Hayesville Falls to Cherokee at Home

The Hayesville varsity basketball teams dropped home conference matchups to Cherokee on Wednesday night, facing a tough test against one of the league’s stronger programs.

The Hayesville girls struggled to find an offensive rhythm in a 69-17 loss to Cherokee. The visitors jumped out early, leading 30-7 after the first quarter and 47-10 at halftime. Hayesville continued to battle defensively, but Cherokee’s pressure and depth kept the Lady Yellow Jackets from mounting a comeback. Hayesville scored three points in both the second and third quarters before adding four in the final period. Despite the lopsided score, the game provided valuable experience for a Hayesville squad continuing to develop against high-level conference competition.

In the nightcap, the Hayesville boys showed more offensive consistency but came up short in an 83-64 loss. Hayesville worked to keep pace throughout the game, generating steady scoring against a Cherokee team that was able to pull away over four quarters. The Yellow Jackets continued to compete and looked for opportunities in transition and half-court sets, but Cherokee’s balanced attack proved difficult to slow down down the stretch.

Both Hayesville teams will look to regroup and apply the lessons learned as conference play continues on Friday, Feb. 6 when Robbinsville comes to town.