Andy Scheidler
sports@thefranklinpress.com
Here’s a look back at Franklin’s 10 most newsworthy moments from 2019, arranged chronologically.
WINTER
1
Breaking barriers
Tyler Vinson has undoubtedly left his mark on Franklin’s wrestling program.
The senior won four tournaments during the regular season, including the Mountain Six Conference championship, took second at regional and won two matches at state.
Vinson went 2-2 at the 2-A NCHSAA Championship, held Feb. 14-16 in Greensboro.
Vinson finished the season with a 37-4 record. He didn’t lose back-to-back matches all season.
His four-year record during FHS wrestling seasons was 99-58. Vinson said he’s won 10 matches in the offseason, during the spring or summer, which would give him 109 career victories.
Detailed wrestling records haven’t been kept, so its uncertain when the last time a Franklin wrestler won a match or multiple matches at state. And it’s uncertain where Vinson’s career wins place him in school history.
During his senior year, Vinson started with 19 straight victories while competing in the 145-pound weight class. He won multiple tournaments, including the Mountain Six Conference. And he won two matches at the 2-A NCHSAA Championship and nearly placed in the top six.
His final achievement was likely a first for the FHS wrestling program: he signed to compete in the sport at the University of Mount Olive.
2
Softball coaching hire
A committee at Franklin High School made its pick to fill the softball coaching opening.
All six people on the committee, plus FHS principal Barry Woody, were unanimous in the decision to nominate Penny Moffitt.
The final step in the process was getting approval from the Macon County Board of Education. But the five-person board opted not to accept the committee’s recommendation.
What was discussed in closed session isn’t public knowledge, yet it left many in the community wondering why someone with a sparkling resume would get denied the opportunity to return to coaching.
Bobby Bishop was the only other candidate besides Moffitt who interviewed with the committee (two others applied but withdrew their name before interviewing).
Bishop was officially named Franklin’s varsity head coach when an amended personnel report was approved by the school board. He was approved in a 5-0 vote after the members were polled, which was sent out from superintendent Chris Baldwin.
The committee consisted of Woody, Blair King (FHS athletic director), Todd Gibbs (county athletic director), Ryan Haley (FHS assistant athletic director), plus three teachers who are either current or former coaches.
The committee was not involved in the process after selecting Moffitt. In late January, King sent the selection to Woody, who sent Moffitt’s name to Baldwin.
Using committees to select candidates for nomination are a common practice, whether it’s to hire a coach or a teacher. But after the committee’s recommendation was not approved, it makes many wonder why even bother having a committee when the school board holds the ultimate power.
The BOE consists of Jim Breedlove (chairman), Tommy Cabe (vice chairman), Stephanie McCall, Melissa Evans and Fred Goldsmith. They’re all elected officials who serve four-year staggered terms.
Breedlove said there were many factors that the board members considered and they didn’t rush to judgment. Like with any difficult decision, he said, they asked themselves what was in the best interest of the students.
Baldwin was asked how concerned he is with finding staff willing to serve on a committee in light of what’s transpired.
“I can see how that would cause staff some hesitation,” he said.
Committees are typically used to hire coaches and teachers. Baldwin said it’s possible the hiring process could change.
“I certainly would like to see committees continue. I believe they are productive and useful,” he said. “It’s my hope that we would continue with that. We may look at altering the makeup in some way. And that depends on how much of an obstacle it is to form those committees.”
SPRING
3
Unify game
The scoreboard displayed a final score of 56 points for the home team and 35 for the visitors, but all were winners in this game.
A group of 18 special needs students – some who still attend Franklin High School and some who have graduated – played in an immersive basketball game.
Unify March Madness was created to build community among the students, with various groups all coming together to play a role in the feel-good game.
Special needs students donned FHS jerseys and played a 5-on-5 game against each other. Each had a partner from student body also who also took turns taking the court.
The players gave high-fives, pumped fists and celebrated with huge grins after made baskets.
Players included Kyle Brooks, Alaina Brabson, Anthony Brown, Nash Broyles, Dillon Ford, Jeremiah Hammond, Brandon Holland, Christa Irvin, Sammy Kama, Connor Karcher, Matthew Jenkins, Ethan Jones, Krista Lee, Angela Mashburn, Scott Miller, Joe Nolan, Jeremy Ross and Brittney Watson.
Shanlee Angel led a group of 10 FHS students who coordinated with faculty members and organized the event. Angel went from being nervous that not enough people would show up to support the free event, to being worried too many would show up. The 300 T-shirts they handed out to students went very quickly, she said.
After the game, as the players sat at a table signing autographs, Angel nearly began to cry.
“These kids – they all have a piece of my heart,” she said. “I’ve spent so much time with them and I’ve got so many bonds with them that I love them so much. I am so glad I had this opportunity. So glad.”
The B-Naturals, the F.I.P. (Franklin Indoor Percussion) and Panther Sound also performed.
The plan is to make the basketball game an annual event, and to add other sporting events into the mix.
SUMMER
4
FAST wins 16th MSL title
Reilly Stahl and Seth Gurney graduated from Franklin High School in May, yet both decided to swim this summer for the Franklin Amateur Swim Team (FAST).
Why make that commitment?
For Stahl, it boiled down to coaching.
She loves coaches Dwain and Dina Picou, and she knew the program was thin on 15-18-year-old girls. Plus, Stahl wanted to help coach the youngest swimmers.
The Picous are longtime coaches of the program. They split the team of 120-plus swimmers into two practices, and get older swimmers to help coach the younger ones.
Gurney also came out this summer because he loves coaching and being around the younger children. He also loves swimming, and he wants to stay in shape before going to college to swim.
FAST won the Mountain Swim League championship in July. It was the 16th conference straight title.
Stahl has swum for FAST for 13 years. She’s been a member of the program for nearly the entirety of the conference winning streak.
She chalks up the sustained success to coaching style.
“The kids who come out here, you can tell they want to be here because they have more fun,” Stahl said.
“Here, they have more fun and they actually want to swim because they know they’re going to come and have a good time and get better at the same time.”
Zoi Walker, 12, has been swimming for five years.
“I just like it. It’s fun,” Walker said.
Asked why the team is so good, she credited the Picou’s and assistant coaches Anthony Zari and Jaimie Picou.
“The coaches really push us to be our best,” Walker said.
Hunter Cabe, 15, broke two records at the conference meet.
“We’re just a powerful team with a lot of good swimmers,” Cabe said.
5
Archer takes aim
Competing in the semifinals of an archery tournament in Florida, Brett Adams was on the brink of elimination. Even though he trailed Glenn Meyers 5-1, Adams wouldn’t have been upset if he lost.
“He is a very good archer and a tough competitor,” Adams said.
Adams won the next end to make it 5-3. Then he won another to pull even at 5-5, meaning the two would have an one-arrow shoot-off to determine who’d advance to the finals.
As Adams prepared to shoot, he heard an arrow fling and a word of discouragement from Meyers.
Rather than look at Meyers’ target to see what happened, Adams stayed focused on his target. He took a deep breath, found his aim point, and released the arrow. It found the 10.
Meyers was in the 8.
Adams’ wife, Jenny, began excitedly jumping up and down, knowing Adams would have a chance to win the gold medal.
That’s exactly what he did, too, taking out the fifth archer of the day to win the US Archery Gator Cup in Gainesville, Florida.
It was quite the thrill for Adams, who started shooting when he was 8 and learned the sport on his own. Until only recently, Adams never had any formal coaching.
His cousin in Arizona, Judi Adams, began working with him earlier this year. Judi Adams competed in the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, and likely would’ve medaled in the 1980 Olympics (she was ranked second in the world) had America not boycotted.
Brett Adams is also a coach himself, helping the Franklin youth who are on the 4-H archery team.
“My main goal is to share this with our youth in our community. Share my God-giving gift so they can have the joy that I have out there,” Adams said.
FALL
6
Chavez nets six goals – twice
For a good chunk of his career, the most goals Cris Chavez had ever scored in a varsity game was two.
That total got destroyed when the Franklin senior played on the home field at Macon Middle School against Blue Ridge Early College on Sept. 12.
Chavez scored six goals to tie a school record for most goals in a game.
“It felt really good,” said Chavez, who didn’t realize he had tied the record until the next day when coach Matt Kolodzik told him.
Chavez became the third player to score six goals in a goal. Most recently, Diego Hernandez accomplished the double hat trick against Highlands in 2017.
Kurt Lehnert was a scoring machine for the Panthers in during his junior and seniors. 1986 was the first year Franklin had a boys soccer team, and Lehnert scored six goals on three occasions: against A.C. Reynolds and twice against West Henderson. Lehnert also scored six goals in 1987 against North Buncombe.
Chavez credited his teammates for helping him score six goals (he also had an assist). Five of his goals came via an assist, while the other was on a free kick.
A couple weeks later, Chavez matched the incredible feat. He scored six goals at conference foe Pisgah.
Chavez was named Mountain Six Conference Player of the Year. He finished with 39 goals, second only to Lehnert for most in a season.
He was asked about tying the school record twice.
“It was really cool, actually,” Chavez said. “I didn’t think I was gonna get to that. It was crazy.”
7
Golf duo wins gold
While waiting for the scores to be tabulated, Eric Hall asked a woman if she happened to have the results from the golf tournament.
“Yeah, I’ve got them right here,” she said. “It’s how I’m lining everyone up.”
“Do you know who finished first?” Hall asked.
“The team from North Carolina, Eric Hall and Jason Hedrick,” she said.
The duo from Macon County represented North Carolina at the North America Special Olympics, held Sept. 23-25 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Hall told Hedrick the thrilling news, but it didn’t immediately sink in.
“I don’t think he realized what we’d done until he got the gold placed around his neck,” Hall said.
Hall and Hedrick actually tied for first, but they won via a scorecard playoff. The tiebreaker compares scores beginning on the hardest handicap hole until there’s a separation.
Hall wasn’t sure how many holes were used to break the tie.
“It worked out,” he said.
It’s the second time Hedrick, 43, has won a gold medal. Hedrick, who is intellectually challenged, competed in the National Special Olympics Games in Iowa in 2006. He won a gold medal while competing in the 4x100 relay.
He and his mother, Pat, were living in Sylva at that time. Jason has been playing golf for almost two decades, and they moved to The Golf Club at Mill Creek two years ago.
The national games were played at Hermitage Golf Course in Nashville.
Hall and Hedrick qualified to compete in the alternate shot tournament after winning the North Carolina tournament, held in Charlotte 10 months later.
“To do it for Jason is really special,” Hall said. “And to do it for Macon County and North Carolina, to know we got selected to play in that event and to win a gold medal, that means a lot. That’s pretty cool.”
8
MMS wins soccer title
When the third goal went into the net, Macon Middle School players on the field and on the sideline went crazy, jumping and celebrating wildly.
Flat Rock players sunk to their knees and laid on their backs in disbelief, knowing the game was over.
Ulises Pardon’s goal with 45 seconds remaining provided the final dagger in a 3-0 victory. It sealed the Blue Ridge Athletic Conference tournament title.
“It’s like nothing else in the world,” assistant coach Luke Walker said. “These kids work so hard. To see them get to live this – unbelievable.”
Walker has worked this group of players for a couple years. He reached out to Rodney Vanhook to join him before this season, with Vanhook listed as the head coach and Walker an assistant coach, along with Coley Tyler.
The coaches witnessed a tremendous progression from the start of the season until the end. They lost 5-1 at Flat Rock in the first game. They started rolling toward the middle of the season, and ended the regular season with 10-2 record to win the Western Division of the conference.
Flat Rock went 12-0 in the regular season to win the Eastern Division, then won two tournament games. The Eagles came in as the defending tournament champions, winning it in 2018 and 2016.
MMS got to host the game (it rotates every year between each division), which was significant for a couple reason. One, MMS plays on a natural grass field that by this time of the year is far from plush. Two, the Panthers enjoyed the support from a large and vocal crowd.
The Panthers had a very large team consisting of 23 players. The coaches kept that many players because they want the younger ones to gain experience.
Eighth-graders included Elijah Cochran, Miguel Diaz, Aaron Jennings, Jacob Martinez, Ulises Pardon, Juan Pena, Jayden Pevia, Alex Robles, David Rubio, Frankie Vallez and Jazihel Vazquez.
Seventh-graders included Graham Caldwell, Miguel Cruz, Braylen Dezarn, Sebastian Hernendez, Daniel Riddle, Aiden Sizemore, JC Tagge, Preston Trentham, Alex Trivett and Vinnie Walker.
Two sixth-graders also made the roster: Conner Baldwin and Greg Karcher.
Vanhook posted a quote on the bulletin board in the locker room a couple weeks ago. It said: “Be phenomenal or be forgotten.”
“I’m telling you, these kids have lived by it today,” Vanhook said.
“These kids have worked their butts off. They’ve come out day after day and they’ve learned. They’ve taken the criticism. From that first game to this one, two totally different teams.”
9
Football celebrates win
Noah Sitton started the year at quarterback. The Franklin senior moved to tight end when sophomore Chris McGuire came back from an injury, but Sitton got to make a memorable throw in his final game in the Panther Pit.
The Panthers shifted most of their offensive line and backfield to the left of the field during a play in the second quarter of Friday’s game against East Henderson. Sitton took a shotgun snap from center Camden Cochran, then found McGuire open near the left hash. The 35-yard touchdown pass was Franklin’s third of four on a rainy night.
FHS beat East Henderson 27-0 to earn its first win of the season.
“It’s been a process. This just didn’t happen tonight,” coach Josh Brooks said in the field house after the game, while jubilant cheers and roars echoed from the locker room.
“The kids’ good attitude and the fact that they’ve kept working – I felt like we’ve continued to get better, especially after the open date – is the reason we were able to do this tonight. (East’s) kids played extremely hard tonight too and did some good things. Just super happy for our kids and our coaches.”
The win ensures Franklin wouldn’t go winless for the third time in program history. The last time the Panthers started the season 0-8 was in 1991.
FHS endured 370 days without a win, dating back to a 43-14 victory at East Henderson on Oct. 19, 2018.
It was a happy way for the team’s 11 seniors, who were recognized before the game, to go out.
“It feels great,” senior captain Gavin Riddle said. “As Coach Josh said, finally feels good to get the paycheck for all the work.”
Sitton, who handled the offensive position change admirably and puts the team first, said it hasn’t been that difficult to stay positive through all of the losses because the players relied on each other.
“We’re brothers,” Sitton said.
“Coach Josh said we won’t ever remember the score 10 years from now. We’ll just remember the people that’s on the team.”
10
Cross-country champs
Ethan Stamey and his twin brother Nathan came into the Mountain Six Conference cross-country championship meet ranked 1-2.
So they weren’t particularly surprised when they took the top two spots.
“It was not really a shocker,” Ethan Stamey said. “Just glad I guess.”
Ethan finished in 16 minutes, 19.2 seconds. Nathan crossed the line four seconds later.
It had been only two years since the last time Franklin had runners take the top two spots at the conference meet. Nathan Richards and Grayson Jones accomplished the feat in 2017.
That meet was held at Western Carolina University, but it shifted to the Jackson County Recreation Park for this year’s race, held Oct. 23.
Franklin narrowly won the team title. Brevard’s top five runners’ places equaled 50. Franklin’s top five runners’ places added up to 49.
It’s Franklin’s first conference championship since 2014.
Dylan Garcia won the MSC Championship with a time of 19 minutes, 9.3 seconds. Her blistering time broke Jennifer Wiggins’ record of 19:31, which had stood for 25 years.
Garcia’s previous PR of 19:36 came Oct. 9 at the Currahee Classic in Robbinsville.
“It still hasn’t sunk in that I have the school record,” Garcia said. “That mental mindset – I still feel like I’m chasing something. It’s sort of weird.”
Now, every time she sets a new PR also means it will be a new school record – which is hard for Garcia to fathom.
“It’s sort of crazy to think about that,” she said.
OTHERS
Girls bball MSC tourney 2-27
Ledford recovery 7-31
Fill kill 8-2, 8-7
Woodward Naturalist 50K 10-11