Football Preview: Cherokee Braves vs. Hayesville Yellowjackets
The Cherokee Braves will face off against the Hayesville Yellowjackets at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Cherokee is strutting in with some offensive muscle as they've averaged 30.1 points per game this season.
Cherokee took a loss when they played away from home last Friday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Friday. They claimed a resounding 27-0 victory over Andrews at home. The score at the end of the third wound up being the final score as the Braves just coasted through the last quarter.
Jonathan Saylor went supernova for Cherokee, throwing for 161 yards and two touchdowns, while also rushing for 42 yards and a touchdown. Another player making a difference was Brandon Santiago, who rushed for 109 yards on only ten carries.
Meanwhile, Hayesville hadn't done well against Swain County recently (they were 2-7 in their previous nine matchups), but they didn't let the past get in their way on Friday. Hayesville snuck past Swain County with a 12-7 win.
This one was won in the trenches and the lion's share of the credit has to go to Tre Graves and he. Graves rushed for 83 yards and a touchdown while he rushed for 83 yards and a touchdown. Michael Mauney showed off some serious burst, cutting upfield on a catch for 66 yards.
Cherokee's victory was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 4-3. As for Hayesville, their win bumped their record up to 2-5.
Friday's game might be decided in the on the ground. Cherokee has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 188.7 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Hayesville struggles in that department as they've been averaging 149.1. It's looking like Friday's contest might have some serious battles in the trenches.
Cherokee ended up a good deal behind Hayesville in their previous meeting back in October of 2023, losing 17-0. Will Cherokee have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
