Andrews – Lost fumbles and missed opportunities led to the junior varsity Black Knights’ first loss of the season.
Robbinsville (2-1) traveled to Andrews (4-0) on Sept. 26 for a showdown between the only two undefeated JV teams left in the Smoky Mountain Conference.
After scoring on the first drive of the game, the Knights’ offense was halted for the remainder of the defensive battle, as the Wildcats scooped up three Robbinsville fumbles and found the end zone three times in a 20-6 victory.
The Knights started the game at their own 33, but promptly marched downfield and found paydirt when Cuttler Adams broke free for a 39-yard touchdown run at the 7:57 mark. A failed conversion run from Kage Williams left things 6-0.
Andrews replied with an 8-play drive that ended when Donovan Bateman aired out a 49-yard touchdown pass that landed in the hands of Isaac Weaver, who dashed into the end zone after the reception. Bateman then slipped a pass to Austin Martin for the conversion, with 3:53 left in the quarter.
Wildcat Taylor Waldroup recovered a Knights fumble at the 39-yard line on the next possession, but Andrews went on to punt the ball away. The two sides traded the ball back-and-forth until the half, with a resounding Martin sack on Robbinsville quarterback Christian Phillips marking the final play before both teams trotted to the locker room.
Andrews cashed in on its first drive of the third stanza, churning across the gridiron before Bateman and Weaver made another scoring connection – this time for 35 yards – with 6:08 left in the third. Waldroup recorded his second fumble recovery on the first snap of the Knights’ next drive, with the Cats running precious time off the clock in the aftermath.
A glimmer of hope came at the outset of the fourth quarter, when Brock Adams picked off a would-be Bateman touchdown pass. However, Robbinsville’s drive would stall at the 36-yard line, its final true push of the game.
The Cats tacked on another score with 3:24 remaining, when Martin cut around to the left for a 13-yard touchdown. Two plays into the Knights’ final possession, Andrew Martin fell on top of the third Robbinsville fumble of the game, sealing the fate of the Knights.
Robbinsville will travel to Hayesville today for its next game. Kickoff is at 6 p.m.