Sports

Senior Payton Baty weighs a contested shot versus North Henderson Jan. 7. (Press photo/Will Woolever)

Senior Payton Baty weighs a contested shot versus North Henderson Jan. 7. (Press photo/Will Woolever)

Women’s hoops rout North, win thriller at Andrews

Will Woolever
Tuesday, January 14, 2025
Panther women’s hoops have earned a signature win. After an overtime loss to Pisgah Jan. 3, Franklin sought to get back on track the following week, with games versus North Henderson and Andrews.
Press photo/Will Woolever - Senior Max McClure attempts a contested 3-pointer versus North Henderson on Tom Raby Court Jan. 7.

Press photo/Will Woolever - Senior Max McClure attempts a contested 3-pointer versus North Henderson on Tom Raby Court Jan. 7.

McClure breaks brother’s scoring record, men improve to 10-3

Will Woolever
Tuesday, January 14, 2025
Panther men’s basketball has a new all-time scoring leader. Throughout his senior season Max McClure has been nearing a milestone, approaching the program-record 1,282 career points scored by his older brother, Miles.
Press photo/Will Woolever - NASKA (North American Sport Karate Association) World Champion Cooper Rogers (center) shows off some of his medals at Danny Antoine’s Martial Arts Academy in Franklin. Rogers is pictured with (from left) sister, Maddie; father, Eric; mother, Meagan; and sister, Sophie.

Press photo/Will Woolever - NASKA (North American Sport Karate Association) World Champion Cooper Rogers (center) shows off some of his medals at Danny Antoine’s Martial Arts Academy in Franklin. Rogers is pictured with (from left) sister, Maddie; father, Eric; mother, Meagan; and sister, Sophie.

Local fighter wins world title

Will Woolever
Tuesday, January 14, 2025
A Franklin native is a karate point sparring World Champion. For the past 10 years Cooper Rogers has been hard at work, traversing the country in search of its biggest martial arts competitions.
Senior Zoi Walker swims the 100-yard butterfly at Highlands Dec. 20 (Press file photo)

Senior Zoi Walker swims the 100-yard butterfly at Highlands Dec. 20 (Press file photo)

Swimming enters home stretch

Will Woolever
Tuesday, January 7, 2025
Panther swim and dive is nearing the endgame. Having won their first six meets of the year, the team traveled to T.C. Roberson Jan. 4 for their toughest test yet. While they couldn’t keep their streak alive, they continued to improve their times with just one meet left this regular season.
Press photo/Will Woolever - Senior Max McClure attempts a contested layup vs. Pisgah Jan. 3.

Press photo/Will Woolever - Senior Max McClure attempts a contested layup vs. Pisgah Jan. 3.

Men’s hoops reach tournament final, rout Pisgah

Will Woolever
Tuesday, January 7, 2025
Roughly halfway through the season, Panther men’s hoops is on a hot streak. While other students enjoyed Christmas break, Doug Plemmons’ team was hard at work, playing four different games in seven days.
Photo submitted - Golfers Jason Hedrick (left) and Eric Hall line up a putt in a Special Olympics North Carolina Golf Tour event at Oak Hollow Golf Course in High Point last October.

Photo submitted - Golfers Jason Hedrick (left) and Eric Hall line up a putt in a Special Olympics North Carolina Golf Tour event at Oak Hollow Golf Course in High Point last October.

Local golfers win SONC gold

Will Woolever
Tuesday, January 7, 2025
Two Macon County Special Olympians have won gold in state competition. For the past few years, Jason Hedrick and Eric Hall have been among North Carolina’s top golfers, traversing the state in search of Special Olympic events.
Press photo/Will Woolever - Isaiah Baldwin (left) and Jonah Brant swim the 100-yard breaststroke at Highlands Dec. 20.

Press photo/Will Woolever - Isaiah Baldwin (left) and Jonah Brant swim the 100-yard breaststroke at Highlands Dec. 20.

Swim earns sixth straight win to begin season

Will Woolever
Monday, December 30, 2024
Halfway through the season, Panther swim and dive has not lost a meet. On Dec. 20, the team traveled up the plateau to the Highlands Rec Park, facing Highlands, Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School and the N.C. School of Science and Mathematics.
Former Panther athletes, cheerleaders, band members and their families are pictured in a halftime ceremony at the Panther Pit’s final home football game Nov. 1. (Press photo/Will Woolever)

Former Panther athletes, cheerleaders, band members and their families are pictured in a halftime ceremony at the Panther Pit’s final home football game Nov. 1. (Press photo/Will Woolever)

Year in Review

Will Woolever
Monday, December 30, 2024
Panther Pit gets send-off After 75 years, the Panther Pit received a proper send-off this year. When county leaders finalized plans this summer for a new Franklin High School campus, the fall season became the last in the stadium’s storied history.

NCHSAA proposes new conferences

Will Woolever
Monday, December 23, 2024
Franklin’s athletic conference might not change very much after all. Ahead of its quadrennial realignment starting next school year, on Dec. 18, the N.C. High School Athletic Association released the first draft of its proposed athletic conferences for the next four years.