Sports

Sugar Mountain Adult Race League (SMARL) Celebrates It’s 20th Anniversary This Year with It’s Kick-Off Race Last Monday Night

January 8, 2026. The 20th anniversary season of the Sugar Mountain Adult Race League (SMARL) got off to a fabulous start on Monday night with perfect weather and a lot of happy faces as skiers and snowboarders were ready to race into 2026. Some 75 participants representing 11 teams will be racing over six Mondays in the annual series that began on January 6 and will conclude with an award ceremony and festivities on February 9. “It’s hard to believe it’s been 20 years,” says Bill Leonard of Ski County Sports.

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Sugar Mountain Ski Resort Opened on Tuesday for the Winter Season with a Bang

November 13, 2025 Sugar Mountain Ski Resort opened on Tuesday, November 11 for the 2025-26 winter season after the winter blast that blew into the High Country beginning on Sunday evening. The weather certainly was a shock for most as the quick change from the pleasant fall temperatures to a snowmaking opportunity was the signal for the Sugar Mountain Snowmaking crew to get to work. But this is not an unusual early opening for the ambitious Southern ski area. Other early openings occurred November 11, 2018, and November 9, 2019. And as recently as 2012, Sugar Mountain Resort dropped the ropes on Halloween

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This Year Challenge Your Ski and Snowboarding Buddies to Some Racing This Winter

October 29, 2025 It’s time to start thinking about the upcoming ski and snowboard season. And time to start thinking about taking your love of the sport to the next level. It’s time to start thinking about racing!  Now is the time to start talking with your ski and snowboard buddies about putting together a race team and commit to each other that you’ll make it to the slopes for six Monday evenings in a row this winter to hit the race course and improve your skills! You’ll join 75 or so other skiers and snowboarders from across the High Country that enjoy the thrill of running the gates, socializing on the slopes and enjoying some drinks at the bar after the race.

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Volunteer Registration Open for 2025 Special Olympics North Carolina Summer Games

April 24, 2025 Volunteer registration is now open for the 2025 Special Olympics North Carolina (SONC) Summer Games, to be held May 30 – June 1 in the Raleigh area.  More than 1,000 volunteer opportunities are available for individuals as well as groups. The SONC Summer Games will feature more than 1,500 Special Olympics athletes and Unified partners, individuals without intellectual disabilities, from across the state competing in athletics, basketball, bowling, gymnastics, powerlifting, swimming and volleyball at venues in Raleigh, Cary and Holly Springs for SONC’s largest state-level competition.

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Details for April 12 Battle at The Rock Spring Game at Kidd Brewer Stadium; Admission Free

April 9, 2025 App State will host its “Battle at The Rock” spring football game on April 12 at Kidd Brewer Stadium. Admission will be free, and fans will be treated to a variety of pregame and in-game opportunities to engage with App State Football and purchase special opportunities. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. There will be a Pregame FanFest from 10 a.m.-noon in the Jerry Moore Plaza featuring football team autographs and a DJ, as well as a Kid Zone with bounce houses and more. Junior Mountaineer Kids Club members can enter the Kid Zone free of charge. Kid Zone tickets for non-members will be $5.

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Infomation on Becoming a Sports Official in the High Country Coming April 10th

March 13, 2025 My name is Stephen Poulos, retired Director Watauga County Parks & Recreation.  I have been calling NC High School football since 1994 and am still the District Director for Tar Heel Leagues, Inc youth baseball/softball. I have been involved in officiating all sports and levels. Parks & Recreation NCHSAA, etc.  Have lots of contacts in our area if you are on this email. We have a FREE information opportunity, see attached on April 10th, 5:30 – 7 pm at the Watauga Community Recreation Center 231 Complex Drive, Boone.  Several local college and high school officials will be onsite to answer questions and offer assistance.  No matter the sport, no matter the level they wish to work.

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Runs for Buns Fundraiser for Conquering Colon Cancer at Beech Mountain March 7 and 8

February 20, 2025 Join Beech Mountain Resort for two days of raising awareness and conquering colon cancer! Friday, March 7, for an unforgettable evening with live music at the Not So Gala, Gala and on Saturday, March 8, for a fun day of skiing, snowboarding, contests, and more at Runs for Buns! There’s something for everyone! Participate and fundraise as an individual or team at Runs for Buns. Participate by completing as many runs as you can on Saturday, March 8. Fundraising is highly encouraged. Attend an Evening with The Brothers Comatose; the Not So Gala, Gala.
The Not So Gala, Gala will be held on Friday, March 7.

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Sugar Mountain Adult Race League (SMARL) Wraps Up the 2025 Season With an Award Ceremony on Monday Night

February 18, 2025 SMARL came to a close Monday night for the 2025 season with five races completed, missing one race due to sub zero temperatures. The race was founded 19 years ago by Ski Country Sports and is sponsored by Sugar Mountain Resort. The series is made up of teams of both men and women in skiing and snowboarding. The race is for adults 21 and older and takes place Monday nights beginning at 6:30. This Monday night featured the award ceremony where teams and men and women individual racers earned medals for first, second and third places based on the accumulations points earned over the course of the series.

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Sugar Mountain Adult Race League Results for Monday Night’s Race

February 11, 2025 The Sugar Mountain Adult Race League enjoyed another Monday night of racing under the stars on a race course that was in tip top shape curiosity of the Sugar Mountain race crew. “They had the course in great shape with hard packed snow and fast conditions for us last night,” said Matt Leonard of Ski Country Sports. “We really appreciate the phenomenal work they do for us each week!” SMARL will be wrapping up the 2025 season next Monday with an award ceremony to be held after the race to crown the fastest teams and individual races. 

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2025 Sugar Mountain Adult Race League (SMARL) Half Way Through the Season

February 4, 2025 SMARL completed its 3rd race of the season Monday night, now half way through the season. Matt Leonard reported that the race course was in great shape providing the fastest conditions of the season so far. “With the temps being a little warmer Monday night, the race course crew added a little salt to the course which firmed it up giving us a sweet fast racing surface, says Leonard. Racers enjoyed a bar-be-que dinner after the race in the Sugar Mountain bar. Team Sugar is still out front in the skiing division and the Tavern in the lead in the snowboard division.

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2025 Sugar Mountain Adult Race League (SMARL) Gets Their Second Race Under Wraps

January 30, 2025. Matt Leonard of Ski Country Sports said it was good to be back out on the race course at Sugar Mountain this past Monday night after having to again skip a race due to brutal weather conditions the previous Monday. “That Monday nigh we would looking a sub zero temperatures  and wind chills of who knows what, so I think it was certainly the right decision to postpone the January 20th race. we’ll get them made up,” says Leonard. But this past Monday conditions turned out great. Some fog that was present across the ski area lifted just as the race got underway. “We had a big turnout as everyone was ready to get back racing,” said Leonard. And the course was fast and fun.” After the second race’s conclusion Team Sugar has edge out front by two point over Team Ski Country Sports in the skiing division and in the snowboard division the Tavern Team has jumped to an early lead over First Tracks.

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Funeral Service Set for Beloved Sports Icon, Jack Groce

January 22, 2025 A celebration of life to honor the memory of beloved coach, Jack Groce, who died Friday, January 17, at the age of 95, is scheduled for 2 p.m. Friday, January 24, at Boone United Methodist Church. While everyone deserves to be honored at their time of death, as well as in life, it is perhaps the passing of those who have gone the extra mile — and have had a significant impact on many others —that  hits a small community the hardest. Such is the case with the death of the “Coach,” a man whose name was recognized by countless people, whether they knew him or not. A Friday night football game in a local high school stadium could’ve been the closest many people through the years ever came to Groce. But for those who walked the halls of Appalachian High School and  later, Watauga High School, played sports on the fields, and especially the one bearing his name, or learned some of life’s greatest lessons under his leadership —  both off and on the field — the death of Jack Groce has left a huge hole. By Sherrie Norris `

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Registration is Open for Girls on the Run of the High Country for Spring Season Starting Feb. 10

January 21, 2025. Registration is now open for Girls on the Run (GOTR) of the High Country — a program for girls in third through fifth grades to develop social, emotional and physical skills to successfully navigate life experiences. Registration is also open for the GOTR Heart & Sole middle school program for girls in sixth through eighth grades. Each program is made possible through Appalachian State University’s Appalachian Institute for Health and Wellness. The GOTR spring season will begin the week of Feb. 10. Over the course of 10 weeks, the programs combine physical activity, social-emotional learning and community impact projects. Through dynamic lessons, team-building and fun running games, girls build confidence and important life skills.

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2025 Sugar Mountain Adult Race League (SMARL) Gets Rolling for Their 19th Season

January 14, 2025. The Monday night SMARL races are back. After a brutal start to the race season last Monday night where the weather was off the charts with wind, snow and low visibility that ultimately knock the timing system out, the racers were back on Sugar Mountain for a perfect weather night and the first week of timing scores. This is the 19th season of Sugar Mountain Adult Race League (SMARL) that started back in 2006. The local ski shop Ski Country Sports teamed up with Sugar Mountain Resort to bring a racing opportunity to local adults on a Monday night. All levels of skiing and snowboarding abilities are welcome.

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Dowell Loggains Will be the New Head Coach for App State Football

December 8, 2024 A respected offensive play-caller at both the NFL and college levels, Dowell Loggains has been chosen as the next head coach of App State Football, Director of Athletics Doug Gillin announced Saturday. Loggains (pronounced LOG-ans), 44, is the 23rd head football coach in program history. His five-year contract, which runs through the 2029 season, was approved Saturday afternoon by Interim Chancellor Heather Norris and the Appalachian State University Board of Trustees. Most recently the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the top-15 ranked South Carolina Gamecocks, Loggains will be formally introduced Monday during a noon press conference at Kidd Brewer Stadium’s Grandview Ballroom that is open to the public and will also be streamed live on App State Football’s YouTube, Facebook and X pages.

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Shawn Clark Released as App State Head Football Coach After Five Season at the Helm of the Mountaineers’ Program


December 2, 2024 . App State Director of Athletics Doug Gillin announced Monday that football head coach Shawn Clark has been released from his contract following his fifth full season at the helm of the Mountaineers’ program. “I want to thank Shawn for all he has done for the App State football program,” Gillin said. “Shawn is a true Mountaineer. He has given his heart and soul to his alma mater. He has navigated numerous challenges in his tenure and done so with class and integrity. This was a difficult decision, but after an evaluation of the program, we decided to make the change now.

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App State Football Ends Season with Road Loss to Georgia Southern 29-20

December 2, 2024 STATESBORO, Ga. — App State Football kept working to erase an early deficit, finally gaining possession with a chance to take the lead in the fourth quarter, but Georgia Southern used a late touchdown to produce additional separation in a 29-20 home victory Saturday night. Needing a victory to become bowl eligible, the Mountaineers finished an 11-game season at 5-6 overall and 3-5 in the Sun Belt Conference. They had one home game canceled by the impact of Hurricane Helene in late September.

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Strong Finish Propels App State to Emotional Senior Day Win over JMU

November 25, 2024 A late-week snowstorm, plus a crowd-pleasing celebrity appearance, added to the storylines surrounding an already meaningful game. That’s how a Senior Day and Black Saturday game should feel in the High Country, with excitement over the wintry weather outweighing any discomfort. All those elements just made App State Football’s 34-20 home win Saturday over James Madison even sweeter. The Mountaineers (5-5, 3-4 Sun Belt) improved to 3-0 in Kidd Brewer Stadium since returning to The Rock roughly one month ago, overcoming a 14-0 deficit against an 8-2 opponent thanks to big plays from the offense, defense and special teams.

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Lees-McRae Men’s Basketball Team Wins One Game; Loses Another in South Atlantic Conference/Conference Carolinas Challenge

November 11, 2024 After playing major college (Division One) traditional power North Carolina State University to only a four-point loss (79-75) in an exhibition game on October 30, the Lees-McRae College Bobcats officially opened their 2024-2025 basketball season in the South Atlantic Conference/Conference Carolinas Challenge last Saturday night with an 87-82 win against the University of Virginia at Wise (UVA-Wise). Besides Lees-McRae and UVA-Wise, the two-day tournament (November 9 and 10) featured their fellow Division II schools, King University and Carson-Newman University.  Lees-McRae and King are members of the Conference Carolinas and UVA-Wise and Carson-Newman are members of the South Atlantic Conference. The Bobcats then lost 87-80 to Carson-Newman University on Sunday.   By Tim Gardner

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Defense Stands Tall in Dramatic 28-20 Win over Old Dominion at Kidd Brewer Stadium

November 4, 2024 The main takeaways from App State Football’s dramatic 28-20 win against Old Dominion on Saturday: the Mountaineers produced plenty of big ones. App State’s defense recovered three fumbles and sealed the victory with a fourth turnover via Zyeir Gamble’s last-minute interception against the Monarchs, who led 17-7 in the second quarter but added only a chip-shot field goal the rest of the way. A fourth-and-short stop also was part of a strong defensive effort that included five sacks from the Mountaineers (4-4, 2-3 Sun Belt) in front of 34,954 fans at Kidd Brewer Stadium.

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App State’s 14th annual Spooky Duke Rescheduled for Saturday, Nov. 16 at 9:30 a.m.

October 28, 2024 Appalachian State University’s 14th annual Spooky Duke 5K/10K Race and Costume Contest has been rescheduled for Saturday, Nov. 16. Races start on the Boone campus at 9:30 a.m. and the costume march starts at 10:30 a.m.  Spooky Duke benefits Parent to Parent Family Support Network-High Country, a nonprofit that serves families who have a premature baby, are grieving the loss of a child, or have a child with special needs. The program, housed in the Appalachian Institute for Health and Wellness, serves Alleghany, Ashe, Mitchell, Watauga, Wilkes and Yancey counties. Last year’s Spooky Duke raised a record $31,600 for the organization. Spooky Duke is a USA Track & Field certified 5K and 10K race.

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App State Rallies Late for Win in Emotional Return to The Rock with 33-26 Victory Against Georgia State on Saturday

October 28, 2024 A hardened football team reunited with its hungry fan base, eager to entertain a community with a long recovery effort ahead in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. A rainbow can be a reminder that storms end, giving way to hope for a brighter future. As fans from a crowd of 33,783 departed Kidd Brewer Stadium following App State’s 33-26 victory against Georgia State on Saturday, an actual rainbow appeared above The Rock. Excuse the Mountaineers for maybe being a bit too eager to reconnect with their fans — head coach Shawn Clark accepted blame for the wall-climbing “Rock Hop” celebration with students on Miller Hill following App State’s first Boone touchdown in 37 days — but this was a long time coming. Both seeing an App State game in the High Country and witnessing an emotional win from the home team.

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