Black Knights put 7 on the podium at State Finals, including 4 champions
Sports, Team FYN Sports, TeamFYNSports February 19, 2022
Greensboro- The Robbinsville Black Knights sent 9 wrestlers to the NCHSAA 1A Traditonal State championships in Greensboro this weekend, and 7 of those 9 ended up on the podium when it was all said and done.
As a team, Robbinsville finished second in the state behind Avery County.
Team Standings:
- Avery County- 196
- Robbinsville- 134
- Uwharrie Charter- 114
Individual placers:
106lb- Alexis Panama (State Champ)
Alexis Panama defeated Hunter Fulp of North Stokes by 10-3 decision in the 106lb state championship match. On his way to the title, Panama defeated Christian Harris (pin) of Albemarle and Cooper Foster (MD) of Avery County.
126lb- Jayden Nowell (State Runner-up)
The 126lb state championship was a rematch of the 126lb Western Regional Championship between Jayden Nowell of Robbinsville and Grant Reece of Avery County. Nowell got the best of Reece in the region championship- but Reece got his revenge this time around at State, defeating Nowell by decison (8-4). The Senior wraps up his highschool career as The Ville’s all-time pin leader and one of the best to come through the Black Knights historic program.
145lb- Jaret Panama (4th Place)
Jaret Panama lost his opening match to eventual 145lb State Champ Ranfere Garcia, and wrestled all the way back for a fourth place finish. Panama finished his Senior season with a record of 23-12.
Ring, ring, ring….
For the second straight year, the trio of Fink × Williams × Wachacha dominated the 182lb thru 220lb weight classes.
182lb- Kyle Fink (State Champ)
New year, new weight class, same result for Fink, as he went pin-major decision-pin on his way to a state title in the 182lb class. Fink won the 195lb title last year, but moved down this year so he and fellow Black Knight Kage Williams could be in a more comfortable division.
195lb- Kage Williams (State Champ)
2 minutes and 26 seconds. That’s how long the Sophomore was on the mat on his way to his 2nd state title in as many years. Williams won by pin in all 3 matches, and in all 3 matches it took less than a minute for him to flip his opponent on his back. Williams won 35 matches this year, and has yet to lose on the mat in his high school career.
220lb- Ben Wachacha (State Champ)
Wachacha was the 3rd of 3 Robbinsville wrestlers to win a ring for the second straight year. Big Ben defeated conference foe Carson Taylor of Swain County in the 220lb state championship bout. Wachacha finished the season a champion, with a 40-6 record.
285lb- Carlos Wesley (State Runner-up)
Wesley lost in the heavyweight state finals to Avery County’s Levi Andrews by 3-0 decision. Wesley’s semi-final matchup was one for the books, as he won by ultimate tiebreaker (3-2) over Thomasvilles Deshawn Holman, the #1 seed from the East.
Black Knights Win Great Smoky Mtn. Grapple
Sports, TeamFYNSports December 21, 2021
The Robbinsville Black Knights Wrestling team traveled to Harrahs Cherokee Center to compete in the Great Smoky Mtn Grapple last Saturday.
The Black Knights did what they do best, and put 8 wrestlers in the semi-finals against some of the toughest competition in our area.
On the girls side of things, Aynsley Fink rattled off four straight pins on her way to winning the 106lb womens division
In the 132lb class, Jayden Nowell won his first 3 matches of the day by pin-fall and secured a second place finish on the day. Nowell lost in the championship match to 3-time, 2A State Champ Kyle Montaperto.
In 138lb, Zane Lucksavage was knocked out of the semifinals but fought his way back in the consolations for a 3rd place finish, as did Jaret Panama in the 160lb division. Panama’s wins all came by decision.
Kyle Fink ran through the 182lb weight class until falling in the Championship match. Fink still finished second and is 16-2 on the year.
In 195, Kage Williams kept his undefeated streak alive, going 4-0 on the evening and defeating Owen Clark, a 2A State Runnerup, in the championship round.
Big Ben Wachacha suffered his first loss on the year, but fought back for a 3rd place finish and now sits at 15-1 this season.
Robbinsville defeated 30+ other teams, and scored 187 team points on the evening.
Full results can be found here: