SMCWrestling

The Robbinsville Black Knights take a moment to soak in their 1A Western Regional Championship victory, after prevailing over the rest of the field at Mitchell High School last weekend.

Best in the West

Kevin Hensley

Friday, February 17, 2023

Nothing could erase the smile off Robbinsville head coach David Haney's face, after the Black Knights captured the 1A Western Championship on Saturday. It was the storied coach's first-ever regional title.

Koleson Dooley defiantly pins Avery County’s Connor Brewer in the heavyweight bout of Feb. 1’s Western Regional Finals match at Swain. Dooley’s pin gave Robbinsville an 18-6 lead, but the Vikings would rally and advance to the state-dual championship. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Black Knights drop heartbreaker in 1A Western Regional finals

Kevin Hensley

Thursday, February 9, 2023

Bryson City – Robbinsville’s pursuit of the program’s second dual-team, state-wrestling championship came to a gut-wrenching conclusion Feb. 1 at Swain County High School. Entering the postseason with the No. 1 seed, Robbinsville (29-4) faced a fired-up Swain County (No.

Loxston Hooper pins Murphy’s Dalton Farmer to win the 120-pound bout of Saturday’s first-round, dual-team tournament match in Robbinsville. The Black Knights went on to steamroll the Bulldogs 81-0, before downing Alleghany 58-15 to advance to the Elite 8. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Knights takedown 2; advance to Elite 8

Kevin Hensley

Thursday, February 2, 2023

Robbinsville – The Bulldogs and Trojans had a tough row to hoe Saturday: the buzzsaw that is “The ‘Ville.

Black Knights senior Turner Jackson stares down Alleghany's Isaac Stokes at the outset of Jan. 28's, second-round state dual-team tournament match in Robbinsville. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Black Knights continue quest for state dual title

Kevin Hensley

Wednesday, February 1, 2023

Bryson City – Robbinsville's pursuit of the program's second dual-team state wrestling championship came to a heartbreaking conclusion Wednesday at Swain County High School. Entering the postseason with the No. 1 seed, Robbinsville (29-4) faced a fired-up Swain County (No.

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.

Members of the Robbinsville wrestling program gather with the 2023 James Orr Memorial Invitational runner-up trophy, clinched after hosting their signature tournament Saturday. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

The show must go on

Kevin Hensley

Thursday, January 19, 2023

Robbinsville – Things did not go exactly to plan. The 2023 James Orr Memorial Invitational is normally a massive, daylong tournament, drawing programs from around the tri-state area to Graham County.

Members of the Robbinsville High School gather around the championship plaque the Black Knights collected Saturday, after going 5-0 and winning the Enka Duals in Candler. Photo courtesy of Robbinsville Wrestling

Check the trophy case

Kevin Hensley

Thursday, January 12, 2023

Candler – If the trend continues, they might have to re-name the famed “Jet Hanger” at Enka High School, “Robbinsville’s House.” For the third time this year, the Black Knights traveled to suburban Asheville on Saturday. The task ahead?

Robbinsville junior Kage Williams picked up his 100th career win on Dec. 29 during the Holy Angels Invitational in Greensboro.

182-pound champion; 100-win resume

Kevin Hensley

Thursday, January 5, 2023

Greensboro – Two days. One hundred and 15 teams. No classifications: it really is every man for himself. So to stand out from the pack, you have to be an elite wrestler. Dominant. Quick thinking. Tough enough to persevere when a challenge does present itself.

Robbinsville senior Turner Jackson dictates his Dec. 20 home bout against Hayesville’s Seth McCaslin. Jackson went on to best McCaslin in a 15-2 majority decision. Photo courtesy of Miranda Buchanan/Robbinsville High School Yearbook

Robbinsville takes 2nd at Devil Duals

Kevin Hensley

Thursday, December 29, 2022

Bryson City – Entering the Christmas break, Robbinsville wrestling has already worked its way through 19 duals. The Knights’ latest foray was as a participant in the 16-team Devil Duals, an all-day showcase held at Swain County High School on Dec. 22.

Williams dubbed ‘Foard Tough’

Kevin Hensley

Thursday, December 22, 2022

Newton – There is no level of competition that has conquered Kage Williams this season. Now at a healthy 25-0, Williams continued his quest to have another wing constructed at his homestead Saturday, collecting the Most Outstanding Wrestler distinction at the annual Fred T.