Sports

Press photo/Will Woolever - Senior Jacob Gibson battles for possession versus Smoky Mountain Jan. 12.

Press photo/Will Woolever - Senior Jacob Gibson battles for possession versus Smoky Mountain Jan. 12.

Men’s hoops take first place in M7C

Will Woolever
Tuesday, January 16, 2024
Panther men’s hoops are the leaders of the Mountain Seven Conference. On the week of Jan. 8, Doug Plemmons’ team faced two more conference games, traveling to North Henderson and hosting Smoky Mountain.
Press photo/Will Woolever - Freshman guard Audrey Pressley goes airborne while driving to the basket versus Andrews Jan. 3.

Press photo/Will Woolever - Freshman guard Audrey Pressley goes airborne while driving to the basket versus Andrews Jan. 3.

Women top Murphy, Andrews

Will Woolever
Tuesday, January 9, 2024
It’s been a whirlwind two weeks for Panther women’s hoops. With six games between Dec. 22 and Jan. 5, Franklin was hard at work over Christmas break. In nonconference wins over Murphy and Andrews, Scott Hartbarger’s team tipped off the second half of their season. “A.C.
Press photo/Will Woolever - Freshman forward Will Rauers lays a shot off the glass at Andrews Jan. 3.

Press photo/Will Woolever - Freshman forward Will Rauers lays a shot off the glass at Andrews Jan. 3.

Men beat Pisgah, sit at 9-4

Will Woolever
Tuesday, January 9, 2024
Panther men’s hoops are tied for second in the Mountain Seven Conference. With six games over Christmas break, Doug Plemmons’ team was hard at work over the holidays, facing elite opponents from three different states.
Press file photo - Sprint standouts Hope Smith (left) and Laura Covarrubias (right) compete in the 100-meter dash at Swain Nov. 15.

Press file photo - Sprint standouts Hope Smith (left) and Laura Covarrubias (right) compete in the 100-meter dash at Swain Nov. 15.

Track qualifies 40 for state

Will Woolever
Tuesday, January 9, 2024
Panther track and field look more and more like state title contenders. After three weeks off for Christmas, the team resumed its season on the first week of the year, traveling to Lynchburg, Virginia, for one of the biggest meets on the east coast.
Press file photo - Two-way All-Mountain Seven lineman Jacob Gibson corrals a Pisgah ball carrier in Canton Sept. 29. The senior was one of three All-Conference First Team selections for the Panthers this year.

Press file photo - Two-way All-Mountain Seven lineman Jacob Gibson corrals a Pisgah ball carrier in Canton Sept. 29. The senior was one of three All-Conference First Team selections for the Panthers this year.

Three named to All-Mountain Seven football team

Will Woolever
Tuesday, January 2, 2024
Eight Panthers have been honored by Mountain Seven coaches. Shortly after the fall campaign, the conference’s head football coaches met for their annual postseason meeting, selecting the best players from each other’s squads to this year’s All-M7 team.
Panther track and field are pictured with their championship banner at the 3A state title meet in Greensboro May 19.

Panther track and field are pictured with their championship banner at the 3A state title meet in Greensboro May 19.

Year in review for Franklin sports

Will Woolever
Tuesday, January 2, 2024
1- Track claims 3A state titles As long as records are kept for N.C. high school sports, 2023 will be known as the year of Panther track. Entering the Indoor State Championships in Winston-Salem this past February, Franklin generally wasn’t mentioned among the 3A pre-meet favorites.
Press photo/Thomas Sherrill - Franklin High Career and Technical Education teacher Josh Brooks gives a presentation on Esports to the Macon County Board of Education Dec. 21.

Press photo/Thomas Sherrill - Franklin High Career and Technical Education teacher Josh Brooks gives a presentation on Esports to the Macon County Board of Education Dec. 21.

County approves Esports inquiry

Will Woolever
Tuesday, December 26, 2023
A brand new kind of sport may soon be coming to Macon County Schools. For the past several years, a new frontier of interscholastic competition has been sweeping the nation’s schools, pitting video game players against one another in electronic sports, or Esports.
Press photo/Will Woolever - Sophomore guard Layla Reeves chases a loose ball versus Tuscola on Tom Raby Court Dec. 19.

Press photo/Will Woolever - Sophomore guard Layla Reeves chases a loose ball versus Tuscola on Tom Raby Court Dec. 19.

JV girls win first three, come 1 point shy of 4-0

Will Woolever
Tuesday, December 26, 2023
Panther JV girls hoops are contenders once again. For the last five years, Bekah Brooks’ teams have been tough to beat, making five trips to the conference finals and hoisting three tournament trophies.
Sophomore point guard Aiden Pitts gets past Tuscola defenders on Tom Raby Court Dec. 19. (Press photo/Will Woolever)

Sophomore point guard Aiden Pitts gets past Tuscola defenders on Tom Raby Court Dec. 19. (Press photo/Will Woolever)

JV boys start season 5-1, 1-1 in M7C

Will Woolever
Tuesday, December 26, 2023
Panther JV boys hoops are off to another hot start. After narrowly falling to Pisgah in a thrilling Mountain Seven Conference Final last year, Tres Rogers’ team entered 2023 with clear title hopes.
Press file photo - Sophomore Justin Rodriguez (left) and senior Elijah Cochran run the 500-meter dash at Swain Nov. 29.

Press file photo - Sophomore Justin Rodriguez (left) and senior Elijah Cochran run the 500-meter dash at Swain Nov. 29.

Track breaks more records

Will Woolever
Tuesday, December 19, 2023
Panther track and field is continuing its quest for a 3A title. As one of the top teams statewide in number of qualifiers for the state meet, on Dec. 16 the team traveled to Columbus for the Polk County Reindeer Games.