I disagree. Both teams played hard. Both had a couple of costly turnovers. Hayesville not having their top 2 punters gave Swain really good field position. I don't believe you can simply say Swain played poorly.
As for high expectations for Swain in my humble opinion they are unrealistic. Here is my take: They are a big line that seems slightly below average in terms of speed. It seemed for them to generate a pass rush they had to rely upon a variety of blitzes. When not blitzing they struggled to contain the running lanes if the QB pulled it down. Their passing attack is not close to their usual standard. Defensively they are very soft in pass coverage. Their kicking game often gave Hayesville good field position. Without their RBs Hayesville really did not have a threat between the tackles. I would think a heathy Cherokee, Murphy or Robbinsville would be a favorite vs Swain. I think Andrew's ability to diversify their offense will give them a punchers chance. I have not seen Rosman yet this season and as such can not offer an opinion. I do think Swain is solid, just not the same standard that the Devils are accustomed to. I think next year will see a big improvement as I believe their JV team will add greatly to their varsity team. Like I said this is my take. I may be wrong, it won't be the first time or the last.
