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Four games in, and there are some conclusions we can make about this year’s Smoky Mountain Conference race. Some things we thought we knew going into the season have been proven wrong, while some of the things we thought so far have proved to be true.
One thing we were wrong about were two teams, Andrews and Hayesville. The Wildcats better than we thought they were going to be, while the Yellow Jackets are not as good as we thought they were going to be.
I will still stand by my prediction that the big three – Murphy, Swain and Robbinsville – will be atop the conference at season’s end. If you’re just looking at Robbinsville’s record at 1-3 and counting them out, you are making a grave mistake. They have played superior competition in every game with the exception of Copper Basin, Tenn., which they won handily.
Swain lost its quarterback for the year when they played Smoky Mountain and have not won a game so far, but don’t write them off this year, either. I watched them play Tuscola, and they have moved one of their linemen, Grady Lewis, to fullback at 6 feet, 2 inches tall and weighing 247 pounds.
Swain hasn’t completely gotten back to their roots yet. Their roots is running the veer. If they do, it won’t be fun to watch, but a 247-pound fullback coming at you is going to be very difficult to stop – especially when you consider the very good offensive line the Maroon Devils have this year.
Murphy hosts Greenville Hurricanes
This one will be over by halftime. This is an organization much like the Cherokee Parents Athletic Association, which provides sport activities for homeschooled children in Greenville, S.C. They have never been very competitive, and they shouldn’t be this week, either. Look for a running clock in second half. Murphy by 30.
Andrews at Calhoun Falls Charter
The team Andrews faces this week is 1-2 and, if history tells us anything about the league this team plays in, they should be 1-3 when the Wildcats head home Friday night. Andrews by 14.
Hayesville hosts Georgia Force Christian
Georgia Force Christian rolls into Hayesville with a 5-0 record. Watching them on film, it looks like they have a decent-size line and a quarterback who likes to throw it around a lot. They have decent speed.
Look for them to make it closer than usual, but I still like the Jackets in this one. Normally, we just have a little bit more talent in the mountains than these guys bring to the table. Hayesville by 7.
Robbinsville at Trion, Ga.
Coach Dee Walsh continues to schedule stiff competition. Out of his five non-conference games he has only one cupcake, which was Copper Basin, Tenn., last week. The Black Knights face a 5-0 Trion team that is ranked fifth in their division in Georgia.
Trion has not been playing cupcakes, either, and they like to air it out – the one thing the Black Knights have trouble stopping. If Robbinsville cannot pressure this quarterback, it could be a long night for the Black Knights. Trion by 6.
Cherokee hosts Mount Zion Christian Academy
The Braves return home with a good warmup game before they enter conference play. Cherokee should have no trouble with this team. Cherokee by 12.
J.R. Carroll is a staff correspondent for the Cherokee Scout and a longtime follower of Smoky Mountain Conference football. His picks column will run weekly during the season. Email him at jcarroll8760@gmail.com.