Mount Airy is looking to end Hayesville’s Cinderella playoffs when Nov. 18 rolls around.
Despite finishing fourth out 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 last 18 years.
It’s also worth noting that the top four teams in the Smoky Mountain Conference make up half of the remaining eight teams 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 upset No. 5 Christ the King Catholic High School 14-13 in the second round, but face an entirely different animal in the Mount Airy Granite Bears. Mount Airy leads Division 1A in two points – with 53.3 points per game – and the fewest points allowed – with 7.3 PPG.
The Granite Bears 11-1 return to the Sweet 16 after reaching the 1A West Regional Semi-Final in 2021. Mount Airy is undefeated against teams competing in Division 1A and has trailed a combined 16 seconds against the competition 1A this season.
The Bears have outscored 1A teams 572-21 this season.
The winner of Mount Airy/Hayesville will face the winner of No. 1 Eastern Randolph (10-1) and No. 8 Robbinsville (9-3).
AT FIRST GLANCE
Mount Airy Granite Bears
Record: 11-1 overall, 6-0 North West Conference 1A (Champion)
Current streak: 10 wins
Playoff seed: No. 4
Major regular season wins: 51-29 at Ashe County, 62-7 at East Wilkes, 44-7 at Starmount
Losses: 14-12 against East Surry
Opponents Win Percentage: 0.391 (52-81)
Wins against teams that finished above .500: 3
Playoff scores: 72-0 against No. 29 North Stokes, 57-7 against No. 13 North Rowan
Hayesville Yellow Vests
Record: 8-4 overall, 5-1 Smoky Mountain 1A Conference (fourth)
Current streak: 2 wins
Playoff seed: No. 12
Main regular season victories: 21-14 against Georgia Force Christian (GA), 43-14 at Lookout Valley (TN), 27-7 at Swain County
Losses: 42-14 to Tuscola, 50-7 to Andrews, 21-14 to Murphy, 28-21 to Cherokee, 21-9 to Robbinsville
Opponents Win Percentage: 0.587 (81-57)
Wins against teams that finished above .500: 2
Playoff scores: 37-22 at No. 21 Alleghany, 14-13 at No. 5 Christ the King Catholic High School
OFFENSE
Mount Airy Granite Bears
Precipitated YPG: 317.4
Yards per carry: 11.7
Rushed TD per game: 6
Passing yards per game: 73.8
Yards per completion: 21.6
Pass TD per game: 0.8
TDs 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 passing touchdowns, 2 interceptions, 63 carries for 441 yards, 6 rushing touchdowns, 2 rushes 2-point conversion, 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 touchdowns, 1 2-point conversion rush, 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 touchdowns, 1 2-point conversion rush
RB Taeshon Martin ** (FR) – 40 carries for 460 yards, 46.0 YPG rushing, 11.5 yards per carry, 9 rushing touchdowns, 3 receptions for 32 yards
WR Walker Stroup (JR) – 15 receptions for 453 yards, 37.8 YPG receptions, 30.2 yards per reception, 5 receiving touchdowns
WR Mario Revels (JR) – 13 receptions for 191 yards, 15.9 YPG receptions, 14.7 yards per reception, 2 receiving touchdowns, 7 carries for 53 yards, 1 rushing touchdown
*9 games played
*10 games played
Hayesville Yellow Vests
Passing yards per game: 111.3
Yards per completion: 12.6
Passing TDs per game: 1.3
Precipitated YPG: 162.8
Yards per carry: 4.8
Rushed TDs per game: 1.7
TDs 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 passing touchdowns, 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 touchdowns, 21 receptions for 308 yards, 25.7 YPG receptions, 14.7 yards per reception , 4 TD receptions
RB/TE Kyle Lunsford (SR) – 70 carries for 437 yards, 36.4 YPG rushing, 6.2 yards per carry, 3 rushing touchdowns, 28 receptions for 352 yards, 29.3 YPG receptions, 12.6 yards per reception, 2 TD receptions
TE Avery Leatherwood (SR) – 32 receptions for 386 yards, 32.2 YPG receptions, 12.1 yards per reception, 5 receiving touchdowns
WR/RB Michael Mauney (SOPH) – 13 receptions for 162 yards, 13.5 YPG receptions, 12.5 yards per reception, 2 receiving touchdowns, 15 carries for 66 yards, 5.5 YPG rushing, 4.4 yards per reach, 2 touchdowns
DEFENSE
Mount Airy Granite Bears
PPG allowed: 7.3
Total Points Allowed: 88
Wins by shutout: 5
Tackles per game: 75.2
Tackles for a loss per game: 11.3
Bags per game: 1.4
QB Hurries per game: 5.1
Caused fumbles: 13
Fumble recoveries: 12
Interceptions: 15
Interception yards: N/A
Passes defended: 50
Blocked punts: 1
Fumbles returned for a TD: 1
Interceptions returned for a TD: 4
Safeties: 1
MLB Ian Gallimore (JR) – 63 solo tackles, 101 total tackles, 8.4 tackles per game, 22.0 tackles for a loss, 1 pressed 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 a loss, 2.0 sacks, 1 QB rushed, 2 fumbles caused, 4 fumbles recovered, 1 fumble recovered for a TD, 1 interception, 1 pass defended
DE Deric Dandy (JR) – 24.0 tackles for a loss, 5.0 sacks, 25 QB dispatches, 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 recoveries
FS Walker Stroup (JR) – three interceptions, 12 passes defended, 1 pick-6, 2 fumbles caused, 1 fumble recovery, 32 solo tackles, 76 total tackles, 6.3 tackles per game, 6.0 tackles for a loss, 1 QB in a hurry
DB Logan Fonville (SR) – four interceptions, 10 passes defended, 1 pick-6, 13 solo tackles, 42 total tackles, 1 caused fumble
*9 games played
Hayesville Yellow Vests
PPG Allowed: 21.5
Total Points Allowed: 258
Wins by shutout: 0
Tackles per game: 56.4
Tackles for a loss per game: 3.2
Bags per game: 0.8 per game
QB Hurries per game: n/a
Caused fumbles: 9
Fumble recoveries: 8
Interceptions: 12
Interception yards: 133
Passes defended: n/a
Blocked punts: 0
Field goals blocked: 2
Fumbles returned for a TD: 0
Interceptions returned for a TD: 0
Safeties: 0
OLB Taylor Mcclure (JR) – 87 solo tackles, 129 total tackles, 10.8 tackles per game, 10.0 tackles for a loss, 1.5 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, 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 a 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 a loss, 1 field goal blocked, 1 fumble caused, 1 fumble recovery
OF Cameron Payne (JR) – 25 solo tackles, 40 total tackles, 3.6 tackles per game, 4.0 tackles for a loss, 1.0 sack, 1 caused fumble
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 a loss
Special teams
Mount Airy Granite Bears
Walker Stroup (JR) – 66 of 70 PAT, 4 of 4 field goals, 7 punts for 259 yards, 45 touchdowns on 88 kickoffs, 170 return yards
Tyler Mason (JR) – 2 punts returned for a TD, 1 kickoff returned for a TD, 272 return yards
Mario Revels (JR) – 1 punt returned for a TD, 98 yards back
Hayesville Yellow Vests
Isaac Chandler (JR) – 31 of 37 PAT, 3 of 5 goals, 17 touchdowns 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 back