Cross Country
After a stellar season from its underclassmen girls last fall, Franklin should boast one of 3A’s best teams for years to come.
Having helped Franklin to an 11th-place finish at the state meet in 2022, sophomores Mindi Holbrooks, Abigail Pope, Amy Mendoza Lopez and others formed the core of a solid team in 2023. Combined with freshman phenom Morgan Cress’s meteoric rise, a solid team suddenly turned into a 3A powerhouse.
With a 13th-place finish at the state meet, Cress turned in the second-best time among all 3A freshmen (19:32), just nine seconds off North Lincoln’s Cambelle Reffner (12th) and less than 90 seconds off first place. Mendoza Lopez and Pope placed 30th and 62nd to help Franklin to a 7th-place finish overall.
On the boys’ side, Franklin is tasked with replacing Logan Russo and Barrett Stork, who graduated this summer after stellar four-year careers. Best-positioned to carry out that task are seniors Matheson Post and Dane Hooper, who helped Franklin to a 9th-place overall finish at the state meet last year.
Football
After a difficult 2023, Panther football should be poised to improve this season.
With young, inexperienced players playing key positions last fall, another year of seasoning should help the Panthers navigate a difficult Mountain Seven Conference.
On offense Franklin should once again boast a talented stable of backs, including Braydon Hervey, Garrett Young, Zavion Ensley and 2023 All-Conference selection Addix Sutton. Despite Hervey missing seven games due to injury, he and Sutton combined for 821 yards and four touchdowns last year.
At quarterback sophomore Anderson Terrell looks poised to take the reins of Franklin’s offense, with Brock Bradley, Lance Parker and 2023 all-Conference Honorable Mention Braylon Dezarn among his top receiving threats. On the offensive line center Maveric Waldroop and tackle Bryson Gibbs also return as Honorable Mentions.
On defense Dezarn (defensive back) and Sutton (inside linebacker) should spearhead a strong back seven for the Panthers, after leading the team in interceptions (4) and total tackles (62) respectively last year. Defensive back Aiden Sizemore and middle linebacker Avery Carpenter should also play prominent roles.
In the trenches Franklin must replace former All-Conference linemen Jacob Gibson and Gabe Nickerson, who combined for 77 tackles including eight for loss, two sacks and seven quarterback hurries as seniors last year.
Men’s Soccer
With just one returning player (senior forward/wing Josiah Mascorro) among its five All-Conference selections last fall, Panther men’s soccer remains something of a mystery in 2024.
On offense the Panthers should have no shortage of goal-scorers, led by Mascorro, sophomore Kevin Torres and senior Miguel Cruz. The trio combined for 25 of Franklin’s 58 goals and 14 of its 41 assists last year, with the speed, field vision and skill to keep opposing back lines on their heels.
In midfield Franklin must replace former senior Ulises Padron-Perez, who led the team in goals (17) and assists (9) en route to an All-Region last year. With 19 midfielders on the roster (most players are listed at multiple positions), Matt Kolodzik’s team should have plenty of fresh legs in the middle of the pitch.
Franklin’s back line will look quite different to fans in 2024, without longtime All-Conference defenders Aaron Jennings and Jaydon Pevia. After the two stalwarts allowed them to deploy just three defenders in recent years, the team has experiemented with a back-four alignment this summer.
Volleyball
With four of five All-Conference players returning to last year’s Mountain Seven Champions, Panther volleyball enters the fall season with a full head of steam.
At the net Bekah Brooks’ team should have no shortage of hitters, returning their top three players in terms of kills from last year in All-Conference seniors Cali Queen (339), Kyrah Bowles (181) and Ryan Green (145). On defense Green finished second conference-wide in blocks (73), while Aubrey Haley, Piper Wittekind and Audrey Pressley also figure to play key roles.
Despite losing two-time All-Conference setter McCall Sanders to graduation, Franklin’s back row should hardly skip a beat this year, led by McKenna Plemmons, All-Conference Honorable Mention Emma Ledford and All-Conference First Team selection McKayla Sanders. The libero/defensive specialist’s 336 digs ranked second in the conference last year, while Ledford posted 355 assists to just four errors.
Ledford should also be one of the conference’s best servers once again, after finishing fourth conference-wide with 46 aces last fall. Sanders (38), Queen (34) and Bowles (29) should help make Franklin lethal from the serving area.
Women’s Tennis
With their top three players returning from last year’s trip to the State Semifinals, Franklin should again boast one of 3A’s best tennis teams.
In helping Heather Bell’s team to their second straight 14-0 regular season, then-juniors Kate Phillips, Abigail Angel and Maci Stork formed one of the state’s top trios. Splitting time in Franklin’s top two slots, Angel and Phillips combined for a 27-11 record in singles, and partnered at #1 doubles to accrue a 13-4 mark.
Playing primarily at #3 singles, Stork lost just one match all season, compiling a 17-1 record across Nos. 2, 3 and 4. In doubles Stork partnered with former senior Logan Guynn to advance to the 3A West Individual Tournament Final.
Amazingly, Stork and Guynn met two familiar opponents in the final – their Panther teammates and former seniors Laura and Lydia Holland. The Hollands’ 3A West Doubles title was Franklin’s second in as many years, after Phillips and Alyssa Smith captured the crown in 2022. That the 3A West champions spent most of the year in Franklin’s #3 doubles slot was a testament to the team’s extraordinary depth and talent.
In losing Guynn and the Hollands to graduation this summer, the team will lean on players like senior Caroline Deal and juniors Clara Stork and Marlee Barnes.