The matchup between Hayesville and Cherokee on Friday hardly resembled the 22-0 effort from their previous meeting. The Yellowjackets came out on top against the Braves by a score of 37-28. Give some credit to the fans of both teams: the last eight times they've met, the home team has come away the winner.
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 touchdowns. 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 scores.
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 touchdowns, and also threw for 254 yards while completing 81.2% of his passes. Javan Garcia was another key player, picking up 156 receiving yards and one TD.
Yellowjackets
| 10/03/25 vs Cherokee | 37-28 |
| 09/12/25 vs Georgia Force Christian | 35-21 |
| 08/29/25 vs Enka | 21-20 |
Hayesville's win was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 5-2. Those home victories came thanks in part to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 31.0 points over those games. As for Cherokee, this is the second loss in a row for them and nudges their season record down to 2-5.
Coincidentally, Hayesville and Cherokee 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.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
