Playoff Brackets Set for Hayesville and Murphy

HAYESVILLE, N.C. — The North Carolina High School Athletic Association released the Class 2A state volleyball playoff brackets this week, and two Smoky Mountain Conference rivals — Hayesville and Murphy — are both set to represent the conference on the postseason stage.

Hayesville (25-4) earned the No. 5 seed in the 2A West bracket after a strong regular season that included a runner-up finish in conference play. The Yellow Jackets received a first-round bye and will face the winner of No. 12 Swain County and No. 21 Albemarle in the second round, scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 21.

Led by a balanced attack and a tough home-court advantage, Hayesville has been one of the region’s most consistent teams all year. The Jackets enter the playoffs riding a wave of momentum after sweeping Swain County in the Smoky Mountain Conference tournament earlier this week.

Murphy, meanwhile, secured the No. 15 seed and will host No. 18 Elkin on Saturday, Oct. 18. The Bulldogs battled through a competitive schedule and will look to pull off an early upset to advance to a potential second-round meeting with No. 2 Cornerstone Charter.

The early rounds of the NCHSAA volleyball playoffs are hosted by the higher-seeded teams. Regional championships are set for Oct. 28, and state title matches will be held Oct. 31–Nov. 1.

Both Hayesville and Murphy hope to keep the Smoky Mountain Conference’s postseason presence alive with deep playoff runs in the coming weeks.