Like a Phoenix, we will rise

Robbinsville – Plenty of adjectives exist, but “resilient” should be on the tip of your tongue.

It took two free quarters of football and an immeasurable amount of tenacity, but the No. 2-seeded Robbinsville Black Knights (8-0) outlasted the No. 7-seeded Winston-Salem Preparatory Academy Phoenix (5-3) in a 42-40 war at Modeal Walsh Memorial Stadium on Friday night.

“They are a heck of a team,” senior Rossi Wachacha said. “I’ll give props to my teammates for being able to persevere through all of it. It came down to the wire.”

Robbinsville jumped ahead 12-0 in the first quarter, thanks to a pair of rushing touchdowns from Kage Williams (three yards) and Lex Hooper (five yards). But a missed extra point and failed 2-point conversion held the Knights back from building a full two-score lead.

The Phoenix struck with 1:17 left in the first, on a 5-yard pass from Timothy Davis to Tresean Stewart. Davis then kept the ball for a conversion. Winston-Salem then piled on in the second – with a 35-yard scoring heave from Davis to Camden Sanderson and 19-yard keeper by Davis – but both conversion attempts failed, leaving the Knights with a 20-12 hole to dig out of in the second half.

Robbinsville thundered back quickly in the third, driving down the field and scoring on a 1-yard dive from quarterback Nathan Collins. 

Williams’ conversion run then tied things at 20-20, but the Knights later took the lead in the segment on a 3-yard carry by Cuttler Adams, but another failed conversion attempt left Robbinsville with a 26-20 lead.

Winston-Salem knotted the tally in the fourth, when Stewart scored on a 3-yard run. But the fifth overall unsuccessful conversion attempt left the game in a stalemate. 

Dasan Gross would pick off a Davis pass late in the fourth, but the Black Knights were unable to cash in on the gift. 

Robbinsville then took a stubborn goal-line stand in the waning seconds of regulation, stopping the Phoenix at the Knights 1-yard line as the clock expired.

Winston-Salem was awarded the ball to begin the first overtime and quickly scored on a 10-yard pass from Davis to Stewart. The duo then matched up again for a conversion. Robbinsville’s reply came in the form of a 8-yard pass from Collins to Hooper and with the Knights down to potentially their final snap of the season, Hooper broke through for a conversion that forced a second overtime.

“Our coaches kept yelling at us, ‘Just give it four more plays,’ “ Wachacha said. “They told us to keep playing for each other; not just for yourself, but for your teammates and all the fans cheering in the stands.”

“I knew Nathan was on his game tonight. I knew he would put the ball where it needed to be,” Hooper said. “I told him to look for me quick, because I knew how fast it would open. It just worked out perfect for us.”

The Knights received the ball first in the “sixth” quarter and scored on a 4-yard Hooper rumble. Collins then ran the ball across the line to give Robbinsville a 42-34 lead.

With the Phoenix having to play catchup, a 10-yard pass from Davis to Stewart was successful. But a heave on the conversion attempt fell short and the Robbinsville faithful all breathed a huge sigh of relief.

“We got ourselves in a bad position, in a tough game; we played against some dang good athletes,” Hooper said. “It took a lot of discipline and a lot of heart to win this game. Our defense stepped up when it needed to and fought them tooth and nail.”

Mountain football

The next opposition standing in the way of Robbinsville’s state title defense is Mitchell (No. 3 seed, 7-0), which will make the trek to Graham County on Friday. Kickoff on Bob Colvin Field will be at 7:30 p.m.

The Mountaineers are coming off a huge 56-0 win over Christ the King in the first round April 15. Mitchell presents a style of football Robbinsville is more accustomed to seeing; the anthesis to Winston-Salem Prep’s pass-heavy offense. Sophomore quarterback Ty Turbyfill has only attempted 72 passes all season, but slightly leads the team in rushing (647 yards). Senior running back Tanner Duncan is hot on his heels with 632. 

Leading the Mountaineers defense is junior Carter Hoyle, who has recorded 64 tackles this season.

“When you’re defending the state title, it doesn’t matter who we play; we’re going to get their best on both sides of the ball, no matter what,” Hooper said.

The game will be streamed online at justagamelive.com, and broadcast on WBHN (94.1 FM).