Sports

Ben Wachacha (seated, center) signed to wrestle for the University of Mount Olive on Friday. Seated with Wachacha are (from left) grandmother Debbie Bird, mother Monaka Wachacha, sister Amara Wachacha, father Randy Wachacha and grandmother Carolyn Wachacha. Standing in back are grandfather John Bird (left) and sister Aubrie Wachacha. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Ben Wachacha (seated, center) signed to wrestle for the University of Mount Olive on Friday. Seated with Wachacha are (from left) grandmother Debbie Bird, mother Monaka Wachacha, sister Amara Wachacha, father Randy Wachacha and grandmother Carolyn Wachacha. Standing in back are grandfather John Bird (left) and sister Aubrie Wachacha. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Ready for Trojan War

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, April 28, 2022
Robbinsville – A two-time state champion has decided to take the next huge step in life.
As Cole Patterson hoists Christian Phillips in the air Monday, Graylen Orr (right) walks by to congratulate Phillips on his extra-inning, walk-off single against Andrews on Monday. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

As Cole Patterson hoists Christian Phillips in the air Monday, Graylen Orr (right) walks by to congratulate Phillips on his extra-inning, walk-off single against Andrews on Monday. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Dancin’ in the streets

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, April 28, 2022
Robbinsville – It was a wild win, but a victory nonetheless. Returning home to host Andrews in a pivotal Smoky Mountain Conference game Monday, Robbinsville blew a seventh-inning lead, but rallied to keep its playoff hopes alive by defeating the Wildcats 6-5 in eight innings.
Zoie Shuler (left) and Ivy Odom show off their trophies on April 20 after the duo launched a combined three home runs at Cherokee. As of Monday, Shuler has hit six long balls this season, while Odom has five. Photos courtesy of Susan Crowe/Contributing Photographer

Zoie Shuler (left) and Ivy Odom show off their trophies on April 20 after the duo launched a combined three home runs at Cherokee. As of Monday, Shuler has hit six long balls this season, while Odom has five. Photos courtesy of Susan Crowe/Contributing Photographer

Going, going, gone!

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, April 28, 2022
Cherokee – No matter the opposition, there seems to be no cure for Robbinsville’s hot bats. Despite not playing a conference game in 13 days, the Lady Knights picked right up where they left off in divisional action April 20, walloping Cherokee in a road game, 10-1.
Patience (left) and Memory Frapp made up the Robbinsville battery April 13, in a 7-1 win over Copper Basin. The game was played at Young Harris College. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Patience (left) and Memory Frapp made up the Robbinsville battery April 13, in a 7-1 win over Copper Basin. The game was played at Young Harris College. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Sister, sister

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, April 21, 2022
Young Harris, Ga. – Any fan of Lady Knights softball has undoubtedly watched the familiar duo of Patience and Memory Frapp grow into impactful parts of the program over the last two years.
Robbinsville senior Carson White fanned eight Cherokee batters April 7, hurling a complete-game effort to stipend Robbinsville’s 15-5 win over the Braves. Photo courtesy of Crystal White/Contributing Photographer

Robbinsville senior Carson White fanned eight Cherokee batters April 7, hurling a complete-game effort to stipend Robbinsville’s 15-5 win over the Braves. Photo courtesy of Crystal White/Contributing Photographer

Black Knights dismantle Cherokee

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, April 14, 2022
Robbinsville – As head coach Brent Icenhower astutely put it afterward, “We finally put together a full game.
The Robbinsville Lady Knights and the Enka Sugar Jets gathered to commemorate the opportunity to play at the Catamount Softball Complex on Monday. Enka would prevail in six innings, 11-1. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

The Robbinsville Lady Knights and the Enka Sugar Jets gathered to commemorate the opportunity to play at the Catamount Softball Complex on Monday. Enka would prevail in six innings, 11-1. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Bigger picture

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, April 14, 2022
Cullowhee – With the COVID-19 pandemic seemingly in the rearview mirror, Robbinsville skipper Billy Knight deemed it time to revive what was once a yearly tradition.
Robbinsville Middle School catcher Dreylee Webster applies the tag to a Swain County runner Friday. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Robbinsville Middle School catcher Dreylee Webster applies the tag to a Swain County runner Friday. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Knights fall to Swain

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, April 7, 2022
Robbinsville – The only team to disrupt an otherwise-perfect season for the Robbinsville Middle School Lady Knights has been Swain County.
Robbinsville senior Sarah Gibby became the latest Lady Knight to smash a home run this season Fridday. Her career first at Swain County was a memorable one: a grand slam in the top of the third. Gibby finished the day with six RBIs, as the Lady Knights prevailed 14-1. Photo courtesy of Robbinsville High School Softball

Robbinsville senior Sarah Gibby became the latest Lady Knight to smash a home run this season Fridday. Her career first at Swain County was a memorable one: a grand slam in the top of the third. Gibby finished the day with six RBIs, as the Lady Knights prevailed 14-1. Photo courtesy of Robbinsville High School Softball

Grand Gibby

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, April 7, 2022
Bryson City – In a season where one team has already posted 11 home runs through its first 10 games, it is certainly a tall ask for someone to stand out from the pack. But Sarah Gibby cracked that code Friday.

Quick strike wraps up road loss

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, April 7, 2022
Bryson City – The game was over before it really had time to start. In the second matchup of the week between Robbinsville (1-7, 0-6) and Swain County (6-3, 5-1), the Maroon Devils brought 18 runs across the plate in the bottom of the first.
A section of stepped trail, just beyond this bridge and to the left, was damaged during a storm and forced the closure of half of Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest’s most popular hiking trail. Photo by Randy Foster/news@grahamstar.com

A section of stepped trail, just beyond this bridge and to the left, was damaged during a storm and forced the closure of half of Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest’s most popular hiking trail. Photo by Randy Foster/news@grahamstar.com

Work to restore Joyce Kilmer trail expected this summer

Randy Foster
Thursday, March 31, 2022
Slickrock – It’s a short stretch of trail at Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest, but with a big impact. Storm damage last year forced the U.S. Forest Service to block one end of the most popular hiking trail at Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest in Graham County. Only half of the 1.