BlackKnights

Middle school baseball underway

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, May 13, 2021
Robbinsville – The middle school Knights baseball program has already squeezed in seven games in this short season. The Black Knights (1-6) downed Cherokee 14-2 in an April 22 road affair, but dropped home games to Swain County (20-8, April 19) and Rosman (14-2, April 27).
Robbinsville’s Kade Garrison (left) and Rossi Wachacha combined to throw a no-hitter at Andrews on Tuesday. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Robbinsville’s Kade Garrison (left) and Rossi Wachacha combined to throw a no-hitter at Andrews on Tuesday. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Doing things the Black Knight Way

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, May 13, 2021
Andrews – The Black Knights (2-3, 2-3) pushed Rosman (3-2, 3-2) into extra innings during Robbinsville’s home opener Friday, before freshman Greyler Orr connected on an opposite-field single in the bottom of the eighth that allowed Ethan Beavers to sprint home and give the Knights a 4-3, walk-off...
Robbinsville’s Jeb Shuler connects for a leadoff homer Saturday at Murphy. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Robbinsville’s Jeb Shuler connects for a leadoff homer Saturday at Murphy. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Knights drop first two games

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, May 6, 2021
Murphy – For a moment, Robbinsville was in the driver’s seat. Starting pitcher Jeb Shuler led off the Knights’ road game Saturday against Murphy with a solo homer over the left-field fence, giving Robbinsville a boost of momentum before the defense even took the field.
Members of the Robbinsville football program share the final post-game prayer of the 2020-21 season moments after falling 24-14 to Murphy in the Western Regional championship game. The loss ended the Black Knights’ defense of the state 1A championship. Photos by Art Miller/amiller@grahamstar.com

Members of the Robbinsville football program share the final post-game prayer of the 2020-21 season moments after falling 24-14 to Murphy in the Western Regional championship game. The loss ended the Black Knights’ defense of the state 1A championship. Photos by Art Miller/amiller@grahamstar.com

All good things must come to an end

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, May 6, 2021
Robbinsville – It was the wrong time to have a bad game.
Jeb Shuler prepares to fire a pitch at Hiwassee Dam on March 9, 2020. The senior hurler looks to be the ace of Robbinsville’s pitching staff this season.

Jeb Shuler prepares to fire a pitch at Hiwassee Dam on March 9, 2020. The senior hurler looks to be the ace of Robbinsville’s pitching staff this season.

Batter up

Kevin Hensley
Friday, April 30, 2021
* Robbinsville baseball season preview Out of all the sports affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Black Knights’ baseball team may be the one left with the biggest argument of “What if?” Robbinsville sat at 3-1 when the virus canceled the remainder of the 2020 season.
Rossi Wachacha’s blocked extra point in the second quarter prevented Mitchell from tying Friday’s game. Robbinsville went on to defeat the Mountaineers and advance to the 1A Western Regional Final with a 28-20 victory. Photo by Miranda Buchanan/Robbinsville High School Yearbook

Rossi Wachacha’s blocked extra point in the second quarter prevented Mitchell from tying Friday’s game. Robbinsville went on to defeat the Mountaineers and advance to the 1A Western Regional Final with a 28-20 victory. Photo by Miranda Buchanan/Robbinsville High School Yearbook

Fas10 your seatbelts

Kevin Hensley
Friday, April 30, 2021
Robbinsville – Nine of the last 10 Western Regional championships in the state 1A classification have been split between Robbinsville and Murphy. This Friday night, that statistic will increase to 10 of 11.
Senior running back Lex Hooper (20) pumps up his teammates during Friday’s first-round playoff matchup against Winston-Salem Preparatory Academy. Robbinsville would edge the Phoenix 42-40 for a wild double-overtime victory. Photos by Miranda Buchanan/Robbinsville High School Yearbook

Senior running back Lex Hooper (20) pumps up his teammates during Friday’s first-round playoff matchup against Winston-Salem Preparatory Academy. Robbinsville would edge the Phoenix 42-40 for a wild double-overtime victory. Photos by Miranda Buchanan/Robbinsville High School Yearbook

Like a Phoenix, we will rise

Kevin Hensley
Friday, April 23, 2021
Robbinsville – Plenty of adjectives exist, but “resilient” should be on the tip of your tongue. It took two free quarters of football and an immeasurable amount of tenacity, but the No. 2-seeded Robbinsville Black Knights (8-0) outlasted the No.
Alexis Panama (24) evades a Swain defender during a carry in April 1’s game. Panama was named the Robbinsville Black Knights junior varsity MVP after April 8’s road finale at Rosman, which saw Robbinsville clinch a share of the Smoky Mountain Conference title. Photo by Miranda Buchanan/Robbinsville High School Yearbook

Alexis Panama (24) evades a Swain defender during a carry in April 1’s game. Panama was named the Robbinsville Black Knights junior varsity MVP after April 8’s road finale at Rosman, which saw Robbinsville clinch a share of the Smoky Mountain Conference title. Photo by Miranda Buchanan/Robbinsville High School Yearbook

The future is bright

Kevin Hensley
Wednesday, April 14, 2021
Rosman – For the first time since 2013, Robbinsville sits atop the Smoky Mountain Conference junior varsity football standings. The Black Knights (5-1) finished the year by disposing of the Rosman Tigers in a 54-0 road triumph on April 8, securing a share of the division crown with Murphy.
Black Knights head coach Dee Walsh (right) greets his team to celebrate clinching the Smoky Mountain Conference championship after defeating Murphy 17-7 on Friday. Photos by Miranda Buchanan/Robbinsville High School Yearbook

Black Knights head coach Dee Walsh (right) greets his team to celebrate clinching the Smoky Mountain Conference championship after defeating Murphy 17-7 on Friday. Photos by Miranda Buchanan/Robbinsville High School Yearbook

Knights of the round table

Kevin Hensley
Wednesday, April 14, 2021
Robbinsville – How appropriate that the Smoky Mountain Conference title game once again came down to Robbinsville and Murphy. Obviously no strangers to each other, the Black Knights (7-0, 6-0) and the Bulldogs (6-1, 5-1) met in the divisional title game in 2019, which Robbinsville won 17-14.

Against all odds

Kevin Hensley
Friday, April 9, 2021
Bryson City – Seven hours before kickoff, the junior varsity Black Knights found out their home finale had been switched to Swain County – a move necessitated by poor field conditions, spurned by heavy rainfall. And at halftime, Robbinsville had not scored.