Bryson City – The Maroon Devils started Smoky Mountain Conference play in a good way Friday night. Following a difficult non-conference schedule, the Devils were able to wipe the slate clean and make Friday’s conference opener a fresh start. Swain took full advantage by posting an impressive 55-26 win over visiting Hayesville. Their 55 point outburst was almost as many points as they had scored in their non-conference schedule (68).
After giving up two long touchdowns to Hayesville the Maroon Devils settled into game rhythm. Trailing 12-7 the Devils reeled off 41 unanswered points in posting the win.
Brodie Bowman and Keshaun Beaner fueled the offense with big nights, while the linebacker duo of Wren Gunter and Ice Littlejohn anchored the defense.
Bowman had another great night under center. The junior quarterback threw for 185 yards on 12 of 17 passing and two touchdowns. Bowman’s touchdown passes went to Brier Younce. Younce finished with a team high 4 catches that covered 79 yards, while Dawson Lowe had 3 catches for 24 yards.
Keshaun Beaner provided the Devils their first 100 yard rushing performance of the season. Beaner finished with 101 yards on only 9 carries, but scored 4 touchdowns. Bowman and Chris Miller each added a touchdown run of their own, with Miller finishing with 52 yards on 6 carries.
On the defensive side both Gunter and Littlejohn finished with a team high 8 tackles. More importantly the Maroon Devil defense turned stingy after the opening two Yellow Jacket touchdowns, as they didn’t allow Hayesville to cross midfield again until late in the 4th quarter long after the game had been decided.
Kicker Holden Petty had a big night for the Devils as well, anchoring was a great performance by the special teams units. Petty made good on 7 of 8 extra points, but his real strength was on kickoffs. Petty had 3 touchbacks, and the Maroon Devil kicking team consistently kept Hayesville pinned in their own territory most of the night. Punter Tanner Wiggins got in on the action as well with his lone punt of the night being downed on the Hayesville 10 yard line.
Swain’s special teams struggled in the first five minutes of the game, giving up two big fumbles to Hayesville on kickoffs. But the teams responded, much like the Devils as a whole.
Swain will travel to Cherokee this Friday, with kickoff set for 7:30 from Ray Kinsland Stadium.