Black Knights advance to regional semis
Robbinsville – The Black Knights are in a very familiar position: the regional rounds of the state dual-team tournament.
It’s a hump that Robbinsville (31-2) has struggled to get over since winning the state championship in 2017 – the only 1A team crown in program history.
But every path to immortality has to start somewhere; in this instance, it was on the Knights’ home mats. Saturday harkened the first and second rounds of the yearly dual-team championship, with the No. 1-seeded dynasty welcoming Mountain Island Charter (No. 16); Mitchell (No. 8); and Cherryville (No. 9).
Proving that the grapplers are not paid by the hour, Robbinsville made quick work of Mountain Island Charter 72-5; the famed spotlight dropped for the second-round dual with Mitchell (which had toppled the Cherryville Ironman 60-22 to advance). The Mountaineers also found very little success in their efforts to upset the Black Knights, falling 71-6.
Six of the bouts against the Raptors went down as pinfalls for Robbinsville: Kage Williams (190 pounds), Koleson Dooley (285), Skyler Anderson (106), Alexis Panama (120), Lleyton Hooper (144) and Kyler Branham (165). Elsewhere on the scorecard, Kellen Ensley (215) and Christian Koeller (175) collected decision nods; and five Black Knights had their hands raised via forfeit (Adair Panama, 113; Loxston Hooper, 126; Ethan Webster, 132; Avery Phillips, 138 and Juan Rios, 150).
The Raptors’ lone triumph came at 157 pounds, when Roman Perna recorded a 15-0 technical fall on Luke Green.
The Knights continued their strong flex against Mitchell, with the first five bouts (Ensley, Dooley, Anderson, Adair and Alexis Panama) all ending on pins. The proceedings were interrupted by Loxston Hooper posting a 12-1 majority decision, before being unpaused by Phillips, Lleyton Hooper, Zander Davis (144) and Rios. Green split his afternoon by conquering Jaysin Erwin 9-7 in overtime, before an 11-1 major went into the books from Branham. Ahead 65-0, Robbinsville’s only loss came when Koeller was pinned by Yeshua Guardian; Williams ensured a quick bounce-back to conclude the action by muscling Camron Cook to the mat in the finale.
Though the Knights hold the higher seed, third and fourth round dual action was held after Wednesday’s press deadline at Avery County (No. 2). The Vikings are the most-centralized school out of the four left in the Western mix (Avery County will face No. 3 Mount Airy, while Robbinsville tangles with No. 4 Alleghany).