LadyJackets

Prior to Tuesday’s home game against Hayesville, the Robbinsville Black Knights recognized their four baseball seniors. From left are Alex Knight, Lathan Buchanan, Preston Phillips and Caleb Turpin. Photos by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Prior to Tuesday’s home game against Hayesville, the Robbinsville Black Knights recognized their four baseball seniors. From left are Alex Knight, Lathan Buchanan, Preston Phillips and Caleb Turpin. Photos by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Knights split Senior Night appointments with Hayesville

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, May 4, 2023
Robbinsville – The final home games of the regular season featured two Robbinsville programs meeting two Hayesville teams – and both in stark contrast of the other. The Lady Knights are sitting atop the Smoky Mountain Conference standings, as are the Hayesville Yellow Jackets baseball team.
Sophomore small forward Liz Carpenter had 17 points for Robbinsville in the Lady Knights' tournament-semifinal win over Murphy on Tuesday. Photos by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Sophomore small forward Liz Carpenter had 17 points for Robbinsville in the Lady Knights' tournament-semifinal win over Murphy on Tuesday. Photos by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Lady Knights’ forwards make life hectic

Kevin Hensley
Friday, February 17, 2023
Anna Williams eyes a breakaway basket during the closing seconds of Tuesday’s lopsided JV tournament win over Hayesville. Andrews – Admittedly, it took Robbinsville’s inside game over half the season to become confident.
Lady Knights head coach Lucas Ford goes over some final instructions just before tip-off Friday against Hayesville, with his starting line-up (from left): Suri Watty, Desta Trammell, Liz Carpenter, Kensley Phillips and Aubrie Wachacha. Robbinsville will enter the Smoky Mountain Conference tournament at Andrews with a No. 2 seed. Photo courtesy of Miranda Buchanan/Robbinsville High School Yearbook

Lady Knights head coach Lucas Ford goes over some final instructions just before tip-off Friday against Hayesville, with his starting line-up (from left): Suri Watty, Desta Trammell, Liz Carpenter, Kensley Phillips and Aubrie Wachacha. Robbinsville will enter the Smoky Mountain Conference tournament at Andrews with a No. 2 seed. Photo courtesy of Miranda Buchanan/Robbinsville High School Yearbook

Lady Knights finish 2nd in conference

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, February 9, 2023
Robbinsville – Lucas Ford summed up Tuesday’s dominant showing against Swain County in one sentence: “If we play like that in the conference tournament, we’ll win it.” It’s a hard point to argue, really.
Robbinsville senior Kensley Phillips (right) drives past Brevard’s Shaniya Cook during Dec. 29’s Smoky Mountain Christmas Invitational appointment with the Lady Devils. The Lady Knights’ shooting guard was all over the floor in the lopsided victory, picking up her first career triple-double in the process. Photos by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Robbinsville senior Kensley Phillips (right) drives past Brevard’s Shaniya Cook during Dec. 29’s Smoky Mountain Christmas Invitational appointment with the Lady Devils. The Lady Knights’ shooting guard was all over the floor in the lopsided victory, picking up her first career triple-double in the process. Photos by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Repetition is key

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, January 5, 2023
  Sylva – It takes a lot of chips falling into place for any basketball player to record a triple-double. For such a polished, versatile athlete like Kensley Phillips, everything clicked from the opening tip of Dec. 29’s Smoky Mountain Christmas Invitational finale for Robbinsville.
Robbinsville Middle School’s Xamuel Wachacha weaves through heavy transition traffic Dec. 5 against Cherokee. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Robbinsville Middle School’s Xamuel Wachacha weaves through heavy transition traffic Dec. 5 against Cherokee. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Middle school Black Knights enter pause 7-3

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, December 22, 2022
Hayesville – With the top scorer back from a harrowing injury – and already showing flashes of brilliance – it is probably a good thing for opponents that the Robbinsville Middle School Black Knights have a Christmas break ahead. Their latest foray carried the program to Clay County on Dec.
Eli Lambert (second from right) is greeted cheerfully by his teammates Nov. 17, moments after he drained a 3-pointer at the final buzzer to stamp Robbinsville Middle School’s 45-27 win over Hayesville. Photos by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Eli Lambert (second from right) is greeted cheerfully by his teammates Nov. 17, moments after he drained a 3-pointer at the final buzzer to stamp Robbinsville Middle School’s 45-27 win over Hayesville. Photos by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Robbinsville continues perfect run at home

Kevin Hensley
Tuesday, November 22, 2022
Robbinsville – Simply put, the middle-school Black Knights shine on their home court. Robbinsville (3-1) came to life after halftime Nov. 17’s tilt against Hayesville, dropping 31 across the final two quarters in a 45-27 stifling of the Jackets.
The Robbinsville Lady Knights surprised senior Kensley Phillips with gifts immediately after Oct. 6’s home match against Andrews, to help celebrate Phillips surpassing the 1,000-dig threshold. Surrounding Phillips are (back row, from left): Claire Barlow, Liz Carpenter, Aubrie Wachacha and team manager Eden Orr; (front row, from left): Fala Welch, Tai Owle and Olivia Lewis; kneeling in front, Delaney Brooms (left) and Suri Watty.

The Robbinsville Lady Knights surprised senior Kensley Phillips with gifts immediately after Oct. 6’s home match against Andrews, to help celebrate Phillips surpassing the 1,000-dig threshold. Surrounding Phillips are (back row, from left): Claire Barlow, Liz Carpenter, Aubrie Wachacha and team manager Eden Orr; (front row, from left): Fala Welch, Tai Owle and Olivia Lewis; kneeling in front, Delaney Brooms (left) and Suri Watty.

Can you dig it?

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, October 13, 2022
Robbinsville – Just two days after her older sister hit a coaching milestone, Kensley Phillips found her own way into the annals of Lady Knights volleyball history. Kadey Phillips recorded her 100th career win as head coach of the Lady Knights at Swain County on Sept. 27. Skip ahead to Sept.

Tough at the top

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, September 15, 2022
Hayesville – The Lady Knights are still the team to beat in the Smoky Mountain Conference. Though the Hayesville Lady Jackets gave Robbinsville a tough road match Sept. 8, the Knights prevailed in a compact 28-26, 25-23, 28-26 sweep.
Robbinsville continues to pulverize the ball, with three Lady Knights launching long balls Monday at Hayesville. From left are Halee Anderson, Patience Frapp – who hit two – and Memory Frapp. Photo courtesy of Susan Crowe

Robbinsville continues to pulverize the ball, with three Lady Knights launching long balls Monday at Hayesville. From left are Halee Anderson, Patience Frapp – who hit two – and Memory Frapp. Photo courtesy of Susan Crowe

Breakin’ stitches

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, March 31, 2022
Hayesville – Four home runs and a no-hitter. In a season where Robbinsville has a team average of .420 – while one pitcher has a 1.33 ERA and 50 strikeouts – Monday’s blowout at Hayesville (2-3, 0-3) should come as no surprise.
Anna Williams looks to turn the second leg of a double play during March 15’s home game against Hayesville. Photo courtesy of Tyffany Hicks/Contributing Photographer

Anna Williams looks to turn the second leg of a double play during March 15’s home game against Hayesville. Photo courtesy of Tyffany Hicks/Contributing Photographer

Lady Knights continue to rake

Kevin Hensley
Monday, March 28, 2022
Tallulah – Much like the varsity squad, the middle school Lady Knights are firing on all cylinders. Robbinsville (3-0) continued its hot start to the season Tuesday, besting Murphy 9-3 at P & J Field. “I am super proud of my girls and how hard they play,” said Knights head coach Anna Stewart.