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Prior to Tuesday’s home game against Blue Ridge School, the Robbinsville Lady Knights took a moment to recognize head coach Lucas Ford, who recorded his 100th win while guiding the program Jan. 3 at Hayesville. From left are Suri Watty, Anna Williams, Anna York, Desta Trammell, Katie-Lyn Gross, Kensley Phillips, Abby Wehr, Ford, Aubrie Wachacha, Liz Carpenter, Olivia Lewis and Fala Welch. Photos by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Prior to Tuesday’s home game against Blue Ridge School, the Robbinsville Lady Knights took a moment to recognize head coach Lucas Ford, who recorded his 100th win while guiding the program Jan. 3 at Hayesville. From left are Suri Watty, Anna Williams, Anna York, Desta Trammell, Katie-Lyn Gross, Kensley Phillips, Abby Wehr, Ford, Aubrie Wachacha, Liz Carpenter, Olivia Lewis and Fala Welch. Photos by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

‘Not too shabby for a football coach’

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, January 12, 2023
Robbinsville – A lot of factors have to be in the mix to create the right formula for a coach to record 100 wins.

‘Taco’ resigns as alderman

Randy Foster
Thursday, January 12, 2023
Robbinsville – Just a year into his second term, Alderman Brian “Taco” Johnson resigned Monday from the Town of Robbinsville Board of Aldermen, citing personal issues.
Black Knights junior Donovan Carpenter (11) was more than willing to pull away from Brevard’s Baker Buchanan (on the floor), Tre Crite (3) and Jaylen Brown (24) on Dec. 29, after Carpenter escaped with the game-clinching steal at the buzzer. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Black Knights junior Donovan Carpenter (11) was more than willing to pull away from Brevard’s Baker Buchanan (on the floor), Tre Crite (3) and Jaylen Brown (24) on Dec. 29, after Carpenter escaped with the game-clinching steal at the buzzer. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Gifting season’s beatings

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, January 5, 2023
Sylva – One of the fun variables with a Christmas tournament is that you often play teams you are unfamiliar with. Both Veritas Christian Academy and Brevard had to learn a lesson many programs in Western North Carolina have already fell victim to: Robbinsville simply does not quit.
Robbinsville senior Kensley Phillips (right) drives past Brevard’s Shaniya Cook during Dec. 29’s Smoky Mountain Christmas Invitational appointment with the Lady Devils. The Lady Knights’ shooting guard was all over the floor in the lopsided victory, picking up her first career triple-double in the process. Photos by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Robbinsville senior Kensley Phillips (right) drives past Brevard’s Shaniya Cook during Dec. 29’s Smoky Mountain Christmas Invitational appointment with the Lady Devils. The Lady Knights’ shooting guard was all over the floor in the lopsided victory, picking up her first career triple-double in the process. Photos by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Repetition is key

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, January 5, 2023
  Sylva – It takes a lot of chips falling into place for any basketball player to record a triple-double. For such a polished, versatile athlete like Kensley Phillips, everything clicked from the opening tip of Dec. 29’s Smoky Mountain Christmas Invitational finale for Robbinsville.
Fire engines from around the county were dispatched to a home fire in the Santeetlah area Dec. 29. Photo by Randy Foster/news@grahamstar.com

Fire engines from around the county were dispatched to a home fire in the Santeetlah area Dec. 29. Photo by Randy Foster/news@grahamstar.com

Hot ashes spark grass fire

Marshall McClung
Thursday, January 5, 2023
Santeetlah – The Graham County 911 Center received a report of a fire spreading out of control around 2 p.m. Dec. 29. Firefighters with the Graham County and Santeetlah Fire departments, N.C. Forest Service and U.S. Forest Service responded to Golf Course Circle off U.S.
Shari Birchfield is set to retire this month, after spending over 20 years serving residents at Robbinsville Town Hall. Photo by Randy Foster/news@grahamstar.com

Shari Birchfield is set to retire this month, after spending over 20 years serving residents at Robbinsville Town Hall. Photo by Randy Foster/news@grahamstar.com

Retirement triggers new generation

Randy Foster
Thursday, January 5, 2023
Robbinsville – Shari Birchfield began the last month of a 20-year career with the Town of Robbinsville by training her two replacements. On Jan. 27, Birchfield will step down as the town’s long-time water clerk – as well as interim finance director, a position she has held since July.
Robbinsville junior Kage Williams picked up his 100th career win on Dec. 29 during the Holy Angels Invitational in Greensboro.

Robbinsville junior Kage Williams picked up his 100th career win on Dec. 29 during the Holy Angels Invitational in Greensboro.

182-pound champion; 100-win resume

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, January 5, 2023
Greensboro – Two days. One hundred and 15 teams. No classifications: it really is every man for himself. So to stand out from the pack, you have to be an elite wrestler. Dominant. Quick thinking. Tough enough to persevere when a challenge does present itself.
Xander Wachacha – shown unloading a second-half 3 on Dec. 20 at Andrews – had a team-high 21 points in Robbinsville’s loss to Smoky Mountain on Tuesday. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Xander Wachacha – shown unloading a second-half 3 on Dec. 20 at Andrews – had a team-high 21 points in Robbinsville’s loss to Smoky Mountain on Tuesday. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Knights’ 1st loss comes in tournament opener

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, December 29, 2022
Sylva – One team looked like they had not missed a beat. The other struggled to shake off the holiday break. In the first day of the 2022 Smoky Mountain Christmas Invitational, the Robbinsville Black Knights could not replicate the success they had against the hosting Mustangs on Nov.