Panther swim and dive are Mountain Seven Conference runners-up.
On Saturday, Jan. 18, the team traveled to the Waynesville Rec Center for the Conference Championship Meet. There Franklin placed second in both men’s and women’s scoring ahead of the 3A West Regionals in Charlotte next weekend.
Franklin dominated the long freestyle events in Waynesville, winning both 400-yard relays and both individual 500-yard swims. In the 500 Alyse Remery and Gavin Rinker each earned conference titles, completing 20 laps in 6:26.06 and 5:52.05, respectively. Both also helped their team to wins in the 400 free relays, joining Kenna Keyworth, Dalila Canzone and Zoi Walker (4:20.55); and Thatcher Daniels, Gavin Alverson and Malik Walker (3:56.73).
In addition to the 400 relay, Zoi Walker also earned an individual win, taking home the girls 200 free (2:17.12) and placing second in the 100 butterfly (1:09.81). Jonah Brant claimed the men’s 1-meter dive with a score of 310.05, and placed second in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:14.56). The junior nearly beat West Henderson’s Aidan Holmes in a photo finish, falling one hundredth of a second short.
In addition to Walker and Brant, several other Panthers just missed event wins. On the girls side Kate Phillips placed second in both the 500 free (6:41.09) and 100 backstroke (1:16.45), while Kenna Keyworth placed second in the 200 medley (2:38.67) and third in the 100 fly (1:12.61). Dalila Canzone placed third in the 100 breaststroke (1:32.22) and fourth in the 200 free (2:37.63), while Remery and Brooke Borgmann placed third in the 200 medley (2:41.12) and 50 free (30.30), respectively.
Franklin also placed second in both the 200 medley (Phillips, Walker, Keyworth, Canzone; 2:09.41) and 200 free (Borgmann, Cadee Breedlove, Remery, Phillips; 2:03.24) relays. As a team Franklin’s women placed second to West 558-504. The result broke a three-year conference title streak for the Panthers.
On the boys side Malik Walker placed second in both the boys 200 free (2:08.55) and 100 fly (1:03.35), while Thatcher Daniels placed second in the 200 medley (2:22.96). Gavin Alverson placed third in the 200 free (2:20.62) and fourth in the 100 free (59.32), while Rinker and Jack Hyatt placed third in the 200 medley (2:28.80) and 100 back (1:11.92), respectively.
Like their female teammates, Franklin placed second in both the 200 medley (Hyatt, Brant, Rinker, Walker; 1:57.56) and 200 free (Hyatt, Daniels, Brant, Alverson; 1:43.75) relays. As a team the Panthers also placed second to West, 538-345.
After the conference championships, Franklin had nearly two weeks to prepare for their next meet, the 3A West Regionals in Charlotte Jan. 31-Feb. 1. There Franklin’s best swimmers will race top competition from across WNC, in hopes of advancing to the 3A State Championships in Raleigh Feb. 6-7.