Jackets seek return to normal against Swain

  • Photo courtesy Cherokee Scout Hayesville lineman Rayland Martinez, No. 74, leads the defensive line in pursuit of Murphy's Way Herron, No. 32.
    Photo courtesy Cherokee Scout Hayesville lineman Rayland Martinez, No. 74, leads the defensive line in pursuit of Murphy's Way Herron, No. 32.
  • Gary Corsair • Clay County Progress Hayesville physician Dr. Travis Williams takes advantage of a timeout to see if any Yellow Jackets need assistance.
    Gary Corsair • Clay County Progress Hayesville physician Dr. Travis Williams takes advantage of a timeout to see if any Yellow Jackets need assistance.
  • Gary Corsair • Clay County Progress Hayesville 5' 6," 150-pound guard Patrick Denton, No. 50, lets Murphy's 6' 5," 290-pound tackle Janthony Gooden, No. 71, know that he's coming for him.
    Gary Corsair • Clay County Progress Hayesville 5' 6," 150-pound guard Patrick Denton, No. 50, lets Murphy's 6' 5," 290-pound tackle Janthony Gooden, No. 71, know that he's coming for him.
    Gary Corsair • Clay County Progress Hayesville standout Tre Graves, No. 6, is a blur of speed as he explodes upfield on a kickoff return.

    Gary Corsair • Clay County Progress Hayesville standout Tre Graves, No. 6, is a blur of speed as he explodes upfield on a kickoff return.

    By Gary Corsair

    Sports Writer

     

    The Hayesville Yellow Jackets hope for sweet varsity football dreams after suffering a full-blown nightmare last week against Murphy.

    “As far as Murphy game goes, they dominated us in all phases of the game,” Hayesville Coach Chad McClure said. “I have to do a better job of preparing our guys mentally and physically. We didn’t block or tackle well and didn’t take care of the ball. That’s a recipe for disaster. We have to put that game behind us and focus on Swain.” 

    Hayesville (1-5 overall, 0-1 Smoky Mountain Conference) looks to bounce back against a Swain County (0-5, 0-1) team that’s been shut out twice and only scored 26 points in five games.

    That doesn’t mean an automatic win for the Yellow Jackets. Swain has played a tough schedule — its opponents have a combined record of 17-8.

    The Maroon Devils may have trouble putting the ball in the end zone, but their defense held Andrews (4-1, 1-0, 26.8 points per game average) to 67 yards of offense last week in a 2-0 Wildcats victory. 

    Swain is struggling, but the Maroon Devils are moving the ball more consistently since coach Sherman Holt moved quarterback Druw Cody to running back and installed Jon Stephenson behind center.

    The Bryson City boys are far from inept. They rushed for 232 yards in the season-opener against Charlotte County Day School and their passing game has improved dramatically. Stephenson, who didn’t play in two of the first three games, has completed more than 50 percent (15-of-28) of his passes the past two weeks. As for Cody, he’s averaging 5.2 yards per carry.

    Hayesville also has a new quarterback. Lance Coker made his debut calling signals against Murphy in one of the most bizarre games in the history of Frank R. Long Memorial Stadium, a 44-0 fiasco that included three interceptions and zero lost fumbles by the Jackets.

    Coker started due to a shoulder injury to Tate Roberts, who fearlessly played cornerback against Murphy (5-1, 1-0). Roberts is scheduled to undergo an MRI this week.

    Hayesville’s night terrors began two minutes into the game when a Murphy punt glanced off the heel of a Yellow Jacket setting up to block. A Bulldog collected the ball and ran it to the 6-yardline.

    A block in the back by Murphy put the ball at the 21. A touchdown seemed inevitable, but Hayesville’s defense responded in a big way and limited Murphy to 4 yards on three carries. The Jackets took over when a fourth-down pass fell incomplete. 

    Hayesville gained 28 yards on seven plays before being stopped on a fourth-and-one carry. Murphy promptly scored to take a 7-0 first-quarter lead.

    And then things really got weird. How weird? Murphy scored three touchdowns in four minutes during the second quarter.

    The nightmare played out this way: Coker threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown. Less than two minutes later, Murphy intercepted a shuttle pass. Four plays later, the Bulldogs scored again. Three plays after that, a Bulldog wrestled the ball away from Dawson Devane and sprinted 26 yards to pay dirt. The point-after kick gave Murphy a 27-0 lead the visitors carried into halftime.

    One of the few bright moments for Hayesville occurred in the third quarter when punter Johan Webb lofted a 60-yard punt that rolled to Murphy’s 1-yardline. The Bulldogs weren’t buried for along. A 58-yard run set up a 2-yard touchdown that gave Murphy a 34-0 lead entering the final quarter.

    The Bulldogs added a 32-yard field goal and an 8-yard touchdown in the fourth period to run their total to 44. In between the scores, Coker connected with Michael Mauney for a beautiful 36-yard pass play. Unfortunately, that highlight was followed by a bizarre 31-yard loss on a fumble that was kicked twice before Hayesville recovered the ball. 

    Two plays later, another bizzarro moment when a Coker sideline pass bounced off a Bulldogs into the hands of a teammate who waltzed into the end zone that set up Murphy’s final points.

    Mauney led Hayesville with 73 yards in kickoff returns and two receptions for 48 yards. Tre Graves had a team-high 38 rushing yards, 45 yards on kick returns and team-high four tackles. E.J. Abrams also had four tackles. Webb averaged 42.5 on two punts.