Robbinsville shuts down rival; eyes playoffs
Bryson City – Mixed into last year’s run was two different home games against a Smoky Mountain Conference foe: the Swain County Maroon Devils.
Robbinsville eventually hosted the regional final, but only after edging the Devils 14-8 in the regular season and rallying for a 30-24 triumph in the third round of the postseason.
Friday’s meeting between the schools was the first since the highly-intense showdowns under the Big Oaks – only in this installment of the long-standing rivalry, Robbinsville completely altered the narrative.
Between 140 total offensive yards (including a minuscule three passing), three fumble recoveries and a mere three first downs, the Knights more than limited the hosts from success. Robbinsville crafted all the offense needed for victory in the middle portions of the evening, going on to shun the Maroon Devils 17-0 at Swain County Memorial Stadium.
A quiet first all but concluded with the first difference-maker of the game, as Tytan Teesateskie recovered a Devils fumble. Robbinsville (5-6, 4-1) toted the ensuing drive into the second, capping it with Angel Cervantes’ inaugural field goal, which split the uprights from 31 yards out at the 9:15 mark.
Roughly four minutes later, Tanner Hedden scooped up another Swain County (1-9, 0-5) fumble at the Devils’ 9-yard line; Bryce Adams followed by neatly delivering a touchdown pass to Luke Lovin. Cervantes’ PAT upped the score to 10-0 and even though the junior kicker was unable to replicate his earlier success when called upon just before halftime, Hedden sent the Black Knights into the locker room with plenty of swagger after sacking Swain quarterback Owen Medlin just before the horn.
The Maroon Devils’ only real threat of getting on the board was hampered by a blunder: Zeke Glaspie burst through the line early in the third and dashed 92 yards toward the end zone. A tackle ended his run just shy of the goal line, but Glaspie fumbled the ball upon impact and as the pigskin meandered into the end zone, a touchback was signaled.
Robbinsville went on to punt the ball away, but Quinn Jumper recorded the last fumble recovery of the night just one play later. In transition, freshman Cameron Allison posted a 4-yard touchdown. Cervantes nailed the point-after to seal the fate of the game.
For good measure, Allison picked off Medlin on Swain’s final snap of the game.
The win marks the first time Robbinsville has held the Maroon Devils’ offense in check since a 25-0 victory Sept. 24, 2010.
Playoff time
Though the Knights are embarking on the playoffs with a sub-.500 record, Robbinsville still finished second in the league – meaning home, postseason football is on the docket.
The Thomasville Bulldogs (No. 22, 4-6) will make the journey from suburban Winston-Salem to Graham County for the opening round of the playoffs.
Kickoff on Bob Colvin Field is set for 7 p.m.; admission is $8.
Thomasville dropped from 2A to 1A in the most-recent shuffling of classifications and the Black Knights’ baseball team broke their 11-year playoff drought by facing the Bulldogs earlier this year.
Robbinsville last played Thomasville on the gridiron in the third round of the 1999 championship bracket, which ended with the Knights prevailing 35-22.
If you cannot attend the game in-person, it will be live-streamed through The Graham Star Sports Network, which can be accessed by visiting grahamstarsports.com.