LadyDevils

Lady Knights junior Memory Frapp improved to 6-0 on the season April 6, flirting with a no-no while striking out seven Lady Devils in a five-inning, 11-0 rout over Swain County. Photo courtesy of Miranda Buchanan/Robbinsville High School Yearbook

Lady Knights junior Memory Frapp improved to 6-0 on the season April 6, flirting with a no-no while striking out seven Lady Devils in a five-inning, 11-0 rout over Swain County. Photo courtesy of Miranda Buchanan/Robbinsville High School Yearbook

Committed to Memory

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, April 13, 2023
Robbinsville – She smacked a hit past the outstretched gloves of infielders and outfielders alike. A run scored. Junior pitcher Memory Frapp had aided her own cause, giving herself and the Lady Knights a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the third.
Despite the chilly elements Robbinsville has played in recently, Memory Frapp has warmed up at the plate. The junior unleashed home runs in back-to-back games last week. Photo by Montana Buchanan/The Graham Star

Despite the chilly elements Robbinsville has played in recently, Memory Frapp has warmed up at the plate. The junior unleashed home runs in back-to-back games last week. Photo by Montana Buchanan/The Graham Star

These girls can rake

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, March 23, 2023
Robbinsville – Through seven games, they have outscored their foes 85-39; ran up a team average of .393 at the plate; homered five times; and have collectively posted five triples. And pundits were concerned that the Lady Knights might have an off year.
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.
All Cherokee’s Alexis Smith could do was look on as Desta Trammell took flight for a second-half bucket Tuesday at Cherokee. Trammell had 42 points at Swain County on Jan. 19 and her 23-point evening at Cherokee pushed her to 1,603 career points. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

All Cherokee’s Alexis Smith could do was look on as Desta Trammell took flight for a second-half bucket Tuesday at Cherokee. Trammell had 42 points at Swain County on Jan. 19 and her 23-point evening at Cherokee pushed her to 1,603 career points. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Lady Knights left with questions, very few answers

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, January 26, 2023
Cherokee – The only Smoky Mountain Conference team that has had the Lady Knights’ number this year is the Cherokee Braves. Robbinsville (10-7, 4-2) entered Tuesday’s rematch with the first-place Braves, full of optimism that the Knights had the right game plan in place after the first outing Dec.
Robbinsville’s Eli Lambert (12) splits a pair of Maroon-Devil defenders during the Black Knights’ win over Swain County on Jan. 5. Photos by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Robbinsville’s Eli Lambert (12) splits a pair of Maroon-Devil defenders during the Black Knights’ win over Swain County on Jan. 5. Photos by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Middle school hoops splits final slate

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, January 12, 2023
Lady Knight Chloe Adams pulls away from a Swain County defender for a second-half transition basket Jan. 5. Robbinsville – Both of Graham County’s middle school basketball programs kickstarted 2023 with a bang, overcoming tight deficits to pick up a pair of home victories.
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.
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 clinched a share of the Smoky Mountain Conference title for the second time in four seasons Oct. 13, sweeping Swain County on senior night. All names are listed from left. Front row: Fala Welch, Claire Barlow, Desta Trammell and Tai Owle. Back row: Assistant coach Dede Brooms, manager Eden Orr, Liz Carpenter, Suri Watty, Delaney Brooms, Aubrie Wachacha, Kensley Phillips, head coach Kadey Phillips and line judge Jade Teesateskie. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

The Robbinsville Lady Knights clinched a share of the Smoky Mountain Conference title for the second time in four seasons Oct. 13, sweeping Swain County on senior night. All names are listed from left. Front row: Fala Welch, Claire Barlow, Desta Trammell and Tai Owle. Back row: Assistant coach Dede Brooms, manager Eden Orr, Liz Carpenter, Suri Watty, Delaney Brooms, Aubrie Wachacha, Kensley Phillips, head coach Kadey Phillips and line judge Jade Teesateskie. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Step 1: Complete

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, October 20, 2022
Robbinsville – Entering the 2022 season, they heard the whispers. The doubts. The naysayers. Then the Robbinsville Lady Knights assessed the circumstances and posted a 15-win campaign, which culminated Oct. 13 with a 14-25, 14-25, 20-25 sweep of Swain County (12-11) on senior night.
The Robbinsville Lady Knights surround head coach Kadey Phillips on Tuesday, moments after a 4-set victory at Swain County gave Phillips’ her 100th career win. All names are listed from left. Kneeling in front: Suri Watty and Delaney Brooms. Second row: Claire Barlow, Liz Carpenter, Tai Owle, manager Eden Orr, Kadey Phillips, Kensley Phillips, Desta Trammell, assistant coach Dede Brooms and Fala Welch. Standing in back is Aubrie Wachacha. Photos by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

The Robbinsville Lady Knights surround head coach Kadey Phillips on Tuesday, moments after a 4-set victory at Swain County gave Phillips’ her 100th career win. All names are listed from left. Kneeling in front: Suri Watty and Delaney Brooms. Second row: Claire Barlow, Liz Carpenter, Tai Owle, manager Eden Orr, Kadey Phillips, Kensley Phillips, Desta Trammell, assistant coach Dede Brooms and Fala Welch. Standing in back is Aubrie Wachacha. Photos by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Model of consistency

Kevin Hensley
Friday, September 30, 2022
Bryson City – It took Kadey Phillips just 130 matches to carve out 100 career wins. The clincher was a 4-set Robbinsville Lady Knights triumph at Swain County on Tuesday.
Robbinsville Middle School catcher Dreylee Webster applies the tag to a Swain County runner Friday. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Robbinsville Middle School catcher Dreylee Webster applies the tag to a Swain County runner Friday. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Knights fall to Swain

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, April 7, 2022
Robbinsville – The only team to disrupt an otherwise-perfect season for the Robbinsville Middle School Lady Knights has been Swain County.