Bob Colvin coached his last game for the Robbinsville Black Knights in 1985’s regular-season finale.
Nov. 7, 1985
* In what proved to be Bob Colvin’s final game as the Robbinsville Black Knights’ head coach, the Murphy Bulldogs won a see-saw battle 20-19. Murphy (6-3, 5-0) went ahead 12-0 on a passing touchdown from Stacey Cornwell to Buck Shope just before halftime, as well as a 22-yard D.J. Cox scoring dash in the third. Dana Dockery got Robbinsville (5-5, 3-3) on the board with a 3-yard dive at the 45-second mark of the period and Charles Edwards pushed the Knights ahead 13-12 early in the fourth, finding the promised land from 65 yards out. Cox struck again on a 32-yard run in the fourth and a pass from Cornwell to Robert Coolidge, but Dockery threatened to knot things back up when he sprinted to the end zone on a 49-yard rumble. Colvin called for a two-point conversion rather than a PAT and Dockery was stopped shy of the goal line. The loss not only meant the end of Colvin’s legendary run – which included 11 state championships in a span of 14 years – but also snapped a 17-year streak of Robbinsville qualifying for the postseason.
Nov. 7, 1975
* The Knights cruised by the winless Cullowhee Rebels, 56-6. Clay Lovelace had three rushing touchdowns, while Wayne Harrison recorded a 21-yard pick-six. David Orr scored on a 71-yard dash to open the third quarter, while Teddy Phillips returned a Rebels punt 44 yards to the house – ending the segment. Shane Laughter tacked on the final Robbinsville score in the game, a 9-yard run late in the affair. Tim Solesbee twice connected with Ricky Orr for a pair of conversion passes.
Nov. 7, 1969
* Robbinsville took down the Mars Hill Wildcats 20-8. Mark Manuel shattered the scoreless silence late in the third, slipping a 19-yard pass into the hands of Dale Walsh for a touchdown. Larry Sawyer later plowed across on a 4-yard push in the fourth, which was followed nicely by Manuel connecting with Terry Odom to make the score 14-0. Mars Hill’s Sigsbee Duck found Dean Norton on a 24-yard touchdown pass to break up the shutout, before Ken Costella ran in the conversion. Manuel and Walsh synchronized one final time late in the game to seal the win, on a 6-yard pass.
-Compiled by sports writer Kevin Hensley