Wildcats

Junior Graylen Orr picked up his fifth win of the season Tuesday, posting a complete-game effort in Robbinsville’s 5-3 win over Hiwassee Dam. Photo by Montana Buchanan/The Graham Star

Quite a pickle

Kevin Hensley

Monday, May 1, 2023

Robbinsville – Just one week ago, the Black Knights were eyeing a return to the .500 mark. But after a tough 3-game skid ended with a victory in Game 2 of a doubleheader with Hiwassee Dam, Robbinsville is simply trying to tread water and hope for the best.

Senior first baseman Lathan Buchanan recorded two doubles and drove in five runs for Robbinsville in Tuesday’s 14-3 road win over Andrews. Photo courtesy of Fala Welch/Contributing Photographer

Knights continue hot run

Kevin Hensley

Friday, April 21, 2023

Andrews – By the end of the week, Robbinsville could be a .500 ball club – for the first time this year. Nearly faded is the memory of the ugly 0-6 start to the campaign: since March 28, the Black Knights have amassed a 6-2 record and with return contests against Copper Basin, Tenn.

A foul shot late in Saturday’s third-round playoff game at Eastern Randolph gave Robbinsville senior Brock Adams his 1,000th career point. He finished his Black Knights run holding steady to the tally. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Black Magic disappears

Kevin Hensley

Thursday, March 2, 2023

Ramseur – On the final offering from the charity stripe of his high-school chapter, Brock Adams sank his 1,000th career point. Talk about cutting it close.

Brock Adams prepares to shoot a foul shot during Feb. 16's Smoky Mountain Conference Tournament finale against Murphy. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Black Knights maintain home-court advantage

Kevin Hensley

Wednesday, February 22, 2023

Robbinsville -- The "Heart Attack Knights" were up to their old tricks Thursday night. A 14-point lead in the fourth quarter slipped away from Robbinsville (No. 6, 23-5) in the second round of the 1A state playoffs and Swain County (No.

Senior Caleb Draper (1) slides past Hiwassee Dam’s Kyle Taylor during Monday’s road game. Photos by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Target: acquired

Kevin Hensley

Thursday, February 2, 2023

Showing complete disregard for the defense of Hiwassee Dam’s Leo Dickson, Robbinsville’s Brock Adams stretches for a second-half push into the net Monday.

Exhausted, Koleson Dooley (220) rises to a knee after securing a 3-2, sudden-death overtime win over Swain County’s Blake Sain on Jan. 19. Dooley went to overtime with Sain during the James Orr Invitational on Jan. 14 and went to ultimate-tiebreaker in Saturday’s conference Tournament. Dooley triumphed on all three occasions. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Conference conquered

Kevin Hensley

Thursday, January 26, 2023

Robbinsville – When a program has won 25 Smoky Mountain Conference titles in just 46 years of existence, the term “powerhouse” is certainly applicable. But this year was supposed to be different, critics said. Of the six state champions Robbinsville Wrestling produced last year, just two returned.

Despite the best efforts of Wildcat Cameron Rattler, Robbinsville junior shooting guard Donovan Carpenter soars toward the net during Tuesday’s win over Andrews. Photos by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Who’s next?

Kevin Hensley

Thursday, December 22, 2022

Andrews – At this point, one has to wonder: just who can stop Robbinsville’s pursuit of history? Following a 52-43 triumph Tuesday at Andrews, the Black Knights are off to their best start ever: 7-0.

Zirriyah Wachacha drives to the basket Dec. 5 against Cherokee. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Knights again tame Cats

Kevin Hensley

Thursday, December 22, 2022

Andrews – In its only action of the week, Robbinsville Middle School once again swept its Cherokee-County neighbors. A quick Dec. 8 zip to Andrews netted the middle-school girls a 34-26 win over the Wildcats, with the middle-school boys picking up a 33-30 triumph.

Cuttler Adams (4) dashes around the pursuit of Eastern Randolph’s Pierce Leonard on a second-half run Friday. Adams eclipsed 200 rushing yards in the game, but Robbinsville fell 29-26 to the Wildcats in the third round of the state playoffs. Photos by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Wild ending spurns loss

Kevin Hensley

Tuesday, November 22, 2022

Ramseur – There is really no way the Black Knights’ 2022 campaign should have ended before Thanksgiving. Robbinsville outgained Eastern Randolph 465-197 in total yardage, had 22 first downs to the Wildcats’ 10 and overcame a 10-point deficit at halftime to carry a lead into the fourth quarter.

Surrounded by a flock of Eagles, Xamuel Wachacha soars toward the basket during the Nov. 3 season opener against Hiwassee Dam/Ranger. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Not 1 or 2, but 3x the excitement

Kevin Hensley

Thursday, November 17, 2022

Robbinsville – It took three extra periods, but the Knights got the job done. The Robbinsville Middle School boys carved out their second win of the season in exhausting fashion, using an 9-0 shutout in a third overtime session to best Andrews 49-40 on Nov. 10.