Cats play tough first half but lose to Devils
By Randy Glass

The Wildcats' defense stops a Swain runner. Christy Ruan (#15) closes in on the runner. The Wildcats fought the Maroon Devils to a 7-7 tie at the half but lost the game 42-14.

The Wildcats did battle with Smoky Mountain Conference foe Swain Friday and came up short as they lost 42-14.

The two teams battled evenly for the first half as the score ended 7-7. But the second half belonged to the Maroon Devils as they outscored the Cats 35-7.

Despite the loss, there were several bright spots. Justin Hensly had 97 yards rushing and a touchdown. He also averaged eight yards a carry. Punter Brody White did a good job punting, getting several long punts.

Defensively, Rance Rogers, Ryan Christy and Jordan Hensly played aggressively on defense. Also, Steven Crisp filled in nicely in a short stint at quarterback showing he can run and pass. He is a nice backup for Tyler Edwards.

The Cats opened up the game from their own 36 but could not pick up a first down.

The Devils got the ball on the 15 but could not advance the ball and had to punt.

On their possession, the Cats picked up a couple of first downs courtesy of Justin Hensly and Robert "Howie" Hill. A fumble stopped the drive. The devils got the ball at the 15 and proceeded on a long drive that was helped out by a mystery penalty.

AWildcat battles with a Swain football player Friday night in a game played at Andrews. The offense again did a good job for the Wildcats.

Devil quarterback Cory Hipp picked up a first down on a 16-yard carry on fourth down. The first quarter ended in a 0-0 tie.

On a punt that apparently gave the ball to Andrews inside the 20, a flag was thrown. After a long conversation, the ball was awarded to the Devils with a 20-yard advance. No call was made on the field but the Devils had the ball. With new life, the Devils advanced the ball to the eight-yard-line. Swain went in for the score to go ahead 7-0.

Both teams had a drive after this but could not advance the ball. On the Devils' drive, Wildcat senior Rance Rogers jarred the ball from the Devil receiver and forced the Devils to punt.

The Cats got the ball on the 22 and began a determined drive. The H-train (Hensly) had over 50 yards on the drive. A 34-yard run by the H-train gave the Cats the ball on the 15-

The ball is loose again as Robert "Howie" Hill sees the ball in mid-air. Hill gained 39 yards rushing on the night while Tyler Edwards gained 62 and Justin Hensley gained 97. The Wildcats lost the game but they again showed a determined offense. The Wildcats travel to Cherokee Friday to take on the conference leading Braves.

yard-line. Edwards had a nineyard run. Then, Hill bulldozed the ball to the endzone on a sixyard run. Chris Ackerman's extra point kick was good and the half ended in a 7-7 tie.

Not only did the Cats' award winning band perform at halftime, but there was a marriage proposal on the field. Matthew Cochran proposed to Ashley Sharp. Ashley said "yes" and the crowd cheered.

The Devils went ahead in the third quarter as quarterback Cory Hipp scooted in with a 55-yard run. The kick was no good and the Devils led 13-7.

Swain scored two more touchdowns and led 28-7. The Cats got the ball and Edwards scampered for 22 yards followed by Hensly gaining six, five and 11 yards on two runs. Ackerman made a five-yard reception. On fourth down, the H-train powered in to get the Cats to 28-14 with 7:40 left in the game.

However, Swain scored two more times for the final 42- 14 score.

Despite the loss, the Cats offensively are doing better than in the past as this may be the best offensive team the Cats have ever had.

Coach Ron Dupree liked what he saw in the first half and the defense played well in the first half. Coach Payne pointed out that this was the closest we have played the Swan Maroon Devils in years.

Coach Dupree is doing a good job with these Cats and the future is bright. This is one of the best offensive teams in the Cats' 81-year history. The Cats' record is 1-8 with two games left. The Cats travel to Cherokee to take on the league leading Braves Friday at 7:30 p.m.
Wildcat stats:

Robert "Howie" Hill, immediately above, carries the ball through the middle of the Swain line. The Cats gained 223 yards on the ground. Far above, two Wildcat players go after a loose ball. Rogers Rance (#58) is one of the players trying to retrieve the ball.

First downs: 14
Total yards: 238

Rushing: 223
Passing: 18
Individual stats:
Rushing: Edwards   26-62,
Hensly 12-97 and a TD, Hill 13-39 and a TD, Crisp 2-25.

Passing: Edwards 1-6 for five yards, Crisp 1-3 for 13 yards.