The Hayesville Yellow Jackets (5-1, 4-0 Big Smoky Mountains 1-A) played the Polk Co. Wildcats (7-1) out of Tennessee in the first round of the Battle of States Tournament on Thursday evening, Dec. 26th.

Hayesville did not have an ideal start to the game, and Polk’s guards appeared to surprise the Yellow Jacket defenders. That coupled with star sophomore guard Kolbe Ashe picking up two first-quarter fouls, it appeared the Yellow Jackets might be in trouble. Ashe coming off the floor is rare and not something the Yellow Jackets have been accustomed to seeing since Ashe has been in high school. All this resulted in the Yellow Jackets trailing 15-11 at the end of the first quarter. McTaggart had eight first-quarter points to help keep the Jackets in the game when the rest of the team struggled. 

The second quarter was a different story with Hayesville finding their footing and taking back control of the game. It appeared that Hayesville football quarterback junior Hayden McClure shook off a little of that football rust. He assumed the point-guard position for the Yellow Jackets with Ashe in foul trouble. He provided steady ball handling and provided six second-quarter points. The Yellow Jackets took the lead from the Wildcats 30-29 going into the half.

The Yellow Jackets knew they needed to make adjustments going into the second half to keep their lead. The first adjustment was an easy one – get Ashe back on the floor. They did that in the third quarter and he responded with two big 3-pointers. This spread the floor for the Jackets and lead to the team getting good second-half looks at the basket. The Jackets extended their lead at the end of the third quarter to 49-45. 

Ashe continued to control the pace in the fourth, making the right decisions and finding the open player, and Polk Co. just couldn’t keep up. Hayesville’s lone senior, Mark Cothren, found more space with Ashe and McTaggart requiring much of Polk Co.’s defensive focus. Cothren had eight second-half points, including a backbreaking outside shot late in the fourth quarter. Along with Ashe having nine fourth quarter points, the Wildcats just didn’t have an answer on offense.

In a postgame discussion with head coach Mike Cottrell, he said the key in the game was their second-half defense. The Yellow Jackets switched to a different defensive scheme and added lots of pressure that really bothered the Polk Co. guards. Each time the Wildcats would find some level of comfort, the Yellow Jackets would switch up their defense. It was too much for Polk Co. to handle offensively, while the duo of Ashe and McTaggart was too much for the Wildcats to handle defensively. Hayesville pulled away late to earn the 70-56 win.

Coming into the game, Ashe was averaging 16.75 points a game, while McTaggart was averaging 21.8. Against Polk Co., Ashe had 17 points, with 15 coming in the second half, and McTaggart led the team with 30.

With the win, the Yellow Jackets advanced to the semifinals against host Towns Co.. The game will be the last of the day in tournament, Friday, Dec. 27th, at 8 p.m. It could be a fantastic matchup with Hayesville taking on possibly the best player they have seen this year in Towns Co. junior point guard Kolby Moss, who scored 27 in the Indians first-round win. Moss has had games of 36, 25, and 28 points so far this season.