Domination
HAYESVILLE OVER COPPER BASIN
FRANK BRADLEY Editor

Sentinel Photo/Bob Williams Hayesville Assistant Coach Ed Dewitt uses the delay caused by the power outage to go over some details of the playbook with Jordan jones (#12).

The Hayesville High School Yellow Jackets took on the Copper Basin football team in the Jackets opening game of the season at Frank Long Stadium on Friday, and things couldn't have looked better until the lights went out in the 2nd Quarter due a power outage that managed to delay the game. Well, things also looked good for the hometeam after the game resumed, too.

Hayesville's balanced attack produced three touchdowns in the First Quarter with Tino Scalaro plunging into the end zone from the two-yard line and then four minutes later scoring on a nice run from the Jacket 22 yard-line.

Jordan Jones scored the third TD of the quarter with a 17 yard pass from Jonathan Shively.

Shaun Tant kicked two of the three PAT's in the first quarter and well as connecting with three more extra points later in the game.

The Jackets picked up two more TD's in the 2nd Quarter with runs by Brett Moody and Tino Scalaro. In the 3rd Quarter, the Jackets lined up to punt the ball, when quarterback David Rogers sensing an opportunity, got off a pass to Jones, who took it 53 yards into the end zone.

Sentinel Photo/Bob Williams The 2007 Hayesville High School Varsity Football Team makes its officialentrance onto home turf on Friday night, against the Copper Basin, Tenn., Panthers.

The Yellow Jackets not only excelled on offense, but on defense as well. Coach Neil Setzer said one of the team's objectives after the scrimmage game with Franklin was to play better defense and stop the opponent's ability to run the ball. Copper Basin had 35 rushing attempts for a net yardage of only 46 yards, while Hayesville had 36 rushing attempts for a net of 260 yards, averaging mored than seven yards per attempt.

In passing, the Jackets completed 4 out of 10 passes for 133 yards with one interception. Copper Basin completed 3 passes out of 8 attempts for 31 yards with two interceptions.

Hayesville picked up 11 first downs, while Copper Basin had 7. Both teams lost the ball once by fumbling.

Sentinel Photo/Bob Williams Robert Rogers (#5) and D.J. Anderson (#52) escort Tino Scalaro (#34) down the field in a play that helped to set up the first touchdown of the night for Hayesville.

Scalaro led the individual rushing yardage with 156 yards, including a 40 yard run. Tanner ran for 32 yards, Nuckolls and Moody for 21 yards each, and both Jones and Rogers rushed for 14 yards each.

Shively completed three out of nine passes for 80 yards. Rogers completed one for one for 53 yards. Rogers also had a 41-yard punt return.

The Jackets beat Copper Basin by a score of 41 to 0.

In a discussion with coach Setzer, he said he was pleased with how well the team performed against this young team.

"We're getting ready to face some tougher teams coming up in the pre-conference play," he said. Schools like Rabun and Smoky Mountain, which are 2A teams. The Jacket's earlier scrimmage was against Franklin, a 3A school.

Setzer said playing these tougher schools gets the team ready for conference play. The Jackets take on Smoky Mountain this Friday at Sylva-Webster.

Sentinel Photo/Bob Williams Hayesville defenders swarm over a Panther runner. Hayesville was very effective in shutting down Copper Basin's running game.

"Calling it a big one for us," Setzer said Smoky Mountain has an excellent defense and a good offense. They mostly play the wishbone and throw the ball some.

"It's going to be a tough, hard road for us this season," Setzer said. "Our game is improving and I hope it will continue to improve."

He said he feels this year's team is overall stronger and faster than last year's.

"I expect this team to come together. It will be a total team effort," he said.

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