Cherokee – The last time Robbinsville's boys track and field program won a conference title, some of the athletes on the roster had yet to be born.
The Black Knights broke a 15-year drought at April 29's championship meet in Cherokee, ensuring that today's crop of athletes could enjoy a championship by collecting 192 team points to distance themselves from second-place Hayesville (120).
Robbinsville's ascent to the crown was aided immensely by Nathan Frederick and Colton McCoy. The duo was named the respective MVPs of track and field events at the meet, turning in strong performances to help run up the team score.
Frederick won both the 400-meter dash (50.08) and 800-meter run (1:59.24), and also joined his brother Benjamin Frederick, Xamuel Wachacha and Austin Bohn in a winning 4x800 relay (8:20.12). Nathan later teamed with McCoy, Bohn and Benjamin Frederick to conquer the 4x400 relay (3:29.21).
In all but the 800-meter run, new conference records were set.
McCoy leapt his way to recognition in the long (20' 2") and triple (40' 4/12") jumps. Adding to his relay success was a second-place finish in the 400 dash (50.13).
Robbinsville's 4x200 relay team won the event (1:35.17), while the 4x100 contribution finished the event in third place (46.37).
Also contributing to the championship was Isiac Collins, who won the shot put (50' 2") and finished third in the discus throw (131' 8").
Benjamin Frederick claimed second in the 800 run (1:59.96) and third in the 1,600-meter run (4:45.44), while Wachacha finished second in the latter (4:43.53). Wachacha later conquered the field in the 3,200-meter run (10:15.59).
Zander Lucksavage placed second in the 110-meter hurdles (16.32) and fourth in the 300-meter hurdles (44.81). He also took sixth in the pole vault (9' 6"). Pacey Cable (24.33) finished third in the 200-meter dash (24.33) and Caelyn Rodkey had the same ranking in the high jump (5' 8"). Cable was also fifth in the triple jump (36' 7").
Benjamin Koeller (2:16.80) claimed fourth in the 800 run and sixth (54.75) in the 400. Elijah Lambert pocketed fifth place in the 100-meter dash (11.75) and sixth in the 300 hurdles (46.41), and Kristian Bauzo (17' 5") was fifth in the long jump.
John Romero-Dominguez (119' 3") finished sixth in the discus throw. Cullin Rose placed seventh in the 110 hurdles (19.47) and eighth in the 300 (47.53), while Dane Knott (5') took seventh in the high jump.
Elijah Kirkland placed seventh in the 200 dash (25.08) to round out the Knights' team title.
Lady Knights
Robbinsville's varsity girls placed fifth at the meet, but still made an impact across the afternoon.
Chloe Adams won the triple jump, recording a leap of 35' 5". She later collaborated with Brooklyn Cox, Briley Powers and Zaelyn Phillips to win the 4x200 relay (1:53.89); and finished second in the 200-meter dash (26.63).
Elsewhere, Phillips was second in the long jump (15' 2 3/4") and third in the 200 dash (27.70). Cox placed second in the 300 hurdles (54.08) and eighth in the 100-meter hurdles (19.56).
Abby Wehr put her stamina on full display, finishing second in the 1,600 (5:42.23); third in the 800 (2:34.09); and fourth in the 3,200 (14:01.19).
Briley Powers seized fifth in the 300 hurdles (55.76), while Ashley Howell recorded eighth-place spots in both the shot put (27' 3") and discus throw (81' 9").
High-resolution photos from the meet are available at geosnapshot.com/grahamstarsports.
* Editor's note: A full list of Robbinsville's results will appear in a future edition of The Star, as we get up to speed on meets from the last few weeks.