By SCOTT MCKIE B.P.
One Feather Asst. Editor
CHEROKEE, N.C. – The Tsalagi Anitsvyasdi (Cherokee Braves) opened their 2017 campaign at the North Buncombe Black Hawks – a game they would win 36-10. That team went on to win the 2017 1A State Championship. This year, the Tsalagi Anitsvyasdi open their campaign at North Buncombe – just saying.
“Summer has been great,” said T.C. Guyer, Tsalagi Anitsvyasdi head coach. “Honestly, it’s been a pleasant surprise with everything – number-wise, the effort, the drive that they have, the willingness to listen, the willingness to learn, to get out there and do what we ask. We were asking a lot more of them than a lot of them have ever done in their football career.”
Cherokee’s Zaynon Taylor (#51), then a junior, gives an anetso (stickball) challenge call prior to the start of a game at Hayesville on Oct. 3, 2025. Taylor, a senior, is ready for this year’s campaign. (SCOTT MCKIE B.P./One Feather photos)
Coach Guyer said he is especially excited about the player’s work ethic and attitudes. “It’s a lot more than they’re used to, but they’ve jumped at it. They’ve been eager. They’ve been willing to learn and they’re just grabbing it by the horns and rolling with it, which is a great thing to have. You can tell there’s excitement. There’s guys stepping up big time for us.”
Zaynon Taylor, senior offensive and defensive lineman, commented, “I think we’re going to be much better than we were last year. Our coach knows what he’s talking about. We’ve got a totally new system from last year. The difference from this year and last year is everybody’s got faith. Everybody’s got faith in the system, the coaches, everything. So, I think we’re going to have a pretty decent season.”
As a senior, he is ready for the challenge. “I’ve always been sort of a leader, but especially my senior year I’ve got to take accountability, get everybody together, and make sure we’re all on the same path as one. We’ve been looking good in practice. We’re all set for this season. We’re all locked in for this season.”
Dawson Panther, senior quarterback, said he is also very excited about the season. “The way we’ve been working this summer, I feel like it’s all just going to fall in line. And, with our coach having our back and building confidence in us, and we have confidence in him, I think we’re going to go a long way.”
He said a major difference this year is the strength of the team bond. “Last year, we weren’t really playing with each other. We were just kind of playing for ourselves. We weren’t really worried about anybody else. But, this year, we’re all playing for something, not playing for just ourselves…it’s everybody, the whole team.”
Noah Watty, senior wide receive and defensive back, noted, “Our practices have been a lot different than the last three years I’ve been here in high school. Everybody just wants it this year, basically. With our coach coming in, we trust him and everything, and we’re just ready to go.”
When asked what he’s most excited about for this season, Watty replied, “Really getting to have one last ride with my boys. I’ve been playing with this group since I was probably in peewees. To go out with this group, I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Ray Kinsland Stadium, sitting empty on the morning of Friday, July 31, is ready for some memories to be made this season.
I asked Taylor what the team’s goal was for this season, and, without hesitation, he said, “State championship. That’s what we’re set on. We want that ring.”
Coach Guyer said, “That’s one thing we’re really trying to get to them. This work that’s put in in January of last year – February, March, April, May, all this summer work – it’s not just to play until October…we want to start building to that expectation to where Cherokee High School is playing late into November, December, getting to the state championship, finals, fourth round, all that stuff. So, that’s always going to be my expectation.”
One thing about it, the Tsalagi Anitsvyasdi are ready. Coach Guyer noted, “We’re here to play football. We don’t care who gets off that bus, who is on the on the other side of the line when we play. We’re going to give it everything we’ve got. We’re going to make sure they know they played Cherokee High School when it wraps up.”
Taylor said it best, “Honestly. I’m ready to hit somebody else.”
Good luck Tsalagi Anitsvyasdi! Have a great season.
