Middle school softball repeats as league champs
Robbinsville – Last year's middle school softball team had seven players who are now competing in the varsity ranks. The 2024 squad was the first to win a divisional title for Robbinsville since 2017.
When tasked with stepping up to the plate and making the best of their moment to shine, the younger players from the championship team hit a proverbial home run.
A 5-0 dusting of the Hayesville Lady Jackets on Monday not only capped a 13-1 campaign for the Lady Knights, but also put the finishing touches on Robbinsville's second-straight Smoky Mountain Conference crown.
The season has been – in a word – dominant.
"We could not have been blessed with a better group of girls this year and we are so proud of them," said head coach Lauren Silvers. "They were faced with some tough games early in the season, but they worked very hard to grow – not only individually, but together as a team."
The only blemish on the year was brought on by an 8-5 home loss to Andrews on March 18. The Knights went on to split the season series with the Wildcats by picking up a 10-6 road victory three days later.
Otherwise, Robbinsville was the team to beat. Collectively, the Lady Knights outscored their opponents 153-35.
The commanding run included four shutouts and four games in which an adversary only managed one run.
Ella Nelms dictated things both inside the circle and at the plate for Robbinsville, posting a .571 average – with two home runs, seven doubles, four triples and 27 RBIs – while striking out 116 batters and posting a 0.95 ERA.
Also having breakout seasons were Allie Phillips (.561 average, eight doubles, 27 RBIs); Natalee Myers (.488, 11 doubles, three triples, 17 RBIs); Myah Winfrey (.429, one home run, nine doubles and three triples); and Lakin Orr (.347, five doubles, two triples, 10 RBIs).
"This team's positivity and energy – along with their 'next pitch, next play' attitudes – will take them far; not only in the game of softball, but also life," Silvers added.
Along with Monday's triumph, Robbinsville finished off its season with a 13-0 win at Hayesville on April 22; an 8-5 victory at Cherokee on April 29; and a 6-4 nod over the Lady Braves on May 1.
Moving to the next level is Haizleigh Driver, Myers, Nelms, Winfrey and Aaliyah Wolfe.
Black Knights
Robbinsville Middle's baseball team sadly ended things on a skid, falling 12-2 at Cherokee on April 29; 18-8 in a return battle against the Braves on May 1; and 18-7 to Hayesville on Monday.
The Knights displayed a ton of tenacity despite the shaky season – no more so than in May 1's home appointment against Cherokee, which saw Robbinsville (3-10) rally twice to keep the game alive after falling behind 16-1 in the fourth inning. Until that juncture, only Connor Hyde had scored on an error in the bottom of the first – which tied the game 1-1.
In the fourth, the Black Knights leapt into action. With the bases loaded and one out, Truett Burchfield grounded out to bring home Matt Woodard. Two batters later, Carsan Snider trotted across the dish when Hyde was plunked with a pitch while a Knight was stationed at each checkpoint.
Walker Lane capped the frame with a 3-run triple moments later.
Burchfield singled to score Landon Silvers in the fifth, ensuring another inning of baseball. Cherokee tacked on two more runs in the sixth, but Robbinsville was not affected; Menard popped up on the infield, but the ball was dropped and Hyde sprinted home for the final run of the evening.
Al Jones was impressed with the Knights' effort throughout the year.
"This has been a good season," Jones said. "We've went through a lot of learning aspects this year, considering this is a young team. It was a really fun group to coach."
Robbinsville loses three eighth graders: Grady Emmons, Kenai Wolfe and Matt Woodard.