Undefeated western NC football team uplifts community hit hard by Helene

BURNSVILLE, N.C. — A high school football team in western North Carolina is getting ready for the first round of playoffs on Friday night after a regular season that had more meaning than any before.

“Friday nights are special here,” said Mountain Heritage High School coach Joey Robinson.

The school is in Burnsville, Yancey County, which was hit hard by Hurricane Helene on Sept. 27 in the middle of the football season.

“I kind of didn’t really think it was actually happening for a while,” said Nick Pogalz, a freshman wide receiver and cornerback.

The flood swallowed his family’s home.

He’s not the only Cougar player whose life was overturned by Helene.

“We lost everything,” said Braxton Batchelor, one of the team’s starting players. “I wasn’t sure what I was going to do when I realized I did lose my house,”

The 17-year-old said he and his grandmother lost just about everything in Helene. Everything but each other.

“I just hugged her, and she started crying,” Batchelor said. “I started crying.”

The Mountain Heritage community lost so much but one thing they haven’t lost is a football game this season.

“When you’ve been a football coach for this long, you certainly hope that it’s, it’s bigger than football,” Robinson said.

Once Robinson knew all his players were safe, he and the team got to work helping their community.

In turn, the community wanted them back on the field.

“We kept getting the same question from the community,” Robinson said. “‘Are we going to get to play?’”

The team was back after missing a few games following Helene and they are winning.

“All of a sudden, it goes from ‘I have to go to football practice’ to ‘I get to go to football practice,’” Robinson said. “And we realized this is a blessing and a privilege to be out here.”

“We want it bad,” Batchelor said.

The words “Integrity, sacrifice” that are on the locker room wall have new meaning.

“There’s something about these mountain people … (they are) tough and have some resiliency about them,” Robinson said.

Now the undefeated team is ready for the playoffs and it’s about more than just winning.

“I like seeing my grandma knowing that I’m doing good and that I’m not letting it bother me,” Batchelor said.

He said he’s not hitting the gridiron just for himself.

“I’m doing it for the team and for everybody else,” Batchelor said. “I love in the community.”

The team’s victories bring hope and healing to the people of Yancey County

“Our community needs us right now, and one of the best things we can do for them is to continue winning and to give them something to be excited about,” Robinson said.

The team will keep Yancey County stay strong no matter the outcome.

“Unbelievably proud,” Robinson said.

The Cougars defeated North Stokes High School Friday night 57-7.

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