News
Kevin Hensley
Chapel Hill – Beginning this fall, the Smoky Mountain Conference will both grow two schools larger and tout one regular-season classification extra.
Thursday, April 3, 2025
Sophie Roberts tags out Hiwassee Dam’s Avery McNabb during March 25’s home victory over the Lady Eagles. Photo by Kyla Garland/The Graham Star
Softball suffers 1st league setback since 2023
Kevin Hensley
Murphy – Prior to Tuesday, it took extra innings for a Smoky Mountain Conference program to hand Robbinsville its last divisional loss.
Thursday, April 3, 2025
Baseball decisively sweeps Hiwassee Dam
Kevin Hensley
Hiwassee Dam – The game was destined to be another tightly-knit battle.
That is, until Robbinsville kickstarted the top of the fourth.
Coming off a 6-4 triumph over Hiwassee Dam on March 25, the Black Knights entered the midway point of Friday's road trip to face the Eagles with a 5-2 advantage.
Thursday, April 3, 2025
Car fire spreads into woods
Marshall McClung
Meadow Branch – There was another brush fire before heavy rainfall arrived in Graham County early Monday morning.
A vehicle fire was reported just before 9:30 p.m., Sunday night on Old Field Gap Road.
The fire spread to the surrounding wooded area.
Thursday, April 3, 2025
Appalachian Trail hiker rescued
Marshall McClung
Fontana Dam – The Graham County 911 Center received a cell phone call from a female hiker on the Appalachian Trail, requesting assistance just after 3 p.m., Monday.
Elayna Simmons, 28 of Cincinnati, Ohio, was hiking alone when she became ill almost five miles in on the trail from Fontana Dam.
Thursday, April 3, 2025
Hoco changes proposed
Kevin Hensley
Robbinsville – Everything from the style of dress to meeting a number of qualifications just to be on the homecoming court are being proposed as part of a sweeping change to the yearly format.
Thursday, April 3, 2025
Fontana Dam mayor, others resign
Kevin Hensley
Fontana Dam – Business rolled along as usual for the first 15 minutes of Friday's Town of Fontana Dam council meeting, the first since Feb. 26's gathering turned into a heated exchange between mayor Rob Hardy and Robin Turner with Fontana Ventures, LLC.
Thursday, April 3, 2025
Lucas Ford draws up a play during a timeout Feb. 15, in the quarterfinals of the Smoky Mountain Conference tournament against Murphy. Ford stepped down as the Lady Knights head coach at the conclusion of the season. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com
Ford resigns as varsity girls basketball coach
Kevin Hensley
Robbinsville – What was supposed to be a temporary gig turned into one of the longest coaching tenures in Lady Knights basketball history.
Announced as the new Robbinsville High School athletic director and head football coach Feb.
Thursday, March 27, 2025
Shortstop Myah Winfrey looks to make the out at first during March 18’s home game against Andrews. Photo by Lexie Anderson/The Graham Star
Lady Knights back on track
Kevin Hensley
Looking to avenge their first loss of the season, the middle school Lady Knights entered Friday's road game on the wrong end of a 6-4 ballgame.
Unfazed by the elements, Robbinsville put together back-to-back innings of three-run softball to stun the hosting Andrews Lady Wildcats 10-6.
Thursday, March 27, 2025
Naomi Taylor struck out seven Andrews batters en route to delivering a perfect game against the Lady Wildcats on Friday. Photo by Bella Eddings/The Graham Star
Taylor-made performance
Kevin Hensley
Robbinsville – There were 15 runs poured onto the Lady Wildcats in Friday's shortened affair – and yet, one player still managed to stand out from the pack.
Thursday, March 27, 2025