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From left, Maroon Devils Corey Stilwell, Josiah Glaspie and Skeet Cook step up the defense in the win over Bessemer City Friday night.
Larry Griffin
lgriffin@thesmokymountaintimes.com
The Swain County Maroon Devils bested the Bessemer City Yellow Jackets 42-7 in an away game, in what school public information officer Toby Burrell said was a way for them to mourn the passing of beloved athletic director Carrie Powell, who died unexpectedly last weekend.
“It was the first game for Swain in any sport since the death of Powell,” Burrell wrote, calling the past week “tumultuous.”
“Swain showed early on that they intended to play for Carrie by taking a lead they would not relinquish on their 2nd play offensively,” he said.
The game saw the Yellow Jackets moving to try and execute plays, but they were shot down by the Devils’ defense. With around nine minutes left in the first quarter, Josiah Glaspie carried the ball hands-off for a touchdown, running 81 yards. The PAT kick from Brendan Lanning was good, and the Devils were up 7-0.
The Devils ran through six more plays as they tried to keep the momentum going. Then with 3:40 left in the quarter, Josh Collins was able to carry the ball nine yards for a touchdown, and another PAT kick by Lanning was successful, giving the Devils a 14-0 lead with the first quarter not even over yet.
The second quarter saw the teams clashing and the ball changing hands. Collins began a play to try and move the ball down the field, getting tackled twice and then on the third attempt, carrying the ball six yards for a touchdown. The PAT kick from Lanning failed. The Devils were then up 20-0.
While there was no more scoring in the second quarter, after halftime the players came back and the Devils were able to score again, with Glaspie carrying the ball 43 yards for a touchdown and then succeeding at a PAT run, giving the Devils a lead of 28-0.
Then with 7:54 left on the clock, quarterback Reece Winchester passed to Keyanthae Graham, who got a complete touchdown running 17 yards. A PAT pass from Druw Cody to Cole Wikle was successful, giving the Devils a 36-0 lead.
But the Devils were still going – with 7:12 left in the quarter, Winchester passed to Graham again but was tackled. Then James Stroman took the ball and started making his way across the field, getting tackled twice, but on his third attempt carrying the ball just one yard for a touchdown. A PAT kick from Owen Craig failed, so the score sat at 42-0.
In the fourth quarter, the Yellow Jackets’ Gavin Chastain passed to Walt McCoy, who ran 31 yards and scored a touchdown, making the score 42-7.
As no one else scored for the remainder of the quarter, the Devils won yet again with the final score sitting at 42-7.
The Devils’ advance to the third round of playoffs in an away game against the Robbinsville Black Knights this Friday, Nov. 17. Both teams have been doing well this season, with both having 11-1 records. Swain is 4-1 in conference this season while Robbinsville is 5-0.
As the Black Knights was the sole team this season to defeat the Devils so far, the rematch ought to be a nail biter.
Coach Sherman Holt said he thought the team was “prepared and ready to play” in this week’s rematch.
“I think any time you play a rematch you can second guess what you did the first time, but I think that when it’s all said and done, you still have to continue to get better at being a sound, tough, physical and fundamental football team,” he said. “Our team knows that we have to execute and play at a high level so that we have an opportunity to win.”
Holt said the whole team has “a lot of respect” for Robbinsville and their coach Dee Walsh, and said they do “a really good job, and they have a really good team.”
“I expect another good football game, and hopefully we can come out on the winning side,” Holt said. “I am proud of how our kids have played to this point and am looking forward to watching them play Friday night.”