Cherokee

Robbinsville senior Lathan Buchanan relishes his first-ever varsity home run after Tuesday’s 12-7 win over Cherokee. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Win No. 1 is here

Kevin Hensley

Friday, March 31, 2023

Robbinsville – Finally. Entering Tuesday’s home game against Cherokee, the Robbinsville varsity baseball team was winless. In 5-of-their-first-6 games, the Black Knights had lost by eight or more runs and opponents had outscored Robbinsville 84-15.

Robbinsville senior Fala Welch – shown recording an RBI on March 20 at Copper Basin, Tenn. – posted another scoring single in Tuesday’s 8-2 win over Cherokee. Photo by Montana Buchanan/The Graham Star

Lady Knights rolling through conference

Kevin Hensley

Friday, March 31, 2023

Robbinsville – Even though March 23’s home appointment with Swain County was rained out, it seems that no one – beyond Mother Nature – can dampen the Lady Knights.

Lady Knights senior Desta Trammell shoves the ball toward the net on a breakaway in Friday’s Smoky Mountain Conference Tournament finals. Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Lady Knights roll after shaky playoff start

Kevin Hensley

Friday, February 24, 2023

Robbinsville – It took the Lady Knights a full quarter to get their offensive engines roaring. Starmount was left in their dust. In what could be the final home game for Robbinsville (No.

Robbinsville juniors Xander Wachacha (left) and Donovan Carpenter erupt in celebration after Wachacha drew the and-one after completing a transition basket Monday. Wachacha and Carpenter accounted for 30 of the Black Knights’ 47 points in the Smoky Mountain Conference semifinals against Hayesville. Photos by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Black Knights’ next goal is one win away

Kevin Hensley

Friday, February 17, 2023

Logan Callaway shoots a free throw during the second half of Robbinsville’s tournament exit against Murphy. Callaway’s presence off the bench gave the Knights a huge shot in the arm. Andrews – It was a nail biter, but the Black Knights got the job done.

The Robbinsville Middle School Black Knights gathered on the court with their runner-up plaque after the conference-tournament finale Jan. 19 at Murphy.

Middle school Knights drop tournament finals to Braves

Kevin Hensley

Thursday, January 26, 2023

Murphy – The Black Knights pushed their season to its latest possible game: the Smoky Mountain Conference tournament finals. But Robbinsville’s dance partner in the Jan. 19 title showdown was Cherokee, a team that had its number during the regular season.

All Cherokee’s Alexis Smith could do was look on as Desta Trammell took flight for a second-half bucket Tuesday at Cherokee. Trammell had 42 points at Swain County on Jan. 19 and her 23-point evening at Cherokee pushed her to 1,603 career points. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Lady Knights left with questions, very few answers

Kevin Hensley

Thursday, January 26, 2023

Cherokee – The only Smoky Mountain Conference team that has had the Lady Knights’ number this year is the Cherokee Braves. Robbinsville (10-7, 4-2) entered Tuesday’s rematch with the first-place Braves, full of optimism that the Knights had the right game plan in place after the first outing Dec.

Donovan Carpenter glances down at his handiwork in the closing seconds of Tuesday’s comeback victory at Cherokee. Carpenter’s dunk resoundingly affirmed a 58-48 win for the Black Knights. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Slow and steady wins the race

Kevin Hensley

Thursday, January 26, 2023

Cherokee – It was time to take the Braves to school.

Robbinsville’s Liz Carpenter (23) and Kensley Phillips slow down the drive of North Buncombe’s Peyton Whitson on Friday. Photo by Miranda Buchanan/Robbinsville High School Yearbook

Blackhawks clip Lady Knights

Kevin Hensley

Thursday, December 22, 2022

Robbinsville – The chips simply did not fall in the Lady Knights’ favor. In what evolved into a back-and-forth tussle, Robbinsville (3-2, 0-1) incurred its first loss of the season Friday, dropping a 47-46 heartbreaker to the North Buncombe Blackhawks.

Senior point guard Brock Adams (right) breaks away from a North Buncombe defender in the first half of Robbinsville’s double-overtime win over the Blackhawks on Friday. Photo by Miranda Buchanan/Robbinsville High School Yearbook

2x the pleasure; 2x the fun

Kevin Hensley

Thursday, December 22, 2022

Robbinsville – In the end, the Black Knights would not be denied. With a perfect season on the line, Robbinsville and North Buncombe were tied 57-57 late in Friday’s non-conference clash.

2nd-half woes doom Knights

Kevin Hensley

Friday, December 9, 2022

Robbinsville – With 1:30 left before halftime, Tucker Jones drove into the paint and put up a floater that sank through the basket, giving the middle school Black Knights a 25-24 lead over Cherokee. From that point forward, Robbinsville scored just 15 more points in the game.