Following an early-season bye week, the JV Yellow Jacket football team returned to action Thursday, Sept. 19 as they hosted Andrews. After being drastically outscored in the first half, Hayesville got Jacket Nation’s hopes up with a second-half rally. Unfortunately the Jackets ran out of time and lost the game 50-36.
The first quarter started with the illusion of a back-and-fourth shootout. The Wildcats were the first on the board with a touchdown just two minutes and three seconds into the game. A successful 2-point conversion made Andrews’ lead 8-0. Hayesville answered immediately as Asher Brown returned to ensuing kickoff for a touchdown. The Jackets failed on their 2-point conversion attempt and trailed 8-6. From there the Wildcats added two more scores in the quarter and shutdown Hayesville’s offense to lead 20-6 by quarter’s end.
In the second quarter, Andrews kept the scoreboard operator busy. The Wildcats found the end zone a total of four times before quarters’s end. Meanwhile, the Jackets struggled to move the ball and hit the halftime break trailing 44-6.
As the clock ticked down in the third quarter, Hayesville’s quarterback, Logan Caldwell scored and a 2-point conversion with 3:14 left to make the score 44-14. The Jackets raised their total again with 1:44 left in the quarter when Brown scampered 23 yards for his second touchdown of the game. Trailing 44-22, Hayesville went for the onside kick and successfully recovered the ball. Even though momentum seemed to be with the Jackets, they failed to gain points from the recovery and Andrews took control.
With 4:56 left in the game, the Wildcats tacked on an insurance touchdown to extend their lead to 50-22. Caldwell kept hope alive for Hayesville with 3:24 left to play when he crossed the goal line to make the score 50-30.
The Jackets continued to play hard as the seconds clicked by and Jon Dockery hit the end zone with 1:17 to go which pulled Hayesville closer with a score of 50-36. That would go on to be the final as the Jackets ran out of time.
A rivalry game is next for Hayesville. The Jackets will travel to Murphy Thursday, Sept. 26 to take on the Bulldogs. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m.