LadyWildcats

Memory Frapp, Claire Barlow and Zoie Shuler (from left) ripped a combined four homers in Friday’s 12-1 win over Andrews. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Fate rests in their hands

Kevin Hensley

Monday, May 1, 2023

Robbinsville – If Tuesday’s game is any indicator, the Lady Knights are going to have to work extra hard to retain their monopoly on the Smoky Mountain Conference championship.

All Smoky Mountain senior Bailey Cloer (8) could do was watch as outfielders madly attempted to field a ball driven to the outer reaches by Lady Knights senior Kensley Phillips. Phillips doubled on the second-inning drive and recorded her Knights-leading fifth triple at Andrews on Tuesday. Photo courtesy of Bentley Riggs/Contributing Photographer

‘Re-build’ ahead of schedule

Kevin Hensley

Friday, April 21, 2023

Robbinsville – This was supposed to be the rebuilding year. The Lady Knights graduated eight seniors (six of which started) and had just two when the season began – Kensley Phillips and Fala Welch. Both combined for exactly one at-bat in 2022. Sure, the core threats were still on the roster.

The Robbinsville Lady Knights gather for the final “W” photo they will take on their home court, after polishing off the Draughn Lady Wildcats 65-41 in the fourth round of the state playoffs. All names are listed from left. Front row: Anna York, Suri Watty, Maleah Cox, Abby Wehr, Olivia Lewis, Aubrie Wachacha and Liz Carpenter. Back row: Bella Ford, Bentley Riggins, Katie-Lyn Gross, Desta Trammell, Anna Williams and Kensley Phillips. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

'We proved everybody wrong'

Kevin Hensley

Thursday, March 2, 2023

Freshman guard Suri Watty brings the ball up the floor during Feb. 23's second-round road win over the Albemarle Lady Bulldogs. Photo courtesy of Marjorie Jaynes/Albemarle High School Robbinsville – A lot of positive factors have to fall in place to reach the semifinals of the state tournament.

Robbinsville senior Kensley Phillips pulls away on a fast break during overtime of Feb. 16's Smoky Mountain Conference finals against Cherokee. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Lady Knights hit the road for playoffs

Kevin Hensley

Wednesday, February 22, 2023

Albemarle -- Playing the role of underdog Thursday, the Robbinsville Lady Knights went on the road for the second round of the playoffs. And for the second time in three seasons, Robbinsville (No. 13, 19-8) knocked off a higher-seeded team.

Desta Trammell unloads one of her 8 long-range shots Monday at Hiwassee Dam. In as many weeks, Robbinsville’s senior point guard has twice broken the 40-point threshold. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

44 for No. 4

Kevin Hensley

Thursday, February 2, 2023

Hiwassee Dam – At the end of the first half Monday, Desta Trammell had 21 of Robbinsville’s 33 points. The Lady Knights went on to prevail in a 74-65 road battle against the Hiwassee Dam Lady Eagles – with Trammell accounting for the lion’s share of the load: 44 points.

Lady Knights senior Kensley Phillips pulls away from the defensive pursuit of Andrews’ Gracelyn Worley (22) and Demi Davis (15) on Tuesday. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Knights back in the win column

Kevin Hensley

Thursday, December 22, 2022

Robbinsville – Fresh off losing their first conference opener since a 66-60 loss at Hayesville on Dec. 20, 2019, the Lady Knights could have felt dejected as they headed into Friday’s showdown with Murphy (1-7, 1-2). Instead, Robbinsville showed up and showed out.

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.

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.

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.

Robbinsville’s Delaney Brooms, Tai Owle, Kensley Phillips, Desta Trammell and Claire Barlow (from left) erupt after a decisive kill Sept. 1 against Murphy. The Lady Knights handed the Bulldogs a 4-set loss. Photo by Justin Fitzgerald/Cherokee Scout

Deja vu

Kevin Hensley

Thursday, September 8, 2022

Robbinsville – It’s ok if you feel like you have seen this ending before. Ostensibly, you have. Sure, some of the players have changed. There’s a new setter for Robbinsville – senior Desta Trammell – and Murphy’s frontline defense has a different look for the 2022 season.