LadyMustangs

Freshman Presley Caylor (10) hit her first-ever varsity home run Monday, which gave the 16-win Robbinsville Lady Knights yet another achievement to celebrate amid what is already a monumental year for the program. Photo by Jacquline Gayosso/The Graham Star

Freshman Presley Caylor (10) hit her first-ever varsity home run Monday, which gave the 16-win Robbinsville Lady Knights yet another achievement to celebrate amid what is already a monumental year for the program. Photo by Jacquline Gayosso/The Graham Star

‘Back, back, gone!’

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, April 25, 2024
Eighteen games into the season, opponents are still trying to find the weak point on the Lady Knights’ roster. Good luck. Just in the last week, Robbinsville (16-2, 8-0) made short work of its latest sprint.
In her first game as a Robbinsville Lady Knight, Sophie Roberts launched the program’s first home run of the year at Smoky Mountain on Monday. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

In her first game as a Robbinsville Lady Knight, Sophie Roberts launched the program’s first home run of the year at Smoky Mountain on Monday. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Offensive outpour

Kevin Hensley
Friday, March 8, 2024
Webster – Everywhere you looked, Monday’s season opener for the Robbinsville Lady Knights was nothing but positive. A 12-run top of the first ended things before they really got started for Smoky Mountain (0-2), as Robbinsville almost batted around twice in its first offensive series of the year.
Suri Watty was lights out from beyond the arc in Dec. 27’s Smoky Mountain Christmas Invitational opener, posting six in Robbinsville’s victory over the Lady Mustangs. Photos by Fala Welch/The Graham Star

Suri Watty was lights out from beyond the arc in Dec. 27’s Smoky Mountain Christmas Invitational opener, posting six in Robbinsville’s victory over the Lady Mustangs. Photos by Fala Welch/The Graham Star

Back on track

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, January 4, 2024
Junior guard Claire Barlow works out of the corner and around the defense of Brevard’s Ella Scott on Dec. 29. Barlow finished with a team-best 19 points in the Christmas tournament finale.
Lleyton Hooper applies a half-nelson during Tuesday’s dual against Cherokee. Photo courtesy of Jacquline Gayosso/Contributing Photographer

Lleyton Hooper applies a half-nelson during Tuesday’s dual against Cherokee. Photo courtesy of Jacquline Gayosso/Contributing Photographer

Dual frenzy

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, December 14, 2023
Robbinsville – Six duals in a span of four days would be a grind for most programs. For Robbinsville, it’s business as usual. The Black Knights welcomed schools from across – and outside – the state for Saturday’s inaugural H.O.O.T.
Robbinsville’s Delaney Brooms (21) jostles with Smoky Mountain’s Kieara Ensley (2) and Julia Macauley over a rebound during the Lady Knights’ win over the Lady Mustangs on Dec. 7. Photos by Fala Welch/The Graham Star

Robbinsville’s Delaney Brooms (21) jostles with Smoky Mountain’s Kieara Ensley (2) and Julia Macauley over a rebound during the Lady Knights’ win over the Lady Mustangs on Dec. 7. Photos by Fala Welch/The Graham Star

Lady Knights shake off overtime road scare

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, December 14, 2023
Anna Williams (left) attempts to evade a Smoky Mountain defender in Robbinsville’s successful JV season opener Dec. 7. Highlands – The trip to Highlands School often produces a mixed reaction from any team that endures the winding journey to the plateau.
Junior Taelyr Jackson swings for an eventual double Tuesday, which was mixed into a 9-run third for Robbinsville in the Lady Knights’ 14-1 rout of Smoky Mountain. Photos by Montana Buchanan/The Graham Star

Junior Taelyr Jackson swings for an eventual double Tuesday, which was mixed into a 9-run third for Robbinsville in the Lady Knights’ 14-1 rout of Smoky Mountain. Photos by Montana Buchanan/The Graham Star

Wild horses tamed

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, March 9, 2023
Webster – Even the faintest cloud of doubt about how this year’s Robbinsville varsity softball team would mesh on the field seemed to dissipate as quickly as the tightly-knit score.
Xander Wachacha – shown unloading a second-half 3 on Dec. 20 at Andrews – had a team-high 21 points in Robbinsville’s loss to Smoky Mountain on Tuesday. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Xander Wachacha – shown unloading a second-half 3 on Dec. 20 at Andrews – had a team-high 21 points in Robbinsville’s loss to Smoky Mountain on Tuesday. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Knights’ 1st loss comes in tournament opener

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, December 29, 2022
Sylva – One team looked like they had not missed a beat. The other struggled to shake off the holiday break. In the first day of the 2022 Smoky Mountain Christmas Invitational, the Robbinsville Black Knights could not replicate the success they had against the hosting Mustangs on Nov.
Desta Trammell speeds up the floor during Nov. 30’s season opener against Smoky Mountain. Trammell’s historic, consecutive free-throw streak ended in the Lady Knights’ campaign debut, but she still lead the team in three different categories – including a 26-point evening. Photo courtesy of Miranda Buchanan/Robbinsville High School Yearbook

Desta Trammell speeds up the floor during Nov. 30’s season opener against Smoky Mountain. Trammell’s historic, consecutive free-throw streak ended in the Lady Knights’ campaign debut, but she still lead the team in three different categories – including a 26-point evening. Photo courtesy of Miranda Buchanan/Robbinsville High School Yearbook

Blemish marks end of streak

Kevin Hensley
Friday, December 9, 2022
Robbinsville – Don’t worry; Desta Trammell heard the whispers. Even though it is superstition in the world of sports to not talk about a streak, Trammell had not forgotten that she carried an improbable run of 59 consecutive free throws made into Nov. 30’s season opener against Smoky Mountain.
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 senior Desta Trammell (6) could not contain her excitement after the final point of the Lady Knights’ 4-set victory at Smoky Mountain on Monday. Also soaking up the moment was Tai Owle (14), Kensley Phillips (4), assistant coach Dede Brooms, Aubrie Wachacha (16), Suri Watty (2) and Delaney Brooms. Photos by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Robbinsville senior Desta Trammell (6) could not contain her excitement after the final point of the Lady Knights’ 4-set victory at Smoky Mountain on Monday. Also soaking up the moment was Tai Owle (14), Kensley Phillips (4), assistant coach Dede Brooms, Aubrie Wachacha (16), Suri Watty (2) and Delaney Brooms. Photos by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Righting the ship

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, September 22, 2022
Sylva – Twice the Robbinsville Lady Knights traveled to Jackson County last week. Twice, they returned home with victories. Coming off a tough sweep at Asheville Christian Academy on Sept.