Robbinsville’s Dee Walsh Retires, Leaves Legacy Of Excellence
Sports, TeamFYNSports January 24, 2025
Robbinsville High School Head Coach Dee Walsh Retires, Leaving a Legacy of Excellence
Robbinsville High School’s beloved head football coach, Dee Walsh, has announced his retirement, marking the end of a storied career that has left an indelible mark on the Black Knights’ football program. His departure brings to a close decades of commitment, excellence, and championships that have defined not only his career but also the Robbinsville community.
Walsh’s journey with Robbinsville football began as a player in the early 1970s, where he helped the team to back-to-back state championships in 1973 and 1974. After transitioning to coaching, Walsh became a cornerstone of the program, serving as an assistant coach during five state title victories before taking the helm as head coach in 1985. He remained at Robbinsville until 1988, and then returned again in 2008 until now.
During his tenure, Walsh guided the Black Knights to multiple state championships, including an undefeated season in 2014 and 2019, adding to Robbinsville’s claim of “Title Town.” His 100th career win in 2014—an emphatic 49-3 victory over North Henderson—further cemented his legacy as one of the state’s premier high school football coaches.
Significant Players Coached by Walsh
Coach Walsh’s success is deeply intertwined with the talented players he has been blessed to coach. Among the notable athletes under his leadership were:
Rylee Anderson, a dominant force at running back during the Black Knights’ state championship runs, known for his speed and power.
Skyler Matheson, a key defensive leader who anchored Robbinsville’s defense with his relentless pursuit.
Nathan Collins, a standout quarterback who led the team with precision passing and unwavering leadership.
Kurt Odom, whose versatility on both sides of the ball exemplified the grit and determination Walsh instilled in his players.
Cuttler Adams, an athlete whose impact on the town of Robbinsville and the RHS football program will not soon be forgotten.
These players, among many others, have helped Walsh continue the winning legacy expected in Graham County.
A Community Bids Farewell
As Robbinsville says goodbye to Coach Walsh, the community celebrates his enduring legacy and the foundation he has built for the program’s continued success. While he may be stepping away from the sidelines, his impact will continue to resonate through the players, coaches, and fans who have been on the field and in the stands during his tenure.
Coach Dee Walsh leaves Robbinsville football in the hands of a very capable staff. Walsh’s departure coming at the same time as the new NCHSAA realignment will help his predecessor to step in and continue the success of the historic program.
Offense Shines In Knights Win Over Cherokee
TeamFYNSports November 13, 2022
Robbinsville will advance to the next round of the playoffs after a huge offensive showing against the Cherokee Braves on Thursday night. Their offense did not miss a beat as they took this one 39-12. It was a quick start for the Black Knights as they were able to start the game on a 20-0 run. Once again Cuttler Adams made himself known throughout the game and led the way for the Knights offense, but the bigger story here is just how good Bryce Adams has been at quarterback for the Silver and Black the previous two games. Through the first two playoff games, Bryce is 15/16 for 254 yards and 3 TD’s.
Game Notes
Sophomore QB Bryce Adams finished the game 8/9 for 131 yards and two TDs as well as 54 yards on the ground. Senior Brock Adams was his favorite target as Bryce’s older brother brought in six catches and finished with 107 yards and two TD receptions. However, it was the ground game that did most of the damage for Robbinsville in this one as Cuttler Adams led the way with 181 yards on 17 carries and finished with three TDs. Junior Kage Williams was also able to find the endzone in this one as he finished with 20 yards on 13 carries. Their defense got the job done as well as they held the Braves to just 12 points and under 200 yards of total offense.
The Braves season comes to a disappointing end as they were just overwhelmed on both sides of the ball in this one. QB Kaden “Tso” Smith finished 4/7 for just 25 yards and an interception. He added 39 yards on 14 carries and was able to get a rushing touchdown to open the scoring for Cherokee. Brandon Santiago led the Braves ground game with 75 yards on 13 carries while Xavier Otter was responsible for the other Cherokee TD in the 4th quarter.
Look Ahead
Robbinsville will now take on the 1-seeded Eastern Randolph Wildcats who are coming off a big 16-point victory their last time out.
Smoky Mountain Conference First Round Playoff Preview
Business, Team FYN Sports November 3, 2022
Feature photo from Haley’s Photography
Smoky Mountain Conference- All 6 teams in the SMC are playoff bound, with 5 of the 6 hosting home playoff games this Friday. Let’s take a look at these matchups and see which teams have the best chance to make it to round two.
Andrews
Playoff Outlook- The only unbeaten team in all of 1A football, the Andrews Wildcats somehow were shafted into the 2 seed behind Eastern Randolph. Nonetheless, the Wildcats have a pretty favorable (or at least familiar?) quadrant of the bracket in this year’s playoffs. The Wildcats will be guaranteed home-field advantage for 4 out of the 5 rounds before the State Championship game, starting this Friday night vs Highland Tech. If they can skirt through the first two rounds, things will get interesting for the Cats, as they could start seeing some familiar faces. If all things go well for both teams, we should see a rematch of the SMC championship game in round three as the Murphy Bulldogs would come to Valley Town for the first time in recent memory in the playoffs. The winner of the potential Andrews-Murphy game could go on to face another familiar opponent in the Mitchell Mountaineers.
While the Wildcats surely don’t have the smoothest path to the state championship, they will leave no doubt in anyone’s mind that they are the top team in the West if they can make it there.
First Round vs Highland Tech- Highland Tech will come into Friday night’s contest as the 31st and final team to accept their 2022 playoff bid. The Rams have yet to win a game this season and are a complete opposite reflection of the Wildcats as they sit at 0-10 on the year. The Rams will be led by Seniors Kamari Sheppard and Camron Newman out of the backfield, but I doubt either will be able to get much going vs the Andrews D the smothered Murphy in last week’s contest. Highland Tech has scored a total of 48 points over 10 games this year, while Andrews has scored 40 or more in 8 of their ten games this year.
Look for the Andrews starters to get pulled early, as the final score to this one will be whatever James Phillips and company want it to be.
Prediction- Andrews 49 Highland Tech 0
Cherokee
Playoff Outlook- Last week’s home loss to Swain hurt the Brave’s chances of hosting a playoff game significantly, and now they find themselves having to go on the road for round one. If the Braves can pull off the round one upset, however, things could get interesting in round 2 as they would head to Big Oaks stadium to face the Robbinsville Black Knights.
First Round vs Starmount- Cherokee will face a tough, but beatable, Starmount Rams team on the road in round one of the NCHSAA State Playoffs. Being on the road will make it tougher for the Braves to pull off the upset, but if they can establish that run game and Tso Smith plays like he has the previous three outings, then the Braves just might come home victorious. Their sloppy play through the first few weeks of the season put them behind the eight-ball in terms of playoff seeding, but there are definitely worse spots to be in. The Braves D Line will be put to the test as they go up against Starmount’s 1500-yard rusher in Zack Dezern. The Rams are 1-2 however in games where Dezern has been held under 100 rushing yards, so if Luke Climbingbear and Xavier Otter can stand tall then Cherokee should be in this game for all 48 minutes.
Prediction- Starmount 35 Cherokee 28
Swain County defenders take down the Cherokee ball carrier in last week’s 44-40 victory.
Hayesville
Playoff Outlook- The Yellow Jackets will be hosting a home playoff game for the first time since 2019, and will look to secure their first playoff victory since 2016. Their stellar start to the season along with their road win over Swain County gave the Jackets the number 12 seed in the NCHSAA Playoffs. The Jackets have a very favorable bracket quadrant, and I could see them advancing to round three if they play well. Round one will be against a decent Alleghany team, and if things go well in that one they will travel to perhaps the most overrated top 5 seed, Christ The King (that is if the Crusaders make it out of round 1). CTK is 8 and 2 overall, but they haven’t looked very special this year as they play in a very soft football conference.
First Round vs Alleghany- As mentioned earlier, Hayesville is looking at a chance to get a playoff win for the first time since 2016, and I believe they will do just that. Alleghany comes into Friday night’s matchup as the 21 seed and 3-7 overall. Their most impressive outing of the season actually came in a loss vs Starmount where they held the Rams to only 14 points but were unable to find the endzone offensively. The Trojans are getting outscored by opponents 279-194, and with the way the Hayesville D has played this year, I think the Jackets should be favored in this matchup. They will however have to keep their eyes on the Trojan’s two-headed monster in the backfield, as Junior running back Lemasters and Proffit have accrued over 1500 rushing yards between the two.
Prediction- Hayesville 21 Alleghany 7
Murphy
Playoff Outlook- Last week’s loss to Andrews didn’t do the Bulldogs any favors when it comes to playoff seeding, but luckily for the Dogs if they’re able to get things rolling they should see the first three playoff games pretty close to home. Rounds 1 and 2 will be at home for sure, and round three looks like it will shape up to be just a 15-minute drive down the road to Andrews where the Dogs could avenge last week’s loss to the Cats. Round one will be against a familiar playoff opponent for the Dogs over the years in the Albemarle Bulldogs, while round two will be against a tough East Wilkes team. That possible third-round matchup with Andrews will be on everyone’s mind, but the Dogs will have to stay focused in order to get there as their projected second-round opponent is no slouch.
First Round vs Albemarle- Murphy and Albemarle have had some instant classic games over the previous 10-15 years. Both Dogs have knocked the other out of the playoffs and kept them from adding to their state championship total. This year’s matchup could be another good one, depending on which team shows up. For Albemarle, just like Murphy, this year has been one of ups and downs. In the opening game of the season, Albemarle impressively held now 9-1 Thomasville to only 14 points in a game where they lost 14-0, then turned around and lost four of their next five games. The 26-seeded Bulldogs come into the game vs the 7-seeded Murphy Bulldogs with a 3 and 7 overall record, but they’ve got some playmakers on both sides of the ball. The Murphy defensive secondary will be tested, as Albemarle has thrown for over 1500 yards on the year. On the offensive side of the ball for Murphy, all eyes will be on QB Cole Laney. Laney will be pressured all night by an Albemarle defense that has 18 sacks so far this year, so it will be interesting to see how Cole and the offensive line rebounds from last week’s performance.
Prediction- Murphy 28 Albemarle 14
Robbinsville’s Carson Lovin tackles Murphy’s Trenton Russell
Robbinsville
Playoff Outlook- The Black Knights win on the road over Hayesville last week earned them the number eight seed in the 1A state playoffs. If they want to make a run at another Western Regional championship game, they’ll have some pretty tough matchups along the way. Round one will open up at home vs Cherryville, and round two will see either the Cherokee Braves or the Starmount Rams come to town. Then, things will get difficult for the Knights. In round three they will have to go on the road to face #1 overall seed Eastern Randolph, which will be one of the longest bus rides any team will have to make the playoffs. If the Knights are able to get past ER, they will then have to travel to Mount Airy the next week to face the Granite Bears, just to have a chance at playing in the Western Regional title game. The Knights are no stranger to tough playoff runs, however, and who’s to say they can’t do it again?
First Round vs Cherryville- The Cherryville Ironmen will come into Big Oaks Stadium on Friday night boasting a 3-7 overall record. The Ironmen have been less than impressive this year, having lost 6 of their last 7 games, including a 38-0 loss to East Gaston (a team who fellow SMC member Cherokee held to just 13 points). Cherryville does not have any stats listed on MaxPreps, so it’s hard to get a read on the type of team they are, but one thing is for certain: They give up a ton of points. The Ironmen are giving up an average of 35 points per game this year and gave up over 200 yards on the ground in their last time out on the field. Cuttler Adams should have a field day in this one.
Prediction- Robbinsville 42 Cherryville 14
Swain
Playoff Outlook-During halftime of last week’s game vs Cherokee it was looking like the Maroon Devils would go winless in conference play for the first time in forever. 24 minutes later, Swain County was able to pull out the win and found themselves hosting a home playoff game in Bryson City. The tradition and history of Swain County at home in the playoffs is something that can not go unnoticed, and the Maroon Devils will look to continue that winning tradition this year. As far as their seeding is concerned, I think realistically we could see the Maroon Devils in round three. They’ll have to fight through a scrappy Winston-Salem Prep team and a tough Thomasville team to get there, but all in all the Maroon Devils got a pretty good draw, considering it looked like they were going to end the year with a 6 game-losing skid.
First Round vs Winston Salem Prep- The Phoenix are no stranger to SMC teams as this makes the third year in a row they will face someone from our conference in the playoffs. This year, their resume is not one to write home about. While they do have three wins on the year, their losses have been pretty bad ones. They are not a team that can score a lot of points offensively as we have seen in the past (definitely not the same team that put up 40 points on Robbinsville in 2020), and that bodes well for Swain who has had their own struggles on the offensive side of the ball this year. If Reese Winchester can play mistake-free football like he did last week and the Maroon Machine can stay away from the turnover bug, then they should roll in this one.
Prediction- Swain 31 Winston Salem Prep 14
Robbinsville Heads Into Playoffs With Win Over Hayesville
TeamFYNSports November 1, 2022
Knights End Their 2 Game Skid
After losing back-to-back conference games to Andrews and Murphy, Robbinsville picked up a win against the Hayesville Yellowjackets, 21-9. This game featured a lot of solid defense from both sides, but unfortunately for Hayesville, their offense could not compete as they had just one touchdown. The Knights now sit in third place in the conference standings behind Andrews and Murphy with a 3-2 conference record. Hayesville is fourth in the conference standings with a 1-4 conference record.
Team Notes
Despite racking up 80 penalty yards, Robbinsville got the job done on both sides of the ball. Their offense was once again charged by the dominant run game. Cuttler Adams totaled 221 yards on 24 carries and one TD. Cooper Adams had 87 yards on 11 carries and one TD while Bryce Adams added another TD on the ground. Robbinsville totaled an incredible 340 yards rushing in this one. On defense, sophomore Roman Jones lead the way with eight tackles while Turner Jackson, Quinn Jumper, and Tytan Teesateskee were tied for the team lead with 2 sacks each. Jones also picked off the Hayesville QB.
As mentioned, the offense was not there for Hayesville as they were able to tally just nine points. QB Logan Caldwell was 11/21 for 191 yards and 1 TD. He also led his team on the ground with 30 yards on 12 carriers. Junior RB Taylor McClure led the team with 97 yards receiving on four catches and brought in the lone TD score. He also added another 26 yards on the ground. The defense could not stop the run at all and were totally dominated by the Robbinsville O-line. McClure led the team with 15 tackles and recorded a sack.
Look Ahead
Robbinsville will host the 3-7 Cherryville Ironmen in the first round of the NCHSAA playoffs next Friday night. As for Hayesville, they will host the 3-7 Alleghany Trojans for their first round playoff matchup.
Knights Send 3 Teams To Cracker Bowl Championship!
Sports, TeamFYNSports October 19, 2022
Photos courtesy of Jenny Millsaps
Graham County, NC- Three out of the four Robbinsville Black Knight youth football teams are headed to their respective championship games this weekend after stellar regular season play.
The Black Knight Midget team finished the season 8-0, scoring 34 points per game on their way to an undefeated season and championship game appearance vs the Smoky Mountain Mustangs.
The Knights Mite team finished 7-1 and secured their spot in the title game, with a chance to avenge their lone loss of the season against Swain County.
The Termite team finished 6-2 overall, and will face undefeated Franklin in the championship game on Saturday.
As for the Peewee team, while they won’t be playing in the championship game this week, they made some great strides in the right direction this year and will be a team to watch in the coming years.
The Cracker Bowl will be played at Smoky Mountain Saturday the 29th, starting with the Peewee game at 3:00pm.
Tuesday Knight Football? Robbinsville Hosts Swain Tomorrow Night
Sports, Team FYN Sports, TeamFYNSports October 25, 2021
Photo from Jenny Collins Millsaps
Tuesday night football, one more ripple effect of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Robbinsville Black Knights were scheduled to play the Swain County Maroon Devils on October first but, due to COVID protocols on the Maroon Devil side, the game was postponed and rescheduled for tomorrow night.
Tomorrow nights game will mark three games in seven days for both teams, as the Knights are coming off of a 24-14 win over Andrews on Friday, while the Devils were knocked off by Murphy, 28-21.
There’s a lot riding on the line every time these two teams play each other, but perhaps there’s a little more hype around this game than usual. Yes, it’s a Tuesday night game so that means all eyes on Big Oaks Stadium, but this game also will have huge playoff implications.
The Black Knights basically control their own destiny at this point. They currently sit atop the conference at 2-1 alongside Murphy (3-1) and Swain (2-1), but unlike Swain they hold the tiebreaker over the Bulldogs for first place in the conference. Long story short, if they beat Swain tomorrow night and beat Hayesville three days later, they’ll be the Smoky Mountain Conference champs for the third year in a row.
As far as Swan is concerned, they’ll need more than just a win against the Black Knights tomorrow in order to secure an SMC title. Even if they do beat Robbinsville and Cherokee in a span of four days, they’ll need the Andrews Wildcats to knock off Murphy for the first time in 40 years.
When it comes to who might win the SMC, there are too many scenarios to list.
If you’re a Murphy Bulldog fan, tomorrow night you might just slip on some maroon for the first time in your life. Murphy needs Swain to beat Robbinsville, which will put the Dogs in a position to win the title if they can beat Andrews on Friday night.
If you’re a fan of chaos however, the scenario in which there is a four-way tie for first isn’t as simple, but it is possible. Buckle up, i’m about to tell you what need to happen in order for 4 teams to be sitting at the top. If Swain beats Robbinsville and losses to Cherokee, they finish the season at 3-2. If Robbinsville losses to Swain and beats Hayesville, they finish the season at 3-2. If Cherokee beats Swain they finish at 3-2. And if Murphy losses to Andrews they finish at 3-2. This scenario puts all four teams at 3-2 in the conference, and would lead to a tie for first place. Not likely, but still possible.
One thing is for certain- All eyes will be on Robbinsville and Swain tomorrow night.
The Black Knights will lean heavily on their run game as they have all year, with Sophomore Cuttler Adams receiving the bulk of the work. Adams has 968 rushing yards and 13 TDs on 138 carries through 6 games this year. Defensively, Seniors Ben Wachacha, Eddie Brooms and Carlos Wesley will need to be strong up front and help limit the big plays from the Swain offense. If Robbinsville’s defensive line can get a good push and their linebackers can help contain Swain’s shifty QB, that will spell success for the Knights. Another thing to watch in this one will be how much Cuttler Adams plays on both sides of the football. We saw him take a step back from his defensive duties Friday against Andrews, and it will be interesting to see if he’s a full go tomorrow.
As far as Swain is concerned, they will need quarterback Gabe Lillard to take care of the football if they want to win this ballgame. Against a team like Robbinsville, you cant turn the ball over if you want to win, and luckily for the Devils, Lillard makes smart decisions and isn’t prone to coughing up the football. Swain also has to find a way to get Groenwald and Hyatt the ball. Those are your big time play-makers, and they are capable of going for 6 anytime they touch the pigskin. Defensively for the Maroon Machine, they have to find a way to stop the run. Robbinsville is averaging 244 yards per game on the ground compared to 99 yards through the air, so the recipe for success against the Knights is obviously to make them throw the football.
Massey ratings has Robbinsville as a 12 point favorite heading into this one, and I would say that’s pretty fair. Everyone knows how hard it is to play at the Big Oaks, and I don’t think Swain is equipped defensively to stop the Black Knights rushing attack. If Robbinsville can control the line of scrimmage and win the time of possession battle, they’ll win by two or three scores. BUT, if they come out of the gates slow and allow this scrappy Swain team to hang around, who knows what will happen. Team FYN Sports will be on site with live updates and coverage of the game, so make sure to follow our Facebook and Twitter pages, and subscribe to our YouTube for a postgame highlight video!
Robbinsville Comes Up Short In Nail Biter
Sports, Team FYN Sports, TeamFYNSports August 29, 2021
Written by Reece Adams
The Robbinsville Black Knights took on the Brevard Blue Devils Friday night, in a game that came down to the wire. Robbinsville, who had firmly beat the Asheville Cougars 45-23 the previous week, was confident in their ability to continue their success against the Devils.
Opting to receive, the Knights drove the ball down the field on the back of Cutler Adams and quickly got into one of their six RedZone trips of the night. The Devils, however, held the line as their back was against the wall; a trend that would continue the rest of the night. After a missed Field Goal, The Robbinsville defense smothered Brevard forcing two consecutive punts.
Robbinsville would take these possessions to the RedZone, but would fail to capitalize as they fumbled and then bobbled the snap of the second Field Goal attempt of the night. After forcing a fumble from the Blue Devils, Robbinsville finally got on the board with a 37-yard field goal from Cody Cline late in the Second. This seemed to spur some urgency in the Devils as Anson Burgess returned fire with a touchdown pass from the Devils own 40-yard line. Robbinsville made their way down the field, but a Brevard interception ended the drive leaving the first half at 7-3.
Brevard started with the ball to begin the second half, but was swiftly forced to punt. Robbinsville again marched down the field and got within striking distance, but after failing to get a first down the Knights elected to kick again. This attempt was blocked leaving the game still locked at 7-3 in favor of Brevard at the end of the Third.
As the fast paced Fourth quarter began, Brevard began to make headway down the field. The Devils began to air the ball out more than in previous quarters, but this resulted in an interception by Robbinsville’s Brock Adams at midfield.
Both teams punted on their respective drives, then Robbinsville finally broke the plane on a short rush from Cutler Adams bringing the game to 9-7. Brevard responded with a mix of passing and rushing to get into Field Goal range. After a successful kick the score landed at 10-9 deep into the 4th. After a wild fourth down conversion, Robbinsville’s Cutler Adams rushed for his second touchdown of the night putting the Knights up 15-10.
With less than three minutes left, Brevard once again went to their air attack then completed a successful hitch and pitch to get into the Knights 20-yard line. They capped the game off with a short touchdown pass from Anson Burgess, leaving the game at 16-15 as time expired.
Robbinsville will travel to face a tough Mountain Heritage team Friday, looking to bounce back from a tough loss.
Robbinsville Black Knights Preseason Preview
TeamFYNSports August 3, 2021
Huge thank you to Jenny Collins Millsaps for letting FYN Sports use her pictures!
The Black Knights are a much different football team than they were 4 months ago. Looking down on the practice field yesterday and not seeing Nathan Collins was a hard pill to swallow. Not to mention the loss of Lex Hooper, Rossi Wachacha, Candler Edwards, and Wade Hamilton just to name a few. Obviously the Black Knights have some holes to fill, but they just may have the personnel to do it, and to do it effectively.
RETURNERS
Cuttler Adams and Kage Williams are going to be household names for the Black Knights the next 3 years. The Sophomore duo will be near impossible for opposing teams to prepare for offensively, and they also add an element to the defense that has perhaps been lacking.
Adams could be one of the best football players to walk the halls of Robbinsville High School when it’s all said and done. One of the few players in the state with speed and power, he is going to be one of the main reasons why Robbinsville will still be competitive after all they have lost to graduation.
Carlos Wesley, Carson White, Drake Hill, and Diego Lopez are the returners on the offensive line for Robbinsville. Wesley is one of the top lineman in the conference, and will help solidify the Knights run game.
Ben Wachacha will take over for Rossi Wachacha as the leader of the Black Knight defense. Wachacha was crowned a state champ in wrestling just weeks ago, and I would look for him to bring that same intensity from the mat to the football field. He is going to be a problem for opposing QBs.
Another returner for Robbinsville that may get overlooked is Junior Wideout Brock Adams. Adams was the Black Knights second leading receiver last year, and will be option one heading into the 2021-2022 season. He, along with Kage and Cuttler, were named to our FYN Sports new-comers of the year award list last year.
QB SITUATION
The way I see it, if everyone is healthy they have 2 options. Roll out the Senior Dasan Gross who has been able to learn under Nathan Collins for the past few years. Or roll out one of your Sophomores in Christian Phillips or Donovan Carpenter and let them be your guy for the next 3 years.
I think the obvious answer is to go with Gross. He has looked good in 7 on 7 action this year, and he has a good rapport with Brock Adams, who will be the Knights top wide receiver option. This offseason it seems like he has grown a lot and i’ll say it again, he has looked really good in camp. Gross is also the only QB on the roster that has in-game varsity experience. Granted his experience is only limited to 5 passing attempts, as he’s 2/5 for 110 yards in his career. But oh yeah, those 2 completions were both 50+ yard touchdowns.
I believe that Gross has earned his spot under center this year, and he will be the one leading the offense come August 20th.
Schedule
The way things sit now, Robbinsville will only be playing a 9 game schedule. With Rosman leaving the conference and some other scheduling conflicts, the Knights were only able to schedule 4 non-conference games. They will open up their season at home against a 3A school in Asheville High. Asheville was a playoff team last year, going 5-3 and losing to Weddington in the first round of the playoffs 42-0.
After playing 3A Asheville at home, the Knights will travel to Brevard to take on the Brevard Blue Devils who play in the 2A West Conference. Brevard was 4-3 last year, with close games against Mount Heritage and East Henderson.
Speaking of Mountain Heritage, the Cougars are the next team the Knights have on their schedule. On September 3rd, Robbinsville will travel to Burnsville to take on the 2A State Runners up. Heritage was 7-2 last year and made it all the way to the 2A State Championship where they eventually lost to Reidsville 35-6. If they haven’t figured it out by now, this game will shoe the Black Knights what they are made of.
Their 4th and final non-conference game will be played at home against Smoky Mountain on September 10th. Smoky Mountain was 2-5 last year, but they played in some really tough, close games. They are also a 3A school, so they definitely have the numbers on their side.
Between non-conference and conference play, the Black Knights will have 2 weeks off. Thats either going to be a really good thing or a really bad thing. The Knights may need 2 weeks off to recover from their daunting non-conference schedule. OR they could really be hitting their groove and be extremely rusty after having weeks 5 and 6 off heading into conference play. Only time will tell.
After having 2 back to back bye weeks, Robbinsville will open up their conference schedule against Swain County at home. It’s no secret that Swain had a rough year last year, going 2-4 and losing to Robbinsville 38-6 at home. I would say though, with Neil Blankenship back at the helm, things have to be looking up for the Devils. Rusty or not, I don’t see the Knights struggling too much in this one at home.
The Knights will then travel to Cherokee to play a much improved Braves team.
Then, Robbinsville will travel to Murphy to play the defending State Champs. Everyone knows the buzz that will surround that game after last years slobber knocker in the Western Regional Championship. This will probably be the game of the year in the conference as it seems to have been for the previous 5 years.
Robbinsville will finish the regular season at The Big Oaks, as Andrews and Hayesville will come to Graham County on October 22nd and 29th.
The schedule that the Knights have this year is definitely not a favorable one. If they can enter into conference play 2-2 I would say they would be content with that. It is very possible for Robbinsville to start the season 4-0, but it is also possible that they could start it 1-3.
They have so many holes to fill, and there are so many question marks surrounding this team that it’s just hard to predict what they are going to look like come August 20th.
Don’t get it twisted though. When it comes time to play on Friday nights, the Black Knights are always going to bring it.
FYN Sports Top 5 Football Stadiums in Our Viewing Area
Team FYN Sports July 5, 2021
Just here to spark a little bit of fun debate during the off-season! Our writers blind voted on their favorite stadiums in our viewing area, and these were the results. I’m sure everyone will have their own opinion, so let us hear your opinions and what we got wrong!
Each stadium write up is written by a member of the schools community.
1. Fannin County High School
Fannin County High School Football Stadium comes in at #1 on our FYN Sports Top Football Stadium in our Coverage Area.
Although the stadium has no nickname, it is often been referred to in the past as “The Battlefield”
Fannin County may have the best entrance in all of Georgia. The Rebels walk out of their locker-room directly to a gigantic blow up Fannin County Football Helmet. Coach Cheatham usually is the 1st one to break open the facemask on the helmet and the Fannin County Football team walks onto the field with arms locked. The cannon fires, the smoke rises, music blares, lights go out and then flash from pole to pole. It is a striking entrance and one that every High School Football fan needs to see.
Yes, we mentioned a Cannon. And yes, it does fire. Every time Fannin County enters the stadium and scores a Touchdown the Cannon is shot and is heard throughout the town of Blue Ridge. Yes, we mentioned Lights cutting off and flashing. Every time a Touchdown is scored Fannin County’s LED Light system will flash from pole to pole igniting the roar of the Fannin County 12th man.
Metallica’s “For Whom the Bell Tolls” is played and PA Announcer Tim Towe famous “ITS 3rd DOWN” sparks the Rebel Nation to make noise on 3rd Down.
I think if you witnessed a game here during Fannin County’s magical season last season you would agree with our choice.
The Stadium is a true 12th man Atmosphere. Powered by everything we have mentioned and the award winning Fannin County High School Marching band, the cheerleaders and “The Blue Crew” ( Student Section) Fannin County is our choice for Top Stadium in our coverage area.
2. Murphy High School
Photo taken by Mark Muir
David Gentry Field at Bob Hedrix memorial stadium is nothing short of picturesque. The location of the stadium is one of it’s best qualities, being right off the road and allowing passers by to honk their car horns and cheer on the Dogs, whether that be on Friday night or Tuesday afternoon at practice. Watching the team walk down the hill at 7:27 on Friday night just before kickoff is electric. The sun setting behind the visiting bleachers on a crisp fall evening is really something to behold. Dont even get me started on the sheer history of what’s been accomplished on that field. 10 state championship teams have played under those lights, and for the past 40 years, perhaps the greatest High School football coach of all time has coached on that sideline. Add to that JR Carrol shouting “1st and 10 Bulldogs” over the speakers, you’ve got a recipe for one of the greatest high school football atmospheres in the country.
Photo taken by MHS Athletics on Facebook
They don’t call it “BULLDOG COUNTRY” for nothin’.
Former Dogs Head Coach & Hall of Famer David Gentry said, “There’s no better high than the one you get on Friday nights in Murphy between the hours of 7:30 & 9:30. That feeling you get for those two hours, it’s unattainable anywhere else.”
3. Robbinsville High School
Robbinsville’s Big Oaks Stadium is a rethink-your-ranking kind of stadium. A truly historical field, it has hosted the home games of over 50 years of Black Knight football teams without ever being moved to a new location. The stadium is also directly adjacent to the original “old rock” schoolhouse of the 1900s.
The field is not the only piece of historical significance—the players themselves, often generational descendants of fellow state champions, give the Friday Night aesthetic of a Robbinsville Black Knights’ football game the aura of dominance. These boys know the magnitude of what they are playing for.
With 14 State Titles earned on its grass, the Big Oaks guarantees you a night of knock-down and drag-out, old-fashioned football, complete with rows of aged-oak trees, and a sunset view over its Smoky Mountain backdrop. Being the true embodiment of the AC/DC rock hit—Back In Black—the Big Oaks Stadium is THE must see stop of any stadium tour.
4. Union County High School
Photo from Chris Mathis
We look to Union County’s Mike Colwell Memorial Stadium a.k.a “The Mike.” There are many great high school football venues; not many, however, pack a 1-2 punch with a beautiful view and electric atmosphere like this one.
Photo from Chris Mathis
This venue offers a beautiful turf field and an even more astounding view of the crisp Blue Ridge Mountains. Mike Colwell Memorial Stadium is one that you’ll never forget, one that provides a bit of everything you could ever want on a Friday night underneath the lights!
5. Pickens County High School
Photo from North Cobb Electrical Services
2021 Preseason All Smoky Mountain Conference Team & Awards
TeamFYNSports August 14, 2021
We’re back for the second installment of the FYN Sports Preseason All Smoky Mountain Conference football awards. Our staff writers and other sports writers in the community came together and helped us narrow down our choices for this year’s preseason All-Conference teams. These picks are backed by last year’s stats and are our predictions of who to watch for this year.
PRESEASON PLAYER OF THE YEAR:
Kellen Rumfelt, Senior QB, Murphy
Rumfelt was the best passer in the SMC last year. He led the league in passing TDs and passing yards. He also led his team to a State Championship W. Easy choice here for FYN Sports Preseason POY.
PRESEASON OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR:
Donald Bradley, Senior QB, Cherokee
Bradley won a couple games for Cherokee single-handedly last year. He can make things happen with his arm, and with his legs. He’s perhaps the most exciting QB to watch in the conference. It will be interesting to see what he can do with the weapons he has coming back this year.
PRESEASON DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR:
Drew Martin, Junior LB, Andrews
Martin average around 10 Tackles per game last year and was the cornerstone of the Wildcats defense. A lot of people are high on Andrews this year and think they may be able to make a push for 3rd position on the conference, and Drew Martin is a big reason why.
PRESEASON ATHLETE OF THE YEAR:
Cuttler Adams, Sophomore RB/LB, Robbinsville
Cuttler Adams is going to be a name to remember. He does it all. He makes an impact in all 3 phases of the game. Special Teams, offense and defense, he’s always flying around trying to make a play. He has a good chance to lead the Black Knights in Tackles and rushing yards this year.
Preseason All-Conference team-
Quarterback:
Kellen Rumfelt, Murphy
Donald Bradley, Cherokee
Running Back:
Isaac Weaver, Andrews
Ty Laney, Murphy
Cuttler Adams, Robbinsville
Wide Receiver/Tight End:
Payton McCracken, Murphy
Jake McTaggart, Hayesville
Hunter Laney, Murphy
Offensive Line:
Carlos Wesley, Robbinsville
Carson White, Robbinsville
Kyle Willard, Murphy
Mason Thrasher, Murphy
Sam Bernhisel, Swain
Defensive Line:
Carlos Wesley, Robbinsville
Ben Wachacha, Robbinsville
Kyle Lunsford, Hayesville
James Reed, Cherokee
Linebacker:
Drew Martin, Andrews
Kage Williams, Robbinsville
Carson Taylor, Swain
Defensive Back:
Juan Allen, Murphy
Payton McCracken, Murphy
Cuttler Adams, Robbinsville
Taylor McClure, Hayesville
Kicker:
Cody Kline, Robbinsville
Athletes:
Cole Anderson, Andrews
Donovan Bateman, Andrews
Chandler Wood, Murphy
Brock Adams, Robbinsville
Knights Down Mitchell On Back of Nathan Collins Big Night
TeamFYNSports April 24, 2021
The Robbinsville Black Knights hosted the Mitchell Mountaineers in a second-round playoff game Friday night. It was a back and forth game between two undefeated teams, both hoping to continue towards a possible state championship. While the Mountaineers struck first it was Robbinsville who had the last say. Behind big games from Kage Williams and Nathan Collins, the Knights were able to secure a 28-20 victory. This propels them into a third-round matchup and a rematch with the Murphy Bulldogs.
1st Quarter:
The first quarter saw Robbinsville take the opening kick, get one first down but were then forced to punt. Mitchell capitalized on stopping the Knights’ first drive of the night, scoring on their first drive of the game. A 42-yard run by Kage Williams was the biggest play of the night offensively for either team. This put the Black Knights in Mountaineer territory to end the first quarter.
2nd Quarter:
In the red zone to start the quarter the Black Knights finished off the drive behind a Nathan Collins 7-yard score. On Mitchells second play of their second drive, we saw the first big mistake of the night for either team. Robbinsville’s Dasan Gross took advantage of an underthrown ball intercepting it in Mitchell territory. Kage Williams broke off his second long run of the night a few plays into the drive. This time he took it all the way into the endzone on a 30-yard run to put the Black Knights up 14-7. After punting the ball back and forth Mitchell had the ball back and found themselves inside the Black Knight 10-yard line on a long throw. They finished of the drive with a short run for a touchdown. Rossi Wachacha busted through on the PAT though to block the point after. This allowed Robbinsville to keep their lead going into halftime 14-13.
3rd Quarter:
Mitchell received the opening kickoff but the Black Knight defense forced a quick three and out. Robbinsville got the ball back but a block in the back on their drive negated a first down forcing them to punt away. Mitchell did get on first down on their next drive but some great pass rush pressure on third down resulted in a sack. Once again forcing the Mountaineers to punt the ball back to Robbinsville. Nathan Collins made quick work the next drive busting a 48-yard run on the first play. Then finished it off with a QB sneak for a touchdown two plays later. The Black Knights took a 21-13 lead after a successful PAT and that’s the score we would have to end the 3rd quarter.
4th Quarter:
After forcing a turnover on downs while in their own territory the Black Knights got the ball back near the start of the quarter. Nathan Collins picked up right where he left off, breaking a 78-yard touchdown run the extend the Black Knight lead 28-13. Collins broke five tackles and outran a few more on the long run. Mitchell though would just not go away. As it appeared Robbinsville might cruise to victory the Mountaineers found an answer scoring cutting the lead to 28-20. In fact, after getting the ball back from Robbinsville Mitchell had the ball down one score with a chance to tie it up. The Black Knight defense came up with the clutch stop though. Then the Black Knight offense got several big first downs to bleed the clock and not give Mitchell another chance. Robbinsville was able to finish the game in victory formation winning 28-20.
Robbinsville will now host Murphy in a rematch with the winner going to the state championship game. Check back in this week with Team FYN Sports as we will have some great coverage preparing for the big game.
1A State Playoffs Second Round Preview: Robbinsville vs Mitchell
Team FYN Sports, TeamFYNSports April 21, 2021
The defending State Champs barely made it out alive last week, going into double overtime before finally beating Winston-Salem Prep by 2 points. It was the game of the year up to this point probably, and the Knights were able to take care of business. Things weren’t nearly as close for the Mountaineers of Mitchell County last week, as they put up a 56-0 shutout on Christ The King. This week, we get to see the Knights and the Mountaineers battle it out in the 2nd round of the 1A State Playoffs. Let’s run through what to expect in this 2nd round matchup between #2 seed Robbinsville and #3 seed Mitchell.
Mitchell
As mentioned earlier, the Mountaineers put up 56 points in their opening round playoff game. They may be the #3 seed, but as everyone they have played this year can attest, they are one of the best teams in 1A. MaxPreps currently has the 7-0 Mountaineers ranked 3rd in 1A. The style of football that Mitchell plays is straight up mountain football just like they play in the Smoky Mountain Conference. Sophomore Ty Turbyfill is the teams quarterback, and he has shown great progress for his age. He averages nearly 100 yards passing and 100 yards rushing per game. Runningback Tanner Duncan is also a big part of the Mitchell offense, averaging nearly 8 yards per carry and 90 yards per game. When you look at the two teams on paper they remind me of each other, the way they use the QB/RB option. Winston-Salem Prep may have put up 40 points on Robbinsville, but I doubt Mitchell is able to replicate that. Mitchell is a slow paced-pound the rock offense-much like Robbinsville, but they pass the ball A little better than the Knights. Now they aren’t near the passing team that W-S Prep is, but they get it done through the air. Ty Sparks is the Mountaineers leading wideout, catching 16 passes for over 250 yards. Caaius Arrington is also a very good WR for Mitchell, so that duo is going to be one to watch on Friday.
Robbinsville
The Black Knights enter the second round after winning a nail biter last week in double OT. We’ve got a #3 ranked Mitchell and a #5 ranked Robbinsville in 1A according to MaxPreps. There are a lot of question marks surrounding Robbinsville entering this one. Will they be able to get up for this one after a Double OT thriller last week? How banged up is star Runningback Lex Hooper? Who else may miss time or not be 100% due to injury? Have they found their replacement at Center? One thing is for certain: The Knights have won 26 straight games, and they are a championship program. Sometimes it doesn’t matter if you’re playing bad-or even if you’re not the better team-you can will yourself to victory. This Black Knight team has a lot of heart, you can see that if you go back and watch the tape from last weeks game. I believe they are going to have to rely on their heart in order to come away with a W in the 2nd round. Well, heart and homefield advantage. With Lex Hooper being hobbled and the possibility of the Knights being without 6 of their starters, they are going to have to rely heavily on the crowd and the energy they bring. Freshman Cutler Adams is a great runningback and has proved himself this season, but if he is going to have to fill the shoes of Senior Lex Hooper, he’s going to need some inspiration from the crowd in this one. The Knights Defense gave up 40 points last week, but look for them to get back to their regularly scheduled programming this week. I think this is a very low scoring, 1 possession ball game. May even see a score of 14-10 or 10-7.
My prediction- Robbinsville 17 – Mitchell 14 if Hooper plays meaningful minutes. If Hooper doesn’t play meaningful minutes: Mitchell 21 – Robbinsville 14.
1A State Playoffs Preview: Robbinsville vs W-S Prep
TeamFYNSports April 14, 2021 No Comments on 1A State Playoffs Preview: Robbinsville vs W-S Prep 414
It’s FINALLY playoff time here in North Carolina. The brackets have been set and matchups announced, so let’s do a quick run through of what to expect from the first round matchup between the number 2 seed Robbinsville Black Knights and the number 7 seed Winston-Salem Prep Phoenix.
Winston-Salem Prep
Winston-Salem Prep comes into the playoffs as the number 7 seed. They are 5-2 on the year, with losses to 3rd ranked East Surry and 8th ranked Mount Airy. By far the two best teams that they have played this year, and they didn’t put up much of a fight. Robbinsville is right up there with East Surry and Mount Airy, as they are ranked 5th in the State.
If W-S Prep wants to be the Cinderella story of this year’s playoffs, they are going to have to lean heavy on their air-raid offense.
Being in the SMC- a run first conference- Robbinsville has not seen the kind of passing attack the Phoenix are bringing. Junior W-S Prep QB Tim Davis can make plays both through the air and on the ground. He averages 300 yards passing per game and has eclipsed the 2,000 total yard passing mark already this year. He has also thrown for 21 touchdowns and ran for nearly 500 yards and 5 TDs. Another important note is that even though he has nearly 200 attempts on the year, he’s only thrown 4 interceptions.
#8 Tresean Stewart is Davis’ favorite target. Stewart leads the team in rushing and receiving yards. He’s averaging over 200 all purpose yards per game (90 rushing, 115 receiving) and is a definite threat in the backfield since you don’t know where they are going to line him up.
On the defensive side of things, W-S Prep is going to try to create problems for Black Knight QB Nathan Collins. The Phoenix defense is led by #3 Zaire Patterson. Patterson has nearly 50 tackles on the year, and he is always in the backfield. He’s accumulated 12.5 Tackles for loss already this year.
Robbinsville
Okay, we’ve talked about how W-S Prep is bringing this new air-raid offense and how the Balck Knights may struggle against it, which they might. But we are still talking about the defending state champs here. You don’t complete 2 back to back dominant undefeated regular seasons and then not prepare for a first round opponent. Don’t expect Robbinsville to be shocked when W-S Prep starts throwing the ball around. I know the Black Knights coaching staff has studied and prepped all week for this one, and they’ve got some things in place to try to shut down the passing game.
In my opinion, all Robbinsville needs to do to win is play their game. Get your QB Nathan Collins and RB Lex Hooper going on the ground early and punish the Phoenix defense by simply holding on to the ball. Robbinsville needs to implement the same game plan they had against Murphy in the SMC Champiomship game last week. Hold on to the football and limit the opposing offenses big plays and you’ll win this game easily. I’m not saying it’s going to be a cakewalk here for Robbinsville. W-S Prep could very well come out and shock the Knights. But as long as Robbinsville plays their game and stays with the same mountain football mentality they’ve had for the past decade, then I expect the Knights to roll here.
Black Knights Win Back To Back Conference Titles
TeamFYNSports April 10, 2021
Photo courtesy of BT Douthit
The Murphy Bulldogs and Robbinsville Black Knights faced off in the conference championship game Friday night. Both teams came into the game undefeated looking to secure the top playoff seed in the smoky mountain conference. Yet on this night the Black Knights were the team with better ball security leading to them a 17-7 win.
1st Quarter:
The Black Knights won the opening kickoff electing to receive to start the game. It was a good choice as they marched down the field for a great first drive taking an early 7-0 lead. Murphy got the ball on their first drive but quickly went three and out. Robbinsville got the ball back and were driving down the field to end the first quarter. It needs to be mentioned that Murphy only ran three offensives plays in the entire first quarter.
2nd Quarter:
Robbinsville continued their second drive of the game to open the second quarter all the way inside the redzone. The Murphy defense held strong though forcing a field goal attempt, that was missed by Robbinsville. Murphy did get a first down on their second drive but that was about it as the Bulldogs had to punt it away. Murphy almost forced a three and out but on 3rd & 20 Nathan Collins found his tight end wide open for a 40 yard gain on what appeared to be a busted coverage by Murphys defense. Robbinsville was able to capitalize on the mistake finishing off the drive with a touchdown to take their lead 14-0. Murphy on their next drive got all the way inside the Robbinsville 10-yard line but fumbled it away to Robbinsville. The defense did step up though forcing a three and out though. Unfortunately for the Bulldogs there punt returner fumbled the ball giving it right back to Robbinsville. Thats how the game went to half with a Robbinsville 14-0 lead.
3rd Quarter:
Murphy received the second half kick and had their best play of the game offensively with a Ray Rathburn run all the way into Robbinsville territory. Kellen Rumfelt led the way picking up several big third and fourth downs pickups on the drive. Finishing it off with a huge touchdown pass, on 3rd & 20 Rumfelt throwing a perfect ball to Cole Laney for the touchdown. This is how the third quarter ended, the Bulldogs trailing 14-7.
4th Quarter:
The next scoring action came with a Robbinsville field goal. This made the score 17-7 giving Robbinsville a crucial 17-7 lead. On the ensuing kickoff Murphy muffed the kick giving it right back to Robbinsville, the third Bulldog turnover of the night. The Bulldogs played right with the Black Knights but losing the turnover margin 3-0 proved to be too much for Murphy to overcome. The game finished with Robbinsville forcing Murphy to pass but the Black Knight pass rush was too much to give the Bulldogs any chance. The game finished 17-7, Robbinsville handing Murphy their first loss of the season.
Robbinsville and Murphy set to square off in SMC championship yet again
TeamFYNSports April 9, 2021
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before- The Robbinsville Black Knights and the Murphy Bulldogs are set to play in the Smoky Mountain Conference Championship game this Friday.
These two teams seem to always find each other in the final game of the year, no matter the sport, as of late.
Earlier this year we saw the Lady Bulldogs and the Lady Knights face off in the SMC championship for basketball, and it looks like in the softball world it could be headed in that direction too.
In football, 7 of the last 8 seasons have ended with the Black Knights or the Bulldogs on top of the SMC. If I am not mistaken, the conference has produced 8 state championships since 2011 (Murphy- 4, Robbinsville- 2, Swain 1, Cherokee- 1).
8 State Titles won since 2011. Not even counting the other times teams from the SMC made it to the big game and lost. You can tell by looking at the numbers how important this game is this week, and how large of an impact it has on playoff implications. Winner will be one of the 7 #1 seeds in the state, loser is a #2 seed.
Murphy-
The Bulldogs come into the game undefeated, riding a HOT offense. They will look to avenge last year’s losses to Robbinsville. In the SMC Championship game last year, Murphy fell 17-14. Then when the two teams matched up in the playoffs, Robbinsville won once again with a score of 24-13.
Murphy is looking to turn the page this year however, as they’ve basically ran through the rest of the conference like a wet paper bag.
Murphy’s high powered offense is something to behold. They are averaging 44.5 points per game this year, and are very good at NOT turning over the football. They have only turned the ball over 3 times this year.
The offense is led on the ground by Senior Running Back Ray Rathburn. Rathburn has picked up over 500 yards on the ground this year, while tacking on 8 rushing touch downs and averaging 8 yards per carry.
The Dogs backfield is kind of baffling. You know that Rathburn is the leader, but you really don’t know who is going to get the football. Sophomores John Ledford and Ty Laney are also lethal weapons on the ground. Ledford has 433 yards and 7 touchdowns thus far, while averaging 12 yards per carry. Ty Laney is really coming on as of late. He has 7 touchdowns in the past 2 games, including 4 touchdowns last week against Cherokee.
Junior Quarterback Kellen Rumfelt has also done a phenomenal job this year behind center. Rumfelt is averaging nearly 100 yards a game through the air, which has allowed him to pick up 581 passing yards and 6 passing TDs this year. He also hasn’t thrown an interception on 57 pass attempts.
The Dogs are also a problem for opposing offenses thanks to their stout defense. The defense is led by Senior Linebacker Landon Jordan. Jordan is leading the team in tackles and is the l motor for the team defensively.
The Bulldog D is holding opponents to only 11.5 points per game. Teams are also only converting 3rd downs at a mere 39 percent. Murphy has forced TWENTY turnovers on the year, and they do a great job converting those turnovers into points. Opposing teams are averaging around 150 yards per game on the ground against the Dogs, but they are having absolutely zero luck through the air. The ball-hawking corner back duo of Juan Allen and Payton McCracken along with the rest of the Murphy Defensive Backs coached by Joseph Watson, have intercepted teams 11 times already this year over 6 games.
Robbinsville-
The Black Knights also head into this SMC championship game on an absolute roll. They are 6-0, and just like the Bulldogs, they have put up 30 or more points in each game. On paper these two teams look pretty much the same. High powered offenses led by an established run game. What sets the Knights apart is their experience, and their absolute monstrous line play.
Lex Hooper leads the Knights’ running game. He has accumulated over 550 yards on the ground thus far, and also leads the SMC with 12 rushing TDs. He also isn’t just a one dimensional back, Head Coach Dee Walsh uses Hooper’s hands out of the backfield and he’s caught both of Senior QB Nate Collins’ passing TDs this year. The share volume of Hoopers workload in and of itself is impressive- he’s already ran the football over 100 times this year.
Speaking on Senior QB Nathan Collins, he’s also a guy that can hurt you in multiple ways. He has proven that he can get it done on the ground- Averaging 8.2 yards per carry and over 50 yards per game- and also through the air- Averaging 86 yards passing per game at a 60% click. Collins also isn’t afraid to get dirty on defense. He’s picked opposing QBs off 3 times this year, and has over 20 Tackles on the year.
Staying with the Black Knights Defense here, they are led by Senior Defensive End Rossi Wachacha. Wachacha was the FYN sports preseason Defensive Player of the Year for a reason, and he has proved it this year. He is an absolute wrecking ball when he’s on the field. When you see 88 walk out on defense, you can bet that he’s going to make the play. He has 2 sacks and 2 picks on the season, and you just never know where he’s going to be lined up defensively.
Another big part of the Black Knights Defense is Sophomore Cuttler Adams. Adams leads the team in Tackles at 31, and has 2 fumble recoveries and 1 INT. On the offensive side of the ball, Adams serves as the change of pace back when Hooper needs a breather. Adams has picked up 273 yards on the ground this year and scored 5 TDs.
The Robbinsville Defensive and Offensive Lines are incredible. Take a look at these biometrics:
| 44 |
TE, DE • Jr. • 6′ 5″ • 215 lbs
|
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| 50 |
G • Sr. • 5′ 10″ • 255 lbs
|
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| 54 |
C, DE • So. • 5′ 11″ • 245 lbs
|
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| 56 |
T, DT • Jr. • 5′ 11″ • 270 lbs
|
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| 61 |
T, DT • Jr. • 6′ 0″ • 250 lbs
|
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| 63 |
G, DT • Jr. • 6′ 1″ • 240 lbs
|
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| 65 |
T, DT • Jr. • 6′ 3″ • 315 lbs
|
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| 66 |
DT, G • So. • 6′ 1″ • 265 lbs
|
| 70 |
T, DT • So. • 6′ 0″ • 300 lbs
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| 72 |
T, DT • Jr. • 6′ 5″ • 220 lbs
|
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| 76 |
T, DT • So. • 6′ 0″ • 205 lbs
|
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| 77 |
T, DT • Sr. • 6′ 2″ • 220 lbs
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| 79 |
T, DT • Jr. • 5′ 11″ • 265 lbs
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| 88 |
WR, DE • Sr. • 6′ 2″ • 260 lbs
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That’s an average of about 6’2 250 pounds on a little 1A football team. Absolutely unheard of! Strong, cornfed young men that are going to try to give Murphy 4 star lineman Yousef Mugharbil a run for his money.
This is shaping up to be one of the best conference games we’ve ever seen, and the team here at FYN sports cannot wait. We will be live streaming the game for free for those of you that can’t make it or are unable to get tickets over on FYNTV.com.