Asheville – West Falcons (5-2; 3-0 M7) beat Tuscola (4-3; 1-2) by 20-17 in OT. Tailback Zane McCraw won it by tossing a swing pass to wide-open quarterback Cade Young on third down, for an eight-yard score. “I was praying I’d catch it,” Young said, grining. McCraw ran a punt return 64 yards for a touchdown and a 14-0 first-quarter lead.
Backed up defending at their one-yard line in overtime, West linemen gang-tackled runner Gavin Langley for a huge loss on third down. That forced a Tuscola field goal. West reached the end zone on its turn. “You found a way” to prevail, head coach Paul Whitaker said post-game. His Falcons play their biggest game yet this Friday, Oct. 25 at Mountain Seven co-leader Franklin (5-0; 3-0).
Coach Whitaker reasons that “more than the win, we’re trying to get them back into a little normalcy.”
Month Off
While the greater Asheville community tries to rebuild and heal emotionally from Hurricane Helene’s destruction, public high schools in Buncombe County resumed football games on Friday, Oct. 11. This was after a full month’s absence. Practice returned on Oct. 7.
Asheville (3-1; 1-0 MAC) won 56-14 at McDowell (1-4; 0-2), highlighted by Kyheem Plummer’s 88-yard TD run. Meek Slydell tossed two TD passes as AHS led 35-6 at halftime.
Erwin (5-1; 2-0) held off host T.C. Roberson (3-2; 1-1) by 26-21. Erwin raced to a 26-7 lead on Michael Petty’s 51-yard receiving score. QB Caden Ingle threw for three TDs – two to fellow junior Lawson Reynolds. Ram Zeb Swangim rushed for two TDs.
Erwin head coach Rodney Pruett said that the Warriors “missed each other. The players are very thankful to be back doing what they love. This disaster has only brought us closer together.” Pruett wore a “WNC Strong” sweatshirt on Friday. He said, “We are thinking of all the people of WNC who are still struggling and suffering.”
Reynolds Rockets (3-3; 2-0 MAC) blasted Enka Jets (2-3; 0-2) 48-0, with Shrine Bowl-bound running back Max Guest as its new quarterback. Guest rolled right and tossed to TE Ethan Klepper at midfield, and Klepper raced untouched for a 57-yard score. Jayden Smith scored racing up the middle. Guest ran in the next two scores, and ACR led 27-0 before halftime. Edwin Santiago stripped the ball from an Enka kick returner.
With Reynolds’ water pressure not fully restored, the game was played at North Buncombe (2-3; 0-1) which was on a bye. Reynolds plays Roberson on Friday, AHS, then Erwin — with sites TBD. Asheville hosts Roberson on Nov. 8, to decide the MAC’s top 4A seed.
Buncombe County Schools Supt. Dr. Rob Jackson told the Tribune that he waived game admission fees as an incentive to “bring people together,” sacrificing the revenue. Instead, donations are accepted for BCS Foundation’s Helene relief. “We’re resuming games and classes — safely” once facilities are fully operational, Supt. Jackson said. BCS classes resume on Friday, Oct. 25 with a two-hour delay. Asheville City Schools’ targeted classroom return is Oct. 28.
Craigtown Tragedy
Reynolds’ new quarterback Ely Hamrick bolted a week before games resumed, transferring to 3A playoff rival Crest. That was not the football program’s greatest loss.
Esteemed defensive coordinator Bryan Craig suddenly lost ten close relatives — including his parents — in recent, fatal mudslides in Fairview’s “Craigtown” community.
Head coach Shane Laws and other ACR coaches wore “Craig Town Strong” T-shirts. “Craigtown” was taped onto backs of helmets. Rocket Nation is rallying around Coach Craig, an emotional rock in this premier football program. Cody Creasman, ACR Class of 2019, was an outside linebacker. He calls Craig a “fiery” motivator, who readily praises and critques “out of the kindness of his heart. He wants you to improve, and be successful.”
Coach Craig told the Tribune that he appreciates others’ efforts on his behalf. Resuming coaching is therapeutic. He said a challenge is to maintain “emotional stability” and avoid “meltdowns” from grief. He superbly urged on Rocket players on Friday. After a huge defensive play, Craig hand-clasped player after player returning to the sideline.
The extended Craig family is well known. Craig, 53, is a 1989 ACR graduate. He is the architect of what the Tribune calls the “Reynolds Wrap® Heavy Duty” defense that “foils” foes. His distant nephew Hayden Craig was ACR’s quarterback in 2022 and ‘23.
Life is altered drastically for storm victims’ survivors such as Coach Craig. Helene’s strong rain and gales propelled river current, rocks, and mudslides across WNC on Sept. 27. Three weeks later, there are 95 confirmed Helene fatalities (42 in Buncombe County), including 32 who drowned and 20 from landslides, according to Gov. Roy Cooper.
Recovered, deceased bodies include those of Craig’s parents, Jimmy Willard Souther and Lois Craig Souther, and Bryan’s Uncle “Hip” and Aunt Sandy Craig.
Mud slides totally destroyed all six Craig homes clustered off Flat Creek Road, off Old Fort Road, including his childhood home where his parents lived, Coach Craig said. “Everything where I grew up is gone,” other than a large oak tree, he lamented. He doubts homes will be rebuilt on that four-generation family property 12 miles southwest of Asheville. Coach Craig lives elsewhere; his home avoided major hurricane damage.
A GoFundMe online account specifying Ronald Kevin Craig as lead beneficiary on Saturday listed $277,180 raised toward a goal of $400,000 to help cover the Craigs’ funeral, medical, and relocation expenses. Its link is: https://gofundme.com/f/support-the-craig-family-after-tragic-loss.