Sports

Press photo/Will Woolever - Senior McCall Sanders sets a ball for teammates in the Mountain Seven Semifinal versus Smoky Mountain Oct. 16.

Press photo/Will Woolever - Senior McCall Sanders sets a ball for teammates in the Mountain Seven Semifinal versus Smoky Mountain Oct. 16.

Volleyball rolls into playoffs

Will Woolever
Tuesday, October 24, 2023
Panther volleyball’s quest for a state title continues. On the week of Oct. 16, Bekah Brooks’ team faced a busy slate of games, traveling to Sylva for the Mountain Seven Conference Tournament and hosting Round 1 of the 3A State Playoffs.
Promising freshman Morgan Cress nears the finish line in a meet at the Cherokee Mother Town near Ela last month. As the first female Panther finisher, Cress placed fifth out of 71 runners at the Mountain Seven Conference Championship meet in Hendersonville Oct. 17, earning All-Conference honors in the process. (Press file photo)

Promising freshman Morgan Cress nears the finish line in a meet at the Cherokee Mother Town near Ela last month. As the first female Panther finisher, Cress placed fifth out of 71 runners at the Mountain Seven Conference Championship meet in Hendersonville Oct. 17, earning All-Conference honors in the process. (Press file photo)

XC boys earn M7C title, girls finish 2nd

Will Woolever
Tuesday, October 24, 2023
Panther men’s cross country is the Mountain Seven Conference Champion. On Oct. 17, the conference gathered at Jackson Park in Hendersonville to kick off the postseason and dole out bragging rights for the year.
3A West Doubles Finalists (from left) Lydia Holland, Logan Guynn, Maci Stork and Laura Holland show off their medals from the regional tournament Oct. 21-23. As the top two pairs in the region, they’ll receive favorable seeds in the 3A State Doubles tourney in Burlington Oct. 27-28.

3A West Doubles Finalists (from left) Lydia Holland, Logan Guynn, Maci Stork and Laura Holland show off their medals from the regional tournament Oct. 21-23. As the top two pairs in the region, they’ll receive favorable seeds in the 3A State Doubles tourney in Burlington Oct. 27-28.

Hollands win 3A West Doubles title

Will Woolever
Tuesday, October 24, 2023
For the second straight year, a Franklin pair are 3A West Doubles Champions. After wrapping up their second straight 14-0 regular season, on the week of Oct. 16 Franklin dove headfirst into the postseason, with Round 1 of the Dual Team State Playoffs and the 3A West Individual Tournament.
Press photo/Will Woolever - Senior Jaydon Pevia makes a run upfield against Pisgah Oct. 11.

Press photo/Will Woolever - Senior Jaydon Pevia makes a run upfield against Pisgah Oct. 11.

Soccer beats West, falls to Pisgah at home

Will Woolever
Tuesday, October 17, 2023
Panther men’s soccer will not repeat as conference champions. Entering the week of Oct. 11, last year’s Mountain Seven winners faced long odds of defending their title, sitting in fourth with a 3-4 conference record.
Press graphic

Press graphic

XC prepares for M7C title meet

Will Woolever
Tuesday, October 17, 2023
The regular season is at an end for Panther cross country. On Wednesday, Oct. 11, Melissa Ward’s team traveled to the Canton Sports Complex for the Mountaineer Invitational hosted by Tuscola.
Press graphic

Press graphic

Volleyball prepares for M7C tourney

Will Woolever
Tuesday, October 17, 2023
The regular season is at an end for Panther volleyball. After their thrilling win over West Henderson to secure a Mountain Seven Conference title Oct. 5, Franklin had just one match remaining in the regular season. In a 3-1 win over Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School Oct.
Press photo/Will Woolever - Junior tailback Braydon Hervey follows his blockers versus Smoky Mountain at the Panther Pit Oct. 13. The game may have been the last for the team in the stadium as county leaders discuss renovations to Franklin High School.

Press photo/Will Woolever - Junior tailback Braydon Hervey follows his blockers versus Smoky Mountain at the Panther Pit Oct. 13. The game may have been the last for the team in the stadium as county leaders discuss renovations to Franklin High School.

Smoky edges out football

Will Woolever
Tuesday, October 17, 2023
The Mustang flag will fly over Cowee Mountain for another year. Amid a tough season for both teams, on Friday, Oct. 13 Franklin welcomed Smoky Mountain to the Panther Pit to renew an age-old rivalry.
Photo courtesy of Heather Bell - Franklin’s top six singles players are pictured at the Mountain Seven Conference Tournament in Hendersonville. From left are Kate Phillips, Abigail Angel, Logan Guynn, Maci Stork, Laura Holland and Lydia Holland.

Photo courtesy of Heather Bell - Franklin’s top six singles players are pictured at the Mountain Seven Conference Tournament in Hendersonville. From left are Kate Phillips, Abigail Angel, Logan Guynn, Maci Stork, Laura Holland and Lydia Holland.

Tennis nearly sweeps Conference Tournament

Will Woolever
Tuesday, October 17, 2023
Out of six semifinalists in the Mountain Seven Tournament, five represented Panther women’s tennis. After wrapping up their second-straight unbeaten regular season, on Oct. 11 the 14-0 Panthers traveled to Jackson Park in Hendersonville for the conference individual championships.
Senior left back Jaydon Pevia fights for possession against Smoky Mountain Sept. 25 at the Panther Pit. (Press photo/Will Woolever)

Senior left back Jaydon Pevia fights for possession against Smoky Mountain Sept. 25 at the Panther Pit. (Press photo/Will Woolever)

Soccer falls to East, drops to 3-4 in conference

Will Woolever
Tuesday, October 10, 2023
It’s been a tough few weeks for Panther men’s soccer. After opening their conference schedule with a pair of Mountain Seven wins, Franklin dropped three of their next four games to fall to the middle of the pack. With a 3-1 loss to East Henderson Oct.

XC scopes out M7C course

Will Woolever
Tuesday, October 10, 2023
Panther cross country have their sights set on another conference title. At the Mountain Seven Pre-Conference meet in Hendersonville Oct. 4, the conference gathered at the city’s Jackson Park for a kind of dress rehearsal. Ahead of the actual championship at the same venue Oct.