Hayesville Sweeps Swain to Advance to Sweet 16

HAYESVILLE, N.C. - The Hayesville Lady Yellow Jackets kept their postseason momentum rolling Tuesday night with a straight-sets win over Smoky Mountain Conference rival Swain County in the second round of the NCHSAA 2A state championship tournament.

Hayesville, which earned a first-round bye thanks to an impressive regular season, had to hunker down on their home court to take care of a strong Lady Maroon Devils team. The victory was a repeat performance from just a week earlier, when the Lady Jackets also swept Swain in the second round of the SMC tournament.

With the win, Hayesville improves to 26-4 on the year and advances to the Sweet 16, where they’ll face a familiar foe — the Cherokee Lady Braves. The matchup marks the fourth meeting between the two conference powers this season, including the SMC championship, with Cherokee having won all three previous contests.

The Lady Jackets will look to flip the script Thursday, Oct. 23, when they travel to Cherokee for the third-round matchup. First serve is set for 6 p.m.