The Watauga High football game in Asheville against defending Class 4A state champion A.C. Reynolds is still on as scheduled. The game will still be played Friday night, despite some tragic news on Monday. Gary Laws, the father of ACR coach Shane Laws (Newton-Conover and Appalachian State University) passed away unexpectedly. A memorial service will be held Wednesday morning at the First United Methodist Chruch in Conover. 

The family will receive friends from 10-11 am; funeral services will begin at 12 noon.

The A.C. Reynolds athletics department released a statement concerning Friday night's match-up between the Pioneers and the Rockets. "The game will go on as scheduled, unless something drastic happens. We will play football Friday night."

Shane Laws, a three-sport athlete at Newton-Conover, graduated from ASU in 1996. He has been a member of the Rockets coaching staff since 1997, winning two state championships under then-head coach Bobby Poss (in 1999 and 2002).
Laws became head coach at ACR in 2007, replacing Steve McCurry. He won the Class 4A title last fall as the Rockets defeated Harnett Central, 14-13.
As a sign of respect, according to WHS coach Tim Pruitt, the Pioneers will wear green arm bands for Friday's game. This is the 11th meeting between the schools. The Rockets own an 8-2 advantage in the series, and they've won two in a row against the Pioneers.
But three of the last four games have been decided by the mere total of 19 points. Our coverage Friday night begins at 6:30 pm on Oldies 100,7 FM.