SMCWrestling

Black Knights senior Zane Lucksavage (seated, right) signed to wrestle for Colby Community College on May 3. Sitting with Lucksavage are father Phil (left) and mother Janelle. Standing in back is recently-retired Robbinsville head coach Todd Odom. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Black Knights senior Zane Lucksavage (seated, right) signed to wrestle for Colby Community College on May 3. Sitting with Lucksavage are father Phil (left) and mother Janelle. Standing in back is recently-retired Robbinsville head coach Todd Odom. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Full circle

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, May 12, 2022
Robbinsville – After a well-traveled life, Zane Lucksavage finally has some stability to look forward to. The Black Knights senior inked a commitment to wrestle for Colby Community College (Kan.
Ben Wachacha (seated, center) signed to wrestle for the University of Mount Olive on Friday. Seated with Wachacha are (from left) grandmother Debbie Bird, mother Monaka Wachacha, sister Amara Wachacha, father Randy Wachacha and grandmother Carolyn Wachacha. Standing in back are grandfather John Bird (left) and sister Aubrie Wachacha. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Ben Wachacha (seated, center) signed to wrestle for the University of Mount Olive on Friday. Seated with Wachacha are (from left) grandmother Debbie Bird, mother Monaka Wachacha, sister Amara Wachacha, father Randy Wachacha and grandmother Carolyn Wachacha. Standing in back are grandfather John Bird (left) and sister Aubrie Wachacha. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Ready for Trojan War

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, April 28, 2022
Robbinsville – A two-time state champion has decided to take the next huge step in life.
With Todd Odom’s retirement looming, it felt appropriate to capture the memory with my “pal” (actually one of Todd’s nicknames for me) of one final tournament at the Greensboro Coliseum on Feb. 19. Thanks for everything.

With Todd Odom’s retirement looming, it felt appropriate to capture the memory with my “pal” (actually one of Todd’s nicknames for me) of one final tournament at the Greensboro Coliseum on Feb. 19. Thanks for everything.

Happy trails to leader of ‘The ‘Ville’

Kevin Hensley
Friday, March 18, 2022
In this industry, you develop a sort of subconscious “filter” on who – and who is not – your genuine friend.
Members of “The ‘Ville” were selected for the N.C./S.C. All-Star Classic, which was held Friday in Myrtle Beach. From left are Jayden Nowell, Robbinsville head coach Todd Odom, Carlos Wesley and Kyle Fink. Photo by Susan Crowe/Contributing Photographer

Members of “The ‘Ville” were selected for the N.C./S.C. All-Star Classic, which was held Friday in Myrtle Beach. From left are Jayden Nowell, Robbinsville head coach Todd Odom, Carlos Wesley and Kyle Fink. Photo by Susan Crowe/Contributing Photographer

3 amigos

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, March 10, 2022
Myrtle Beach, S.C. – To be selected from a crop of talented wrestlers across all classifications is quite the honor. The fact that three Robbinsville seniors made the cut speaks volumes to the respect the program has crafted.
Robbinsville wrestling head coach Todd Odom (right) shares a laugh with assistant Colby White at Saturday’s state individual tournament. After 21 years as a coach, Odom announced his retirement from the sport Sunday. Photos by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Robbinsville wrestling head coach Todd Odom (right) shares a laugh with assistant Colby White at Saturday’s state individual tournament. After 21 years as a coach, Odom announced his retirement from the sport Sunday. Photos by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

'I just know'

Kevin Hensley
Wednesday, February 23, 2022
Robbinsville – “How did you know when it was time for you to retire from coaching? Coach Bob Colvin and coach Bruce Snyder both answered with exactly the same reply: ‘You just know.’  “So why retire or why retire now? I just know.
Kyle Fink, 182-pound state champion. Photos by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Kyle Fink, 182-pound state champion. Photos by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

4 Horsemen

Kevin Hensley
Wednesday, February 23, 2022
Greensboro – Soon enough, there will be four more championship canvasses hanging inside the Robbinsville wrestling building. The Black Knights trekked to the Greensboro Coliseum on Friday and Saturday, and did what “The ‘Ville” is best known for: bringing home some hardware.
Several members of the Robbinsville wrestling program gather in the Greensboro Coliseum concourse Saturday night, posing with the 1A Invitational Tournament Team Runner-Up plaque. Photo courtesy of Susan Crowe/Contributing Photographer

Several members of the Robbinsville wrestling program gather in the Greensboro Coliseum concourse Saturday night, posing with the 1A Invitational Tournament Team Runner-Up plaque. Photo courtesy of Susan Crowe/Contributing Photographer

Four Black Knights capture state titles

Kevin Hensley
Saturday, February 19, 2022
Greensboro – At the culmination of the two-day, N.C. High School Athletic Association Individual Wrestling Tournament, four Graham County grapplers departed with state gold.
Members of the Robbinsville High School wrestling program gather with the 1A Western Regional Individual Runner-Up plaque, at the conclusion of the two-day tournament at Alleghany. Photos by Susan Crowe/Contributing Photographer

Members of the Robbinsville High School wrestling program gather with the 1A Western Regional Individual Runner-Up plaque, at the conclusion of the two-day tournament at Alleghany. Photos by Susan Crowe/Contributing Photographer

More action, more titles

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, February 17, 2022
Sparta – It won’t be long before Robbinsville will have to construct an addition to its wrestling facility … just for an awards room.
Robbinsville senior Jayden Nowell hooks the left arm of Swain County’s Owen Craig during the 132-pound bout of the Feb. 2 third round, dual-team championship match in Bryson City. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Robbinsville senior Jayden Nowell hooks the left arm of Swain County’s Owen Craig during the 132-pound bout of the Feb. 2 third round, dual-team championship match in Bryson City. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Black Knights fall in Western Regional finals

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, February 10, 2022
Bryson City – It was not the way things had hoped to go. Robbinsville (No. 1 seed, 22-2) knocked off Smoky Mountain Conference foe Swain County (No. 5, 18-4) in the third round of the N.C. High School Athletic Association’s Dual-Team Championship Tournament on Feb.
Lady Knights senior Aynsley Fink didn’t even break a sweat Saturday, as she captured her second straight N.C. High School Athletic Association Women’s Invitational State Championship in Greensboro. Photos by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Lady Knights senior Aynsley Fink didn’t even break a sweat Saturday, as she captured her second straight N.C. High School Athletic Association Women’s Invitational State Championship in Greensboro. Photos by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

History repeats itself

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, February 10, 2022
Greensboro – Label her as you wish: role model, trendsetter or even unstoppable. Just don't peg her as ungrateful.