Black Knights trounce Phoenix in postseason opener
Robbinsville – You name it, the Black Knights probably did it.
Three touchdowns in the first half from Cuttler Adams. Three interceptions – including one pick-six by Eddie Brooms – as well as three fumble recoveries and four sacks – three made by Carlos Wesley – helped Robbinsville (No. 4 seed, 7-3) do whatever it wanted against the Winston-Salem Preparatory Academy Phoenix (No. 29, 1-9), eventually running up a 66-14 tally in the first round of the 1A state playoffs Friday night.
“You can never underestimate your opponent,” Robbinsville head coach Dee Walsh said. “We scored, but then they scored, and we thought it might be like last year. Their quarterbacks were very elusive, but once we got it under control our kids did a really good job.”
The Phoenix had pushed the Knights into double overtime during last year’s playoffs, and in the early going Friday, it looked like the game would be another back-and-forth affair. Adams scored his first touchdown 93 seconds into the contest, but Winston-Salem seized the lead on its first possession, following a 21-yard Jamison Graves keeper and a conversion catch made by Jayden Pena.
Adams saw the score and quickly erased the deficit, trampling downfield 66 yards on the first snap thereafter. Robbinsville added to its lead with a 36-yard touchdown pass from Dasan Gross to Eddie Brooms and after Adams’ second straight conversion run, led 23-8 in the first quarter.
Winston-Salem trimmed the deficit to nine early in the second – on a 2-yard Camden Burrell carry – but the conversion run failed. From there, Robbinsville took control.
Adams completed the hat trick with a 27-yard dash and made it 3-for-3 on conversion runs, extending the Knights’ lead to 31-14. Brooms nabbed a pass on the next drive and sprinted 58 yards for the pick-six, before Dalton Hill recovered a fumble during the ensuing kickoff. Kage Williams then ran the ball in from 15 yards out with 3:35 left in the first half and Hill snagged Robbinsville’s second interception late in the period.
The Black Knights picked back up where they left off in the third, as Williams broke the plane on a 56-yard rumble a mere 83 seconds into the second half. Zeke Silvers then scooped up another fumbled kickoff return, which soon led to Hill posting a 20-yard touchdown run.
With a running clock in place, Robbinsville’s final strike took place with 10:56 left in the game, on a 15-yard Roman Jones run. Jones would then recover the third, fumbled Phoenix kickoff return and although the Knights were unable to score again, Carson Lovin picked off a pass at the buzzer to decisively cement the dominating victory.
“When everybody gets playing time, that’s good for team morale,” Walsh added.
Revenge time
The only team to defeat Robbinsville in divisional play this year – Cherokee (No. 13, 6-4) – is the next foe standing in the way of the Knights’ quest for a second state championship in three years.
Needless to say, Robbinsville will be looking to avenge the loss and this time, the Knights are hosting the Braves on Bob Colvin Field.
“We’d certainly like to redeem ourselves, and we’ll give our best effort,” Walsh said. “They’re on a roll, too.”
Kickoff at Modeal Walsh Memorial Stadium will be at 7:30 p.m. The game will be streamed on The Graham Star’s Facebook page.
Playoff roundup
All six Smoky Mountain Conference teams qualified for the postseason.
Here are the results from the first round, as well as the next scheduled games for each team:
* Andrews (No. 10 seed, 7-3) defeated Bishop McGuinness (No. 23, 2-8), 34-6; the Wildcats will travel to Stamount (No. 7, 7-4);
* Cherokee beat Cherryville (No. 20, 3-8), 36-15;
* Murphy (No. 9 seed, 7-4) downed Alleghany (No. 24, 2-8), 58-20; the Bulldogs will travel to Mountain Heritage (No. 8, 8-2);
* Swain County (No. 14 seed, 5-5) defeated Hayesville (No. 19, 3-8), 40-14; the Maroon Devils will travel to Mitchell (No. 3, 9-2).