Yellow Jackets Shut Out in Bryson City, Fall 35-0 to Swain County

By Travis Dockery

Sportswriter

Hayesville, N.C. — Friday night offered little relief for the Hayesville Yellow Jackets. Traveling to Swain County High School for a Smoky Mountain Conference game, the Jackets were held scoreless in a 35-0 loss that extended their skid to four straight defeats.

The offense never found a consistent rhythm. Hayesville finished with just five first downs and 44 total plays. Penalties added to the frustration, with the Jackets flagged nine times for 70 yards. The ground game provided the bulk of the limited production, while the passing attack struggled to sustain drives against the Maroon Devils defense.

Quarterback Lance Coker did what he could to move the chains. He completed 4 of 11 passes for 36 yards and added 37 rushing yards on three carries, giving Hayesville its most productive individual effort of the night. The interception he threw was one of the costly turnovers in an evening where opportunities were scarce.

Crow Collins was the primary target through the air, hauling in three receptions for 21 yards. Beyond those contributions, the Jackets had few answers when it came to generating explosive plays or finishing drives.

The shutout drops Hayesville to 1-6 overall and 0-4 in conference play. It has been a difficult stretch for a team still searching for momentum after an early-season win. The Yellow Jackets are off this week but will return to action at home on Oct. 23 to face Murphy, looking for a chance to regroup and put points on the board against a familiar rival. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.