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Photo by Joanna McMahan Swain Maroon Devil Josh Collins takes down a Phoenix player with Reece Winchester ready to back him up at the first playoff win last Friday.
Hannah Styles
hstyles@thesmokymountaintimes.com
On Friday night the Swain County Maroon Devils took on Winston Salem Preparatory Academy at home for the first round of the NCHSAA football playoffs.
In the first few minutes of the game both teams battled back and forth on the field. It wasn’t until the game was nearing the end of the first quarter when Reece Winchester passed to Aiden Southards for a 17 yard touchdown followed by a good point after kick by Oliver Reyes for the Devils to put seven up on the scoreboard. Shortly after, Josiah Glaspie carried a 13 yard touchdown, sending the Devils into halftime with 13-0.
In the first few minutes of the third quarter, Maroon Devil Josh Collins passed to Reece Winchester for a complete 19 yard touchdown, followed by a point after pass that was no good, but Swain remained in a 19 point lead. With 7:33 left in the third quarter Winston Salem’s Areion Matthews got a touchdown for the first Phoenix score of the night bringing the score to 19-6.
Swain scored again in the final quarter when Josh Collins carried a touchdown followed by a good point after kick from Oliver Reyes ending the game with 26-8 for the Maroon Devils to advance to the 2nd round of playoffs.
Swain’s Josh Collins finished the game with a season high 122 yards with 17 carries and Josiah Glaspie had 83 yards with 14 carries.
Grady Lewis had three sacks, Josh Collins two, Blake Sain, and Trenton Jones had one each. Josiah Glaspie, Austin Jenkins, Reece Winchester, and Josh Collins each had interceptions.
This Thursday, Swain will travel to Thomasville to face off against the Thomasville High School Bulldogs who currently have a 10-1 record. Swain currently has a 5-6 record.