Knights stifle Jackets in regular-season finale
Hayesville – Admittedly, there was a lot of hype surrounding Friday’s Smoky Mountain Conference title game in Murphy. So it’s OK if you forgot that Robbinsville played a game just 15 miles away at the exact same time.
However, the Knights did not forget.
In perhaps its best performance in weeks, Robbinsville (7-3, 3-2) showed up and showed out in its final game of the regular season, limiting a normally-potent Hayesville offense to just 64 rushing yards –and single-digits on the scoreboard – in a 21-9 win over the Yellow Jackets.
The win wrapped up third place in the standings for the Black Knights, who are now guaranteed a pair of home games in the opening two rounds of the playoffs.
“We’ve played pretty solid defensively throughout the year,” Robbinsville defensive coach Lucas Ford said. “We knew this defense could be our backbone, if it kept getting better. It’s gotten better and better, but as much talent as we put on the field, we want goose eggs.
“But nine points isn’t bad. That gives us a chance to win and when you offense gets going, it makes your defense better. So this win isn’t so much a defensive effort; it was offense and defense.”
The only highlight of a scoreless first quarter came on a Roman Jones interception.
Both offenses struggled to advance the ball, however and it took a 16-yard Cuttler Adams’ sprint into the end zone to end the stalemate. Quarterback Bryce Adams then pushed in the conversion.
Hayesville (5-5, 1-4) responded with a lengthy possession, but the Knights held firm and Isaac Chandler was called on to hit a 36-yard field goal with 11 seconds left before the break.
Bryce shirked defenders on a 12-yard run with 10 seconds left in the third, adding to Robbinsville’s advantage.
And with the Knights’ defense finding great success in shutting down the rush – Hayesville accumulated just 64 yards on the ground – the Jackets had to call on quarterback Logan Caldwell to carry them through the air.
Caldwell finished with 190 yards on 11 complete passes, including a fourth-quarter launch to Taylor McClure that netted a 35-yard touchdown.
But again, Robbinsville’s line would not be denied.
The conversion effort was shut down and on the ensuing drive, the Black Knights methodically worked their way downfield.
With much of the final offensive possession shouldered by Cooper Adams, he finally crept across the goal line with 1:53 to go.
The Knights then called on the returning Kage Williams to split the uprights on the point-after.
The boot was a success.
“We’ve been on the verge of being really, really good defensively and we’re finally getting there,” Ford said.
“The kids have bought into what we do; it’s just a couple of big plays here and there tonight, but we shut them down otherwise.”
Cuttler Adams returned to form as well Friday, with a motivated line opening up enough for Cuttler to scoot 221 yards on 24 carries. He eclipsed 4,000 career yards in the game and is just 1,965 off the school benchmark of 6,164, set by Rylee Anderson in 2019.
In addition to Jones’ interception and the limited yardage on the ground, Robbinsville’s defense recorded three sacks Friday: two from Tytan Teesateskie and one from Quinn Jumper. The heavy pressure in the pocket resulted in Caldwell finishing the night at -30 rushing yards.
Ironmen up first
Robbinsville – Fans that doubted whether the Knights would play at home again this year, wonder no more: football is coming back under the Big Oaks.
It has been three weeks since the Friday night lights blanketed Bob Colvin Field, but Robbinsville’s win at Hayesville secured the No. 8 seed in the 1A playoffs.
The first obstacle standing in the way of a return to the state championship will be Cherryville. The Ironmen (No. 25 seed, 3-7) will trek 179 miles to square off with the Knights at 7:30 p.m. Friday.
Robbinsville’s contest against Cherryville will be live-streamed. Visit grahamstarsports.com to secure your pass.