Panther athletes continue to qualify for the indoor track state meet.
After meeting 3A time/distance standards in 14 different events their first week, on Nov. 29 the team traveled to Swain for their third date of the regular season. With several more Panthers meeting state standards at an eight-team meet in Bryson City, Franklin continued their quest for a second-straight 3A men’s state title.
“We were able to get seven more qualifiers last night and advance some kids through that, come February, will be able to help us try to win another team title,” said men’s head coach Matt Harlfinger after the meet. “We were able to get Elijah Cochran qualified in the high jump and the [500-meter dash], Hope Smith qualified in the 500, Addison Coker [qualified] in the triple jump, Justus Bradford and Talley Kinsland qualified in the high jump, and David Rogers qualified in the pole vault. The regular indoor season is basically just an arms race, and it’s us versus a couple other teams in ‘Who can get the most kids to qualify?’ Typically, the largest team has the best chance to win because you have the most scoring opportunities.”
At last year’s state meet, Franklin boasted two of the largest contingents, taking part in 18 events on the women’s side and 19 events on the men’s. After beating Croatan for the men’s state title and falling a point shy of Dudley’s women, Harlfinger has meticulously planned this year’s efforts toward qualification.
“Right now we’ve got 11 opportunities for the girls, and 10 opportunities on the guys’ side,” he said. “We’ve got a really big schedule this year, and we’ve taken a little bit different approach with how we’re trying to stack our team. Instead of having somebody like Elijah Cochran go and do four events at 13 different track meets, we’re saying, ‘Hey, this meet we’re just gonna high jump, and you’re gonna qualify. Next meet, you’re gonna run maybe the [300-meter dash] and qualify, and then we’re gonna do the long jump and qualify.’ We’ve been selective with how we’ve approached this year, and part of that is load management, injury prevention and just trying to be smart with the kids’ health and not trying to overload them too early in the year.”
Because so much emphasis is placed on the 3A state meet Feb. 10, Harlfinger and his staff have taken great pains to keep athletes fresh. Already with 21 individuals and relays having punched their tickets to Winston-Salem, Franklin’s delegation should only continue to grow.
“Justin Rodriguez missed the qualifying mark by a tenth of a second in the 500. That’s about as close as you can get without doing it, so I’m feeling really confident about him,” said Harlfinger of the sprinter, who helped Franklin to top-four finishes in the 4x200 and 4x400-meter relays as a freshman in last year’s outdoor state meet. “Matheson Post missed it by three tenths of a second in the [1,000-meter run]. … We gave Barrett [Stork] and Logan [Russo] the meet off just for load management and trying to play it smart for them, but I’ve got 100% confidence that they will at some point hit all of the [distance] qualifying marks. … Amy Mendoza Lopez and Mindi Holbrooks were both within a second in the girls 1,000, so I’m feeling really good about them being able to push that one through in the very near future.”
After failing to qualify a female distance runner for last year’s state meet, the 1,000-, 1,600- and 3,200-meter runs should be some of Franklin’s strengths this season. After placing seventh as a team at the 3A cross country state meet last month, the Panthers’ underclassmen girls might be the final piece of a championship puzzle.
“On the girls side last year, we scored in almost every single event outside of the distance races,” said Harlfinger. “Already this year we’ve got Amy qualified in the two-mile, we’ve got Amy and Mindi very close in the 1,000, and Morgan Cress was our number one girl through the cross country season. When she’s ready to flip the switch she’s one of the fastest girls in the state, so I feel really good about her qualifying either in the mile, the two-mile or the 1,000. That squad has already qualified in the [4x800-meter relay] so they’ve earned an opportunity to run at the state meet, but after the four-by-eight, it’s ‘Can we find an area where you can help the team further?’ We’re sitting in a really good position right now, especially being so early in the season.”
Between trusty veterans and promising newcomers like senior shot putter Sarah Rondel; senior jumpers Talley Kinsland and Ella Brinson; freshman sprinters Bailey Callahan, Dylan Monzon and Hunter Morrow; and freshmen throwers Wesley Maxson, Brady Norman and Mace Waldroop; Franklin should have the talent to compete at state for years to come. In winning 13 out of 30 total events in Bryson City, Harlfinger said he was encouraged by Franklin’s performance versus a top WNC rival.
“The Swain coach and I had a conversation about just how fortunate we are to be 45 minutes down the road from one another, and being able to have such a quality track meet where we push one another,” he said of the reigning three-time 1A women’s state champions. “They understand too, it doesn’t matter if you get first place; you’re there to hit your qualifying mark so you can continue to compete in February. … It’s a good opportunity to find some competition. Looking at some of these results from around the state, yesterday was one of the more competitive track meets that went off on a Wednesday night.”