The matchup between Cherokee and Hayesville on Friday hardly resembled the 22-0 effort from their previous meeting. The Braves fell 37-28 to the Yellowjackets. Give some credit to the fans of both teams: the last eight times they've met, the home team has come away the winner.
When it comes to explaining why Cherokee lost, don't look at Jonathan Saylor. Despite the final result, he rushed for 52 yards and three scores, and also threw for 234 yards while completing 81.2% of his passes. Another player making a difference was Javan Garcia, who picked up 156 receiving yards and one touchdown.
Hayesville had a senior duo take command as Tre Graves rushed for 168 yards and one TD while picking up 7.6 yards per carry and Peyton McGaha rushed for 44 yards and a pair of scores. Graves showed off some serious burst, turning on the afterburners on one carry for 53 yards. Ben Bethel was in the mix as well, providing Hayesville with two touchdowns.
Cherokee's defeat dropped their record down to 2-5. As for Hayesville, they pushed their record up to 5-2 with the win, which was their third straight at home.
Coincidentally, Cherokee and Hayesville will both be playing Swain County the next time they take the field. The Yellowjackets will host the Maroon Devils at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, while the Braves will head out to face them at 7:30 p.m. on the 17th.
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