Top County Clash games of 2023

Jan. 5—Last year was chock full of great games, from showdowns on the diamond to battles on the gridiron.

Just as every year, win-loss records, playoff implications, and, most importantly, bragging rights until next season are on the line when Pisgah and Tuscola meet on the field or court.

Take a look back with The Mountaineer as we recap the top County Clash games of 2023, among them some of the best matchups between the Black Bears and Mountaineers fans have seen in years.

Pisgah basketball completes the sweep

The Black Bears walked off "The Hill" in February with a decisive 95-63 win over the Mountaineers, the second of the season for Pisgah in the County Clash Series after a 90-55 win just a month prior.

And although the Bears cruised to a 30-plus point victory in the second half, the rematch was a close battle in the first.

Pisgah opened up the game on a 4-0 run, and Tuscola responded with four points to tie it up. With the game sitting at 6-6, the Bears went on a 13-6 run to pull away 19-12 at one point. A Pisgah three-pointer at the first-quarter buzzer gave the Bears a narrow 26-20 lead.

Tuscola's defense prevented Pisgah senior Caden Robinson from getting down low without being fouled. Robinson went 12-12 from the charity line to start the game.

Tuscola outpaced Pisgah 9-3 to start the second, and a field goal from Tuscola junior Peyton Ollis tied the game at 29. The Bears flipped the momentum and went on an 8-0 run. Tuscola scored only six more points before halftime as Pisgah led 42-35.

The break was good for the Bears, who went on an 11-0 run to start the third quarter. A field goal from Tuscola senior Jett Benson broke the run at 53-37. The Mountaineers started to claw back and brought it to 55-42, but Pisgah sophomore Dominick Messer had other plans. He drained two three-pointers, and the Bears went into the fourth with a 69-48 lead.

Most Pisgah starters were pulled out in the final period, but the team still outscored Tuscola 26-15 to secure the win.

Robinson scored 41 points and 13 rebounds to secure another double-double. He also led the team with five steals. Robinson was fouled 11 times throughout the game, but it didn't do Tusocla any good as he went 20-22 from the charity line, including 12-12 to start the game.

The North Carolina state record for most free throws in a game is 29 (Richard "Buzz" Hauser, Westfield, 1956). In total, eight Bears went to the free-throw line, and the team went 35-40 on the night.

Sophomores Sawyer Belue (11) and Messer (10) were Pisgah's other double-digit scorers.

For Tuscola, Benson led the team with 29 points and grabbed four rebounds and two steals.

Ollis was second in points with 12 and tallied two rebounds and two steals. Junior Bryant Oancea scored eight points, led the team with seven rebounds and had a team-high two blocks. Despite going 68% from the free-throw line, the team went only 2-10 from beyond the arc.

Tuscola downs Pisgah on the diamond

Tuscola's baseball team rolled to a 13-1 win over crosstown rival Pisgah in five innings in April to get a leg up in the County Clash series.

The game featured a battle of the schools' aces, but on a short rest, Pisgah senior Matthew Roberts was not able to hang with Tuscola freshman Amos Rich.

Roberts struck out sophomore Kolt Nelson in the first at-bat of the game. From there, Rich hit a double and senior Jett Benson drew a walk. Senior Jacob Ward would step to the plate next. His double drove Rich in from second and gave the Mountaineers a 1-0 lead.

Senior Zack Cabe stepped up to the plate next. He would end up striking out, but a passed ball allowed Benson to score from second and give Tuscola a 2-0 lead.

Sophomore Evan Conner hit a line drive into left field and scored Ward from third to push the lead out to 3-0 before junior Noah Stepp ended the inning on a strikeout.

In the bottom of the first, Pisgah senior Andrew Wester reached on a single and junior Walker Fox drew a walk. They were the only two to reach base and no runs were scored.

The second inning began with a strikeout, but it was not a sign of things to come. Back-to-back singles for junior Owen Ward and Nelson started the rally. Rich drew a walk to load the bases before Benson struck a single to score two runs. Jacob Ward followed that up with a single of his own to make it 6-0.

During that second inning, junior Eli Ashe took over pitching duties from Roberts. No runs were scored under Ashe in the second, third or fourth innings.

On the other side of the diamond, Tuscola was able to hold Pisgah without any runs through the same stretch behind a masterful performance from Rich.

The freshman had an amazing night, striking out nine in the five innings. He also only allowed four total hits and two walks. Often times after a big strikeout, Rich would explode off the mound in celebration after getting one over on his cross-county foes.

The score remained at 6-0 until the top of the fifth inning.

To start the fifth, Conner and Stepp singled, followed by a walk for junior Brayden Cockrell. With the bags juiced, Owen Ward stepped up and hit a single to make it a 7-0 lead for Tuscola. Senior Silas Woody stepped in to take over the position on the bump and finish out the game.

Nelson was up next, and a fielder's choice recorded the first out, but scored another run to make it an 8-0 game.

Rich stepped up next but failed to add to his own run support after striking out.

With the bases loaded and two outs, Jacob Ward smashed a ball into centerfield and off the towering fence. He made it around to second, but with two outs, everyone was running on contact and the bases were cleared to push the lead to 11-0.

The dugout was jumping up and down and screaming after the huge play, but in the next at-bat, they flooded out of the dugout and around home plate.

Senior Zack Cabe stepped to the plate and, with a loaded 3-2 count, crushed a ball to dead center and over the fence. The lead was pushed to 13-0, and Cabe's teammates poured out of the dugout to celebrate as Cabe rounded the bases.

After consecutive strikeouts to start the bottom of the fifth, it looked like the game was entirely over, and Rich would complete the shutout. However, Wester singled to keep the game going, and Roberts hit a grounder into center. Wester came all the way around to score.

The game would end on the next at-bat, but the Bears had avoided the shut-out right at the end of the contest.

Sugar Bears softball evens the score

Pisgah's Whitney Boone and Chloe Burch each belted in separate three-run home runs as Pisgah completed the revenge tour over Tuscola with an 8-1 victory in May.

Boone, a junior, was masterful from the circle, facing 28 batters and allowing only four hits, one earned run and three base-on-balls compared to three strikeouts over the course of 98 pitches in seven innings.

She also led the Bears from the plate, going 3-for-3 with three RBIs and one three-run home run.

Burch, a senior, went 2-for-4 with three RBIs and one three-run home run. Senior Lettie Jo Watson went 2-for-4, and junior Jayden Moore and senior Cayce Lovelace finished with a single as the Bears bashed nine hits.

Tuscola senior Faith Caldwell took the loss on the mound, hurling five strikeouts but allowing eight earned runs and recording one base-on-ball against 35 batters in seven innings.

Caldwell was among only four Mountaineers to record a hit off Boone, including senior Kadie Arrington and sophomores Kenzie Cook and Addi Sampson. Cook recorded Tuscola's lone RBI of the game.

In the Pisgah first, Moore walked to first, and Boone singled. After a Lovelace pop-out, senior Chloe Burch belted a three-run home run off the Tuscola home field scoreboard to give the Bears a 3-0 lead that was never surrendered.

Pisgah's Watson doubled down the right side between them, but Caldwell struck out two Pisgah batters to end the inning.

Caldwell led off the Mountaineers' inning with a single on Boone's first pitch of the night. Senior Ava Kirkpatrick singled to first, but Caldwell was caught out at second by Pisgah's Maddie Rhea. Kirkpatrick stole second on a Sampson out but was stranded after stealing third on an Arrington out.

In the top of the second, senior Mary Revis was tagged out at second, but Rhea managed to single right after. Moore popped out to Tuscola senior Taryn Estes. A Boone base hit sent Rhea to second.

A big hit by Lovelace sent Rhea home and Boone to third, giving the Bears a 4-0 advantage. With two runners on base, Burch could not drive them in after popping out to Kirkpatrick in centerfield.

In the Tuscola side of the second, Estes and freshman Kinzie Messer were both tagged out at first before junior Allison Setzer was walked. Cook drew a full count before being struck out.

Junior Addison Sorrells led the Pisgah third but popped out to Cook. Watson doubled to center field, followed by a single from junior Tannon Sorrells that sent Watson to third. Tannon Sorrells stole second, giving Revis two runners on base as she took the plate.

Revis singled and drove home Watson, but Tannon Sorrells was tagged out at third. With two runners on base, Rhea popped out to Kirkpatrick in centerfield. The Bears left the field with a 5-0 lead.

Tuscola couldn't get anything going in the bottom of the third. Junior Karsen Cherry was tagged out at first, Caldwell popped out to Moore and Kirkpatrick was tagged out at first to send the Mounties to the dugout.

In the fourth, Moore was struck out by Caldwell and Boone was hit by a pitch, sending her to first. Boone stole second, then third, before finally being caught at third on a Burch single. Burch stole second before Addison Sorrells was tagged out at first.

Down five, Tuscola's Sampson and Arrington each singled to lead off their side of the fourth inning. Estes struck out, but Boone walked Messer to give Tuscola bases loaded.

Setzer singled, but Sampson was tagged out at home. Cook drove Arrington home with a single to give the Mountaineers their first score of the game. Cherry was tagged out at first, leaving three runners stranded.

At the top of the fifth, Watson popped out to Arrington, Tannon Sorrells popped out to Kirkpatrick right at the fence, and Revis popped out to end a quick half.

In their side of the fifth, Tuscola couldn't get the ball past Boone, who caught the rebound and put out Caldwell, Kirkpatrick and Sampson each at first.

In the sixth, Rhea and Moore singled, and Boone blasted a three-run home run that extended the Pisgah lead to 8-1.

The three-run home run would be the only scoring of the inning for the Bears as Lovelace was tagged out at first, Burch popped out to Arrington, and senior Emma Hyman popped out to Cook.

Tuscola kept swinging in the sixth, but both Arrington and Estes were put out at first by Boone. Messer was walked before Setzer was tagged out at first.

With a chance to put the game away in the top of the seventh, Pisgah couldn't find its shot. Watson struck out, Tannon Sorrells popped out to Estes at first and senior Gracie Burgess struck out.

With one final opportunity to win the game, Tuscola couldn't find an opening in the bottom of the seventh. Cook struck out, and both freshman Kendall Williamson and Caldwell were tagged out at first to end the game.

Pisgah, Tuscola tie twice on the soccer pitch

The second leg of the Haywood County Clash ended exactly as the first leg did: a double overtime draw. After fighting to a 1-1 double overtime tie in the first leg of the County Clash in March, the Lady Mountaineers soccer team tied the Sugar Bears 3-3 to open May.

After a back-and-forth defensive battle in the early going of the first period, Tuscola's Gracie Rinker found a contested shot that bounced off Pisgah's goalkeeper Ainsley Kovack's hands and nearly fell into the goal, but Kovack was able to reposition and prevent the goal.

Later, Pisgah was awarded a corner kick, and Pisgah's Estefany Castillo-Pina shot it right into the scrum, but the ball bounced wide right of the goal.

Pisgah freshman Kylee Mesimer found the back right corner of the net to give the Bears a 1-0 lead at 27 minutes, 38 seconds in the first half.

Strong defense was displayed by Tuscola senior Mallarie Fowler and sophomore Gracie Rinker, who combined to keep Pisgah senior Kennedy Barker from a close scoring opportunity.

Junior Anna Roth had a scoring opportunity at 20:00 of the first period, but the kick was left of the goal.

Jimena Andrade, a Pisgah senior, did an excellent job manning the backend of the Bears' defense in the first half.

Barker took a second shot-on-goal, but it was wide right.

In the second half, Tuscola sophomore Chloe Crisp went one-on-one with Kovack at the goal and found the back of the net to tie the game at 1-1 at 30:33 of the second period.

Andrade missed a shot left of the Tuscola goal but returned moments later to place the ball in the back left of the net for another Pisgah goal to put her team up 2-1 at 26:57 of the second half.

A foul by the Bears set Tuscola's Rinker up for a penalty kick that found the back of the net to tie the game at 2-2 at 26:15 of the second period.

Another corner kick for Pisgah's Castillo-Pina was chest blocked by Rinker, followed by a shot on goal for sophomore Kennedy Conard that was caught by Tuscola sophomore goalkeeper Erieann Marcus, one of her 15 saves.

Pisgah received two penalty kick opportunities, both taken by Andrade. The first went wide to the left, and the second was blocked by Marcus.

A Rinker shot-on-goal was caught by Kovack at 1:10 in the second period, the last scoring opportunity for either team in regular periods.

Neither team could find a scoring play in the first 10-minute overtime period, but Tuscola junior Reese Sund scored a goal at 5:58 in the second overtime period to give her team the 3-2 lead.

Marcus made a diving block at 2:39 of the second overtime period to prevent Pisgah's game-tying goal, but a foul by Tuscola right after gave Pisgah a penalty kick.

Andrade took the shot for Pisgah, which found the back of the Tuscola net and tied the game at 3-3 with only 1:55 remaining.

It would be the final goal, as neither team found a shot in the last two minutes.

Tuscola runs over Pisgah in 27-10 win

Behind a stellar defensive performance, over 200 rushing yards and three touchdowns from quarterback Jed West, Tuscola upset rival Pisgah 27-10 in the annual County Clash on Friday night in Waynesville.

Pisgah was regarded as one of the best teams in Western North Carolina coming into the game despite rebounding from a loss to undefeated West Henderson. Pisgah prided itself on excellent work in the trenches by its offensive and defensive lines.

Tuscola, meanwhile, despite a resounding shutout of East Henderson, was not one of the top teams in the Mountain 7 Conference, with losses to Franklin and North Henderson. Tuscola's offense relies on the arm (and legs) of senior Jed West, who missed the Franklin game.

So, which team would separate itself was unclear heading into Friday night's game. But by the end of four quarters, it was clear who the more physical team was, at least in this game.

Tuscola scored touchdowns on four of its five offensive drives (not including the game's final drive to bleed clock), with West accounting for two rushing touchdowns (of 16 and 20 yards) and one 31-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Bryant Oancea on a broken play. Junior tailback Gavin Langley added one score on the ground.

The Mountaineers beat Pisgah at its own game, running the ball for 236 yards and three scores behind a dominant performance from its offensive line. Pisgah rushed for 103 yards.

The 27-point game, hampered by two blocked extra points, falls right in line with the 30 points per game the Mountaineers averaged all season. But it was the Tuscola defense that was uncharacteristically dominant against the Bears.

Tuscola's defense made life miserable for the Pisgah offense all night. The Bears two lone scores — a passing touchdown from junior quarterback Aaron Clark to junior wideout Sawyer Belue and a 37-yard field goal from senior kicker Walker Fox — were buried among two punts, a fumble and an interception. Pisgah's seven first downs paled in comparison to Tuscola's 18.

A big loss for the Bears was senior playmaker Breydon Reynolds, who was lost after the first quarter and only returned on the game's final drive.

And if the Bears had any shot of rallying the troops after halftime, Tuscola's seven-minute, 12-play drive to start the third all but took the wind out of the Bears sails. Tuscola would also muster a 14-play drive to begin the fourth quarter to put the game to bed.