Mount Airy looks to end Hayesville’s Cinderella playoff run when it rolls around on November 18.
Despite finishing fourth of five teams in their conference, the Hayesville Yellowjackets find themselves in the third round of the 1A State Playoffs. Hayesville’s seven wins this season are tied for the most for the school in the past 18 years.
It’s also worth noting that the top four teams in the Smoky Mountain Conference make up half of the eight teams remaining in the 1A West: No. 2 Andrews (12-0), No. 7 Murphy (9-3), No. 8 Robbinsville (9-3) and No. 12 Hayesville (7-5).
The Yellowjackets defeated No. 5 Christ the King Catholic High School 14-13 in the second round, but they face an entirely different animal in the Mount Airy Granite Bears. Mount Airy leads the 1A division in both scoring, at 53.3 points per game, and fewest points allowed, at 7.3 PPG.
The 11-1 Granite Bears return to the Sweet 16 after reaching the 1A West regional semifinal in 2021. Mount Airy is undefeated against teams competing in the 1A division, and has only dropped a combined 16 seconds against 1A competition this season.
The Bears have outscored 1A teams 572-21 this season.
The Mount Airy/Hayesville winner will face the winner of No. 1 Eastern Randolph (10-1) and No. 8 Robbinsville (9-3).
AT FIRST SIGHT
Mount Airy Granite Bears
Record: 11-1 overall, 6-0 Northwest Conference 1A (Champion)
Current streak: 10 wins
Playoff seed: No. 4
Key regular season wins: 51-29 at Ashe County, 62-7 vs. East Wilkes, 44-7 vs. Starmount
Losses: 14-12 against East Surry
Opponents winning percentage: .391 (52-81)
Wins against teams that finished above .500: 3
Playoff scores: 72-0 vs. No. 29 North Stokes, 57-7 vs. No. 13 North Rowan
Hayesville Yellow Jackets
Record: 8-4 overall, 5-1 Smoky Mountain 1A Conference (4th)
Current streak: 2 wins
Playoff seed: No. 12
Key regular season wins: 21-14 vs. Georgia Force Christian (GA), 43-14 at Lookout Valley (TN), 27-7 at Swain County
Losses: 42-14 vs. Tuscola, 50-7 at Andrews, 21-14 vs. Murphy, 28-21 at Cherokee, 21-9 vs. Robbinsville
Opponents winning percentage: .587 (81-57)
Wins against teams that finished above .500: 2
Playoff scores: 37-22 vs. No. 21 Alleghany, 14-13 at No. 5 Christ the King Catholic High School
OFFENSE
Mount Airy Granite Bears
Running YPG: 317.4
Yards per carry: 11.7
TD per run per game: 6
Passing yards per game: 73.8
Yards Per Completion: 21.6
Passing TD per game: 0.8
TD per game: 7.6
Total YPG: 391.2
Total points scored: 639
Points per game: 53.3
QB Ian Gallimore (JR) – 868 passing yards, 40-of-70 completions, .571 completion percentage, 9 TD passes, 2 interceptions, 63 carries for 441 yards, 6 rushing TDs, 2 run conversions 2 points, 1,309 total yards
RB Tyler Mason (JR) – 109 carries for 1,531 yards, 127.6 rushing YPG, 14.0 yards per carry, 34 rushing TDs, 1 2-point conversion run, 1 reception for 10 yards
RB Caleb Reid* (JR) – 38 carries for 477 yards, 53.0 YPG rushing, 12.6 yards per carry, 12 rushing TDs, 1 2-point conversion run
RB Taeshon Martin** (FR) – 40 carries for 460 yards, 46.0 YPG rushing, 11.5 yards per carry, 9 rushing TDs, 3 receptions for 32 yards
WR Walker Stroup (JR) – 15 receptions for 453 yards, 37.8 receiving YPG, 30.2 receiving yards, 5 receiving TDs
WR Mario Revels (JR) – 13 receptions for 191 yards, 15.9 receiving YPG, 14.7 receiving yards, 2 receiving TDs, 7 carries for 53 yards, 1 rushing TD
*9 games played
*10 games played
Hayesville Yellow Jackets
Passing yards per game: 111.3
Yards Per Completion: 12.6
Passing TDs per game: 1.3
Running YPG: 162.8
Yards per carry: 4.8
Rushing TDs per game: 1.7
TD per game: 3.1
Total YPG: 274.0
Total points scored: 268
Points per game: 21.8
QB Logan Caldwell (SR) – 1,332 passing yards, 104 of 170 completions, .612 completion percentage, 15 TD passes, 5 interceptions, 104 carries for 401 yards, 33.4 YPG rushing, 3.9 yards per carry, 4 rushing touchdowns, 1,733 total yards
SB Taylor McClure (JR) – 161 carries for 836 yards, 69.7 YPG rushing, 5.2 yards per carry, 10 rushing TDs, 21 receptions for 308 yards, 25.7 receiving YPG, 14.7 receiving yards, 4 receiving TDs
RB/TE Kyle Lunsford (SR) – 70 carries for 437 yards, 36.4 YPG rushing, 6.2 yards per carry, 3 rushing TDs, 28 receptions for 352 yards, 29.3 receiving YPG, 12.6 receiving yards, 2 receiving TDs
TE Avery Leatherwood (SR) – 32 receiving for 386 yards, 32.2 receiving YPG, 12.1 receiving yards, 5 receiving TDs
WR/RB Michael Mauney (SOPH) – 13 receptions for 162 yards, 13.5 YPG receiving, 12.5 receiving yards, 2 receiving TDs, 15 carries for 66 yards, 5.5 YPG rushing, 4.4 yards per carry, 2 rushing TDs
DEFENDING
Mount Airy Granite Bears
PPG allowed: 7.3
Total Points Allowed: 88
Wins by shutout: 5
Tackles per game: 75.2
Tackles for loss per game: 11.3
Sacks per game: 1.4
QB Hurries per game: 5.1
Fumbles caused: 13
Fumble recoveries: 12
Interceptions: 15
Interception Yards: N/A
Passes defended: 50
Blocked punts: 1
Fumbles returned for TD: 1
Interceptions returned for TDs: 4
Securities: 1
MLB Ian Gallimore (JR): 63 solo tackles, 101 total tackles, 8.4 tackles per game, 22.0 tackles for loss, 1 rushing QB, 1 interception, 1 fumble recovery, 1 forced fumble
OLB Caleb Reid* (JR) – 35 solo tackles, 66 total tackles, 7.3 tackles per game, 16.0 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, 1 rushing QB, 2 fumbles caused, 4 fumbles recovered, 1 fumble recovered for TD, 1 interception, 1 pass defensed
DE Deric Dandy (JR) – 24.0 tackles for loss, 5.0 sacks, 25 rushing QB, 34 solo tackles, 68 total tackles, 6.2 tackles per game, 2 fumbles caused, 1 pass defended
DT Cam’Ron Webster (SR): 16.0 tackles for a loss, 3.0 sacks, 3 QB rushes, 42 solo tackles, 67 total tackles, 5.6 tackles per game, 1 blocked punt, 3 fumbles caused, 3 fumbles recovered
FS Walker Stroup (JR): 3 interceptions, 12 passes defensed, 1 pick-6, 2 fumbles caused, 1 fumble recovery, 32 solo tackles, 76 total tackles, 6.3 tackles per game, 6.0 tackles for loss, 1 QB hurry
DB Logan Fonville (SR): 4 interceptions, 10 passes defensed, 1 pick-6, 13 solo tackles, 42 total tackles, 1 fumble caused
*9 games played
Hayesville Yellow Jackets
PPG Allowed: 21.5
Total Points Allowed: 258
Wins by shutout: 0
Tackles per game: 56.4
Tackles for loss per game: 3.2
Sacks per game: 0.8 per game
QB Hurries per game: n/a
Fumbles caused: 9
Fumble recoveries: 8
Interceptions: 12
Interception yards: 133
Passes defended: n/a
Punts blocked: 0
Blocked field goals: 2
Fumbles returned for a TD: 0
Interceptions returned for TD: 0
Securities: 0
OLB Taylor McClure (JR) – 87 solo tackles, 129 total tackles, 10.8 tackles per game, 10.0 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, 3 fumbles caused, 1 interception, 1 blocked field goal
OLB Avery Leatherwood (SR): 24 solo tackles, 48 total tackles, 4.0 tackles per game, 6.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, 1 fumble recovery
MLB Davson Devane (SOPH): 22 solo tackles, 46 total tackles, 3.8 tackles per game, 1.0 tackles for loss, 1 blocked field goal, 1 fumble caused, 1 fumble recovery
DE Cameron Payne (JR) – 25 solo tackles, 40 total tackles, 3.6 tackles per game, 4.0 tackles for loss, 1.0 sack, 1 fumble caused
SS Michael Mauney (SOPH): 38 solo tackles, 55 total tackles, 4.6 tackles per game, 3 interceptions, 2 fumble recoveries
CB Bryan Davenport (SR): 30 solo tackles, 49 total tackles, 4.1 tackles per game, 3.0 tackles for loss
Special teams
Mount Airy Granite Bears
Walker Stroup (JR) – 66 of 70 PATs, 4 of 4 from the field, 7 punting for 259 yards, 45 touchbacks on 88 kickoffs, 170 return yards
Tyler Mason (JR) – 2 punt returns for a TD, 1 kickoff return for a TD, 272 return yards
Mario Revels (JR) – 1 punt returned for TD, 98 yard return
Hayesville Yellow Jackets
Isaac Chandler (JR) – 31-of-37 PATs, 3-of-5 field goals, 17 touchbacks on 43 kickoffs
Avery Leatherwood (SR) – 33 punts for 1,211 yards (36.7 average)
Michael Mauney (SOPH) – 261 return yards
Logan Caldwell (SR) – 1 punt returned for a TD, 79 yards return