Football Recap: Cherokee Comes Up Short

Cherokee extended their losing streak to three on Friday, dropping them down to 2-6. They came up short against the Swain County Maroon Devils, falling 40-14. The Braves were given a dose of their own medicine in this game as the Maroon Devils apparently hadn't forgotten their loss the last time these teams played back in October of 2024.

When it comes to explaining why Cherokee lost, don't look at Jonathan Saylor. Despite the final result, he rushed for 131 yards on only 14 carries, and also threw for 101 yards and two TDs. Saylor's longest rush was for an impressive 50 yards, which helps to explain his lofty yards per carry total.

As for Swain County, they are on a roll lately: they've won four of their last five games. That's provided a nice bump to their 5-3 record this season. Those wins came thanks in part to their defensive effort, having only surrendered 10.2 points on average over those games.

Andruw Cody had a dynamite game, rushing for 140 yards and four touchdowns while picking up 7.8 yards per carry. Those four rushing touchdowns gave him a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Colton Shuler, who rushed for 110 yards.

Cherokee wasted no time getting back out on the field and has already played their next matchup, a 47-0 victory against Andrews on the 24th. As for Swain County, they have also already played their next contest, a 42-0 win against Rosman on the 24th.