Sports

Photo courtesy of Melissa Ward - Panther track and field packs food boxes for CareNet at a team community service project Jan. 17.

Photo courtesy of Melissa Ward - Panther track and field packs food boxes for CareNet at a team community service project Jan. 17.

Track readies for conference

Will Woolever
Tuesday, January 23, 2024
It’s been a busy few days for Panther track and field. On the week of Jan. 15, the team covered both ends of the competitive spectrum, traveling to Cherokee for a small, regional meet and to Winston-Salem to scope out this year’s state meet venue.
Press photo/Will Woolever - Senior Claire Ballard nears the end of her record-breaking 100-yard breaststroke at T.C. Roberson Jan. 13.

Press photo/Will Woolever - Senior Claire Ballard nears the end of her record-breaking 100-yard breaststroke at T.C. Roberson Jan. 13.

Ballard breaks FHS record for swimming

Will Woolever
Tuesday, January 16, 2024
It’s been a busy week for Panther swim and dive. On the week of Jan. 8, Franklin faced their last two regular-season meets, traveling to Highlands Jan. 12 and to T.C. Roberson the next day. Ahead of the Mountain Seven Conference Championship Meet Jan.
Press photo/Will Woolever - Senior Avery Moffitt (left) and junior Aubrey Haley fight for a rebound against Smoky Mountain Jan. 12.

Press photo/Will Woolever - Senior Avery Moffitt (left) and junior Aubrey Haley fight for a rebound against Smoky Mountain Jan. 12.

Women’s hoops rout conference foes

Will Woolever
Tuesday, January 16, 2024
Panther women’s hoops are 4-1 in the Mountain Seven Conference. On the week of Jan. 8, Franklin dove head-first into their conference schedule, traveling to North Henderson and hosting Smoky Mountain.
Press photo/Will Woolever - Senior Jacob Gibson battles for possession versus Smoky Mountain Jan. 12.

Press photo/Will Woolever - Senior Jacob Gibson battles for possession versus Smoky Mountain Jan. 12.

Men’s hoops take first place in M7C

Will Woolever
Tuesday, January 16, 2024
Panther men’s hoops are the leaders of the Mountain Seven Conference. On the week of Jan. 8, Doug Plemmons’ team faced two more conference games, traveling to North Henderson and hosting Smoky Mountain.
Press photo/Will Woolever - Freshman guard Audrey Pressley goes airborne while driving to the basket versus Andrews Jan. 3.

Press photo/Will Woolever - Freshman guard Audrey Pressley goes airborne while driving to the basket versus Andrews Jan. 3.

Women top Murphy, Andrews

Will Woolever
Tuesday, January 9, 2024
It’s been a whirlwind two weeks for Panther women’s hoops. With six games between Dec. 22 and Jan. 5, Franklin was hard at work over Christmas break. In nonconference wins over Murphy and Andrews, Scott Hartbarger’s team tipped off the second half of their season. “A.C.
Press photo/Will Woolever - Freshman forward Will Rauers lays a shot off the glass at Andrews Jan. 3.

Press photo/Will Woolever - Freshman forward Will Rauers lays a shot off the glass at Andrews Jan. 3.

Men beat Pisgah, sit at 9-4

Will Woolever
Tuesday, January 9, 2024
Panther men’s hoops are tied for second in the Mountain Seven Conference. With six games over Christmas break, Doug Plemmons’ team was hard at work over the holidays, facing elite opponents from three different states.
Press file photo - Sprint standouts Hope Smith (left) and Laura Covarrubias (right) compete in the 100-meter dash at Swain Nov. 15.

Press file photo - Sprint standouts Hope Smith (left) and Laura Covarrubias (right) compete in the 100-meter dash at Swain Nov. 15.

Track qualifies 40 for state

Will Woolever
Tuesday, January 9, 2024
Panther track and field look more and more like state title contenders. After three weeks off for Christmas, the team resumed its season on the first week of the year, traveling to Lynchburg, Virginia, for one of the biggest meets on the east coast.
Press file photo - Two-way All-Mountain Seven lineman Jacob Gibson corrals a Pisgah ball carrier in Canton Sept. 29. The senior was one of three All-Conference First Team selections for the Panthers this year.

Press file photo - Two-way All-Mountain Seven lineman Jacob Gibson corrals a Pisgah ball carrier in Canton Sept. 29. The senior was one of three All-Conference First Team selections for the Panthers this year.

Three named to All-Mountain Seven football team

Will Woolever
Tuesday, January 2, 2024
Eight Panthers have been honored by Mountain Seven coaches. Shortly after the fall campaign, the conference’s head football coaches met for their annual postseason meeting, selecting the best players from each other’s squads to this year’s All-M7 team.
Panther track and field are pictured with their championship banner at the 3A state title meet in Greensboro May 19.

Panther track and field are pictured with their championship banner at the 3A state title meet in Greensboro May 19.

Year in review for Franklin sports

Will Woolever
Tuesday, January 2, 2024
1- Track claims 3A state titles As long as records are kept for N.C. high school sports, 2023 will be known as the year of Panther track. Entering the Indoor State Championships in Winston-Salem this past February, Franklin generally wasn’t mentioned among the 3A pre-meet favorites.
Press photo/Thomas Sherrill - Franklin High Career and Technical Education teacher Josh Brooks gives a presentation on Esports to the Macon County Board of Education Dec. 21.

Press photo/Thomas Sherrill - Franklin High Career and Technical Education teacher Josh Brooks gives a presentation on Esports to the Macon County Board of Education Dec. 21.

County approves Esports inquiry

Will Woolever
Tuesday, December 26, 2023
A brand new kind of sport may soon be coming to Macon County Schools. For the past several years, a new frontier of interscholastic competition has been sweeping the nation’s schools, pitting video game players against one another in electronic sports, or Esports.