Sports

Members of the Robbinsville High School gather around the championship plaque the Black Knights collected Saturday, after going 5-0 and winning the Enka Duals in Candler. Photo courtesy of Robbinsville Wrestling

Members of the Robbinsville High School gather around the championship plaque the Black Knights collected Saturday, after going 5-0 and winning the Enka Duals in Candler. Photo courtesy of Robbinsville Wrestling

Check the trophy case

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, January 12, 2023
Candler – If the trend continues, they might have to re-name the famed “Jet Hanger” at Enka High School, “Robbinsville’s House.” For the third time this year, the Black Knights traveled to suburban Asheville on Saturday. The task ahead?
Prior to Tuesday’s home game against Blue Ridge School, the Robbinsville Lady Knights took a moment to recognize head coach Lucas Ford, who recorded his 100th win while guiding the program Jan. 3 at Hayesville. From left are Suri Watty, Anna Williams, Anna York, Desta Trammell, Katie-Lyn Gross, Kensley Phillips, Abby Wehr, Ford, Aubrie Wachacha, Liz Carpenter, Olivia Lewis and Fala Welch. Photos by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Prior to Tuesday’s home game against Blue Ridge School, the Robbinsville Lady Knights took a moment to recognize head coach Lucas Ford, who recorded his 100th win while guiding the program Jan. 3 at Hayesville. From left are Suri Watty, Anna Williams, Anna York, Desta Trammell, Katie-Lyn Gross, Kensley Phillips, Abby Wehr, Ford, Aubrie Wachacha, Liz Carpenter, Olivia Lewis and Fala Welch. Photos by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

‘Not too shabby for a football coach’

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, January 12, 2023
Robbinsville – A lot of factors have to be in the mix to create the right formula for a coach to record 100 wins.
Black Knights junior Donovan Carpenter (11) was more than willing to pull away from Brevard’s Baker Buchanan (on the floor), Tre Crite (3) and Jaylen Brown (24) on Dec. 29, after Carpenter escaped with the game-clinching steal at the buzzer. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Black Knights junior Donovan Carpenter (11) was more than willing to pull away from Brevard’s Baker Buchanan (on the floor), Tre Crite (3) and Jaylen Brown (24) on Dec. 29, after Carpenter escaped with the game-clinching steal at the buzzer. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Gifting season’s beatings

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, January 5, 2023
Sylva – One of the fun variables with a Christmas tournament is that you often play teams you are unfamiliar with. Both Veritas Christian Academy and Brevard had to learn a lesson many programs in Western North Carolina have already fell victim to: Robbinsville simply does not quit.
Robbinsville senior Kensley Phillips (right) drives past Brevard’s Shaniya Cook during Dec. 29’s Smoky Mountain Christmas Invitational appointment with the Lady Devils. The Lady Knights’ shooting guard was all over the floor in the lopsided victory, picking up her first career triple-double in the process. Photos by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Robbinsville senior Kensley Phillips (right) drives past Brevard’s Shaniya Cook during Dec. 29’s Smoky Mountain Christmas Invitational appointment with the Lady Devils. The Lady Knights’ shooting guard was all over the floor in the lopsided victory, picking up her first career triple-double in the process. Photos by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Repetition is key

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, January 5, 2023
  Sylva – It takes a lot of chips falling into place for any basketball player to record a triple-double. For such a polished, versatile athlete like Kensley Phillips, everything clicked from the opening tip of Dec. 29’s Smoky Mountain Christmas Invitational finale for Robbinsville.
Robbinsville junior Kage Williams picked up his 100th career win on Dec. 29 during the Holy Angels Invitational in Greensboro.

Robbinsville junior Kage Williams picked up his 100th career win on Dec. 29 during the Holy Angels Invitational in Greensboro.

182-pound champion; 100-win resume

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, January 5, 2023
Greensboro – Two days. One hundred and 15 teams. No classifications: it really is every man for himself. So to stand out from the pack, you have to be an elite wrestler. Dominant. Quick thinking. Tough enough to persevere when a challenge does present itself.
Xander Wachacha – shown unloading a second-half 3 on Dec. 20 at Andrews – had a team-high 21 points in Robbinsville’s loss to Smoky Mountain on Tuesday. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Xander Wachacha – shown unloading a second-half 3 on Dec. 20 at Andrews – had a team-high 21 points in Robbinsville’s loss to Smoky Mountain on Tuesday. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Knights’ 1st loss comes in tournament opener

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, December 29, 2022
Sylva – One team looked like they had not missed a beat. The other struggled to shake off the holiday break. In the first day of the 2022 Smoky Mountain Christmas Invitational, the Robbinsville Black Knights could not replicate the success they had against the hosting Mustangs on Nov.
Robbinsville senior Turner Jackson dictates his Dec. 20 home bout against Hayesville’s Seth McCaslin. Jackson went on to best McCaslin in a 15-2 majority decision. Photo courtesy of Miranda Buchanan/Robbinsville High School Yearbook

Robbinsville senior Turner Jackson dictates his Dec. 20 home bout against Hayesville’s Seth McCaslin. Jackson went on to best McCaslin in a 15-2 majority decision. Photo courtesy of Miranda Buchanan/Robbinsville High School Yearbook

Robbinsville takes 2nd at Devil Duals

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, December 29, 2022
Bryson City – Entering the Christmas break, Robbinsville wrestling has already worked its way through 19 duals. The Knights’ latest foray was as a participant in the 16-team Devil Duals, an all-day showcase held at Swain County High School on Dec. 22.
Robbinsville Middle School’s Xamuel Wachacha weaves through heavy transition traffic Dec. 5 against Cherokee. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Robbinsville Middle School’s Xamuel Wachacha weaves through heavy transition traffic Dec. 5 against Cherokee. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Middle school Black Knights enter pause 7-3

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, December 22, 2022
Hayesville – With the top scorer back from a harrowing injury – and already showing flashes of brilliance – it is probably a good thing for opponents that the Robbinsville Middle School Black Knights have a Christmas break ahead. Their latest foray carried the program to Clay County on Dec.
Lady Knights senior Kensley Phillips pulls away from the defensive pursuit of Andrews’ Gracelyn Worley (22) and Demi Davis (15) on Tuesday. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Lady Knights senior Kensley Phillips pulls away from the defensive pursuit of Andrews’ Gracelyn Worley (22) and Demi Davis (15) on Tuesday. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Knights back in the win column

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, December 22, 2022
Robbinsville – Fresh off losing their first conference opener since a 66-60 loss at Hayesville on Dec. 20, 2019, the Lady Knights could have felt dejected as they headed into Friday’s showdown with Murphy (1-7, 1-2). Instead, Robbinsville showed up and showed out.
Despite the best efforts of Wildcat Cameron Rattler, Robbinsville junior shooting guard Donovan Carpenter soars toward the net during Tuesday’s win over Andrews. Photos by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Despite the best efforts of Wildcat Cameron Rattler, Robbinsville junior shooting guard Donovan Carpenter soars toward the net during Tuesday’s win over Andrews. Photos by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Who’s next?

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, December 22, 2022
Andrews – At this point, one has to wonder: just who can stop Robbinsville’s pursuit of history? Following a 52-43 triumph Tuesday at Andrews, the Black Knights are off to their best start ever: 7-0.