The Lady Eagles started the 2025–26 season with a dramatic 2OT loss at home to Copper Basin (59-64) on November 18 but quickly bounced back with a dominant 72-18 victory over Macon Early College three days later. They picked up their first road win on November 25, edging Andrews 60-56 in a close contest. Hiwassee Dam entered December looking to build momentum but suffered a lopsided 33-71 defeat at Copper Basin on December 2 in a rematch of their season opener. Through four g

Article Submitted Hayesville Middle School boys' basketball lost Monday nights home contest 42-41 at the buzzer. After falling behind 15-13 after one, the tightly contested game was tied at 21 at the half. The Jackets would take a 5-point lead into the fourth. Robbinsville began the fourth with a 7-point run. In total there were 6 lead changes in the final quarter. Hayesville took a one-point lead 41-40 with a 3-point FG with just over 6 seconds left. Robbinsville would hit a

Press Release The HMS Men’s Basketball team lost their first game of the season tonight in a tightly contested game to Cherokee. Cherokee jumped out to an 18-13 lead after one. The Jackets defense tightened up in the second quarter, limiting Cherokee to only 6 points, narrowing the halftime lead to 24-22. Hayesville’s defense remained tough throughout the third, only giving up 5 points. After three quarters, the Jackets took a one point lead into the 4th quarter, up 30-29. Th

The Towns County Indians picked up a dominant boys victory and a hard-fought girls effort Monday night as both varsity squads traveled to Highlands for a non-conference doubleheader on Nov. 24. Highlands girls edge Towns County, 33–24 The Towns County Lady Indians held their own on the road but couldn’t overcome a slow start in a 33–24 loss. Highlands opened with an 11–4 first quarter and held a 20–11 lead at halftime. Towns County gained traction after the break, scoring eig

Press Release The Jackets jumped out to a 22-5 lead after the first quarter vs Hiwassee Dam. Hayesville forced 9 turnovers in that quarter as a result of their stifling defense. The Jackets stretched the margin to 24 at halftime, leading 36-12 heading into the locker room. At the final buzzer, the Jackets would cinch their 6th win with a score of 59-20. The Jackets shot 57% from the field. Their unselfish play led to 19 assists on the night. HMS out rebounded the Eagles 35-11

Rayland Martinez gets the better of his Wildcat opponent, just before getting the win via pinfall. Staff Report The Hayesville High School wrestling program hit the mat last week and has already shown plenty of grit, determination, and promise for the season ahead. The Yellow Jackets opened the year on the road at Towns County, then returned home on Tuesday, November 18 to host Brevard and Andrews in a competitive early-season tri-match. While both the men’s and women’s roste

Staff Report The Hiwassee Dam girls basketball team opened its season at home Tuesday night but couldn’t hang on late, falling 64–59 to visiting Copper Basin. The Eagles kept the match-up tight throughout and looked poised to start the year with a win, but Copper Basin surged in the closing minutes to avenge a loss from the teams’ last meeting in January. Hiwassee Dam’s offense found its rhythm early, but the Cougars countered with steady scoring and a strong finish to hand t

Press Release The Jackets came out quickly in the first quarter jumping out to a 16-6 lead. The Yellow Jackets defense created 5 first quarter turnovers which led to multiple transition baskets. Leaving the locker room at halftime with a 26-14 lead, the Jackets put together their best quarter in the third. They would outscore Murphy 20-6 to increase their lead to 26 points after 3. When the final buzzer sounded, the HMS Mens basketball team secured their fifth victory on th

Staff Report Mountain Buzz The Towns County Indians showed grit and energy in their home matchup Friday night, but the Union County Panthers proved too much to handle down the stretch, handing the Indians a 76–55 loss in non-conference play. Union County, coming off a strong preseason, wasted no time establishing momentum. Their fast tempo and accurate shooting helped them build an early lead, and although Towns County responded with several impressive runs of their own, the

Staff Reports Mountain Buzz With the stakes at their highest, the Murphy Bulldogs delivered one of their most commanding performances of the season Friday night. Hosting Albemarle in the second round of the NCHSAA state playoffs, Murphy was firing on all cylinders as they rolled to a decisive 57–14 victory. The Bulldogs wasted no time making a statement, piling up points early and often while shutting down nearly everything Albemarle tried to get going offensively. By the tim

Staff Report Mountain Buzz The Andrews Wildcats saw their postseason journey come to an end Friday night, falling 56–7 to the Robbinsville Black Knights in the second round of the NCHSAA playoffs at Robbinsville High School. The Wildcats entered the matchup hoping to build on the momentum of last week’s playoff victory, a bright spot in a season marked by challenges. However, Robbinsville proved to be too much from the opening whistle. The Black Knights controlled the game on

Staff Report Mountain Buzz The Hayesville Yellow Jackets saw their playoff run come to an end Friday night, November 14, as they fell to the East Wilkes Cardinals 44–7 in the second round of the NCHSAA state tournament. The game was played on the road at East Wilkes High School, and despite the lopsided final score, the loss doesn’t overshadow the strong year Hayesville put together. Coming off a thrilling 41-point offensive performance the week before, the Yellow Jackets ent

Press Release The Hayesville Middle School Men’s Basketball team improved to 4-0 on the season after picking up a 63-19 road win at Swain. Swain got the scoring started, taking a 2-0 lead before the Jackets went on a 12-0 run. Balanced scoring and relentless defense led Hayesville to a 26-6 lead after the first quarter. The halftime score was 45-8. The Jackets only turned the ball over a handful of times through 3 quarters and dominated on the boards, outrebounding Swain 34-9

Press Release The Yellow Jackets jumped out to a 36-13 halftime lead. Unselfish play on offense coupled with disciplined defense set the tone for the Yellow Jackets. Hayesville would further pull away with a 14-3 advantage in the third, before closing out the game on a 14-5 run in the fourth. Hayesville dominated on the boards 35-12 and held Andrews to 30% shooting from the floor. Jackets travel to Swain on Thursday, Nov. 13.

By: Staff Report The Mountain Buzz The Murphy Bulldogs saw their impressive 2025 soccer season come to an end Monday night, falling 3-0 to Gray Stone Day in state playoff action. The two teams battled closely through the first half, but the Knights took control after the break to seal the win. Despite the final score, Murphy showed the same grit and teamwork that carried them through a standout season. The loss snapped a four-match winning streak for the Bulldogs, who finishe

By: Staff Report The Mountain Buzz The Andrews Wildcats picked the perfect time to find their offensive spark. After a tough stretch to end the regular season, Andrews exploded for a season-high 42 points on Friday night, defeating the College Prep & Leadership Academy Royals 42-34 in the opening round of the playoffs. It was a hard-fought game from start to finish, with both teams trading big plays and momentum swings. But in the end, it was the Wildcats who made the key pla

By: Staff Report The Mountain Buzz It can be tough to carry regular-season momentum into the playoffs, but the Hayesville Yellow Jackets had no trouble doing just that Friday night. Hayesville dominated from start to finish, cruising by the Highland Tech Rams 41-0 in the opening round of the NCHSAA state playoffs. The Yellow Jackets’ offense was firing on all cylinders, piling up 397 total yards behind standout performances from quarterback Peyton McGaha and running back Tre

By: Staff Report November 7, 2025 The Andrews Wildcats saw their postseason run come to an end Thursday night, falling 7–1 to NCSSM: Morganton in the second round of the NCHSAA state playoffs. Despite a solid regular season that earned them a playoff berth, Andrews struggled to slow down the Dragons’ relentless offensive attack. NCSSM: Morganton, who has now won three of their last four matches, took control early and never looked back. With the loss, Andrews closes out their

By: Staff Report November 7, 2025 The Murphy Bulldogs continued their dominant run this season with a convincing 5-2 victory over the Queen’s Grant Stallions in round two of the NCHSAA playoffs on Thursday, Nov. 6. Murphy has been a force all year, with ten wins by three goals or more, and Thursday’s performance showed why. The Bulldogs’ offense was firing on all cylinders while their defense continued to shine, allowing only two goals during their nine-game home winning stre

By Staff Reports November 7, 2025 The Hayesville Yellow Jacket soccer team saw its playoff run come to an end Thursday night, falling 8–0 to Gray Stone Day in the second round of the NCHSAA 1A State Playoffs. The Jackets faced a tough road challenge against a talented Knights squad, ranked 178th in the state according to MaxPreps. Hayesville entered the matchup ranked 493rd and had to contend not only with a higher-seeded opponent but also a long road trip. . Despite the scor