Bryson City – It was not the way things had hoped to go.
Robbinsville (No. 1 seed, 22-2) knocked off Smoky Mountain Conference foe Swain County (No. 5, 18-4) in the third round of the N.C. High School Athletic Association’s Dual-Team Championship Tournament on Feb. 2, but fell 41-31 in the 1A Western Regional title match to the Avery County Vikings (No. 2 seed, 32-1) later that night.
Alexis Panama (106) kickstarted the dual for the Knights with a 3-1 decision victory against Cooper Foster. However, Aynsley Fink (113) and Logan Hyde (120) were handed back-to-back pinfall losses by respective opponents Benjamin Jordan and Kenneth Pritz, before Jayden Nowell scored a 14-1 majority decision over Mason Bentley, cutting Avery County’s lead to 12-7.
It was the closest Robbinsville would come to a state-championship berth.
Avery Phillips (132) was bested in a 14-5 majority decision by Grant Reece, before Christian Phillips (138) and Zane Lucksavage (145) both suffered pinfalls by their respective opposition: Ethan Shell and Johnathan Cable.
From there, Jaret Panama (152) dropped a tough 1-0 decision to Tristan Adams – which gave the Vikings a 31-7 lead – before Jacob Hall (160) was bested via 15-5 majority decision by Bradley Parker.
Seth Blackledge’s first-period pinfall over Robbinsville’s Murphy Shanahan (170) put the dual out-of-reach for the Black Knights.
Avery County would forfeit the four remaining weight classes to close out the victory.
Against the hosting Maroon Devils, Carlos Wesley (285) triumphed via 5-3 decision over Kohlton Neadeau. Alexis Panama had his hand raised by way of forfeit and though Aynsley Fink dropped a 5-0 decision to Kale Stephenson, Robbinsville would rattle off three straight pinfall victories: Hyde over John Parton; Avery Phillips over Revis Robinson; and Nowell over Owen Craig.
Christian Phillips was pinned in the second period by Adam Cotterman, but Zane Lucksavage, Jaret Panama and Hall strung together another run of pins over their respective adversaries: Austin Jenkins, Israel Ferguson and Clay Seagle.
Robbinsville forfeited the 170-pound bout, but Kyle Fink (182) sealed the deal with a first-period pin over Matthew Ferguson.
Avery County went on to rally in Saturday’s 1A state championship match against Uwharrie Charter Academy (No. 1 East seed, 33-1) with five straight victories leading the charge to a 39-30 win.
It is the second state title in a row for the Vikings.