Hayesville Yellow Jackets Sting Raptors 8-4, Advance in NCHSAA Playoffs

Photo by Carissa Daniels

Travis Dockery

389 Country

The Hayesville High School Yellow Jackets (8 seed) battled past the Mountain Island Charter Raptors (24 seeded) in a thrilling 8-4 victory in the second round of the NCHSAA championship tournament on Friday, May 9. Played in front of a raucous home crowd, the game was a rollercoaster of momentum swings, highlighted by a controversial collision at the plate and a dominant sixth-inning surge by Hayesville.

The Raptors struck first, plating three runs in the top of the first to silence the home fans early. But Hayesville’s resilience shone through in the bottom of the third, as the Yellow Jackets matched the Raptors with three runs of their own to knot the score. Mountain Island Charter scratched across a single run in the fifth to take a 4-3 lead, setting the stage for a dramatic turning point.

In the bottom of the sixth, Hayesville’s bats erupted for five runs, flipping the game in their favor. The inning’s defining moment came when Tate Roberts barreled into the Raptors’ catcher at home plate, scoring on a call that sparked chaos. The umpire ruled Roberts safe, prompting an irate argument from Mountain Island Charter’s head coach, who was promptly ejected. Tensions spilled into the stands, where a Raptors fan was also removed by officials. When the dust settled, Hayesville held a commanding 8-4 lead.

The Raptors’ frustrations boiled over in the seventh, as one of their batters was ejected after a brief exchange with the home plate umpire. Hayesville’s pitching duo of Kendall Boyer and Tate Roberts sealed the deal. Boyer, the starter, went 5 2/3 innings, allowing three hits, four walks, and one hit batter while striking out eight. Roberts, in relief, surrendered one hit, hit two batters, walked one, and fanned two, including the game’s final out.

Offensively, the Yellow Jackets were paced by Micheal Mauney (2-4, walk), Jackson Sellers (2 singles, 3 RBI), Ben Bethel (single, walk, RBI), and Dawson DeVane (sac fly, RBI). The balanced attack overwhelmed the Raptors’ defense in the crucial sixth inning.

Hayesville now advances to face the top-seeded Cherryville in the third round on Tuesday, May 13, on the road. With momentum on their side, the Yellow Jackets aim to keep their playoff run alive against a formidable opponent.