Hayesville’s Strong Season Ends in Second Round at East Wilkes

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 entered the matchup with confidence. But against a surging East Wilkes squad, Hayesville struggled to find the same rhythm. The Cardinals — winners of five straight — controlled the pace early and never looked back.

Still, the Jackets had standout performances worth recognizing. Senior receiver Ben Bethel turned in a big night with 114 receiving yards and Hayesville’s lone touchdown, while running back Tre Graves continued his late-season tear. Graves powered his way to 121 rushing yards, marking his third consecutive game with at least 121 yards on the ground. His recent streak also includes 125 yards against Highland Tech on November 7 and a massive 334-yard showing against Andrews on October 31.

Despite the strong individual efforts, Hayesville couldn’t match the Cardinals offensively, and the loss brought the Jackets’ final record to 7-5 — a winning season highlighted by a playoff victory and marked improvement across the roster.

While the Yellow Jackets now enter the offseason with no games remaining on the schedule, East Wilkes moves on to face Corvian Community next Friday at 7 p.m. Corvian’s defense has allowed just 9.2 points per game this season, setting up a tough challenge for the Cardinals’ high-powered offense.

Hayesville may not be moving forward in the tournament, but the foundation laid this fall — including postseason experience, offensive growth, and standout leadership — gives Jackets fans reason to look forward to 2026 with optimism.