Hayesville JV Holds Off Swain County 20-14, Stays Unbeaten

(Photo by Travis Dockery)

Hayesville's Caden McClure finds a seam and picks up a first down to keep a Yellow Jacket drive alive.

By Travis Dockery

Sportswriter

Thursday night in Hayesville belonged to two unbeaten Smoky Mountain Conference teams and a loud crowd that packed the stands on both sides. The Yellow Jackets and Swain County Maroon Devils both walked in at 5-0. Only one left that way.

Luke Buckner put the home side on the board first, scoring on a quarterback keeper on fourth-and-1 from the 3 with 5:30 left in the opening quarter. The extra point from kicker Jorge Constantino made it 7-0.

Jack Bethel stretched the lead with a touchdown catch with 9:10 remaining in the second. Another good PAT pushed Hayesville in front 14-0, and it looked like the Yellow Jackets might pull away.

• 

  Luke Dockery shakes off a would-be tackler to gain yards.

• 

  A large crowd filled the home side of the stands to cheer on the Jackets.

• 

  A gang of Yellow Jackets swarm Swain's ball carrier.

• 

  Quarterback Luke Buckner scans the Maroon Devils' defense before fighting his way into the end zone.

• 

  Abel Moore makes first contact to slow Swain's attempt to gain yards.

Swain County had other ideas. A 43-yard touchdown run on fourth-and-1 with 6:34 left in the half, plus a two-point conversion, made it 14-8 and woke the visitors up.

Thirteen seconds and change remained before the break when Swain hit a 23-yard scoring pass and converted again. Just like that it was 14-14 at the half, and both fan bases had a real game on their hands.

Hayesville answered in the third. A 2-yard quarterback sneak from Buckner with 2:42 left put the Jackets back in front 20-14 after the two-point try failed.

The closing minutes belonged to the home offense. First downs kept coming, including one from a fake punt and the clock kept ticking. Swain never got the ball back with a chance to tie and the Jackets celebrated a 20-14 victory.

Robbinsville is next. Hayesville travels Thursday, Oct. 1, for a 6 p.m. kickoff against the Black Knights, still chasing an SMC championship and still unbeaten at 6-0.