* 1A state title game preview
Chapel Hill – By the time many of you open your mailbox, Robbinsville's state-championship fate will have already been determined.
Following the conclusion of all eight regional rounds Friday, the North Carolina High School Athletic Association finally released its state-title schedule. As luck would have it, the Black Knights will play in the opener to the championship schedule: a 4 p.m., appointment today at UNC-Chapel Hill's Kenan Stadium, against the 1A Eastern Regional champions from Wilson Preparatory Academy.
Real-time updates from the game will be posted on The Graham Star's Facebook page, as well as on X, @KevinHensleyCNI. For those unable to make the 312-mile, five-hour trip, the contest will be televised on WLOS.
Robbinsville
Already a decorated program, the Black Knights are searching for a 16th state championship in the 1A classification. Winners of the 1A West, Robbinsville (10-3) took the necessary steps last year to officially recognize the 1965 team that won a Western championship as its inaugural state-title team (champions were not crowned beyond the regional level for much of the 1960s).
The Knights have arguably produced its most-balanced offensive attack in years this season. Senior Luke Lovin carries a 111.7 quarterback rating into the title game, after completing 80-of-137 passes for 1,203 yards and 15 touchdowns. He has also shown keen field awareness when necessary, rushing for 314 yards on 60 attempts and recording five touchdowns as a result.
A mixture of experience and youth has also paid dividends when it comes to the rushing attack, as seniors Isiac Collins and Kyzik Teesateskie have given opponents nightmares from the opening snap of the season. Collins has trampled 738 yards on 111 touches – scoring on nine occasions – while Teesateskie has 867 yards on 107 carries, with exactly double the trips to the end zone of his classmate.
Making a name for themselves in the backfield has been a trio of sophomores: Cameron Allison, Benton Gibby and Elijah Kirkland. Each member of the trio utilize an explosive rush that few have been able to stop once fully engaged. The end result? Gibby has needed just 40 chances to attain 412 yards on the ground and score four times; Kirkland sits at 227 yards on 21 carries and two touchdowns; and Allison has 194 yards on 19 attempts, with a pair of touchdowns to his credit.
Allison and Teesateskie have also reeled in a combined 35 catches for seven total touchdowns, while Tucker Jones has pulled in 280 receiving yards on 23 catches and found the end zone four times.
All the excellent offense would be for naught if not for the patented "Black Knight Swarm." It should come as no surprise that five of Robbinsville's top six tacklers are seniors, hungry for a championship ring upon their exit from high school: Ryelon Waldroup (96 tackles/61 solo); Gibby (84/50 solo); Collins (67/38); Kellen Ensley (63/44); Kasen Buchanan (54/32) and John Dominguez (53/36).
The defense has also posted a whopping 20 sacks in 2025, led by Christian Koeller (five); Ensley (four); and Buchanan (three). Xamuel Wachacha has nabbed a Robbinsville-best four interceptions, while Lovin has three.
The Knights has also shored up its special teams, with freshman Zander Lucksavage going 54-for-64 on PATs and successfully kicking three field goals – including a game-winner at the buzzer against Swain County on Oct. 3.
Robbinsville's defense has been stubborn. Robbinsville's offense has been spot-on. The well-rounded effort has led to the Black Knights outscoring the opposition 473-173; in the postseason alone, Robbinsville overran teams 151-21.
Wilson Prep
It would be accurate to say that the Knights' opponents have captured lightning in a bottle.
Wilson Preparatory Academy (8-5) slayed Northside-Pinetown 52-22 in the 1A Eastern Regional title game, even after coming into the affair as the No. 4 seed to Northside's No. 2 bid. The Tigers started the year 1-4 and entered the playoffs with a .500 record.
It took a 64-40 victory over Southeast Collegiate Preparatory (No. 5 East seed) in the quarterfinals to pair Wilson Prep with the No. 1 seed, KIPP Pride. The Tigers bounced the Pride 42-16 to reach their regional-final showdown with Northside-Pinetown.
Wilson Prep's offense relies heavily on senior quarterback Travon Usher, who has completed 28-of-49 passes for 624 yards and five touchdowns. Usher is also the team's leading rusher, amassing 1,871 yards on 176 carries and crossing the goal line 19 times.
Ethan Nelson has two more trips to the end zone than Usher, with 1,141 yards on the ground in 134 tries. Another senior, Nelson is a force on the defensive side of the ball – dropping 120 players in total, with 92 of the tackles coming via a solo effort.
Also beefing up the Tigers' defense is Zalik Cannady (78/56); Reginald Holmes (66/45); and Jaydin Johnson (56/32). A freshman, Cannady is also responsible for 12 of Wilson Prep's 22 sacks; Holmes stakes a claim in four, while Usher and David Romero-Acuna have three each.
Wilson Prep's trip to Kenan Stadium is just under 1 1/2 hours.