Robbinsville adds 1st state invitational team title to resume

    Greensboro -- "Never" is viewed as a long time.
    But after this weekend's individual state tournament concluded, Robbinsville can safely remove the adverb from in front of the phrase "won a state invitational team title."
    Head coach David Haney told The Graham Star on Tuesday that the team championship is won in the consolation bracket; his observation was prophetic. Skyler Anderson (107 pounds, 50-4) and Lleyton Hooper (138, 39-15) both emerged atop the consolation brackets of their respective weight classes, collecting 12.5 team points each in the process.
    Three overall state champions -- Kage Williams (190, 37-0), Koleson Dooley (285, 37-4) and Alexis Panama (120, 50-3) -- combined forces with state finalists Adair Panama (113, 50-3) and Loxston Hooper (126, 49-3) to shoulder the remainder of Robbinsville's 96 team points and the math did the rest. 
    A back-and-forth race with Avery County (114.5 team points) and Uwharrie Charter Academy (109) throughout Friday and Saturday's 1A competition soon faded to an insurmountable lead in the Black Knights' rearview mirror, as Robbinsville posted 124.5 to win the only state crown that has eluded the program since its 1976 inception.
    All three of Robbinsville's individual champions are seniors. 
    Williams' 4th state title is a feat only achieved 13 times in the history of North Carolina, across all classifications. His victory Saturday was at 190 pounds; the Appalachian State-commit won it all at 182 pounds during his freshman and junior campaigns and 195 in his sophomore effort. Coaches voted Williams the Most Outstanding 1A Wrestler of the invitational.
    Dooley's triumph was his second, after winning the 220-pound championship last season; Alexis Panama visited the top of the podium for the third time in his career; he won the 113-pound title as a sophomore and bumped up to 120 for his last two gold medals.
    Nine total Black Knights made the trip to the Greensboro Coliseum for the tournament; in addition to the aforementioned seven, Avery Phillips (132, 39-13) and Kellen Ensley (215, 27-12) also competed in the event.
    Look for expanded coverage in the Feb. 22 edition of the Star.