Franklin’s high school swim and dive teams’ winter season is underway.
In the days leading up to Thanksgiving, Franklin High School and Macon Early College prepared for their first contests, with meets at T.C. Roberson, Smoky Mountain and Franklin on the docket. In their first season competing separately after a school board decision last year, both teams impressed against tough competition.
On Nov. 15, both teams traveled to T.C. Roberson for their first meet of the season. There Alyse Remery had a strong debut for Macon Early College, placing third in both the girls 200-yard freestyle and 100-yard butterfly. Eleanor Kessler also impressed for the Foxes, placing fourth in the girls 100-yard backstroke and eighth in the 500-yard free.
Kenna Keyworth nearly matched Remery for Franklin High School, placing third in the 100 fly and fourth in the 200 free. Dalila Canzone placed fourth in the 200 free and fifth in the 100 free, while Cadee Breedlove placed fifth in both the 100 fly and 100 back.
Thatcher Daniels led the way for the Panther men, placing third in the 100 fly and fourth in the 200 individual medley. Gavin Alverson placed second in the 500 free, Jonah Brant finished third in the 100 breaststroke, and Malik Walker took fourth in the 50 free.
Franklin’s boys also impressed on the relay side, placing second in the 200 medley (Daniels, Brant, Walker, Alverson) and third in both the 200 free (Brant, Alverson, Walker, Dusty Fraites) and 400 free (Walker, Brant, Fraites, Daniels).
Despite being MEC’s only four swimmers, Remery, Kessler, Lydia Kennedy and Anna Sharpe formed a strong relay team, placing sixth in the 400 free and eighth in the 200 medley. Franklin’s girls placed third in the 200 free (Keyworth, Breedlove, Lana Walker, AnnMarie Hinton).
Overall Franklin’s boys earned 142 points, good for fourth place out of five teams. Franklin’s girls earned 118, placing fifth just ahead of MEC (77).
On Nov. 19, both teams traveled to Cullowhee for a meet hosted by Franklin’s Mountain Eight Conference rival, Smoky Mountain. At the newly-completed Jackson County Aquatic Center, Remery impressed once again for MEC, winning the 200 free and 100 back.
Keyworth also won two events for Franklin, claiming the 100 fly and 100 breast. Hinton took home the 200 IM, while Canzone won the 500 free.
Alverson led the way for the Panther men, winning the 500 free and 100 back. Malik Walker claimed the 200 free, while Daniels took home the 200 IM.
MEC impressed in the team events once again, winning the girls 200 free relay and placing third in the 400 free. Franklin’s girls (Canzone, Keyworth, Lana Walker, Emma Ballard) won the 200 medley, while Franklin’s boys (Brant, Fraites, Daniels, Malik Walker) claimed the 200 free.
On Saturday, Nov. 22, both teams returned to Franklin Health and Fitness for their first home meet of the year. There Daniels and Alverson impressed for the Panthers, winning the 200 IM and 100 back, and 50 free and 100 fly, respectively. Fraites won the 500 free, Brant won the 100 breast and Malik Walker won the 100 free.
Remery completed a strong week for MEC, winning the girls 500 free. For Franklin’s girls, Lana Walker claimed the 200 IM and Keyworth claimed the 100 fly.
On the girls side Franklin earned 145 points, finishing ahead of Tri-County Early College (70) for first. MEC tied Tuscola for third with 34. On the boys side Franklin earned 124, also beating out TCEC (67) for first.