Knights advance to first state title game since 2015
Robbinsville – In the final home game of the year, the Black Knights showed why they are 14-0.
Robbinsville welcomed the Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy Gryphons on Friday night, to determine the 1A Western Regional champion. Strong defenses forced a scoreless first half, but the Black Knights used a hat trick of fourth-quarter Rylee Anderson touchdowns to propel Robbinsville into the state title game, defeating the Gryphons 28-14.
“I’ve always wanted to go to state. This is amazing,” said Anderson, who had 208 yards on the night. “It’s been an awesome year. I thank the Lord for it.”
Robbinsville fumbled the opening kickoff and Thomas Jefferson (12-2) recovered at the Knights’ 37-yard line, but the Gryphons advanced a mere one yard before punting the ball away. A lengthy Robbinsville drive ended also ended with a punt, but Seth Lawson would pick off Thomas Jefferson quarterback Grantt Logan on the first play of the ensuing possession and put the ball right back in the Knights’ hands.
Both teams continued to trade punts into the second quarter, before Robbinsville’s Clayson Lane snatched a low, short pass from Logan at the 36-yard line. However, Thomas Jefferson’s Eric Oyugi would pick off Knights quarterback Nathan Collins in the end zone, which all but earmarked the end of the first half.
Offense comes to life
Rossi Wachacha grinded the Gryphons’ opening drive of the third quarter to a halt, stopping Cody Maxwell, Isiah McMullens and Logan on consecutive snaps – the latter resulting in a sack – which forced a Thomas Jefferson punt.
“This feels amazing,” Wachacha said. “We went into the locker room (at halftime) feeling down, but I told them, ‘They want it, but we want it more.’
“I’m so proud of my teammates; they came out and played a really good game.”
Collins would break the stalemate by finding an unguarded Lex Hooper in the end zone on a 9-yard pass during the next possession. Cody Cline’s extra point gave Robbinsville a 7-0 lead, but Thomas Jefferson’s follow-up drive resulted in a 3-yard touchdown run by Isiah McMullens. One Alex Mendoza extra point later and the game was back in a deadlock.
Anderson then got to work, carrying seven straight Black Knights’ snaps down the field and capping the effort with a 22-yard scoring run.
The Gryphons managed to block Cline’s extra point, but were stopped short near midfield when Xavier Rattler picked off Logan at the 45-yard line. Anderson would soon carry in a 20-yard touchdown pass and subsequent two-point conversion run to give Robbinsville a 21-7 lead.
Kamron McGuire later became the fourth Knight to pick off Logan, but after a Robbinsville punt, Thomas Jefferson scored on a 25-yard touchdown pass from Logan to Dakota Twitty. Following Mendoza’s extra point, the Gryphons only trailed 21-14 with 1:02 left to play.
Landyn Hall had other plans for the Gryphons’ rally bid, scooping up the ensuing onside kick and running it back to the 1-yard line.
Anderson then punched in the final Black Knights’ touchdown of the game moments later.
“Win and advance; isn’t that the plan?” Robbinsville head coach Dee Walsh said. “Hey, we took care of business. Great kids and great coaches; I’m lucky to be around them.”