Robbinsville falls in conference opener
Cherokee – Entering the fourth quarter of Friday’s Smoky Mountain Conference opener, Robbinsville and Cherokee were in a 7-7 deadlock.
Neither team had scored since the second quarter, and the game seemed destined to go to whoever struck next.
Then with 6:57 left in the affair, a quick 10-yard touchdown pass from Braves quarterback Donald Bradley to Chase Calhoun – coupled with a Mato Grant extra point – broke the deadlock.
Robbinsville looked to generate a response, but the ball came loose during the ensuing kickoff. Cherokee recovered at the Knights 19, and Bradley promptly sprinted into the end zone on the next play.
In a matter of 13 seconds, the Braves had put the game out of reach. Though the Knights got the ball back with over six minutes left and began the march downfield, Kaden Trantham picked off a pass at the Cherokee 39-yard line. The Braves simply ran out the clock from there, stunning Robbinsville in a 20-7 victory.
“We had so many changes on defense, but they played great,” Knights head coach Dee Walsh said. “Our backs just couldn’t get going and their (defensive) line is really, really good. And every time we threw the ball, it wasn’t working out.”
The Black Knights (2-3, 0-1) had plenty of chances to strike throughout the first half. Though Elijah Watty picked off a pass on Robbinsville’s opening drive, the Knights’ defense held steady at the Braves 10, forcing a turnover.
Later in the second, Cherokee broke the 0-0 stalemate when Bradley crept across the goal line on a 2-yard carry. Grant hit the extra point to make it 7-0, but the Knights were not in the hole for long. A nearly 6-minute drive followed for Robbinsville, which ended when Kage Williams pushed into the end zone on a 1-yard run. Cody Cline hit an extra point to tie it 7-7.
Zeke Silvers would later pick off Bradley in the end zone, giving the Knights a chance to score before the break. Robbinsville pushed its way to the 33-yard line, calling on Cline to hit a 51-yard field goal at the halftime buzzer.
However, his attempt dropped in front of the goal post. It was the last time the Knights would threaten in the game.
“If we could just get our kids to turn themselves loose, and we could get them all healthy and on all cylinders, we’re a pretty good team,” Walsh said.
Time to bite the Dogs
The Knights look to iron out the kinks in their next battle, a road game at Murphy (5-2, 2-0). Kickoff at Bob Hendrix Stadium is at 7:30 p.m.
Winners of the last three out of four against Murphy, the Black Knights will be out for revenge after falling to the Bulldogs 24-14in the 1A Western Regional Final on April 30. Murphy slid by Cherokee 29-28 on Oct. 1, but thumped Hayesville 56-14 on Friday.
“They have a lot of starters back from last year and are huge up front; they’ve got two, 300-pound defensive tackles,” Walsh said. “We’ll have to play really, really good, but every time you play a football game, it’s 0-0 and only you can change that.”