Home Care In Robbinsville, NC

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — The first ring takes any means necessary.

Down by two with 25 seconds left to play, Wilson Prep senior Ethan Nelson hit a 28-yard field goal to send the Tigers over Robbinsville 9-8 and solidify the program’s first N.C. High School Athletic Association football state title.

Wilson Prep hadn’t attempted a field goal all season, but with head coach Phil Dickens’ son, Manny, standing behind his dad and calling for a field goal in the game’s final moments, the eventual state champions took an unforgettable risk.

“Just finish,” Nelson thought before his game-winning kick. “We do hash to hash kicks every day in practice. So, that’s not nothing that’s being missed. Coach always says what happens in practice is going to translate over to the game, and number four was able to finish the job with the kick.”

Manny Dickens added extra security to the win with an interception on Robbinsville’s last possession.

“I knew we had an expected end,” Phil Dickens said. “I keep a scripture in my desk drawers. Jeremiah 29:11 talking about an expected end, and I expected us to be here. And these guys believed. They believed, and man, I’m just grateful.”

See final scores from across North Carolina on the Talk it Out NC scoreboard:

Junior Malicah Perry started the Tigers’ winning push with a fourth down stop on a fake punt attempt by Robbinsville late in the fourth quarter. Powering through a tough offensive night riddled with penalties and multiple turnovers on downs, senior quarterback and linebacker Travon Usher, the game’s MVP, willed Wilson Prep deep into Robbinsville territory on its final possession with a couple of big runs.

Usher didn’t know until last week that he’d been playing on a broken foot since the season-opening loss against Clayton, this year’s 7A East champion. He finished the game with 130 rushing yards, 17 tackles and two forced fumbles.

“Travon is one of the best backs in the state,” Dickens said. “He’s a warrior.”

Earlier in the game, Usher put the Tigers on the board first.

Facing fourth and goal from the 14, Usher connected with senior receiver Nazir Vines in the back corner of the end zone to give the Tigers a 6-0 lead late in the second quarter.

Robbinsville, which lost its leading rusher Kyzik Teesateskie to a first quarter injury, didn’t let the half end without getting on the board though. A 41-yard connection from Lovin to sophomore Eli Lambert set up a 1-yard rushing score from senior Isiac Collins. Collins converted the two-point conversion for an 8-6 lead with just over a minute left in the opening half.

Wilson Prep forced two turnovers in the second quarter to end Robbinsville drives in plus territory. Early in the period, senior Nazir Vines forced a fumble, and Tyquan Whitaker recovered it at the 28. On the Black Knights’ next offensive possession, a series of tough runs from Collins led them to within the Wilson Prep 10, but a hit from Usher forced another fumble that freshman Zalik Cannady recovered. The latter of the two turnovers led to the Tigers’ first score.

Dickens gave credit to defensive coordinator James West for his unit’s performance.

“I gave him his first job when I was coaching at Northern Nash,” Dickens said. “We’ve been together ever since, but our defensive has played well all year. The key had just been putting them in the right place.”

Said Dickens, “The teams that beat (Robbinsville) covered the center, so we went with a 50 to cover the center, and that caused them problems all night.”

Nelson earned the offensive player of the game award, and freshman defensive end Zalik Cannady earned the defensive player of the game honors for Wilson Prep. Senior Luke Lovin and senior Kellen Ensley took home the offensive and defensive player of the game awards, respectively, for Robbinsville.

Manny Dickens and Robbinsville senior Everett Taylor received the Sportsmanship Awards.

Wilson Prep, the first public charter school to win a football state title, made its first state championship appearance, while Robbinsville made its 17th title game. The Knights have won 14 state championships and last won in 2019.

Robbinsville, representing the West, finished the season with a 10-4 record. Wilson Prep, representing the East, finished 9-5.

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Wilson Prep

Robbinsville

CHAPEL HILL, North Carolina, Dec. 11 — The Wilson [NC] Prep Academy Tigers won their first football state championship Thursday, defeating the Robbinsville [NC] Black Knights, 9-8, in North Carolina's NCHSAA Class 1A state championship game at the University of North Carolina's Kenan Stadium.

Ethan Nelson's 27-yard field goal with 20 seconds to play was the difference as the Tigers trailed 8-6 after driving all the way to Robbinsville's 1-yard line. Facing a fourth-and-goal there, the Tigers were called for a delay of game and decided to send out the field goal unit. They were called for another delay trying to get the play set up, but then Nelson calmly booted it home from the right hash mark, connecting on the Tigers' first and only field goal of the season.

The kick delivered Wilson Prep its first-ever state championship in football for a program that's only existed for four years. The Tigers finished the season 9-5 while Robbinsville concluded their campaign with a 10-4 record.

WATCH ON THE NFHS NETWORK: Robbinsville [NC] Black Knights vs. Wilson [NC] Prep Academy Tigers

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Refresh for updates

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End of fourth quarter: Wilson Prep 9, Robbinsville 8

WILSON PREP 9, ROBBINSVILLE 8

Unbelievable. Wilson Prep gets called for another delay of game, backing them up to about the 11-yard line. So, they line up for a field goal, and the kicker nails it from 27 yards. Robbinsville has led all but 20 seconds of this second half, but they're now trailing by one with 20 seconds to play.

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On a fourth-and-goal from Robbinsville's 1-yard line, Wilson Prep gets called for a delay of game.

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With 1:35 to play, Wilson Prep has a third-and-goal from Robbinsville's 3-yard line. This is going to be a heartbreaker for somebody.

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End of the third quarter: Robbinsville 8, Wilson Prep 6

We're right where we were at the half as these two defenses continue to dominate.

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The third quarter is under way.

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End of the second quarter: Robbinsville 8, Wilson Prep 6

It's been a little sloppy in Chapel Hill, but Robbinsville managed to come out on top in the first 24 minutes. They head to Kenan Stadium lockers with a 2-point lead.

ROBBINSVILLE 8, WILSON PREP 6

Robbinsville answers Wilson Preps's score with its own touchdown, and the Black Knights convert the 2-point conversion.

WILSON PREP 6, ROBBINSVILLE 0

Wilson Prep with the icebreaker in this one. They're on the board in a game that's been all about the defenses. And even this one didn't come easy – they scored on a fourth-and-goal beyond the 10-yard line.

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End of the first quarter: Robbinsville 0, Wilson Prep 0

It's a defensive slugfest through one quarter in Chapel Hill.

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They're under the five-minute mark in the first quarter, and still scoreless at Kenan,

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They are under way in Chapel Hill, North Carolina!

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We're sneaking up on game time. Hang with us!

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Coming soon!

Robbinsville vs. Wilson Prep start time

The game between Robbinsville and Wilson Prep is being played at Kenan Stadium in Chapel Hill, North Carolina

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MORE HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PLAYOFF HEADLINES

WLOS — Western North Carolina high school football teams will be playing for state titles this week after punching their finals tickets last week in the state semifinals.

West No. 1 seed Brevard improved to 14-0 with a 30-13 win over No. 6 Maiden. The victory sent Brevard to its first state championship game since 1982, when it won the 3-A title.

In the 1-A ranks, West top seed Robbinsville routed No. 3 Davidson 41-7 in the semifinals, and in 2-A action last week, West No. 1 Murphy beat No. 2 Starmount 14-2.

This gives Western North Carolina three teams in this week's state championship games.

The schedule is below:

NCHSAA FOOTBALL STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS

(WNC teams in bold)

1-A: At UNC's Kenan Stadium

Dec. 11, 4 p.m.: East No. 4 Wilson Prep (8-5) vs. West No. 1 Robbinsville (10-3)

2-A: At Lenoir-Rhyne University

Dec. 11, 5 p.m.: East No. 1 Tarboro (14-0) vs. West No. 1 Murphy (12-2)

3-A: At Durham County Memorial Stadium

Dec. 13, 2 p.m.: East No. 14 Kinston (11-4) vs. West No. 10 Shelby (12-3)

4-A: At Lenoir-Rhyne's Moretz Stadium

Dec. 13, 11 a.m.: East No. 1 Reidsville (12-2) vs. West No. 1 Brevard (14-0)

5-A: At Durham County Memorial Stadium

Dec. 13, 8 p.m.: East No. 1 Hunt (12-2) vs. West No. 4 Crest (12-2)

6-A: At UNC's Kenan Stadium

Dec. 12, 4 p.m.: East No. 3 Middle Creek (11-2) vs. West No. 1 Watauga (14-0)

Class 7-A: At UNC's Kenan Stadium

Dec. 12, 8 p.m.: East No. 3 Clayton (12-2) vs. West No. 1 Grimsley (14-0)

8-A: At UNC's Kenan Stadium

Dec. 11, 8 p.m.: East No. 2 Millbrook (13-0) vs. West No. 1 Hough (13-0)