BlackKnights

JV Black Knight Tillman Adams (12) lays waste to a would-be Swain County defender during Robbinsville’s 12-8 loss to the Maroon Devils on Sept. 1. Photo courtesy of Carlos Lopez/Robbinsville High School

JV Black Knight Tillman Adams (12) lays waste to a would-be Swain County defender during Robbinsville’s 12-8 loss to the Maroon Devils on Sept. 1. Photo courtesy of Carlos Lopez/Robbinsville High School

Devils edge JV Knights

Robbinsville – A third-quarter lead slipped away late for the junior varsity Black Knights, who fell to 1-2 on Sept. 1 by dropping a 12-8 heartbreaker to conference foe Swain County at Modeal Walsh Memorial Stadium.
Robbinsville defenders – led by Tytan Teesateskie (72) and Caleb Draper (3) shut down the progress of Mountain Heritage quarterback Griffin Ray on Friday. For the second-straight week, the Knights’ defense held the opposition to single-digits, as Robbinsville picked up a 26-8 victory. Photos courtesy of Miranda Buchanan/Robbinsville High School Yearbook

Robbinsville defenders – led by Tytan Teesateskie (72) and Caleb Draper (3) shut down the progress of Mountain Heritage quarterback Griffin Ray on Friday. For the second-straight week, the Knights’ defense held the opposition to single-digits, as Robbinsville picked up a 26-8 victory. Photos courtesy of Miranda Buchanan/Robbinsville High School Yearbook

Cougars crushed

Robbinsville – A lot of question marks surrounded the Black Knights’ defense as the 2022 season dawned. Robbinsville has silenced the decriers.
Black Knights’ lineman Dane Daniels (72) pursues Mountain Heritage quarterback Brayden Deyton during Aug. 25’s game against the Cougars. Photo courtesy of Carlos Lopez/Robbinsville High School

Black Knights’ lineman Dane Daniels (72) pursues Mountain Heritage quarterback Brayden Deyton during Aug. 25’s game against the Cougars. Photo courtesy of Carlos Lopez/Robbinsville High School

JV upended by Cougars

Waynesville – It started off promising enough: Robbinsville recovered a fumble, then scored a touchdown and punched in a conversion to take an 8-0 lead. No one could have predicted that would be the final offensive highlight for the Black Knights on Aug. 25.
The 2022 Robbinsville varsity cross country team. Names are listed from left in both rows. Front: Skyler Oliver, Kamree Oliver, Jennifer Guzman, Liberty Hartley, Abby Wehr and Elizabeth Boyle. Back: Ethan Webster, Skyler Anderson, Bruce Helms, Xander Wachacha, William Cable, Zeb Stewart, Albert Avella and Braxton Hicks. Not pictured is head coach Kaitlyn Carringer-Adams. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

The 2022 Robbinsville varsity cross country team. Names are listed from left in both rows. Front: Skyler Oliver, Kamree Oliver, Jennifer Guzman, Liberty Hartley, Abby Wehr and Elizabeth Boyle. Back: Ethan Webster, Skyler Anderson, Bruce Helms, Xander Wachacha, William Cable, Zeb Stewart, Albert Avella and Braxton Hicks. Not pictured is head coach Kaitlyn Carringer-Adams. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Strength in numbers

* Robbinsville cross country season preview Robbinsville – Since the beginning of the pandemic, it has been a challenge to spark interest in varsity cross country.
With Haden Key (66) holding off a Brevard defender – and both Cuttler Adams (4) and Brock Adams (2) breaking upfield, quarterback Donovan Carpenter aims a pass as part of Friday’s home opener against the Blue Devils. Robbinsville picked up its first win of the season in the rematch from last year’s loss. Photos courtesy of Miranda Buchanan/Robbinsville High School Yearbook

With Haden Key (66) holding off a Brevard defender – and both Cuttler Adams (4) and Brock Adams (2) breaking upfield, quarterback Donovan Carpenter aims a pass as part of Friday’s home opener against the Blue Devils. Robbinsville picked up its first win of the season in the rematch from last year’s loss. Photos courtesy of Miranda Buchanan/Robbinsville High School Yearbook

Loss: avenged

  Robbinsville – Before the Blue Devils had a chance to gather their bearings, Cuttler Adams trampled downfield for a 78-yard touchdown. Before the first quarter was over, Adams had 129 rushing yards alone on scoring runs.

Dominance

Candler – A mere 66 yards offensive yards surrendered. Robbinsville (1-0) made a resounding statement in its first junior-varsity contest of the year, played Aug. 18 at a neutral site – Enka High School. The opposition? The Mitchell Mountaineers.
Junior running back Cuttler Adams (4) emerges from a mixture of Knights and Cougars in Friday’s season opener at Asheville. Adams finished the game with 153 rushing yards. Photos by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Junior running back Cuttler Adams (4) emerges from a mixture of Knights and Cougars in Friday’s season opener at Asheville. Adams finished the game with 153 rushing yards. Photos by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Late gasp falls short

Asheville – Trailing by 6 with 3:50 left in the ballgame, Robbinsville started a downfield campaign to victory from its own 15-yard line.
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!

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.
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

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.
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

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.