Black Knights once again stymied in regional match
Columbus – With high hopes, “The Ville” loaded onto an activity bus Feb. 5 and traveled to the South Carolina border, hoping to return with the program’s second berth in the 1A dual team finals.
Instead, Robbinsville (No. 2 seed, 26-8) was halted in the regional round for the third straight season. The Black Knights took care of the hosting Wolverines (No. 6) in the opener 47-36, but fell victim to the No. 1-seeded Mount Airy Granite Bears in the evening’s finale 38-27.
Knights prevail
Robbinsville took a pair of forfeits in the first bout to Polk County, allowing Wolverines Carson Bell (165 pounds) and Zachary McCraw (175) to have their hands raised.
The Black Knights quickly overcame the deficit by rattling off five wins in succession, thanks to three consecutive pinfall victories by Christian Koeller (190), Kellen Ensley (215) and Jonah Teesateskie (285) – over respective adversaries Chester Wilson, Donte Tingling and Brady Carroll – an 18-1 technical fall, in favor of Robbinsville’s Skyler Anderson (106) against Cole Huntley; and Adair Panama (113) downing Liam Jackson via pinfall.
Efrain Rivera (120) and Amon Villareal (126) earned 12 points back for Polk County by pinning respective Black Knights Ayden Conley and Ethan Webster, but Robbinsville’s Loxston Hooper (132) steadied things by pinning Aiden Billings.
The Knights led 35-24 when Jaxtyn Virgil (138) pinned Robbinsville’s Knox Orr, but the back-and-forth continued when Lleyton Hooper (144) muscled Logan Baird down for a one count. Devin Hall (150) lost via pin to Conner Ahlert, but Luke Green (157) ended the dual with a pinfall victory for Robbinsville against Styler Blackwell.
Bears clinch late
The Knights made the Granite Bears earn their ride to Greensboro in the 1A Western Regional championship dual.
Starting at 175 pounds, Andrew Meadows picked up a forfeit win for Mount Airy. Bryson Caudle pinned Koeller, before Ensley picked up a 7-3 decision over J.D. Harper to get Robbinsville on the board.
Teesateskie followed suit by earning a 6-2 nod against Aaron Ruiz-Angel, while Anderson went the extra mile and ran up a 10-1 majority decision against Angel Olalde. Panama then pinned Justice Collins to leapfrog the Knights ahead, 16-12.
The Bears got back on track when Conley fell to Charlie Smith and Webster dropped a tough 11-6 bout against Braylen George. Loxston Hooper nabbed five points for Robbinsville by posting a 16-1 tech against Jeremiah Brooks, but Orr fell in an 18-6 major to Alex Spainhour to help Mount Airy maintain a 25-21 advantage.
Lleyton Hooper provided the Knights’ final glimmer of hope by pinning Madden Pack, but the lead soon became a distant memory: Hall fell in a 6-1 decision to Joseph Jones to put the Bears back out front 28-27; Green dropped a 10-0 major against Jack Martin; and John Martin earned a forfeit victory with the outcome in the books at 165 pounds.
The Black Knights shift their focus toward the traditional portion of the season, as the regional tournament will be held Friday and Saturday at Cherryville.
Mount Airy fell 48-15 to Uwharrie Charter Academy in the 1A title match Saturday in Greensboro. Uwharrie has won three straight 1A dual-team championships.