Knights survive Eagles

Robbinsville – Friday the 13th’s showdown between Robbinsville and Rabun Gap, Ga., filled in all the blanks for those who buy into the not-so-unusual Gregorian Calendar event.

But for the believers, the game included a 30-minute lightning delay, sprinklers soaking the field in the fourth quarter and 103 points between the two teams. Robbinsville would win the battle 55-48.

“Whenever we looked at the schedule, we thought, ‘This is tough.’ We could easily be 0-5, 5-0 or somewhere in between,” Knights head football coach Dee Walsh said. “We have to be excited that we’re undefeated and still trying to get better.”

Throughout the game, it seemed that no matter what, each side was going to generate some sort of response and keep things close. Robbinsville’s biggest lead of the game was 14, which the Knights achieved twice.

Robbinsville received the opening kickoff and made its way downfield, capping off with a 27-yard rushing touchdown from Rylee Anderson. Rabun Gap put together a timely reply, as quarterback Matt Linn connected with Josh Gill on a 33-yard scoring pass.

Lex Hooper, who would finish the game with a whopping 332 total yards – 313 of those came on the ground – busted free on the next drive for a 58-yard dash into the end zone. The Knights temporarily enjoyed an advantage when the Eagles’ turned the ball over on downs, after Linn’s pass to Gill was caught behind the end zone.

Rabun Gap later squandered the chance to tie the game early in the second quarter, as Linn hit Marlin Klein on a 5-yard touchdown pass. However, the extra point was unsuccessful.

Anderson would again score on the subsequent Black Knights drive, before the game was halted due to lightning. After the delay, Cody Cline hit the point-after and Robbinsville led 21-13.

Linn released an 11-yard floater that landed in the hands of Victor Omorodion with 7:18 left in the half, with the point-after cutting Robbinsville’s lead to one. Anderson would find the end zone for the third time in the game in response, trampling downfield for a 28-yard score. The extra-point was no good, leaving the Knights with a 27-20 lead that would be expanded on following a huge Grady Garland sack on second down of Rabun Gap’s next drive.

Robbinsville would carry a 34-20 lead into the locker room after Hooper pushed across on a 2-yard run at the 55-second mark.

The offensive showcase was quiet for most of the third quarter, until Cline missed a 20-yard field goal and the Eagles took full advantage, scoring on a 56-yard rush from Robin Verginelli. Hooper quickly led Robbinsville back to the promised land moments later, with back-to-back runs of 75 and 5 yards tacking on another Knights touchdown.

Linn and Patrick Pedall found each other on a 12-yard pass early in the fourth. Rabun Gap again had a chance to seize the advantage when Kyle Ormsby recovered the ensuing kickoff, but a 50-yard field goal attempt from Sojat was wide left.

Robbinsville quarterback Nathan Collins made his third pass of the game count during the next drive, catching the Eagles off-guard with a 20-yard scoring heave to Seth Lawson. The Knights led 48-34 after Cline’s point-after, but Rabun Gap came right back with a 9-yard touchdown pass from Linn to Noah Cox.

Kamron McGuire ran the gamut to 54-41 with 2:22 left, scoring from 17 yards deep. Though Rabun Gap would find the end zone once more – a 3-yard push from Verginelli with 45 seconds left – an onside kick was recovered by the Knights, who ran the clock out with two more carries from Hooper, who credited the frontmen for his success during the game.

“Our line’s blocking good. That’s the biggest part,” Hooper said. “We had to have some people step up, and we won the game.

“It shows that you don’t have to rely on just one person; we’ve got people that are just as good all around us.”

Linn had five touchdowns and finished the game with 237 yards in the air for Rabun Gap.

“Obviously, we have to do better on defense. That’s a given,” Walsh added. “I don’t think it was anything other than not being excited about playing defense. If you’re going to play defense, you have to beat the blocker and make a tackle. You’ve got to hustle and show up.

“The X’s and O’s side is supposed to win the game; the defense just has to make plays, be aggressive and get to the football. We’re not doing that like we should.”

Knights vs. Knights

Georgia Force Christian (2-1) of Sugar Hill, Ga., has enjoyed an off week since enduring its only loss of the season, a 40-9 loss at the hands of Murphy on Sept. 6.

The Blue Knights are a new opponent for the Black Knights and will conclude Robbinsville’s non-conference slate Friday night in Graham County. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m.

“They’re a good football team,” Walsh said. “Against Murphy, they had a bunch of big plays called back. They look sound. 

“It’s another chance to get better, win and get ready to play in the conference.”