By Gary Corsair
Sports Writer
Tre Graves impersonated Barry Sanders on Halloween and played 334 yards and four touchdowns worth of tricks on Andrews in one of the most impressive displays of rushing ever seen around these parts.
When asked if Graves’ performance was the finest night of running he’d witnessed, Hayesville Head Coach Chad McClure replied, “Probably so, I can’t remember many better that I’ve witnessed and most of it in the first half.”
Galloping Graves haunted the Wildcats with explosive breakaway touchdowns of 53 and 49 yards, a 23-yard first down, a 72-yard sonic boom erased by a holding penalty and a 55-yard jaunt that set up a score. He also had touchdown runs of 22 and three yards as the Yellow Jackets battered Andrews, 55-14, in Smoky Mountain Conference action on Senior Night at Frank R. Long Memorial Stadium.
Andrews was clearly no match for Hayesville and this week’s opponent — the visiting Highland Tech Rams — will be just as over matched in the first round of football playoffs. Graves only needs to be himself for the Jackets to advance to the second round.
Highland Tech is an A school with a 100 percent graduation rate and the highest academic proficiency rate in Gaston County but a woefully weak football program.
The Rams have been waxed 90-0, 70-0, 61-13, 56-0, 50-6, 48-0, 35-0 and 34-0. Their lone win against eight losses was a 15-12 triumph over Bessemer City.
Highland Tech looks dreadful on paper, but McClure isn’t looking past the brainiacs from Gastonia.
“I’m excited we get another opportunity at home,” McClure stated. “Highland Tech plays in an extremely tough conference with seven of their games being against 3A/4A opponents. They are athletic and have good size and speed. It’s playoff time — throw records out the window and be better than them for 48 minutes.”
We’ll see.
According to Maxpreps, Highland Tech’s offense supposedly averages 25.8 yards per game and quarterback Brandon Rice has only completed 36 percent of his passes with eight interceptions to two touchdowns.
Graves had 42 yards on his first three handoffs – and his carries became more spectacular as Hayesville’s linemen dominated the trenches.
Graves’ second touchdown looked like a 5-yard gain, but he broke one, then two, then a third tackle to will his away across the goal line. His 53-yard run was even more impressive — he shredded the Wildcats by straight-arming a linebacker and then lowering his shoulder and knocking a cornerback out of the way, in effect blocking for himself. On the 22-yarder, Graves entered the end zone with a Wildcats holding onto his jersey.
Graves averaged 18.6 yards per carry as he raised his season totals to 1,340 yards and 19 touchdowns.
The only Jacket with comparable numbers – albeit on a smaller scale – was sophomore Rylan Graves, who averaged 19.3 yards on three carries.
Hayesville amassed 448 yards rushing against Andrews. Kaden Ledford carried four times for 28 yards (7.0 average) and two touchdowns, Daemien Soto scored on his only carry, an 11-yard carry.
Peyton McGaha hit on 4-of-6 passes for 57 yards. Ben Bethel had all four catches.
Josue Salas drilled 7-of-8 point-after-touchdown kicks.
Johan Webb scored Hayesville’s final touchdown, a three-yard plunge.
Freshman Devin Ramey led Hayesville tacklers with six. E.J. Mapasua and Wyatt James had five take downs each. Mapasua and Colton Bruggers also recovered fumbles.
Hayesville led 28-7 after the first quarter, 41-7 at halftime and 48-14 after three.