Hayesville Draws Conference-Leading Murphy for Senior Night

(Photo by Travis Dockery)

Jacket Nation fills the stands for Hayesville's game against Rosman. The Yellow Jackets will need support from the community on Friday as they face the Bulldogs of Murphy.

By Travis Dockery

Sportswriter

Hayesville, N.C. — Hayesville's final home game of the season on Friday, Oct. 23, is also its toughest assignment of the year, as the Yellow Jackets host a Murphy team that has not lost a conference game this fall.

Murphy (6-2) comes in riding a four-game winning streak, all in Smoky Mountain Conference play. The Bulldogs handled Cherokee 44-23, routed Rosman 43-6, went to Robbinsville and won a 15-9 slugfest on Oct. 9, and thumped Andrews 45-14 last Friday. Their only losses came against Franklin and South Carolina's Westside in non-conference play. Murphy's identity is no secret: the Bulldogs average 214.7 rushing yards per game behind running back Cameron Clem and score 27.6 points per game, while throwing for just 51.4 yards a night. The defense has allowed 159 points in eight games.

Hayesville (1-6) had last week off after a 35-0 loss at Swain County on Oct. 9, and the bye came at a good time for a team on a four-game skid. The Jackets' lone win was a 14-7 decision over Copper Basin on Sept. 4. Hayesville leans on the passing game offensively — 99.7 passing yards per game to 68.0 on the ground — with quarterback Lance Coker and receiver Crow Collins, who averages 62.9 receiving yards per game, the main connection. The Yellow Jackets have struggled on both sides of the ball: Hayesville averages 9.7 points per game and has given up 302.

The common-opponent comparison underlines the gap. Against the four teams both have faced, Murphy is 4-0 and Hayesville 0-4.

If the Jackets are going to make Senior Night a memorable one, the formula starts with protecting the football — turnovers buried them in their homecoming loss to Rosman — and finding a way to slow Clem and force Murphy to win through the air. Senior Night ceremonies will happen during pre-game with kickoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m.