Sports

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

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

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 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.
Lady Knights junior Zoie Shuler takes flight during an indoor track meet at Swain County on Jan. 11. Shuler is the favorite to win at least two state championships for Robbinsville this weekend. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Lady Knights junior Zoie Shuler takes flight during an indoor track meet at Swain County on Jan. 11. Shuler is the favorite to win at least two state championships for Robbinsville this weekend. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Golden opportunity

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, February 9, 2023
* State indoor track preview Cherokee – No matter what, state championships seemed to elude Zoie Shuler’s freshman season. It did not take long for the redheaded super-athlete to grow tired of the trend.
The Snowbird Lady Warriors Termite Girls capped off a perfect 11-0 season by defeating Copper Basin, Tenn., on Saturday in the Smokey Mountain Youth Conference Tournament finals. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

The Snowbird Lady Warriors Termite Girls capped off a perfect 11-0 season by defeating Copper Basin, Tenn., on Saturday in the Smokey Mountain Youth Conference Tournament finals. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

11 up, 11 down for Warriors

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, February 9, 2023
Murphy – Not one single team in the Smokey Mountain Youth Conference this season had a response to the attack of the Lady Warriors. In a preview of what’s to come, the Snowbird Termites (11-0) ended their chase of history Saturday, knocking off the Copper Basin (Tenn.
Members of the Black Knights mob head coach Jake Beasley in the locker room Tuesday, moments after Robbinsville wrapped up its first Smoky Mountain Conference title since the 2013-14 season. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Members of the Black Knights mob head coach Jake Beasley in the locker room Tuesday, moments after Robbinsville wrapped up its first Smoky Mountain Conference title since the 2013-14 season. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Mission: accomplished

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, February 9, 2023
Robbinsville – Finally. The last time Robbinsville’s varsity boys won a conference title in basketball, this year’s seniors were still in elementary school.
Robert “Bob” Parette Colvin left an indelible mark on the Robbinsville football program, leading the Black Knights to nearly 80 percent of their 1A state championships. The beloved coach passed away Jan. 25.

Robert “Bob” Parette Colvin left an indelible mark on the Robbinsville football program, leading the Black Knights to nearly 80 percent of their 1A state championships. The beloved coach passed away Jan. 25.

'A very special man’

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, February 2, 2023
This iconic photo of Bob Colvin celebrating with the 1969 1A state championship trophy – the first in Robbinsville history – was selected as the cover of The Graham Star’s 2017 publication, Title Town.
Desta Trammell unloads one of her 8 long-range shots Monday at Hiwassee Dam. In as many weeks, Robbinsville’s senior point guard has twice broken the 40-point threshold. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Desta Trammell unloads one of her 8 long-range shots Monday at Hiwassee Dam. In as many weeks, Robbinsville’s senior point guard has twice broken the 40-point threshold. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

44 for No. 4

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, February 2, 2023
Hiwassee Dam – At the end of the first half Monday, Desta Trammell had 21 of Robbinsville’s 33 points. The Lady Knights went on to prevail in a 74-65 road battle against the Hiwassee Dam Lady Eagles – with Trammell accounting for the lion’s share of the load: 44 points.
Senior Caleb Draper (1) slides past Hiwassee Dam’s Kyle Taylor during Monday’s road game. Photos by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Senior Caleb Draper (1) slides past Hiwassee Dam’s Kyle Taylor during Monday’s road game. Photos by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Target: acquired

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, February 2, 2023
Showing complete disregard for the defense of Hiwassee Dam’s Leo Dickson, Robbinsville’s Brock Adams stretches for a second-half push into the net Monday.
Loxston Hooper pins Murphy’s Dalton Farmer to win the 120-pound bout of Saturday’s first-round, dual-team tournament match in Robbinsville. The Black Knights went on to steamroll the Bulldogs 81-0, before downing Alleghany 58-15 to advance to the Elite 8. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Loxston Hooper pins Murphy’s Dalton Farmer to win the 120-pound bout of Saturday’s first-round, dual-team tournament match in Robbinsville. The Black Knights went on to steamroll the Bulldogs 81-0, before downing Alleghany 58-15 to advance to the Elite 8. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Knights takedown 2; advance to Elite 8

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, February 2, 2023
Robbinsville – The Bulldogs and Trojans had a tough row to hoe Saturday: the buzzsaw that is “The ‘Ville.