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Moments after securing the program’s first outright JV conference title in over a decade, the Robbinsville Black Knights gather to commemorate the victory at Swain County High School. Photo courtesy of Tonia Walsh/Robbinsville Middle School

Moments after securing the program’s first outright JV conference title in over a decade, the Robbinsville Black Knights gather to commemorate the victory at Swain County High School. Photo courtesy of Tonia Walsh/Robbinsville Middle School

Alone at last

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, October 5, 2023
Bryson City – There will be no need to break out the rule book to determine a tiebreaker; a phone call to congratulate a rival coach on sharing a piece of the bragging rights will go undialed.

Quest for gold almost over

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, September 28, 2023
Hayesville – A win tonight would achieve something that the JV Black Knights football program has not accomplished in quite some time.
JV Black Knight Elijah Kirkland (7) attempts to slow down the efforts of Murphy’s Blake Davis on Sept. 7. Kirkland scored on the second play of Sept. 14’s road game at Andrews, which opened the floodgates in a 34-0 shutout of the Wildcats. Photo by Danielle Crabtree/The Graham Star

JV Black Knight Elijah Kirkland (7) attempts to slow down the efforts of Murphy’s Blake Davis on Sept. 7. Kirkland scored on the second play of Sept. 14’s road game at Andrews, which opened the floodgates in a 34-0 shutout of the Wildcats. Photo by Danielle Crabtree/The Graham Star

4 down, 2 to go for JV Knights

Kevin Hensley
Friday, September 22, 2023
Andrews – Visits to Hayesville and Swain County are all that stand between the JV Black Knights and a conference title. Robbinsville gnashed the Andrews Wildcats from the opening kickoff Sept. 7, taming the hosts’ efforts in a 34-0 shutout at Hugh Hamilton Stadium.
Under the pursuit of Murphy’s Brodie Betts, JV Black Knight Cameron Allison eyes a cut upfield during Sept. 7’s home tilt with the Bulldogs. Photo by Danielle Crabtree/The Graham Star

Under the pursuit of Murphy’s Brodie Betts, JV Black Knight Cameron Allison eyes a cut upfield during Sept. 7’s home tilt with the Bulldogs. Photo by Danielle Crabtree/The Graham Star

Taking a bite out of the competition

Kevin Hensley
Friday, September 15, 2023
Robbinsville – It started off as a heavyweight battle, between two titans of the Smoky Mountain Conference. But Sept.

Stopped 1 yard shy

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, September 7, 2023
Robbinsville – In a frantic scramble, Cherokee had reached the Knights’ 11-yard line. The Braves had no way to stop the clock in the closing moments of Aug. 31’s junior-varsity showdown under the Big Oaks, as Cherokee had burned all of its timeouts in the moments leading up to the play.

Cougars pounce on JV Knights

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, August 31, 2023
Burnsville – Last year’s Robbinsville JV football team led Mountain Heritage early in a neutral-site game at Tuscola. This year’s narrative was a bit more lopsided – and not-too-favorable to the Black Knights. Mountain Heritage’s freshman-heavy squad hosted Robbinsville on Aug.

Last-second heroics stun Cougars

Kevin Hensley
Friday, August 25, 2023
Robbinsville – In the first game contested with new seating hovering above the home sideline, the junior varsity Black Knights showed why a venture to their Thursday-night outings can prove to be just as thrilling as the rush felt on Fridays.
The JV Robbinsville Black Knights gather for one last time at midfield on Sept. 28 following their 26-6 win over Hayesville. The victory clinched a share of the Smoky Mountain Conference title. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

The JV Robbinsville Black Knights gather for one last time at midfield on Sept. 28 following their 26-6 win over Hayesville. The victory clinched a share of the Smoky Mountain Conference title. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Buzz kills

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, October 6, 2022
Robbinsville  – From start to finish, there may not have been a more improved team this season than the junior varsity Black Knights. The gradual increase in performance was capped Sept.
Members of the JV Black Knights – Tillman Adams (12), Kasen Buchanan, Isiac Collins, John Dominguez-Romero (74), Matthew Phillips (7) and Kellen Ensley (52) – were all smiles while jogging off the field after Collins connected on a rare JV point-after during Robbinsville’s 59-6 romping of Andrews on Sept. 22. Photo by Miranda Buchanan/Robbinsville High School Yearbook

Members of the JV Black Knights – Tillman Adams (12), Kasen Buchanan, Isiac Collins, John Dominguez-Romero (74), Matthew Phillips (7) and Kellen Ensley (52) – were all smiles while jogging off the field after Collins connected on a rare JV point-after during Robbinsville’s 59-6 romping of Andrews on Sept. 22. Photo by Miranda Buchanan/Robbinsville High School Yearbook

Complete tune-up

Kevin Hensley
Friday, September 30, 2022
Robbinsville – Just six days prior to challenging for a piece of the pie, the junior varsity Black Knights put on a showcase.
With Murphy’s Jude Pinkerton (78) in pursuit – and Robbinsville’s Owen Blevins (77) scanning the field for any signs of disruption – JV Black Knight Tillman Adams works his way upfield Sept. 15 at Murphy. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

With Murphy’s Jude Pinkerton (78) in pursuit – and Robbinsville’s Owen Blevins (77) scanning the field for any signs of disruption – JV Black Knight Tillman Adams works his way upfield Sept. 15 at Murphy. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Show up, show out

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, September 22, 2022
Murphy – It was a bad night to be a Bulldog. From the opening whistle on Sept. 15, the junior varsity Robbinsville Black Knights dictated control over Murphy, with a mixture of solid rushing and stubborn defense stalling the hosts in a 22-16 triumph.