Hoops: Girls hope to repeat success

Press photo/Andy Scheidler Front row, left to right: Abby Rusch, Kassie Carpenter, Kayla Young, Jenna Mashburn, Jordan Pickens, Lindsay Simpson. Back row: manager Liz Tippett, manager Caitlin Raby, Valerie Parks, Ariel Wright, Melanie Stewart, Julia Hartbarger, Chelsea Zemmin, manager Kristi Corbin.

sports@thefranklinpress.com

As Jay Brooks prepared the Franklin girls basketball team for its season-opening game this weekend, he was reminded that life is very precious.

Brooks found out Monday that one of his high school football coaches had passed away at age 43 after suffering a massive heart attack. Brian Bryson was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Smoky Mountain when Brooks played for the Mustangs.

The news made Brooks realize how much life should be cherished. And it's something he hopes his players will take to heart.

"That's my whole philosophy, is to enjoy every second," Brooks said. "Win or lose, you need to enjoy it and do the best you can do. We're going to prepare like crazy, we're going to compete, we're going to act right and we're going to do the best that we can do. I'm very excited about that. I love my job here. I'm blessed to have it. I'm just excited to see what we can do."

The Panthers have only two seniors returning, but almost every player has varsity experience. Of the 11 players, only freshman Lindsay Simpson and junior Julia Hartbarger haven't seen varsity action.

Valerie Parks, Kayla Young, Melanie Stewart and Kassie Carpenter all played varsity for the entire season last year. Jenna Mashburn, Abby Rusch, Chelsea Zemmin, Ariel Wright and Jordan Pickens all moved up to varsity after the conclusion of the junior varsity season.

Improving upon the previous year could be difficult, as the Panthers raised the bar. They won their first playoff game in 21 years, claimed a sectional championship and advanced to the fourth round of the state playoffs.

"We never knew last year that was the kind of year we would have. I thought that it was a possibility. But you've still got to get it done. And those girls did - they seized the moment," Brooks said.

"We've tried not to focus too much on that other than it being a motivation for us this year. They believe that we can get it done and that it is possible around here to have a good program."

The higher confidence level is likely a result of the success. It also has helped the players develop a strong work ethic, as they often came in to shoot or workout during the summer and fall. Brooks said there's been more work done before the season on an individual basis than he's ever seen.

A large portion of credit for that dedication belongs to the Panthers' two seniors, Parks and Young. The duo pushed everyone to get into the gym during the offseason.

Likely recognizing that leadership, their teammates voted Parks and Young as the team captains.

Parks said she's excited to see how the Panthers stack up against the competition and how well they gel as a team.

"I think we'll be good," Parks said. "We all get along great. And we all have very solid skills. So I think we'll do very well."

With the loss of all-conference players Jena Cabe and Evan Moffitt, along with honorable mention player Whitney Harrell, some people might expect a down year. But Young said she's excited about beating the record from last year.

"I want to beat it, because I know everybody thinks that we're not going to do good," Young said. "But I feel like we are, because everybody is working really hard, a lot harder than we did last year."

Franklin dominated all three opponents in preseason scrimmages, unofficially beating West Henderson, Hayesville and Murphy each by at least 24 points.

FHS finished second in the Mountain Athletic Conference last year, behind T.C. Roberson. It will be the final year for the Panthers in the MAC, and the Rams will be the favorite again as they've won 30 straight conference games.

Brooks said T.C. would be the favorite, but considers the other six teams very equal.

Beating the Rams was a popular goal by many of the Panthers, as was beating Smoky Mountain, finishing high in the conference and making a playoff run like last year.

"I have high expectations for this team," Brooks said. "We're going to have to work hard on being very unselfish, being more about the team than about playing time or about who's starting and this and that. And making every single moment count in practice and the games to be as successful as we can. If we're all rowing in the same direction, I definitely believe we'll be tough to beat."