Sports

Members of the Robbinsville Black Knights begin pre-practice warm-ups Tuesday. Robbinsville kicks off the season Friday at Asheville High School. Photos by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Members of the Robbinsville Black Knights begin pre-practice warm-ups Tuesday. Robbinsville kicks off the season Friday at Asheville High School. Photos by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Football is back!

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, August 18, 2022
Robbinsville — It’s finally here. The Robbinsville Black Knights make their return to the gridiron Friday, for their first game since the 1A Western Regional Final at Mitchell on Dec. 3.
Rising Lady Knights junior Zoie Shuler recently finished a 5-week, multi-state trek with her travel softball program, the 16U Carolina Cardinals. Shuler opened a lot of eyes along the way, as she continues to eye taking her talents to the collegiate level.

Rising Lady Knights junior Zoie Shuler recently finished a 5-week, multi-state trek with her travel softball program, the 16U Carolina Cardinals. Shuler opened a lot of eyes along the way, as she continues to eye taking her talents to the collegiate level.

Summer of Zoie

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, August 11, 2022
Robbinsville – Most high-school athletes spend the summer enjoying the break from the grind of the often grueling year-round schedule. Zoie Shuler never considered pressing the brake pedal. A rising junior, Shuler has already made waves during her first two years at the varsity level.
Ben Wachacha recently traveled to Greensboro, to represent Robbinsville in the AAU Junior Olympics.

Ben Wachacha recently traveled to Greensboro, to represent Robbinsville in the AAU Junior Olympics.

Reaching Olympian levels of success

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, August 11, 2022
Greensboro – For Ben Wachacha, William Cable and Caden Lail, the last two weeks have been perhaps some of the most exciting of their young lives.
The 2022 Robbinsville Lady Knights volleyball team. All names are listed from left. Front row: Kensley Phillips, Desta Trammell, Tai Owle, Fala Welch and Abbi Sawyer. Back row: manager Eden Orr, Delaney Brooms, Claire Barlow, Aubrie Wachacha, Liz Carpenter and head coach Kadey Phillips. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

The 2022 Robbinsville Lady Knights volleyball team. All names are listed from left. Front row: Kensley Phillips, Desta Trammell, Tai Owle, Fala Welch and Abbi Sawyer. Back row: manager Eden Orr, Delaney Brooms, Claire Barlow, Aubrie Wachacha, Liz Carpenter and head coach Kadey Phillips. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Back to the basics

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, August 11, 2022
* Robbinsville volleyball season preview Robbinsville – Losing six seniors presents a daunting task.
Lights glisten while showcasing the restored floor inside the Robbinsville High School gymnasium. The effort took a mere three weeks to complete. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Lights glisten while showcasing the restored floor inside the Robbinsville High School gymnasium. The effort took a mere three weeks to complete. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

High school gym floor undergoes renovation

Kevin Hensley
Wednesday, August 3, 2022
Robbinsville – Do not adjust your sets: it is the same floor that was already in place.
Asheville-area resident Mike Plemmons looks on as a car goes flying by during Saturday’s leg of the CCR-SCCA Dragon Hill Climb, which was held inside the Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest. Plemmons has been involved with racing for over 40 years. Visit our Facebook page for more photos from Saturday’s portion of the event. Photos by Randy Foster/news@grahamstar.com

Asheville-area resident Mike Plemmons looks on as a car goes flying by during Saturday’s leg of the CCR-SCCA Dragon Hill Climb, which was held inside the Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest. Plemmons has been involved with racing for over 40 years. Visit our Facebook page for more photos from Saturday’s portion of the event. Photos by Randy Foster/news@grahamstar.com

Need for speed

Randy Foster
Wednesday, August 3, 2022
Santeetlah – Race and road rally cars of all shapes and sizes participated in the 16th Dragon Hill Climb event over the weekend. The Central Carolinas Region of the Sports Car Club of America started hosting the event – this year called Dragon SCCA Hill Climb – in 2011. The 2.
Sophomore Graylen Orr – shown delivering a pitch April 11 against Brevard – was 1-of-3 Black Knights that received an All-Smoky Mountain Conference Honorable Mention. Photo courtesy of Crystal White/Contributing Photographer

Sophomore Graylen Orr – shown delivering a pitch April 11 against Brevard – was 1-of-3 Black Knights that received an All-Smoky Mountain Conference Honorable Mention. Photo courtesy of Crystal White/Contributing Photographer

Black Knights receive 3 honorable mentions

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, July 7, 2022
With the conclusion of the 2022 spring sports season in the rearview mirror, the All-Smoky Mountain Conference baseball and softball awards were recently announced. Though no Robbinsville players made the All-Conference list, the future is bright.
Memory Frapp – shown in action at Hiwassee Dam on May 2 – was recently named the 2022 Smoky Mountain Conference Pitcher of the Year. Photos by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Memory Frapp – shown in action at Hiwassee Dam on May 2 – was recently named the 2022 Smoky Mountain Conference Pitcher of the Year. Photos by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

6 Lady Knights named All-Conference

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, June 30, 2022
With the conclusion of the 2022 spring sports season in the rearview mirror, the All-Smoky Mountain Conference baseball and softball awards were recently announced. The Robbinsville Lady Knights cleaned up, by virtue of their fifth-straight divisional title.
Carlos Wesley (seated, center) signed to wrestle at Lincoln Memorial University on Sunday. Surrounding Wesley are family and friends, including mother Scharlene Hardrick (seated, left) and Vincent Wesley, Bryan Wesley, Jasper Knighton, Staci Knighton, Seth Lawson, Jennifer Wesley, Briley Powers and Steven Hardrick (back row, from left). Photo courtesy of Todd Odom/Contributing Photographer

Carlos Wesley (seated, center) signed to wrestle at Lincoln Memorial University on Sunday. Surrounding Wesley are family and friends, including mother Scharlene Hardrick (seated, left) and Vincent Wesley, Bryan Wesley, Jasper Knighton, Staci Knighton, Seth Lawson, Jennifer Wesley, Briley Powers and Steven Hardrick (back row, from left). Photo courtesy of Todd Odom/Contributing Photographer

No split decision here

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, June 30, 2022
Robbinsville – It was well worth the wait.
Todd Odom (left) – who just retired after coaching the Black Knights for 18 years – pauses with David Haney at a banquet in Asheville. Haney has been named as Odom’s successor, which will be the fourth time Haney has been the head coach of the Robbinsville wrestling program.

Todd Odom (left) – who just retired after coaching the Black Knights for 18 years – pauses with David Haney at a banquet in Asheville. Haney has been named as Odom’s successor, which will be the fourth time Haney has been the head coach of the Robbinsville wrestling program.

Back at the helm: Haney new wrestling coach

Kevin Hensley
Monday, June 20, 2022
Robbinsville – After nearly four months of speculation and uncertainty, Todd Odom’s replacement as Robbinsville High School’s head wrestling coach has been announced. And it is a familiar face. David Haney was selected from a pool of applicants to take over the storied tradition of “The ’Ville.