Two Panther sluggers have earned statewide honors on the diamond. Just three days after breaking Franklin’s all-time record with her 29th home run, on April 11 Kendall Rumans received a Performance of the Month award from the N.C. High School Athletic Association. Given to just one male and one female athlete across the state, the junior earned the March award by way of her .524 batting average, 20 RBIs, 24 runs scored and 22 hits including nine doubles across 13 games.
For Panther baseball, sophomore Will Rauers has also turned in an excellent season, having recently been named Sports Illustrated’s N.C. High School Player of the Week. Winning a landslide vote over nine other players across the state, the sophomore earned the award for the week of April 7 after playing key roles in three Panther wins. At Robbinsville April 9, Rauers hit a grand slam to win 13-5, before dealing eight strikeouts to just one hit versus West Henderson two days later. After six innings on the mound, he drove in the winning run to defeat the Falcons 3-2.