Legacy continues to build for youth football team
Hayesville – There are so many factors that can affect the outcome of any given game – let alone at the youth level.
While the word “dynasty” is often tossed around to describe professional franchises that have experienced a lengthy stretch of success, it’s really not out of the question to begin associating the Robbinsville Mites with the term.
The group traveled to Clay County on Saturday, in a quest to put a bow on yet another dominant run. Since forming while just 4-5 years old, the same roster has decimated opponents through the ranks of PeeWees (2019), Termites (2022) and Mites (2023, 2024). COVID eliminated the possibility of the Smokey Mountain Youth Conference’s annual Cracker Bowl in both 2020 and 2021 (the 2020 campaign was outright cancelled), or an argument could be easily made that the Robbinsville Mites would have six titles on the resume.
Instead, four will have to do. Though Swain County (No. 2 seed, 8-2) made the Black Knights earn their keep, Robbinsville (No. 1, 10-0) maintained its grip on the coveted prize by downing the familiar rival 6-0 in an overtime thriller at Hayesville High School.
“These are just a special group of kids that work hard,” said Robbinsville Mites head coach Andy Blevins. “They set goals and try their hardest to achieve those. They show up to practice; no matter what, rain or shine.
“Most of all, they got the drive in them to win. They buy in and play 100 percent. As a coach, you can’t ask for anything else.”
The game was a smashmouth affair, filled with a plethora of defensive highlights and a few offensive gasps that kept fans on both sides of Frank R. Long Stadium glued to the edge of their seat. Robbinsville’s first drive ended in a punt, but Kyson Carpenter regained possession for the Knights by picking off Swain County’s Sawyer James Rich just three plays later. Robbinsville’s flurry spilled into the second quarter, but ended in a turnover on downs.
The Devils and the Black Knights continued to trade possessions until halftime, with the only sign of an advantage coming when Elijah Allison dropped Rich for a sack. Lawton Gibby – who finished with 93 rushing yards – looked to have set the top seed up nicely for success late in the third, breaking away on a 68-yard run.
Five plays later, Swain’s Tazio Byfield scooped up a Robbinsville fumble at the goal line, but Wyler Hamilton delivered a quick response on the Maroon Devils’ return to offense, hitting Rich for a loss. The Knights continued to pound Rich in the backfield, with both Carpenter and Jax Mullinax tackling the gunslinger for negative yardage in the fourth quarter.
Keeping things interesting, Hyatt Messer snatched an interception for Swain in the waning moments of regulation. Despite a flurry of passes, the Devils could not crack the code before overtime was front and center.
Swain County squandered its chance at the goal line, with Byfield having to retrieve a botched snap at the 20-yard line to end the possession. Carpenter appeared to have clinched the title on Robbinsville’s first try at free football, but the 10-yard scramble was called back – and then some – on a holding penalty.
Undaunted, Carpenter sprinted 17 yards on the next play and rush No. 3 of the series saw the quarterback brought down just shy of the goal line – but not before crossing the threshold with the football to seal the deal.
“That’s an unbelievable program and their kids are outstanding football players,” Blevins said of the Maroon Devils, before analyzing the outcome.
“We had an opportunity to put game away in the third quarter, but like I said they’re a really good football team and they held strong and held us out of the end zone. But we regrouped and like I told them all along: if we don’t let them score, we will find a way to win. We’re battle-tested and when it got to overtime, I was confident we could get it done. I love all these kids; they will always be family.”
The victory marked the third-straight Cracker Bowl appointment between Swain County and Robbinsville. The Black Knights edged the Devils 8-6 in 2022 and triumphed 22-14 last season.
Dating back to 2019, the current Mites are 40-5 and have outscored their opponents 1092-288.
Midgets
Robbinsville’s eldest youth were unceremoniously jousted from title contention last year, but made sure to clean up the omission by winning the 2024 regular season outright.
The Cracker Bowl pitted the Knights against Hayesville, which Robbinsville (No. 1, 9-1) swatted 20-14 to clinch the seasonal title just two weeks prior to Saturday’s rematch.
Call it familiarity with the Black Knights – or the fact that the Jackets were on their home turf – but a second-half rally spoiled Robbinsville’s chances at two championships, as Hayesville (No. 3, 8-2) prevailed 14-6.
“I am proud of what the boys have done this year,” Robbinsville Midgets head coach Josiah Phillips said. “As a coach, this group was a great group of kids. They were always upbeat and fun.
“The kids fought their hearts out and played a great game. We just made more mistakes than Hayesville, and they took advantage of that.
The Black Knights were selfish on their first drive, using the entirety of the first quarter to crawl downfield on a 12-play series that continued into the second. Quarterback Brayden Allison capped the effort with a 4-yard weave into the end zone. Robbinsville continued to assert its control on Hayesville’s first snaps from scrimmage, as Billy Smith recovered a Yellow Jackets fumble to switch things back around.
Hayesville finally showed some life in response, as Aden Anderson sacked Allison before Bentley Everette nabbed a pass on the next play. Robbinsville got the last laugh before halftime, though as Smith toppled Jackets quarterback Luke Buckner during the ensuing possession.
Twelve plays marched the Jackets toward the end zone to begin the third, with Buckner finding Caleb Gibbons on a 20-yard touchdown pass to finish the journey. Robbinsville prevented a conversion run and the game went into the fourth, tied 6-6.
Shortly after E.J. Hughes snatched an Allison pass, Buckner scored what proved to be the game-winning touchdown with 4:26 left in the battle on a 26-yard dash. Buckner then tacked on the conversion run for good measure.
The Knights embarked on what looked to be a comeback bid, but a fumble at the Hayesville 12-yard line was discovered by Buckner. Four plays later, the quarterback took a knee to send Robbinsville’s Midgets home with a sour taste in their mouth.
“Truth be told, only two plays beat us,” Phillips added. “Sometimes, that’s all you need in football. But I’m still very proud of them.
“Our jobs as coaches is not just to win games or championships, but to get them ready to play for state championships. I think my coaching staff has done a great job. If there one thing I can say for sure, it’s that the future for Robbinsville football is bright.”
In the other two Cracker Bowl games, Swain County defeated Hayesville 27-14 to clinch the PeeWee championship; and Cherokee bested Swain County 6-0 to win the Termites crown.