Mitchell, now 2-1, prepares to close non-conference slate
Mitchell's Carter Hoyle (22) looks for running room Friday, Sept. 3 at Watauga. Mitchell came from behind to win 34-23 and is now 2-1. (Submitted photo)
Editor's note: This story did not appear in print because of early Labor Day deadlines.
BOONE — The Mitchell High varsity football team on Friday, Sept. 3 rallied late and knocked off 4A Watauga 34-23 to improve to 2-1 on the season.
The game marked Mitchell’s second straight 4A road contest. The Mountaineers added a non-conference game at Lake Norman in Week 2 after McDowell was forced to cancel its trip to Ledger amid COVID concerns within its program. Mitchell was edged 15-12 in that game.
Mitchell downed the Pioneers with late-game heroics that resulted in a fourth-quarter surge. Trailing 23-20 with under five minutes left in the game, junior quarterback Ty Turbyfill orchestrated the go-ahead drive that was capped when he hit Gage Young for a 14-yard passing touchdown.
With a 27-23 lead, Mitchell’s defense shut down a comeback bid by the hosts. Dalton Hollifield picked off an errant Pioneer pass and rumbled 30 yards into the end zone for a touchdown that made the score 34-23.
Hollifield was Mitchell’s leading receiver with six grabs for 115 yards and a touchdown. Ethan Willis caught a pair of passes for 65 yards and Young had two receptions for 55 yards.
Turbyfill completed 11 of 15 passes for 245 yards and three touchdowns and also ran 21 times for 82 yards and a score. Carter Hoyle carried three times for 24 yards.
Willis registered 10 tackles and Chandler Horney had nine.
Prior to the late score that put Mitchell up one final time, the two teams traded body blows in a back-and-forth tussle.
After a quiet opening quarter, Watauga started the scoring midway through the second quarter with a 58-yard touchdown pass and a successful 2-point conversion.
Mitchell answered with a Turbyfill rushing touchdown to cut the lead to 8-6 at halftime.
Turbyfill and Willis connected midway through the third quarter to put the visitors up 14-8 put the Pioneers struck again just minutes later to go up 15-14.
Turbyfill and Hollifield hooked up for a 68-yard connection early in the fourth but Watauga had an answer again to go up 23-20 before Mitchell’s late rally finally put the game out of reach.
Mitchell travels to Andrews (2-0) on Friday, Sept. 10. The team begins Western Highlands Conference play the following week by hosting Madison.