Hayesville Sweeps East Wilkes to Open 2A Playoffs

(Photo by Travis Dockery)

Coach Tammy Dills uses an East Wilkes timeout to encourage her team to maintain the high level of play in the post-season opener.

By Travis Dockery

Sportswriter

Hayesville, N.C. — The Hayesville Lady Yellow Jackets wasted no time in their postseason opener, sweeping East Wilkes 3-0 Saturday, Oct.17, at The Hive in the first round of the NCHSAA 2A West state playoffs.

Jasmine Brooks fires a serve against the Cardinals.

Hayesville (16-10) took the sets 25-12, 25-20 and 25-10. The No. 13-seeded Lady Jackets controlled the first set from the start, then held off the Cardinals' best push of the day in the second, when No. 20 seed East Wilkes climbed within five before Hayesville closed it out. The third set was all Hayesville — a 15-point runaway that finished the sweep and sent the home crowd home happy.

The win was Hayesville's first step in a bracket that only gets harder from here. East Wilkes, which made the trip from Ronda, ends its season at 6-16.

There is no rest for the Lady Jackets. The road runs through Greensboro next: Hayesville travels to No. 4 seed Cornerstone Charter Academy (23-6) for a second-round match Tuesday at 6 p.m. The Cardinals had a first-round bye.

The winner of Tuesday's match advances to Thursday's regional quarterfinal against the winner of Tuesday night's Murphy–South Stanly match — which means a Hayesville win, paired with a Murphy win at home, would set up an all-mountain showdown in the third round.