Cherokee

Ethan Orr blanked 10 Cherokee batters in March 21’s 9-2 victory; while Quinn Jumper (12) tripled home the winning runs in Monday’s 10-8 win at Swain County. Photo by Jacquline Gayosso/The Graham Star

Ethan Orr blanked 10 Cherokee batters in March 21’s 9-2 victory; while Quinn Jumper (12) tripled home the winning runs in Monday’s 10-8 win at Swain County. Photo by Jacquline Gayosso/The Graham Star

Series of fortunate events

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, March 28, 2024
Bryson City – It was a game the Black Knights wanted back. Badly.
Senior shortstop Zoie Shuler puts a charge into one of Robbinsville’s 11 hits Tuesday at Cherokee. The University of Tennessee-commit entered this season as the program’s all-time home run leader (21 to date) and is a serious contender to break the Lady Knights’ stolen base and RBI record before all is said and done. Photo by Brooklyn Brown/Cherokee One Feather

Senior shortstop Zoie Shuler puts a charge into one of Robbinsville’s 11 hits Tuesday at Cherokee. The University of Tennessee-commit entered this season as the program’s all-time home run leader (21 to date) and is a serious contender to break the Lady Knights’ stolen base and RBI record before all is said and done. Photo by Brooklyn Brown/Cherokee One Feather

Explosive innings propel Lady Knights to victory

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, March 21, 2024
Robbinsville – Until the bottom of the third, it was anybody’s ballgame. Dissatisfied with the outlook, the Lady Knights brought their bats to life. The end result? A 12-run segment, aided immensely by Dreylee Webster mashing a grand slam and a 2-run dinger from Sophie Roberts.
Tytan Teesateskie continued his hot start at the varsity level last week, with the junior first baseman driving in four of Robbinsville’s runs amid a 13-3 rout of the visiting Copper Basin Cougars. To help compliment Graylen Orr’s dominant starts this year, Teesateskie has drove in seven runs during Robbinsville’s first two wins. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Tytan Teesateskie continued his hot start at the varsity level last week, with the junior first baseman driving in four of Robbinsville’s runs amid a 13-3 rout of the visiting Copper Basin Cougars. To help compliment Graylen Orr’s dominant starts this year, Teesateskie has drove in seven runs during Robbinsville’s first two wins. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Batters provide few answers for senior deliveryman

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, March 21, 2024
Robbinsville – Through his first three starts of the season, Graylen Orr has left hitters mystified — more often than not, returning to the dugout in short order.
Junior forward Bryce Adams rises above the defense of Cherokee’s Savian Davis (12) and Samuel Hernandez (10) for a second-half basket Tuesday. Including Adams, four Robbinsville players scored in double digits – but could not stop the Braves from winning the Smoky Mountain Conference title. Photos by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Junior forward Bryce Adams rises above the defense of Cherokee’s Savian Davis (12) and Samuel Hernandez (10) for a second-half basket Tuesday. Including Adams, four Robbinsville players scored in double digits – but could not stop the Braves from winning the Smoky Mountain Conference title. Photos by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

No Knights off in SMC

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, February 15, 2024
The final Smoky Mountain Conference standings for the 2023-24 boys basketball season. Cherokee – In a span of two days, the Robbinsville Black Knights watched their Smoky Mountain Conference title defense slip away. Though Feb.
It was smiles all around for the Lady Knights during their regular-season home finale Feb. 7 against Blue Ridge School, as clearly illustrated on this throw-in from Claire Barlow (4) to Suri Watty. Photo by Audrey Colvin/The Graham Star

It was smiles all around for the Lady Knights during their regular-season home finale Feb. 7 against Blue Ridge School, as clearly illustrated on this throw-in from Claire Barlow (4) to Suri Watty. Photo by Audrey Colvin/The Graham Star

Lady Knights take 3rd

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, February 15, 2024
The final Smoky Mountain Conference standings for the 2023-24 girls basketball season. Cherokee – A home playoff game is still up for grabs for the Robbinsville Lady Knights, after finishing the regular season ranked third in the Smoky Mountain Conference.
All Murphy’s Ryan Payne (11) could do was look on in awe of Robbinsville junior Darion Ledbetter making this reverse layup look easy during Tuesday’s nightcap with the Bulldogs. Photos by Fala Welch/The Graham Star

All Murphy’s Ryan Payne (11) could do was look on in awe of Robbinsville junior Darion Ledbetter making this reverse layup look easy during Tuesday’s nightcap with the Bulldogs. Photos by Fala Welch/The Graham Star

No Knights off: Boys division taking shape

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, February 1, 2024
Robbinsville’s Everett Taylor delivers a side heave in JV action Jan. 25 against Hiwassee Dam. Robbinsville – To repeat as the Smoky Mountain Conference champions, the Black Knights will have to make sure not to fall susceptible to the perils of the road.
Junior guard Claire Barlow fearlessly drives through four Hiwassee Dam defenders – Katie McNabb, Brinkley Payne, Olivia McNabb and Sky Taylor (from left) – in the second half of Jan. 25’s home game with the Eagles. Photos by Fala Welch/The Graham Star

Junior guard Claire Barlow fearlessly drives through four Hiwassee Dam defenders – Katie McNabb, Brinkley Payne, Olivia McNabb and Sky Taylor (from left) – in the second half of Jan. 25’s home game with the Eagles. Photos by Fala Welch/The Graham Star

Reclaiming their yard: girls end home skid

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, February 1, 2024
Robbinsville – Completing the season sweep over a fierce conference rival helped the Lady Knights end the week with a feather in their cap.
Amidst a first-quarter flurry, no one was at the basket to stop Xamuel Wachacha’s transition basket – and if they dared to interfere with the proceedings, Eli Lambert had a front-row seat to the bucket. Photo by Fala Welch/The Graham Star

Amidst a first-quarter flurry, no one was at the basket to stop Xamuel Wachacha’s transition basket – and if they dared to interfere with the proceedings, Eli Lambert had a front-row seat to the bucket. Photo by Fala Welch/The Graham Star

How legends are made

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, January 25, 2024
Robbinsville – It was over before it really got started. Following a 10-day layoff, the Robbinsville Middle School Black Knights (No. 1 seed) showed no signs of rust when they hit the floor to duke it out with the Andrews Wildcats (No. 4) in Jan.
Cameron Allison – shown taking flight in Nov. 30’s home game against Swain County – produced back-to-back, 22-point performances in the last week for Robbinsville’s 10-0, middle school Black Knights. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Cameron Allison – shown taking flight in Nov. 30’s home game against Swain County – produced back-to-back, 22-point performances in the last week for Robbinsville’s 10-0, middle school Black Knights. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Black Knights now 10-0

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, December 14, 2023
Robbinsville – When the Hiwassee Dam/Ranger rolled into the Robbinsville Elementary School Gym parking lot Dec. 7, a lot of anticipation followed suit. The second game of the year was in the back of both teams’ minds: Robbinsville had won the Nov. 9 appointment, 52-44.
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.