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The basketball season that almost wasn’t has moved onto the road to find a state champion. Hayesville High School’s Yellow Jackets ended the regular season with 71-62 come-from-behind win over Swain County. That win set Hayesville up for a No.2 seed in round one of the state tournament and pitted them against Winston-Salem Prep Tuesday, Feb.23 in The Hive. In an exciting, fast paced game, the Jackets were able to record their 15th win of the season with a 70-65 victory.
Hayesville finished the regular season in Bryson City and the Maroon Devils were on a mission. Swain had an outside shot at clinching a playoff spot with a win and the Jackets were trying to complete an undefeated regular season. The Devils snagged a 17-13 lead in the first quarter and looked intent on keeping it.
In the second, the Jackets increased their offensive production with 15 points but Swain was able to grow their lead and went into halftime up 33-28. The third quarter was one that made Yellow Jacket fans nervous. The Devil’s out scored Hayesville 22-14 to put the No. 1 ranked Jackets in a 55-42 hole going into the final stanza.
Undeterred, Hayesville stuck with their game plan and didn’t panic. The Jackets forced turnovers and were able to make the most of them by converting them to points. Junior point guard Kolbe Ashe led the charge with timely 3-pointers and senior Blake McClure was a big part of the Jackets’ defensive lock down.
Hayesville closed the gap and took their first lead since early in the first quarter. Once out front, the Jackets slowed the pace of the game, playing keep away from Swain which forced the Devils to start fouling in order to stop the clock. Freshman Asher Brown hit key free throws down the stretch to help put the game out of reach and a 71-62 win finished off Hayesville’s 14-0 season.
“That was one of the most exciting comebacks I’ve ever been a part of,” said head coach Michael Cottrell. “The experience of our seniors helps us stay calm and this team has a focus that is rare in high school basketball.”
It didn’t take long for Winston-Salem Prep to show they had the speed to match the Jackets’ swarming play when the two met Tuesday. The two teams shared possessions in the first quarter like a pair of boxers feeling each other out. When the buzzer sounded, the score was tied up at 13-13.
Hayesville had started draining 3 pointers early on in the second while creating turnovers on the defensive end of the floor. As fans celebrated the third 3 pointer in a matter of seconds, officials called a time out so HHS could recognize Ashe’s 1000th high school point.
The temporary stoppage ended and the teams were back to full speed almost immediately. The Phoenix started closing in, but the Jackets were able to limit the damage and took a 36-29 lead into the locker room at the break.
Gridlock returned in the third quarter as neither team was able keep the momentum. Just when it seemed like Winston-Salem was closing in, Hayesville would make a run to protect the lead. As the pair ended the quarter, the Jackets were up 52-45.
In what seemed like no time, the final seconds were ticking away on the clock. Hayesville’s lead dwindled down to just 2 points, but as has been the case all season, the Jackets did not panic. Hayesville manufactured shots to gain a little breathing room and started eating up time, forcing the Phoenix the foul. Ashe, McClure and Logan Caldwell sunk free throws the secure the victory and send Hayesville into round two by the final of 70-65.
“This is a heck of a win for our program,” said Cottrell. “Winston-Salem Prep is a very good team, very athletic, well coached and has a history of winning.”
When asked about what makes this Yellow Jacket team so special, the head coach said, “They are so driven to win. They are unselfish and they get a focus that I’ve never seen in a team before. It’s like they all get in that zone and they just make things happen. The coaching staff and I are just here to help.”
On Ashe’s 1000 points, Cottrell commented, “He earned it. Players don’t just deserve that, they earn it. Kolbe is such a hard worker and a committed player. He’s truly a special talent and I’m just lucky enough to be the coach here that gets to work with him.”
Hayesville will now host a round two game Thursday, Feb. 25. against the No. 7 seed Mountain Island Charter. Game time had not been announced at press time, but will be posted on the Clay County Sports Facebook page once it has been determined.