Mitchell's air game thwarted in final non-league tune-up
Robbinsville – Between five interceptions, a pair of rushing touchdowns from two different players and the hosts netting almost 400 total offensive yards, the Mitchell Mountaineers never stood a chance.
In their final non-conference showdown of the year, the Black Knights returned to form after a 1-2 start by delivering a balanced offensive attack that was aided tremendously by key defensive interruptions in a 35-6 triumph Friday night on Bob Colvin Field.
Following a scoreless first – which included a Benton Gibby interception – Robbinsville (2-2) struck pay-dirt on a two-yard Luke Lovin keeper. Three minutes later – and moments after Xamuel Wachacha pulled down his first of two picks – Cameron Allison took a pass from Lovin 61 yards for another Knights touchdown.
Out of the break, Robbinsville capped a seven-play series with Kyzik Teesateskie’s first trip across the goal line on the evening, a seven-yard trot. Wachacha and Lovin both had interceptions before the Black Knights struck again, with the latter sprinting in on an eight-yard rush.
Mitchell (2-2) scored its lone touchdown just 14 seconds later, when Hayden Webb found some open room and sprinted 64 yards. An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty against Robbinsville allowed the Mountaineers to rethink their extra-point strategy, but the Knights halted Webb’s progress on the conversion run before he could break the plane.
Teesateskie dashed across from 21 yards left with exactly 11 minutes left to go in the proceedings to cap the scoreline. Starting quarterback Owen Riddle went down with an injury one series prior, so the Mountaineers spent the remainder of the night trying to find the end zone with Kaj and Peyton Pitman manning the backfield.
Appropriately enough, the final buzzer sounded after Robbinsville’s Everett Taylor picked off Peyton’s pass downfield to cap the dominant showing.
Up next
The Black Knights open Smoky Mountain Conference play Friday, Sept. 19, when the Hayesville Yellow Jackets (3-1) pay a visit to Modeal Walsh Memorial Stadium.
Robbinsville owns a 13-game winning streak against Hayesville, dating back to a first-round playoff loss in 2013.
Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m. For live updates, follow The Graham Star on Facebook.