The Robinson Knights Varsity Football team has had many successes and challenges this season.
For their official season opener, the Knights traveled to face off against the Spoto Spartans. With the Spartans only making it into the end-zone once, the final score was 32-7 in favor of the Knights. The game brought the Knights’ record to 1-0, thus starting the season off on a high note.
The following week, the Knights had another away game. This time, they visited the Lennard Longhorns. As the first quarter progressed, each team met the other point for point, while the ball was run back and forth between endzones. The score at halftime came to 14-14. Despite this, Robinson lost steam in the second half and Lennard went home with the win. The final score came out to 14-28.
On their home turf long at last, the Knights charged the Strawberry Crest Mustangs as their next opponent. On the shiny new field and a screaming student section, the Knights felt a sense of rejuvenation throughout the team, ready for a new game.
“Coming off a fantastic pep rally, the energy I felt coming into Strawberry Crest was huge and the fan presence at the new field was amazing. It really got us going and the turnout was much appreciated,” Wide Receiver, Wilton Rollins (’24) said.
The Mustangs were the first to score, as they kicked a field goal and earned a touchdown within the first quarter. The Knights caught back up and overtook Strawberry Crest, scoring five more touchdowns, and securing a 34-9 win.
Coming off of a win, the highly anticipated Robinson vs. Plant game had arrived. The heated rivalry was at home for the Knights this season. Feeling invigorated after the student-held funeral for the Plant Panther, the Knights were ready to defend their name on the field.
The Panthers scored first in the first quarter, only for the Knights to come back and score before halftime. Both teams went on to score again, the game sitting at a 14-14 tie. However, the Panthers charged the end-zone once more, ending the game with a score of 14-21 in their favor.
The next week, the Knights were back on the road to face the Brandon Eagles. Coming off of a hard rival loss, the Knights were ready for the fight. Despite efforts from the Eagles’ defensive line, the Knights continuously ran the ball into the end-zone. The game ended with a 54-0 win for Robinson.
Tampa Catholic was the next school in Robinson’s path. However, due to thunderstorms the Friday Night Lights quickly turned into the Saturday morning sun as the game was postponed until the following day. The game kept fans on their toes, as the lead bounced back and forth between the Knights and Crusaders. The Knights had learned their lesson from past games and did not lose their edge in the second half, scoring 15 points in the 4th quarter and winning the game 25-24.
With a few stops ahead of the Knights, their season record stands at 5-2 with a win against Freedom. With three regular-season games remaining, the Knights will soon be on their way to the playoffs this November.
