9 Knights dominate invitational
Robbinsville – Another year, another well-rounded showing in their annual home showcase.
Saturday’s James Orr Invitational ushered 12 programs from three states into Graham County.
But even in a tournament with classifications thrown out the window, the No. 1-ranked, 1A team in North Carolina still thrived.
Seven boys and two girls took first place in their respective weight brackets; at the conclusion, two of those grapplers were named the Most Outstanding Boys and Girls wrestlers of the invitational.
Black Knights
Robbinsville’s boys racked up 240 team points to win the race; Swain County trailed at a distant second, with 186.
Of the nine Black Knights that reached the finals, 215-pounder Kellen Ensley (20-7) undoubtedly gutted out a performance on the day that garnered the sophomore the Most Outstanding distinction.
After pinning Smoky Mountain’s Noah McKnight in the quarterfinals, Ensley found himself immersed in a semifinal war with Mountain Heritage’s Braxton Batchelor. It took overtime, but Ensley ultimately prevailed 13-11.
Ensley also stretched things to points in the title bout, but kept it in regulation: a 3-2 nod over Swain County’s Matthew Ferguson.
Elsewhere on the card, Skyler Anderson (106 pounds, 40-2); Adair Panama (113, 43-1); Alexis Panama (120, 39-3); Loxston Hooper (126, 40-2); Lleyton Hooper (138, 29-12); and Kage Williams (190, 27-0) also collected gold medals for Robbinsville.
Anderson pinned Cherryville’s Holden Walker and downed Alleghany’s Christopher Nuevo by 12-1 majority decision to win his bracket. Adair Panama toppled Smoky Mountain’s Kyce Cook; received a medical forfeit through the semis; then posted an 18-2 technical fall over Swain County’s Sully Cunningham in the finals.
Alexis Panama pinned both Alleghany’s Kaydn Munoz and Smoky Mountain’s Davey McCoy to capture first, while Loxston Hooper scored pinfalls against Smoky Mountain’s Gavin Coggins and Andrews’ Micah Roehm to reach the finals, where he also scored a technical over a Swain County foe when Kale Stephenson fell in a 16-0 shutout.
Lleyton Hooper (138) pinned Cherryville’s Aaden Oaks in the quarterfinals; then scored back-to-back majors over Smoky Mountain’s Warren Walker (a 14-6 win) and Swain County’s James Stroman (an 8-0 thumping) to take his class. Further up the food chain, Kage Williams easily conquered his bracket by pinning Alleghany’s Dylan Phipps in 16 seconds and Swain County’s Lucas Sutton in 1:57.
Both Avery Phillips (132, 33-9) and Koleson Dooley (285, 26-3) also reached their championship bouts, but fell to respective opponents Carson Worrick (Alleghany) and Kaleb McKenzie (Rabun Gap, Ga.).
Bobby Moore (150, 26-11) placed third, while Christian Phillips (132, 12-7) took fourth.
Other Black Knights who competed were Ethan Webster (126, 11-6); Juan Rios (144, 33-15); Luke Green (157, 8-11); Kyler Branham (165, 30-9); Christian Koeller (175, 1-2); and Jonah Teesateskie (285, 5-3).
In the junior varsity competition, both Austin Bohn (138) and Zander Davis (150) placed second in their weight class; Bracey Wilson (285) claimed fourth.
Lady Knights
Alexis El-Khouri (138, 11-11) pinned a pair of opponents to be christened the Most Outstanding Girls Wrestler.
The freshman Lady Knight received a quarterfinal bye past Cherokee’s Teela Ross, before taking first-round victories over Smoky Mountain’s Ruby Montanez and Hayesville’s Lakota Shelton to seize her prize.
Velvet Carver (100, 5-12) pinned Smoky Mountain’s Jasmine Garcia twice to win the bracket; Kyla Jenkins (152, 9-9) finished second.
Third-place honors went to Andrea Sheeks (107, 8-14); Campbell Brooks (152, 8-9); and Pacey Bradshaw (165, 4-9).
Also suiting up for the Knights was Koda Stinson (132, 3-14), who placed fifth.
Robbinsville finished second in the team rankings with 46 points. Smoky Mountain’s 94-point showing won the girls race.