Sports

Koleson Dooley won his first 1A state championship Saturday, last besting Pamlico County’s Tyler Stevens 5-2 in the 220-pound finals. Photos by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Triangle of terror

Kevin Hensley

Friday, February 24, 2023

Black Knights senior Willie Riddle hung tough with defending 145-pound state champion Lorenzo Alston (Uwharrie Charter Academy) in the finals Saturday, before incurring a majority-decision loss.

Brock Adams prepares to shoot a foul shot during Feb. 16's Smoky Mountain Conference Tournament finale against Murphy. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Black Knights maintain home-court advantage

Kevin Hensley

Wednesday, February 22, 2023

Robbinsville -- The "Heart Attack Knights" were up to their old tricks Thursday night. A 14-point lead in the fourth quarter slipped away from Robbinsville (No. 6, 23-5) in the second round of the 1A state playoffs and Swain County (No.

Robbinsville senior Kensley Phillips pulls away on a fast break during overtime of Feb. 16's Smoky Mountain Conference finals against Cherokee. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Lady Knights hit the road for playoffs

Kevin Hensley

Wednesday, February 22, 2023

Albemarle -- Playing the role of underdog Thursday, the Robbinsville Lady Knights went on the road for the second round of the playoffs. And for the second time in three seasons, Robbinsville (No. 13, 19-8) knocked off a higher-seeded team.

Sophomore small forward Liz Carpenter had 17 points for Robbinsville in the Lady Knights' tournament-semifinal win over Murphy on Tuesday. Photos by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Lady Knights’ forwards make life hectic

Kevin Hensley

Friday, February 17, 2023

Anna Williams eyes a breakaway basket during the closing seconds of Tuesday’s lopsided JV tournament win over Hayesville. Andrews – Admittedly, it took Robbinsville’s inside game over half the season to become confident.

Robbinsville juniors Xander Wachacha (left) and Donovan Carpenter erupt in celebration after Wachacha drew the and-one after completing a transition basket Monday. Wachacha and Carpenter accounted for 30 of the Black Knights’ 47 points in the Smoky Mountain Conference semifinals against Hayesville. Photos by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Black Knights’ next goal is one win away

Kevin Hensley

Friday, February 17, 2023

Logan Callaway shoots a free throw during the second half of Robbinsville’s tournament exit against Murphy. Callaway’s presence off the bench gave the Knights a huge shot in the arm. Andrews – It was a nail biter, but the Black Knights got the job done.

The Robbinsville Black Knights take a moment to soak in their 1A Western Regional Championship victory, after prevailing over the rest of the field at Mitchell High School last weekend.

Best in the West

Kevin Hensley

Friday, February 17, 2023

Nothing could erase the smile off Robbinsville head coach David Haney's face, after the Black Knights captured the 1A Western Championship on Saturday. It was the storied coach's first-ever regional title.

Lady Knights junior Zoie Shuler leapt to a pair of 1A indoor-track state titles Saturday, collecting gold in both the long and triple jumps. Photos by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

By leaps and bounds

Kevin Hensley

Friday, February 17, 2023

Winston-Salem – In the last 15 months, Zoie Shuler has won five individual state championships. Titles eluded her freshman season, but Shuler finally broke through the barrier with an indoor, long-jump crown attained in February 2022 and a pair of outdoor titles (long and triple jump) in May 2022.

Koleson Dooley defiantly pins Avery County’s Connor Brewer in the heavyweight bout of Feb. 1’s Western Regional Finals match at Swain. Dooley’s pin gave Robbinsville an 18-6 lead, but the Vikings would rally and advance to the state-dual championship. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Black Knights drop heartbreaker in 1A Western Regional finals

Kevin Hensley

Thursday, February 9, 2023

Bryson City – Robbinsville’s pursuit of the program’s second dual-team, state-wrestling championship came to a gut-wrenching conclusion Feb. 1 at Swain County High School. Entering the postseason with the No. 1 seed, Robbinsville (29-4) faced a fired-up Swain County (No.

The Robbinsville Middle School Lady Knights (competing as the Peak Wrestling Club) concluded their debut season by winning the 7th Annual Women’s K-8 State Championship Tournament on Saturday in Advance. Photos courtesy of Susan Crowe

Debut season ends with state title

Kevin Hensley

Thursday, February 9, 2023

Latesha Orr, 7th-8th Grade 101-105 pound champion. Advance – For two days, thousands of aspiring varsity wrestlers sampled the competition that will stand in front of them for years to come. But when the RISE Indoor Sports Complex in Advance began to finally clear at 9:30 p.m.

Lady Knights head coach Lucas Ford goes over some final instructions just before tip-off Friday against Hayesville, with his starting line-up (from left): Suri Watty, Desta Trammell, Liz Carpenter, Kensley Phillips and Aubrie Wachacha. Robbinsville will enter the Smoky Mountain Conference tournament at Andrews with a No. 2 seed. Photo courtesy of Miranda Buchanan/Robbinsville High School Yearbook

Lady Knights finish 2nd in conference

Kevin Hensley

Thursday, February 9, 2023

Robbinsville – Lucas Ford summed up Tuesday’s dominant showing against Swain County in one sentence: “If we play like that in the conference tournament, we’ll win it.” It’s a hard point to argue, really.