Sports

FHS tips off hoops season

Will Woolever
Tuesday, January 26, 2021
Girls 2-0 after Ensley’s shot After long months of uncertainty, training and planning, the Franklin High School basketball season is finally underway.  On Jan. 18 the Panthers hosted Mountain Six rival Hendersonville for their first four games of the season.
Press Photo/Will Woolever - The Franklin boys cross country team (black shirts) gets off the line at the Mountain Six Conference Championship meet in Cullowhee Jan. 6. The team qualified for its fourth straight state championship meet after fininshing second at the 2-A West Regional meet Jan. 15

Press Photo/Will Woolever - The Franklin boys cross country team (black shirts) gets off the line at the Mountain Six Conference Championship meet in Cullowhee Jan. 6. The team qualified for its fourth straight state championship meet after fininshing second at the 2-A West Regional meet Jan. 15

Eight headed to state

Will Woolever
Tuesday, January 19, 2021
Eight Panther distance runners will compete in the state meet this weekend. At the state 2-A West Regional meet in Catawba Jan. 15, both Franklin High School’s boys and girls teams finished in the top 5 in overall points.
Press Photo/Will Woolever FHS swimmers Natalie Ballard (left) and Olivia Stahl help teammates keep track of how many laps they’ve swum in the 500-meter freestyle against Smoky Mountain. The event requires swimmers to go ten laps, or twenty lengths of the pool.

Press Photo/Will Woolever FHS swimmers Natalie Ballard (left) and Olivia Stahl help teammates keep track of how many laps they’ve swum in the 500-meter freestyle against Smoky Mountain. The event requires swimmers to go ten laps, or twenty lengths of the pool.

Swimming bests Tuscola, Mountain Six foes

Will Woolever
Tuesday, January 12, 2021
Swim and Dive has put two more meets in the books on their way to the Mountain Six Conference championship.  In a year in which the COVID-19 pandemic has caused attrition for many Western North Carolina swim teams, FHS returned to action Jan.
Press Photo/Will Woolever - FHS track and field standout Anna Tastinger signs her official offer from Montreat College as her mom, Julie; sister, Matilda; dad, John; and brother, John II look on.

Press Photo/Will Woolever - FHS track and field standout Anna Tastinger signs her official offer from Montreat College as her mom, Julie; sister, Matilda; dad, John; and brother, John II look on.

Tastinger signs college offer

Will Woolever
Tuesday, January 12, 2021
Another Franklin High School senior has signed an offer from a college program.  In little more than a year on the FHS track team, Anna Tastinger has quickly gone from beginner to nationally sought-after talent.
Press Photo/Will Woolever - Panther volleyball fans watch a recent game on the big screen at the Smoky Montain Center for the Performing Arts. The theater has been showing live broadcasts of FHS games for fans unable to attend.

Press Photo/Will Woolever - Panther volleyball fans watch a recent game on the big screen at the Smoky Montain Center for the Performing Arts. The theater has been showing live broadcasts of FHS games for fans unable to attend.

Panther Den comes to Arts Center

Will Woolever
Tuesday, January 5, 2021
As Virgil and Tawana Valentine watched their daughter, Anya, warm up on a 30-foot-wide screen, they said they were simply glad to have a place to see the action.
Press Photo/Will Woolever - Franklin Panther Sports Network color commentator Tony Christie (left) and play-by-play announcer George Young overlook Tom Raby Court while calling a recent JV volleyball match.

Press Photo/Will Woolever - Franklin Panther Sports Network color commentator Tony Christie (left) and play-by-play announcer George Young overlook Tom Raby Court while calling a recent JV volleyball match.

The voice and the eyes

Will Woolever
Tuesday, January 5, 2021
“If you wanted to be here, we’ll try to be the voice and the eyes,” said George Young before Panther volleyball’s recent game at Smoky Mountain.
Top ten sports

Top ten sports

Athletes, coaches aimed high

Will Woolever
Tuesday, December 29, 2020
1. COVID Clampdown The dominant story of 2020, the COVID-19 epidemic, threw an enormous wrench into sports in Macon County this year.
Press Photo/Will Woolever - FHS boys cross-country athletes burst out of the gate in a recent meet at Smoky Mountain High School.

Press Photo/Will Woolever - FHS boys cross-country athletes burst out of the gate in a recent meet at Smoky Mountain High School.

Cross-country scopes out state course

Will Woolever
Tuesday, December 22, 2020
Franklin’s distance runners have faced their toughest test of the season to date. At the NCRunners Elite Winter Quads invitational Dec. 19, Franklin travelled to this year’s state championship course in Kernersville to race some of North Carolina’s best cross-country competition.
Press Photo/Will Woolever - Senior setter Rylee Corbin saves a ball in a match against East Henderson on Dec. 15.

Press Photo/Will Woolever - Senior setter Rylee Corbin saves a ball in a match against East Henderson on Dec. 15.

Volleyball rolls on

Will Woolever
Tuesday, December 22, 2020
Panther volleyball has picked up two more wins on its path to the Mountain Six Conference tournament. In a match against East Henderson at Tom Raby court Dec. 15, the Lady Panthers hosted the Eagles after beating them on their home floor in November.
Press Photo/Will Woolever - Senior libero Amy Tippett tries to dig out an attack in a game against Pisgah last week.

Press Photo/Will Woolever - Senior libero Amy Tippett tries to dig out an attack in a game against Pisgah last week.

Volleyball gets two wins, sits at 5-1

Will Woolever
Tuesday, December 8, 2020
Franklin High School’s volleyball team picked up two more wins on their quest for a Mountain Six Title. In a game against Pisgah at Coach Tom Raby Court Dec.