SMCFB

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.
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.
Lex Hooper stretches for one of four touchdowns in Friday’s shutout victory in Andrews. Photos by Art Miller/amiller@grahamstar.com

Lex Hooper stretches for one of four touchdowns in Friday’s shutout victory in Andrews. Photos by Art Miller/amiller@grahamstar.com

Six down, one to go

Kevin Hensley
Friday, April 9, 2021
Andrews – A distinctive buzz lingered over Friday’s Smoky Mountain Conference match-up between Robbinsville and Andrews.
Wade Hamilton (10) stretches to recover Carson Taylor’s fumble in the end zone, during the first quarter of Friday’s road game at Swain County. The recovery set off a 38-point first half for Robbinsville, en route to a resounding victory over the Devils. Photos by Art Miller/amiller@grahamstar.com

Wade Hamilton (10) stretches to recover Carson Taylor’s fumble in the end zone, during the first quarter of Friday’s road game at Swain County. The recovery set off a 38-point first half for Robbinsville, en route to a resounding victory over the Devils. Photos by Art Miller/amiller@grahamstar.com

They just kept scoring and scoring ...

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, April 1, 2021
Bryson City – What started as an even tilt quickly spiraled into a lopsided affair.
Black Knights quarterback Nathan Collins (5) leaves Cherokee’s Chase Calhoun (8) in the dust during Saturday’s home game against the Braves. Collins had two rushing touchdowns in Robbinsville’s 35-14 victory. Photo by Art Miller/amiller@grahamstar.com

Black Knights quarterback Nathan Collins (5) leaves Cherokee’s Chase Calhoun (8) in the dust during Saturday’s home game against the Braves. Collins had two rushing touchdowns in Robbinsville’s 35-14 victory. Photo by Art Miller/amiller@grahamstar.com

Saturday Knight delight

Kevin Hensley
Wednesday, March 24, 2021
Robbinsville – Line the opposition up, and Robbinsville keeps taking them down. The Black Knights (4-0, 3-0) shut out the Cherokee Braves (1-3, 1-3) for the entire first half of a special Saturday showcase, compiling another convincing win in the process, 35-14.
Linemen Candler Edwards (50) and Carlos Wesley (56) create an opening for running back Lex Hooper during Friday’s home game against Erwin. Hooper had three touchdowns in the first half. Photos by Art Miller/amiller@grahamstar.com

Linemen Candler Edwards (50) and Carlos Wesley (56) create an opening for running back Lex Hooper during Friday’s home game against Erwin. Hooper had three touchdowns in the first half. Photos by Art Miller/amiller@grahamstar.com

Ground and pound

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, March 18, 2021
Robbinsville – The Black Knights carried the ball 52 times Friday night. Erwin passed it 39. In the end, Robbinsville’s run game proved to be the difference maker, as the Knights (3-0, 2-0) held off a second-half push from the visiting Warriors (1-2) to pick up a 35-28 win on homecoming night.
Sophomore point guard Brock Adams soars past Cherokee’s Tariq Underwood during Feb. 9’s home match-up with the Braves. Adams was one of four Robbinsville boys named to the All-Conference team. Photo by Kevin Hensley/editor@grahamstar.com

Sophomore point guard Brock Adams soars past Cherokee’s Tariq Underwood during Feb. 9’s home match-up with the Braves. Adams was one of four Robbinsville boys named to the All-Conference team. Photo by Kevin Hensley/editor@grahamstar.com

9 Robbinsville players named All-Conference

Kevin Hensley
Wednesday, March 10, 2021
Coinciding the conclusion of the 2020-21 basketball season, the Smoky Mountain Conference has released its annual All-Conference list.
Senior Wade Hamilton takes off with one of four Robbinsville interceptions the Knights picked off in Friday’s win. Photos by Miranda Buchanan/Robbinsville High School Yearbook

Senior Wade Hamilton takes off with one of four Robbinsville interceptions the Knights picked off in Friday’s win. Photos by Miranda Buchanan/Robbinsville High School Yearbook

D-fens!

Kevin Hensley
Wednesday, March 10, 2021
Hayesville – There’s an old adage that goes something like this: “You can’t have a good offense without great defense.

Welcome back, fans!

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, March 4, 2021
Those wondering if they would ever get to witness a sporting event in person again can now rest easy. Gov. Roy Cooper eased restrictions statewide on building capacities Feb.