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Smoky Mountain will travel to Hayesville for game Friday
Smoky Mountain will travel to Hayesville on Friday for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff in the final non-conference football game of the season.
The Mustangs (0-2) will be trying to get some offense going as they have managed just six points in the first two games.
“This is a game that if we play hard and find some plays that work on offense we have a chance win,” Coach Tim Hawkins said.
The Yellow Jackets are 1-1 after a 22-8 win over North Henderson and a 17-6 loss to Rabun County (Ga.).
Smoky Mountain’s Trinity Blackburn and Josh Jones combine to tackle Swain’s Daniel Fisher in SM’s 35-0 loss Friday. – Photo by Mark Haskett
“They have a good football team,” Hawkins said. “They have big kids up front. The strength of their team is the offensive and defensive front. Their defense seems to be a little ahead of their offense.”
Hayesville is young at the skill positions as freshman Jonathan Shively and sophomore Robert Browning alternate at quarterback and tailback.
Hawkins said both players throw the ball well and noted the Mustangs will have to be alert to the possibility of a tailback pass.
He said the first goal on defense will be at stop fullback Desmond Ledford.
The coach said he has been impressed with Hayesville linemen Aaron Hawkins and Tyler Ledford. They play on both sides of the ball.
The Jackets are coached by Neil Setzer, a 1976 Sylva-Webster graduate. While showing different looks, they basically operate from the I on offense and use a 4-3 defense.
“We’ve got to get the ball in the end zone if we’re going to beat anybody,” Hawkins said. “Defensively, we’ve got to build off the effort we had in the first half Friday night.”
The Mustangs hold a 7-2 advantage in the series after a 39-30 win a year ago.
Looking back on Friday’s 35-0 loss to Swain, Hawkins said, “I think we improved a lot from the first week and played harder and with more enthusiasm. We stayed in the game defensively for a long time.”
The score was 14-0 through three quarters, but the Maroon Devils took advantage of SM fumbles to break the game open with three touchdowns in a span of less than three and a half minutes in the fourth period.
Hawkins singled out Dustin Nicholson and Randall Crowe for their play on defense.
Nicholson had eight solo tackles and two assists to go with a fumble recovery, a tackle for a loss and a sack.
Crowe also had eight solo tackles along with four assists and a tackle for a loss.
The coach said Matt Gibson provided an offensive spark with his speed. Already bothered by a hand injury, Gibson hurt his other hand and missed part of Friday’s game, but he is expected to play against Hayesville.
Receiver Tyson Crawford sustained a knee injury Friday and likely will be sidelined two to four weeks.
“We are shooting ourselves in the foot offensively,” Hawkins said of the Mustangs losing four fumbles. “We were able to do some good things, but for every good thing we do we make a mistake that hurts us. We’ve got to find some consistency in our offense.”
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