The Cherokee varsity girls basketball team defeated Hayesville 63-24 on Feb. 22 to win the Smoky Mountain Conference championship, continuing the Lady Braves’ sensational run in recent years. Unfortunately, the thrill of victory, and agony of defeat, were not the main topics of discussion after the last seconds ticked off the clock.
Instead, the specter of racism has once again raised its ugly head.
 |
With the speedy Lady Braves playing aggressive defense and comfortably ahead 48-15 in the third quarter, Hayesville’s Briley Clampitt went to the floor at the feet of three opponents during a scramble for the ball under the Cherokee basket. The whistle blew, but Cherokee’s Whitney Rogers continued to hover over Clampitt, according to the Clay County Progress, an affiliate newspaper of the Cherokee Scout.
When the Lady Jackets’ Breanna Abrams stepped forward, put a hand on Rogers’ back and reportedly said, “Get off her,” Rogers shoved Abrams with two hands. After Abrams pushed back, Rogers shoved her into the wall underneath the basket and threw multiple punches, some appearing to land clean.
The tussle brought coaches and school officials onto the court. Order was quickly restored, and technical fouls assessed to both combatants. While Rogers was ejected, she was still allowed to sit on the bench under supervision for the rest of the game.
That wasn’t the only disturbing moment during the game, as the Progress reported. A Hayesville official warned a Cherokee fan to stop making disparaging remarks, another Cherokee booster was escorted from the gym for his brand of cheering, two Hayesville fans repeatedly made obscene gestures toward Cherokee fans and the Lady Braves’ Joscelyn Stamper earned a technical foul for saying something she shouldn’t have within earshot of a referee.
As is the way of things in 2025, the incident was followed by a flurry of Facebook postings. The Clay County Board of Education met on Feb. 24 and posted online that evening.
“Competitive sports can bring out strong emotions, and that’s exactly what we saw during the SMC tournament. While passion and enthusiasm are a great part of the game, it is our expectation that our fans, players and community uphold an atmosphere of respect and sportsmanship at all times,” reads the post from Clay County Schools Superintendent Melissa Godfrey and school board members.
“We are aware of images that display some of our fans being inappropriate during Saturday night’s tournament game. This behavior does not reflect the values of our school system or community, and we deeply regret this happened. This behavior will not be tolerated.
“To that end, anytime there is a report of inappropriate behavior from the stands, such as this one, we actively investigate the concern, collaborate with other school administrators if needed and put measures in place to address poor behavior to ensure that all athletic events remain positive experiences for everyone involved, and that the talents and accomplishments of student athletes remain front and center.”
That “inappropriate behavior” included adults supporting Hayesville flying middle fingers in the direction of Cherokee’s players and fans. Even worse, one of those adults is reportedly a teacher.
Michell Hicks, principal chief of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, was not satisfied with Hayesville’s response.
“What should have been a proud and joyous moment was instead tainted by blatant racism and hostility – behavior that should never be tolerated, especially from those expected to set a better example. The Clay County school administration has failed to address the issues in a fair manner, and we will not stand for it,” Hicks posted on Feb. 24.
Murphy was also brought into the debate. However, Cherokee County Schools did not respond publicly to it by the Cherokee Scout’s usual press time Tuesday morning.
“This is not an isolated incident. Our varsity boys team has also faced similar discriminatory treatment in a prior game at Murphy, making it clear that this vitriol goes beyond a single game. This pattern of behavior is unacceptable, and we will not allow it to continue in the future,” Hicks added before bringing referees into the debate.
“This seems to be a severely one-sided issue that is pointed directly at the Cherokee fan base and players … coming into a facility knowing that prejudice is apparent, including how referees act and attempt to manage games in the opposing favor. Schools and referees are responsible for protecting student-athletes and upholding the principles of respect, sportsmanship and fair competition. When the administration and process fail to do so, they must be held accountable.
“However, despite the hostility they faced, our student-athletes showed true strength, perseverance and class. They rose above the negativity, competed with heart and proved what it means to be a champion – on and off the court. We are incredibly proud of them and will always stand behind them.”
Cherokee plays an intense, physical style that helps them win, but also leads to fouls. The Lady Braves have had a total of 336 personal fouls called against them this season, according to MaxPreps.
For comparison, Hayesville had 353 personal foul calls go against the Lady Yellow Jackets this season, while Andrews only committed 52. In the SMC championship game, Cherokee committed 16 personal fouls and were assessed two technical fouls, while Hayesville also had 16 personal fouls called against them along with one technical.
Two days later, on Feb. 26, Cherokee Central Schools Superintendent Consie Girty and school board members posted this online.
“We are aware of the recent events that took place during and after the Smoky Mountain Conference basketball tournament and are actively reviewing all available information to assess the situation thoroughly. As part of this process, we are addressing our concerns through the appropriate channels, which may include communication with other school administrators, conference representatives and state officials,” the post reads.
“In times like these, it is important to remember that our students are watching and learning from our actions. We encourage everyone to uphold the values of sportsmanship, respect, and pride in our identity as Cherokee Braves and Lady Braves. Our community has always been defined by strength and resilience, and we will continue to move forward with dignity and unity.”
While Graham County Schools was not part of the incident, officials there also felt led to share a post on Feb. 26.
“Graham County Schools is committed to providing excellent athletic opportunities for our student-athletes while fostering a culture of respect and sportsmanship. We expect all athletes, coaches, and spectators – both home and visiting – to uphold the highest standards of conduct,” the post reads.
“Negative comments, harsh treatment and profanity will not be tolerated. Likewise, we hold our student-athletes to the highest standards of moral character, expecting them to demonstrate respect and integrity in all interactions with opposing teams. …
“Profanity, sexist, racial or ethnic comments, or any other intimidating actions directed at anyone at a Graham County Schools athletic event will not be tolerated and are grounds for removal from the competition venue. Help us make the right call by exhibiting good sportsmanship throughout all sporting events, regardless of personal feelings or loyalties.”
The editorial board of the Cherokee One Feather was also not swayed by Clay County’s “strong emotions.” On Feb. 26, the tribe-owned newspaper posted this.
“Several incidents occurred during the Smoky Mountain Conference varsity girls basketball final between the Tsalagi Anata Anitsvyasdi (Cherokee Lady Braves) and the Hayesville Lady Yellow Jackets that are just not OK. During that game, played on Saturday, Feb. 22, at Hayesville High School, several Yellow Jackets fans, all adults, were photographed ‘flipping off’ the Anata Anitsvyasdi as they lined up for their trophy presentation following their large win,” the editorial reads.
“As you can imagine, a firestorm ensued. Clay County Schools Superintendent Melissa Godfrey and the Clay County Board of Education released a statement on their official school Facebook page on Tuesday, Feb. 25, in which they wrote, ‘Competitive sports can bring out strong emotions, and that’s exactly what we saw during the SMC tournament.’
“Strong emotions … OK, well, there were some game incidents on the court. But we’re talking about adults, including a teacher within the Clay County system.
“Their statement goes on to say … ‘This behavior will not be tolerated.’ But, Clay County, you are tolerating it aren’t you? What is being done about this? Have all of the adults involved received lifetime bans from attending sporting events involving children? That hasn’t happened.”
The One Feather pointed out that “this sort of behavior has happened before at Hayesville.”
“An inflammatory Snapchat post was put online and started making the rounds like wildfire just prior to basketball games between Cherokee High School and Hayesville High School on the evening of Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2020. The post, from a minor student at HHS, stated (typed as it was in the post), ‘Student section theme for tonight’s game against the Cherokee Indians is Cowboys, bring your boots ya hats and ya horses and let’s scalp some Indians.’
“In an apology letter to then-Cherokee High School Principal Debora Foerst, then-Hayesville High School Principal Jim Saltz wrote, ‘On behalf of the Hayesville High School community, I would like to apologize for the inappropriate social media posts by a couple of our students and other situations that derived from them. We at HHS in no way will tolerate the content of the posts and the solicited actions.’
“And, for Cherokee fans, it is most definitely, 100%, maybe 1,000%, not an isolated incident.
“Following the Snapchat ‘let’s scalp some Indians’ debacle, Dr. Foerst, who is the daughter of the late Ray Kinsland (Mr. Brave) and has been around Cherokee athletics her entire life, told the One Feather, ‘We have faced racist remarks, chants, signs, behavior and more from schools all across North Carolina as long as I can remember, and farther back than that,” the tribal newspaper wrote.
“My dad told many stories about his experiences with our student-athletes over his 60 years volunteering with Cherokee High School, from not being allowed to eat in the dining room of restaurants to having trash thrown on them as they left the field. We have sat through student sections of opposing schools do fake war whoops, run-through banners with ‘The Trail of Tears ends here’ and fans spitting on our players. We were told it was all in good fun, we shouldn’t be so sensitive or it is just the students trying to encourage their teams.”
So, what’s the solution? That’s an excellent question.
The One Feather said Hayesville should not be allowed to host sporting events for a year, followed by a probationary period of 6-12 months where they can host games, but an extra referee would be employed by the N.C. High School Athletic Association to serve as a fan monitor of sorts.
“It sounds ridiculous, but this entire situation is ridiculous,” the editorial ends. “Too many Cherokee student-athletes, current and former, have stories about being abused, and that’s incredibly sad. In short, do better.”
While the Scout was on hand at the game, Sports Editor Cannon Crompton was on the other end of the court when the incident occurred and did not hear any racist remarks during the game. While racist remarks have been fairly common in games involving Cherokee over the years, particularly against Robbinsville in football, that does not mean the other team is always in the wrong.
A former Scout sports editor said he has personally witnessed Cherokee fans being just as crude and abusive to visiting teams. After all, it does take two to tango.
“I was at a Smoky Mountain Conference final where Murphy was easily handling the Braves. One of the Murphy players went in for a late layup, and the Braves player ran underneath him and purposely flipped him. He came within inches of landing on the back of his head, which could’ve caused serious damage,” he said.
“The Cherokee fans stood, applauded, cheered and high-fived him as he walked back to the bench. I honestly thought both sets of fans were going to come to blows in the middle of the court.
“The Cherokee teams, many times, played with a huge chip on their shoulders and were some of the roughest, dirtiest groups I saw. Not excusing what happened at these (recent) games, because I don’t know who started it, but Cherokee never addressed the issue when it was their teams causing the incident.”
I’m not a fan of the many being punished for the actions of a few, so banning Hayesville from hosting athletic contests is a step too far. And while racism is certainly still an issue in this area, and beyond, it needs to be dealt with on a case-by-case basis – not by casting aspersions at an entire community.
Why is this so important? Besides the obvious reason of wanting to give our children a good example to follow, these kind of things can – and will – get worse in time if nothing is done.
WNDU.com reported on March 4 that players and a coach of a losing high school basketball team threw multiple objects at a referee during a playoff game, including a basketball and still-full water bottles. The game in Dowagiac, Mich., was in the district semifinal playoffs between Benton Harbor and Buchanan.
Right after Buchanan won 39-36, a video obtained by WNDU shows someone throwing a basketball at one of the referee’s heads, hitting him. Then at least three water bottles were thrown at the referee, who fell to the ground and was helped up by police officers, who escorted him out of the gym even as he was hit with a thrown notebook. A Benton Harbor assistant coach was involved and immediately fired.
I can’t begin to understand what it would feel like to constantly have your worth questioned because of the color of your skin. I also can’t understand why any parent would want to act in a way that would cause them to ground their child for a month if they did it.
However, if these bad behaviors continue, no one is going to want to be a referee. No one is going to want to be a coach. And, eventually, if any games are scheduled at all, they could be played in front of an empty gym, destroying the unifying force that sports can bring to our schools.
Parents and fans, please step up and show your favorite team that there’s a better way to play the game. Exhibiting good sportsmanship will never go out of style.
And schools, if fans think it’s fun to flip off teenagers or shout racist remarks, they don’t deserve a seat in your bleachers.
David Brown is publisher of the Cherokee Scout. Call him at 828-837-5122 or email dbrown@cherokeescout.com.