|
| Rushing Yards/Game | 20.0 | 292.5 |
| Passing Yards/Game | 10.1 | 122.5 |
| Receiving Yards/Game | 7.7 | 122.5 |
| Total Yards/Game | 30.1 | 414.9 |
| Tackles/Game | 6.1 | 60.0 |
| Sacks/Game | 0.1 | 1.8 |
| Points/Game | 5.5 | 19.3 |
Watauga has a massive advantage in total yardage, averaging 414.9 yards per game compared to Mallard Creek’s 30.1 yards per game. The rushing attack is particularly strong for Watauga, averaging 292.5 yards per game, which could be a major factor in this game.
Individual Leaders
- Mallard Creek:
- Rushing: #3 Curtis Clark (66.0 yards/game)
- Passing: #1 Evan Rambert (76.0 yards/game)
- Receiving: #9 Elijah Thompson (55.0 yards/game)
- Total Yards: #1 Evan Rambert (79.0 yards/game)
- Tackles: #8 Anthony Dangerfield (10.0 tackles/game)
- Sacks: #0 Zion Burden (1.0 sacks/game)
- Points: #27 Chris Rogers (36.0 points/game)
- Watauga:
- Rushing: #4 Maddox Greene (125.4 yards/game)
- Passing: #4 Maddox Greene (101.7 yards/game)
- Receiving: #12 Evan Burroughs (48.5 yards/game)
- Total Yards: #4 Maddox Greene (231.0 yards/game)
- Tackles: #8 Luke Edmisten (7.5 tackles/game)
- Sacks: #50 Callan Riordan (0.4 sacks/game)
- Points: #41 Jack Wilson (5.5 points/game)
Watauga’s leader, Maddox Greene, has been key both in rushing and passing, with impressive averages of 125.4 yards rushing and 101.7 yards passing per game. Mallard Creek’s Curtis Clark and Evan Rambert are important playmakers, but they may need to have standout performances to counter Watauga’s multifaceted attack.
Record Breakdown
| Category | Mallard Creek (24-25) | Watauga (24-25) |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Record | 9-2 | 11-0 |
| Conference Record | 6-1 | 5-0 |
| Home Record | 4-1 | 6-0 |
| Away Record | 3-1 | 5-0 |
| Neutral Record | 2-0 | 1-0 |
| Playoff Record | 1-0 | 7-1 |
| In-State Record | 7-1 | 11-0 |
| Out-of-State Record | 0-0 | 0-0 |
While Mallard Creek has a strong home record and a solid overall performance, Watauga enters this game as the undefeated team with a perfect conference record, making them a clear favorite for this matchup.
Conclusion
This game is shaping up to be a clash between Watauga’s high-powered offense and Mallard Creek’s balanced but slightly less potent attack. Watauga has been incredibly dominant this season, with an undefeated record and a high-scoring offense led by Maddox Greene. Meanwhile, Mallard Creek has had a solid season but will need to step up, particularly in their defensive and offensive strategies, to compete with Watauga’s dynamic playmakers.
Watauga’s strong rushing game and high-scoring offense give them an advantage, but Mallard Creek’s ability to perform in the playoffs and their strong leadership could make this an interesting matchup.
Expect a highly competitive game with Watauga’s offense likely being the key factor for their success in advancing further in the playoffs.
