Hayesville Pounds the Ground to Beat Cherokee, 37–28

HAYESVILLE — The Hayesville Yellow Jackets used a powerful rushing attack to take down the Cherokee Braves 37–28 on Friday night, improving to 5–2 on the season.

Hayesville controlled the game on the ground, finishing with 297 rushing yards. Senior running back Tre Graves led the way with 168 yards on 22 carries, including a 53-yard run that helped set up an early score. Peyton McGaha added 44 yards and two touchdowns, while Ben Bethel also reached the end zone twice.

Cherokee (2–5) stayed within striking distance behind a strong effort from quarterback Jonathan Saylor, who completed 81 percent of his passes for 234 yards and added 52 rushing yards with three touchdowns on the ground. Receiver Javan Garcia caught passes for 156 yards and a score to lead the Braves’ offense.

The game stayed close throughout, but Hayesville’s consistency on the ground proved to be the difference. The Yellow Jackets moved the chains with long, clock-chewing drives that kept Cherokee’s offense on the sideline for much of the second half.

With the win, Hayesville picked up its third straight home victory and continued to build momentum heading into the final stretch of the season. The Yellow Jackets will host Swain County next Friday night, while Cherokee will enjoy and off week before traveling to take on the Maroon Devils on Oct. 17th.