Robbinsville shows off in conference opener
Rosman – In a game that lasted just 90 minutes, the Black Knights put the Smoky Mountain Conference on notice.
Robbinsville (6-0) made the long trek to Rosman (1-5) for the division opener Friday, holding the Tigers to just 15 yards of offense and scoring almost at-will in a 54-0 rout.
“It’s a conference game; we have to take them all seriously,” Robbinsville head coach Dee Walsh said. “You don’t want to overlook anyone.”
The Knights set the tone for the game when Lex Hooper returned the opening kickoff 72 yards for a touchdown. Cody Cline’s extra point made it 7-0 a mere 16 seconds into the contest.
Seth Lawson would recover a Rosman fumble on the next drive, setting up a 25-yard Nathan Collins touchdown pass to Clayson Lane. A huge sack from Grady Garland on third down of the Tigers’ subsequent possession immediately turned into a 36-yard rumble into the end zone by Rylee Anderson. Hooper would strike for the final touchdown of the first stanza with 3:16 left on the clock, a 1-yard squeeze across the line.
Rosman quarterback Brennan Chapman continued to take a beating – Anderson and Colman Cable had sacks on back-to-back Tigers’ possessions – while Anderson scored again with 5:06 left in the half on a 34-yard touchdown. Colby Lovin recorded the fourth Black Knights sack of the game during the next drive, which gave way to a 59-yard touchdown heave from Dasan Gross that landed in the hands of Drey Keener at the halftime buzzer.
Hooper dropped Chapman for his fifth loss of the game during Rosman’s first possession of the third, while Anderson completed the hat trick with a 35-yard scoring sprint on the first play of the fourth quarter. Wade Hamilton closed out the scoring barrage with a 25-yard touchdown dash at the 3:57 mark.
“We’re trying to get better; that’s our objective,” Walsh added. “The main goal is not now; it’s at the end (of the season).
“We don’t want to let up and feel like we’ve arrived; we haven’t. There’s always ways to improve and get better.”
Break out the Raid
Friday’s homecoming game will bring Hayesville (4-1) to Graham County. Kickoff will be at 7:30 p.m. The Yellow Jackets will be coming off a bye week after dropping just one non-conference game this year.
“They’re off to the best start they’ve had in a long time, and they’re excited,” Walsh said of Hayesville. “We’ve got to bring our ‘A’ game.”