Black Knights dismantle conference champs
Robbinsville – For every question posed by Andrews, the Black Knights had an answer.
The Wildcats outrushed Robbinsville 269-227 on Friday; Andrews senior Dalton Rose had a pair of rushing touchdowns that measured 70 and 28 yards in the third quarter, as well and ended the night as the top rusher on Bob Colvin Field (169 yards on 18 touches).
But the rally bid came too little, too late: thanks to the patented “Black Knights Swarm,” by the closing moments of the third quarter, Robbinsville had amassed a 36-0 advantage over the visitors. That was enough of a lead for many of Robbinsville’s standbys to see playing time for the remainder – and in response, Andrews trimmed the final outcome to 36-19.
The demolition of the defending Smoky Mountain Conference champions was highlighted by a more-balanced attack than seen the previous week at Murphy from Robbinsville (7-1, 3-0), with Cuttler Adams rushing twice across the goal line amid an 18-carry, 115-yard outing; fullback Kage Williams kickstarting the offense on a 67-yard rumble with 2:19 left in the first quarter; and a pair of touchdown passes from quarterback Donovan Carpenter to Williams (at the halftime buzzer) and Darion Ledbetter (the final Robbinsville strike of the game).
Adams’ historic pursuit of the all-time school and Smoky Mountain Conference – currently held by Black Knights alum Rylee Anderson, who carried the ball 6,164 yards between 2016-19 – edged to 5,758 (or 406 yards).
Attempting to pick up the pieces, Andrews (4-4, 0-3) turned to senior running back Dalton Rose for its first two scores: a 70-yard sprint at the 38-second mark of the third quarter and a 28-yard scoring scamper with 9:18 left to play. Wildcats quarterback Everett Tatham later connected with Graham Burch on a 13-yard touchdown pass with 1:12 remaining; Ty Clark split the uprights for the only PAT of the evening.
Roman Jones nabbed a Tatham pass moments after the Williams touchdown in the first, which soon transitioned to Adams finding the end zone. The two scores were etched 25 seconds apart.
Rose recovered a fumble for the Wildcats to begin the fourth quarter; he later scored his 28-yard scamper in the aftermath. Rose also had a sack in the game, while Kelby Waldroup picked off Carpenter in the second quarter.
However, Robbinsville’s senior quarter still went 6-of-9 in the air, posting 128 passing yards.
The Black Knights will next entertain Hayesville (5-3, 1-2), in the middle of their 3-game homestand. Kickoff on Bob Colvin Field will be at 7:30 p.m.
If you cannot attend the game in-person, it will be streamed on grahamstarsports.com.