Sports

Robbinsville sophomore Delaney Brooms sends a shot screaming past a Highlands defender on Tuesday night. Through her first four games, Brooms has 48 kills. Photos by Art Miller/amiller@grahamstar.com

Robbinsville sophomore Delaney Brooms sends a shot screaming past a Highlands defender on Tuesday night. Through her first four games, Brooms has 48 kills. Photos by Art Miller/amiller@grahamstar.com

Lining ‘em up; setting ‘em down

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, August 26, 2021
One-by-one, the Robbinsville Lady Knights have mowed down each opponent faced this season.
In this May 21 photo, a crack monitor measures the expansion around the foundation of Robbinsville Elementary School’s gymnasium. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

In this May 21 photo, a crack monitor measures the expansion around the foundation of Robbinsville Elementary School’s gymnasium. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Preschool reopens amid gymnasium repairs

Charlie Benton
Thursday, August 26, 2021
Robbinsville – Graham County Manager Jason Marino gave an update on the Robbinsville Elementary School gymnasium at Aug. 17’s Graham County Board of Commissioners meeting. Crews have been looking closely at the gym since late spring, when structural issues with the building became apparent.
Pictured are the 2021 Robbinsville High School cross-country teams. All names are pictured from left. Seated in front: Liberty Hartley, Delaney Brooms and Greta Whisonant. Second row: Hayden Stewart, William Cable, Xander Wachacha and Jacob Satterfield. Standing in back: Zeb Stewart and Isaiah Brown. Not pictured are Ainslee Munro and Anna Wehr. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Pictured are the 2021 Robbinsville High School cross-country teams. All names are pictured from left. Seated in front: Liberty Hartley, Delaney Brooms and Greta Whisonant. Second row: Hayden Stewart, William Cable, Xander Wachacha and Jacob Satterfield. Standing in back: Zeb Stewart and Isaiah Brown. Not pictured are Ainslee Munro and Anna Wehr. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Knights ready for run at regionals, state

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, August 26, 2021
Robbinsville – Years of building a boys program are nearing a significant payoff. The Robbinsville Black Knights return several well-conditioned and disciplined runners for the 2021 cross-country season, a mere seven months after the delayed 2020 slate ended with a 1A Western Regional appearance.
Sophomore tackle Koleson Dooley (55) runs interference for classmate Cuttler Adams (4) during Friday’s season opener against the Asheville Cougars. Along with another sophomore – Kage Williams – Adams had three touchdowns in Robbinsvile’s 45-23 victory. Photo by Miranda Buchanan/Robbinsville High School Yearbook

Sophomore tackle Koleson Dooley (55) runs interference for classmate Cuttler Adams (4) during Friday’s season opener against the Asheville Cougars. Along with another sophomore – Kage Williams – Adams had three touchdowns in Robbinsvile’s 45-23 victory. Photo by Miranda Buchanan/Robbinsville High School Yearbook

Critics silenced

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, August 26, 2021
Robbinsville – Before Asheville had a chance to get settled, Robbinsville led 21-0. Sophomore backs Cuttler Adams and Kage Williams each had a hat trick – and the Black Knights’ defense took care of the rest – as Robbinsville handily defeated the 4A Cougars 45-23 in Friday’s season debut.
Robbinsville’s Nathan Collins was named the Keller Ferrell Division II Male Athlete – Major Sport Award winner at Sunday’s Mountain Amateur Athletic Club WNC Sports Awards Banquet in Asheville. Receiving the award on Nathan’s behalf was his father, Michael. With Michael is Mountain Amateur Athletic Club Board of Directors members David Cappiello (left) and Ann Brandis. Photos by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Robbinsville’s Nathan Collins was named the Keller Ferrell Division II Male Athlete – Major Sport Award winner at Sunday’s Mountain Amateur Athletic Club WNC Sports Awards Banquet in Asheville. Receiving the award on Nathan’s behalf was his father, Michael. With Michael is Mountain Amateur Athletic Club Board of Directors members David Cappiello (left) and Ann Brandis. Photos by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Collins named Division II Male Athlete of the Year

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, August 19, 2021
Asheville – Select members of the Robbinsville athletic program left Sunday’s Mountain Athletic Amateur Club WNC Sports Awards Banquet with some extra hardware.
Kelsey Waldroup sends a shot back into Franklin territory during Monday’s season opener against the Lady Panthers. Robbinsville would prevail in a five-set battle. Photos by Art Miller/amiller@grahamstar.com

Kelsey Waldroup sends a shot back into Franklin territory during Monday’s season opener against the Lady Panthers. Robbinsville would prevail in a five-set battle. Photos by Art Miller/amiller@grahamstar.com

Lady Knights undergo early test

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, August 19, 2021
Robbinsville – In their first outing of the season, the Robbinsville Lady Knights were pushed to their limit. And yet, they prevailed. It took five sets, but Robbinsville (1-0) bested the 3A Franklin Lady Panthers (0-1) to the tune of 14-25, 17-25, 27-25, 25-16, 10-15 on Monday night.
The 2021 Robbinsville Lady Knights are (front row, from left): Fala Welch, Zoie Shuler, Halee Anderson and Kensley Phillips. Back row (from left) are Yeika Jimenez, Aubrie Wachacha, Phoebe Rattler, Ivy Odom and Kylie Farley. Not pictured are Ally Ayers, Delaney Brooms, Tai Owle and Kelsey Waldroup. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

The 2021 Robbinsville Lady Knights are (front row, from left): Fala Welch, Zoie Shuler, Halee Anderson and Kensley Phillips. Back row (from left) are Yeika Jimenez, Aubrie Wachacha, Phoebe Rattler, Ivy Odom and Kylie Farley. Not pictured are Ally Ayers, Delaney Brooms, Tai Owle and Kelsey Waldroup. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Lady Knights eye return to prominence

Kevin Hensley
Wednesday, August 11, 2021
Robbinsville – Coming off a Smoky Mountain Conference title and the program’s first Elite 8 appearance since the 1980s, the Lady Knights understandably entered the 2020 season with a lot of swagger.
Thanks to the quick work of the National Wild Turkey Federation and C&W Contracting, county residents and visitors now have a safer way to travel the 0.3-mile trail to Yellow Creek Falls. Photo courtesy of Cody Carpenter/Contributing Photographer

Thanks to the quick work of the National Wild Turkey Federation and C&W Contracting, county residents and visitors now have a safer way to travel the 0.3-mile trail to Yellow Creek Falls. Photo courtesy of Cody Carpenter/Contributing Photographer

Yellow Creek Falls trail gets new footbridge

Marshall McClung
Thursday, August 5, 2021
Tapoco – The Yellow Creek Falls Trail now has a new footbridge, which replaced the old one that had fallen into disrepair and had become unsafe.  Hoot Gibbs – who does volunteer maintenance on the trail – had become concerned about the condition of the bridge.
For the first time in North Carolina history, a pair of siblings have won an individual state championship in both the same sport and the same calendar year. Robbinsville’s Aynsley and Kyle Fink reached the pinnacle in wrestling this season. Photos by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

For the first time in North Carolina history, a pair of siblings have won an individual state championship in both the same sport and the same calendar year. Robbinsville’s Aynsley and Kyle Fink reached the pinnacle in wrestling this season. Photos by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Wonder twin powers, activate

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, July 22, 2021
Robbinsville – Leave it to “The ‘Ville” to be trendsetters yet again. For the first time in North Carolina history, a pair of siblings have won individual, high-school state titles in not only the same sport, but the same season.
Rossi Wachacha (seated, center) signed his letter of intent to play college football at Lenoir-Rhyne University on June 30. Front row (from left) are father Jeremy Wachacha, Rossi, brother Jace Smith, mother Melissa Smith and sister Jaxtyn Bark. Standing in back (from left) are Rossi' girlfriend Tishara Sneed, friend Court Carpenter, aunt Jennifer Wachacha, cousin Cannon Gross, aunt Paige Gross, grandfather Wayne Wachacha and cousin Dasan Gross. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Rossi Wachacha (seated, center) signed his letter of intent to play college football at Lenoir-Rhyne University on June 30. Front row (from left) are father Jeremy Wachacha, Rossi, brother Jace Smith, mother Melissa Smith and sister Jaxtyn Bark. Standing in back (from left) are Rossi' girlfriend Tishara Sneed, friend Court Carpenter, aunt Jennifer Wachacha, cousin Cannon Gross, aunt Paige Gross, grandfather Wayne Wachacha and cousin Dasan Gross. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Wachacha signs with Lenoir-Rhyne

Kevin Hensley
Saturday, July 10, 2021
Robbinsville – It was quite fitting that Rossi Wachacha signed to play college football on the same field where he made a name for himself.