By Gary Corsair
Sports Writer
Hayesville’s don’t-back-down-to-nobody Yellow Jackets made believers out of doubters and pouters by earning their first conference victory Friday by dominating Cherokee, 17-0.
Hayesville’s first varsity football shutout since 2019 sends a strong message to those who doubt that the Black-and-Gold can hold their own in the state’s toughest 1A conference. They can.
Beating Cherokee, a team that brought a 5-2 record and 30 points per game scoring average to Frank R. Long Memorial Stadium, should convince anyone who thought Hayesville’s one-touchdown losses to Murphy and Swain were flukes.
As for the pouters — those ready to write off the season after four key Hayesville players were injured in last week’s game with Swain — the depleted Yellow Jackets delivered an emphatic “booyah!” by dominating from opening kickoff to final horn.
“Our defense coaches did a great job of preparing and having a game plan while not knowing who they would have to work with,” remarked Hayesville Coach Chad McClure. “We were missing two key defensive players. It was an opportunity for someone to step up.”
That somebody wears No. 55.
“Kasen Chastian stepped in for Jacob Jones, spine injury. He’s not big, but he does what he’s supposed to,” McClure stated.
Doing what you’re supposed to was the battle cry for a Hayesville defense that went into battle without leading tackler, middle linebacker Taylor McClure, who injured his shoulder against Swain. Hayesville’s coaches adjusted by moving Dawson Devane to inside linebacker and Slade Crouch to the outside.
Devane and Seth Leek, both knocked out of the Swain game with concussion symptoms, were two of the most active Yellow Jackets.
“We were glad Seth and Dawson got to play, they help so much and they play with passion,” McClure said. “Seth Leek had a phenomenal defensive night. I think he had four tackles for loss and had a sack.”
Leek had six solo tackles. Devane brought down four Braves.
The linebackers weren’t the only Brave busters.
“The guys up front — Will Brown, Dante Robinson and Lane O’Dell — are doing the job,” McClure said. “There were a few times they got deep in our territory, but we held.”
The Braves first foray into Jacketland came late in the first quarter on a 10-yard reverse that gave Cherokee first-and-10 at the 43-yardline. The threat ended on fourth-and-five when Chandler broke up a pass play.
Cherokee didn’t threaten again until the waning moments of the second quarter. The Braves got Hayesville’s attention with back-to-back pass plays of 20 and 30 yards that moved the pigskin to the 29 with 1:59 on the clock. Once again, the defense rose to the occasion when Mauney broke up a pass play at the goal line and Leek dropped the quarterback for a 10-yard loss on fourth-and-seven with :32 left in the half.
The defense continued to stymie Cherokee after the halftime homecoming festivities.
Brown had a team-high seven tackles, Ben Bethel made five and Michael Mauney and Tre Graves had four tackles each.
Graves also made the biggest play of the game on a third-and-eight with 11:01 left in the second quarter of a scoreless game. Graves gave Hayesville momentum it never relinquished by intercepting a pass and racing 44 yards to the 1-yardline.
“Tre’s interception sparked us,” said McClure, “and then Mauney made that great catch. Those two plays were huge.”
Graves’ pick set up a 1-yard touchdown plunge by Tate Roberts and a point-after kick by Isaac Chandler. Mauney’s diving, over the head catch of a 66-yard bomb by Roberts on fourth-and-10 advanced the ball to the three yardline, setting up Graves for a one-yard plunge and Chandler for another one-point kick.
Hayesville led 14-0 at the half. The final three points came on Chandler’s 33-yard field goal with 4:41 remaining in the fourth quarter.
Seventeen points was more than enough. Hayesville’s defense limited Cherokee to just 36 yards rushing.
The Braves gained 148 on 15-of-29 passing, but none of the aerials hurt much.
“We knew coming in they were a good team. We knew that they liked to throw the ball. Our defensive secondary did good against the pass. We knew we’d give up some things, but we told them they had to come up and tackle,” McClure said. “Our defense coaches, coordinator Kevin Dockery and backfield coach Jon Hensley, had a great game plan. Kudos to the kids and staff. They worked hard.”
Defense dictated the outcome, but Hayesville’s offense was nothing to sneeze at, even without leading rusher Taylor McClure. Hit-and-Run McClure’s replacement Cole Vining romped for 101 yards on 17 carries, 5.9 average, Graves rushed for 65, and Roberts hit on 6-of-9 flings for 82 yards. His favorite target was Mauney, who had three catches for 66 yards.
“Offensively, we did what we do — run the ball and pass once in a while,” McClure said. “I’m proud of the kids. Everybody contributed.”
It will be all hands on deck again Friday when Hayesville, 1-2 conference, 5-3 overall, travels to Robbinsville, 3-0, 7-1, for a Smoky Mountain Conference showdown McClure believes his team can win.
“The kids will have to make plays. We have to take care of details. We had too many penalties against Cherokee,” McClure said. “It’s not going to be easy. They’re real good. We have to go over there believing we can beat them.”