Sports

Photo/ Joanna McMahan.  Rylee Rawls pitches against Tuscola on the Lady Devils mound Thursday, March 27, earning her 400th career strikeout.

Photo/ Joanna McMahan. Rylee Rawls pitches against Tuscola on the Lady Devils mound Thursday, March 27, earning her 400th career strikeout.

Lady Devils on a roll winning 6 straight

Gary Ayers ayers5315@bellsouth.com The Lady Devils softball team capped off a busy, three-game week with a double-header win over Hayesville and a truly gratifying shut-out of 3A school Tuscola.
Photos/Joanna McMahan.  Freshman Hadley Shuler slides home at Murphy Tuesday, March 18. Shuler scored twice and supplied an RBI.

Photos/Joanna McMahan. Freshman Hadley Shuler slides home at Murphy Tuesday, March 18. Shuler scored twice and supplied an RBI.

Lady Devils win 2 pitching duels over Bulldogs

Gary Ayers ayers5315@bellsouth.net The best softball teams in the tradition-rich Smoky Mountain Conference always have great pitching. Two of the best went head-to-head last week, with Swain winning 6-2 at Murphy and 2-0 at Swain.
Photo/Joanna McMahan.  Claire Ball makes a defensive play against the Highlanders at home Thursday, March 13. Lady Devils beat the team 4-1.

Photo/Joanna McMahan. Claire Ball makes a defensive play against the Highlanders at home Thursday, March 13. Lady Devils beat the team 4-1.

Lady Devils 4-1 win over Highlanders

Scott Cline The Lady Devils hosted the Highlanders from Highlands last Thursday night. It was the first game the Lady Devils played in nine days as the previous two games were canceled/postponed due to weather.
Photo/Debbie Winchester.  Molleigh Woodard tied Hiwassee Dam with this double to left field that scored Reese Ammons in the 7th inning at Hiwassee Dam on March 14.

Photo/Debbie Winchester. Molleigh Woodard tied Hiwassee Dam with this double to left field that scored Reese Ammons in the 7th inning at Hiwassee Dam on March 14.

Swain Lady Devils Upend Eagles with 7th inning comeback

Gary Ayers ayers5315@bellsouth.net   The Lady Devils softball team fought to one of the biggest comebacks in school history by scoring six runs in the seventh and final inning for a dramatic 6-2 win at Hiwassee Dam last Friday.
Photos /Joanna McMahan.  Faith Woodard rips a home run with 3 hits and 3 RBIs against the Lady Mountaineers Friday, March 7. Swain led 7-5 going into the final stanza, but the Lady Mountaineers scored 3 runs in the last inning for the win.

Photos /Joanna McMahan. Faith Woodard rips a home run with 3 hits and 3 RBIs against the Lady Mountaineers Friday, March 7. Swain led 7-5 going into the final stanza, but the Lady Mountaineers scored 3 runs in the last inning for the win.

Lady Devils off to a great start

Gary Ayers ayers5315@bellsouth.net   Lady Devils softball opponents have known for the last two decades that any time Swain is on the schedule it’s going to be a tough game.
Swain sent two women and three men to the state wrestling championships this year. The athletes are pictured here with their coaches.

Swain sent two women and three men to the state wrestling championships this year. The athletes are pictured here with their coaches.

Swain wrestlers compete at state

Gary Ayers ayers5315@bellsouth.net The Swain County High School wrestling program continues to take strides forward as seven qualifiers, four women and three men, competed against the best in North Carolina at the Greensboro Coliseum this past weekend at the NCHSAA State Championships.
Swain High Lady Maroon Devils earned second place at this year's NCHSAA 1A/2A Indoor Track State Championships held at JDL Fast Track. This ends the running program's  incredible 11 straight state title wins.

Swain High Lady Maroon Devils earned second place at this year's NCHSAA 1A/2A Indoor Track State Championships held at JDL Fast Track. This ends the running program's incredible 11 straight state title wins.

Lady Devils indoor track team wins second place at state

Gary Ayers ayers5315@bellsouth.net   There is one indisputable fact regarding sports: every streak comes to an end. Whether winning or losing team streaks or individual streaks of numerous kinds, they all end.
Maroon Devils Kale Stephenson, Sully Cunningham and Clay Seagle all qualify for the State Championships.

Maroon Devils Kale Stephenson, Sully Cunningham and Clay Seagle all qualify for the State Championships.

Swain wrestlers going to state

Gary Ayers ayers5315@bellsouth.net   Three Maroon Devil men will join four Lady Devil wrestlers as all seven will invade the First Horizon Coliseum in Greensboro this Saturday, Sunday and Monday  for the 1A NCHSAA State Wrestling Championships.
Maroon Devils from left Owen Medlin, Zeke Glaspie and Jon Stephenson all reach to recover the ball in the home loss against Murphy.

Maroon Devils from left Owen Medlin, Zeke Glaspie and Jon Stephenson all reach to recover the ball in the home loss against Murphy.

Bulldogs lead early in win over Devils

Gary Ayers ayers5315@bellsouth.net   A record-setting first half for Murphy by hitting nine 3-point buckets was just too much for the Maroon Devils to overcome Tuesday night, Feb. 11 at Swain. Led by Connor Golden's six made 3-point shots on the night,Murphy won the contest 87-62.
Faith Woodard, senior, hands the ball off to a teammate in the Murphy game. Woodard was recognized during Senior Night.

Faith Woodard, senior, hands the ball off to a teammate in the Murphy game. Woodard was recognized during Senior Night.

Lady Devils trail Lady Bulldogs in home loss

Gary Ayers ayers5315@bellsouth.net   A strong 21-point burst in the first quarter led Murphy's Lady Bulldogs to a 48-37 win over the Lady Devils Tuesday night, Feb. 11.