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Robbinsville's Christian Koeller leaps into position for top control during Saturday's first-round match against Mountain Island Charter. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Robbinsville's Christian Koeller leaps into position for top control during Saturday's first-round match against Mountain Island Charter. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Knights hit the road for regional rounds

Kevin Hensley
Monday, January 29, 2024
Newland -- The Robbinsville Black Knights made it to yet another 1A Western Regional Dual Team Final on Wednesday night, but were unable to punch their ticket to a state-title match. Robbinsville (32-3) took a sizable lead over Alleghany (No.
Amidst a first-quarter flurry, no one was at the basket to stop Xamuel Wachacha’s transition basket – and if they dared to interfere with the proceedings, Eli Lambert had a front-row seat to the bucket. Photo by Fala Welch/The Graham Star

Amidst a first-quarter flurry, no one was at the basket to stop Xamuel Wachacha’s transition basket – and if they dared to interfere with the proceedings, Eli Lambert had a front-row seat to the bucket. Photo by Fala Welch/The Graham Star

How legends are made

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, January 25, 2024
Robbinsville – It was over before it really got started. Following a 10-day layoff, the Robbinsville Middle School Black Knights (No. 1 seed) showed no signs of rust when they hit the floor to duke it out with the Andrews Wildcats (No. 4) in Jan.
Senior power forward Aubrie Wachacha was not fazed by Swain County’s Carley Teesateskie (12) and Molleigh Woodard (14) while putting up this inside shot Tuesday night. Photo by Fala Welch/The Graham Star

Senior power forward Aubrie Wachacha was not fazed by Swain County’s Carley Teesateskie (12) and Molleigh Woodard (14) while putting up this inside shot Tuesday night. Photo by Fala Welch/The Graham Star

Lady Knights back to .500 in conference

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, January 25, 2024
Robbinsville – Inclement weather built a 12-day gap between games for the Robbinsville High basketball program. The Swain County Devils waited in the wings.
Cuttler Adams scored a touchdown and rushed for over 100 yards in the Jan. 8 Blue/Grey All-American Bowl, which led to the much-heralded running back receiving the game’s MVP award. Adams is pictured on the field at Cowboys Stadium with his family (from left): Tillman, Chloe, Brandi and Coy Adams.

Cuttler Adams scored a touchdown and rushed for over 100 yards in the Jan. 8 Blue/Grey All-American Bowl, which led to the much-heralded running back receiving the game’s MVP award. Adams is pictured on the field at Cowboys Stadium with his family (from left): Tillman, Chloe, Brandi and Coy Adams.

Dem mountain boyz

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, January 25, 2024
Chase Calhoun made enough of a splash in the 6th Annual Indigenous Bowl that he was named the exhibition’s Defensive MVP. One traveled 909 miles to reach his destination; the other logged 2,166. Both returned to Graham County with national exposure and appropriate hardware.
The Robbinsville Black Knights gather around their 27th Smoky Mountain Conference title, moments after defeating Swain County on Monday to clinch the prize. Photos by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

The Robbinsville Black Knights gather around their 27th Smoky Mountain Conference title, moments after defeating Swain County on Monday to clinch the prize. Photos by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Many have tried; many have fallen

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, January 25, 2024
Bryson City – With all the well-documented success the Robbinsville wrestling program has experienced since its 1976 launch, it would be easy to assume that an air of superiority exists for the Knights in the Smoky Mountain Conference.

Camper fire kills lifelong resident

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, January 25, 2024
Atoah – An 80-year-old resident was found deceased Monday, after crews extinguished a residential blaze. A Wednesday morning autopsy was scheduled to be performed on Douglas Richard Campbell of 257 Atoah Road. Crews were first dispatched to his Airstream camper around 11 a.m.

Local man charged with animal cruelty

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, January 25, 2024
A group of residents have spearheaded a movement for better animal control in Graham County, drumming up a topic that has been hotly debated for years. A Facebook post surfaced Jan. 4, showing three deceased dogs lying outside a residence in the Snowbird community.
Public outcry about the county’s decision to shut down all but three sanitation sites led to a crowd of roughly 40 residents lining the community room for Tuesday’s meeting. Photo by Kevin Hensley/editor@grahamstar.com

Public outcry about the county’s decision to shut down all but three sanitation sites led to a crowd of roughly 40 residents lining the community room for Tuesday’s meeting. Photo by Kevin Hensley/editor@grahamstar.com

Dumpster problems thrown in the trash

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, January 25, 2024
Robbinsville – “I think we need to redesign the plan, but we need public input before a new plan is put in place.

Overtime thriller

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, January 18, 2024
Robbinsville – Inclement weather has thrown the 2023-24 Smoky Mountain Conference Middle School Tournament into chaos. All six of the scheduled quarterfinal games took place Saturday, but the semifinals have been placed on ice – not once, but twice.
Robbinsville’s Novie Dutcher (left) and Abby Wehr close in for a corner trap on Nantahala’s Zoey Passmore during the Lady Knights’ Jan. 11’s road win. Photos by Fala Welch/The Graham Star

Robbinsville’s Novie Dutcher (left) and Abby Wehr close in for a corner trap on Nantahala’s Zoey Passmore during the Lady Knights’ Jan. 11’s road win. Photos by Fala Welch/The Graham Star

Hawk-eye accuracy

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, January 18, 2024
Trey Lambert soars past the defense of Nantahala’s Landon Neal for a fourth-quarter basket Jan. 11. Nantahala – Set to embark on a 3-game loop through 75 percent of the Little Smoky Mountain Conference, Robbinsville’s time on the road was limited to just one game last week.