Robbinsville dominates conference tournament; 7 Knights going to state
Robbinsville – Another year, another thumping.
For the fifth consecutive season, the Robbinsville Black Knights have laid claim to the Smoky Mountain Conference championship, after running up a team score of 230.5 points at June 10’s tournament.
It is the program’s 21st individual, conference-tournament crown – a feat first achieved in 1989 – and was bolstered by nine Knights winning their respective brackets.
“What a great, overall team effort,” said Robbinsville head coach Todd Odom. “We’ve prepared all year for the opportunity to shine on an individual level. We felt like we were a better individual team than a dual team this year.
“I don’t know that I’ve ever had nine champs overall.”
The tournament finals started at 170 pounds, but Robbinsville’s first championship came when Kage Williams (182 pounds) pinned Cherokee’s Ian Crowe in the second period. Williams had scored a technical fall in the third period over Swain County’s Lucas Sutton in the semifinals.
Kyle Fink (195) – who had toppled Andrews’ Nathaniel Diaz in the semifinals – then pinned Rosman’s Jeshua Whited in the second period. Ben Wachacha (220) scored a second-period pin of his own against Swain County’s Kohlton Neadeau to win his bracket, after disposing of Andrews’ Samuel Wood in the semis.
Carlos Wesley (285) pinned Andrews’ Hunter McGaha in the second period, after beating Cherokee’s Lloyd Teesateskie to advance to the finals. Aynsley Fink then made history by pinning Andrews’ Elvin Trigueros in the 106-pound finale, becoming the first female in conference history to win a tournament crown.
Luke Wilson (113) continued the trend for Robbinsville, pinning Cherokee’s Jaylynne Esquivel in the first period. Case Beasley (120) pinned Murphy’s Logan Hyde in the third quarter of a semifinal bout, but fell in the finals to Rosman’s Brandon Ropp in a hard-fought, 4-3 battle. The Knights got back in the win column when Jayden Nowell (126) flattened Swain County’s John Parton in the second period, after defeating Murphy’s Marcus Kephart in the semis.
Willie Riddle (145) fell in the finals to Hayesville’s Mason Cook via second-round pin – after pinning Swain County’s Isaiah Ferguson in the semis – before Jaret Panama (152) toppled Swain County’s Lawson Woodard with one second remaining in the second period of the finals. Panama handed Hayesville’s Gage Michael a first-round pin during the semifinals.
The Knights capped their afternoon when Wade Hamilton (160) bested Cherokee’s Braden Taylor with a second-round pinfall.
“I want to thank everybody that plays a part in our tournaments,” Odom added. “I couldn’t do it without our community, our staff and our coaches. Everyone pitches in and make it successful for these kids.”
Next stop, state
Robbinsville – The Knights added even more prestige to their season Tuesday, finishing the N.C. High School Athletic Association’s 1A Western Regional Tournament with seven state qualifiers and five Western champions.
Winning their weight class were Wilson, Nowell, Williams, Kyle Fink and Wachacha. Aynsley Fink and Carlos Wesley also clinched state berths by virtue of reaching the semifinals of the day-long bracket.
“We wrestled extremely well,” Odom said. “I felt pretty good about six of them (qualifiers) and I felt like we could have as many as nine if we wrestled as good as we could – and we certainly had our opportunities – but overall, I’m very proud of our team.
“We always want to be in the (state tournament) conversation.”
Wilson prevailed at 106 pounds by defeating East Wilkes’ Alan Lopez by 8-4 decision in the quarterfinals, Alleghany’s Marcos Sagahon in a 9-7 semifinal nod and scoring a technical fall over Mount Airy’s Hope Horan in the finals.
Nowell’s trek went through Cherryville’s Abram Avery and Mount Airy’s Alex Cox (both second-round pins) and a first-round pinfall over Alleghany’s Bryson Church in the finals.
Williams sawed through Cherryville’s Elijah Gibson, Mount Airy’s Edwin Ramirez, East Surry’s Eli Becker and Mountain Island Charter’s Bunmi Abudu in the finals, via 13-3 majority decision.
Each of Williams’ other victories came by way of pinfall; Nowell and Williams were both named the Most Outstanding Wrestler of the tournament.
Kyle Fink’s quest to defend his 195-pound state championship continued with a second-round pinfalls over Mountain Island Charter’s Trey McBridge and East Surry’s Daniel Villasonar and a decisive, 31-second triumph over Whited in the finals.
Wachacha’s resiliency also paid off. After pinning East Wilkes’ Hunter Caudill in the quarterfinals, he flattened Wood in the semifinals and came-from-behind to best Avery County Zach Vance in a 4-3 decision to capture the title. The triumph in the finals was Vance’s first-ever career loss.
Wesley finished third in his division and Aynsley Fink fourth in hers.
Avery County’s 245.5 team points clinched the Western Regional title for the Vikings; Robbinsville finished second, with 163.5.