Robbinsville topples Cherokee in conference opener

Cherokee – Following a defensive stalemate in the first quarter, two Black Knights had eclipsed 100 rushing yards at the end of the night.

In turn, Robbinsville (5-1, 1-0) poured on a 46-point barrage in its Smoky Mountain Conference opener of the year, trumping Cherokee (4-2, 0-1) in a lopsided 46-6 affair at Ray Kinsland Stadium.

Perennial backfield threat Cuttler Adams stampeded his way 156 yards on 27 touches, which includes four touchdowns. He also pulled a pass from Knights quarterback Donovan Carpenter out of the night air and hauled it 46 yards to the house; while also stamping another scoring possession by trotting in the conversion.

Adams now sits at 5,396 rushing yards in his career, which is just 204 yards behind Kurt Odom for second place all-time in Robbinsville history. Rylee Anderson tallied 6,164 between 2016-19 to set both the Knights and divisional record; Adams is just 768 yards shy of the mark.

Elsewhere, former Cherokee Brave Chase Calhoun accumulated 108 yards on the ground and posted the first touchdown of the second half; his other trips to the end zone came on a trio of conversion rushes. Kage Williams hand-delivered the parting shot with 1:28 remaining in the game, a 3-yard run into the end zone.

Cherokee’s only dent in the scoreboard came midway through the third; a 13-yard touchdown pass launched by Michael Driver and caught by Shiloh Woodson.

Robbinsville’s Darion Ledbetter picked off Driver in the first quarter; Tytan Teesateskie recorded a fumble recovery for the Knights, as well. The Braves’ posted a pair of loose-ball snags, courtesy of J’Ron Lineberry and Josh Phillips.

The win marked the fourth time in the Knights’ campaign that an opponent was held to under 10 points.

Read more in the Oct. 5 edition of The Graham Star.

Smoky Mountain Conference Round-Up

-Murphy 21, Hayesville 14;

-Robbinsville 46, Cherokee 6;

-Swain County 20, Andrews 0.