Keener out as Panthers QB

Franklin junior Luke Keener has torn an anterior cruciate ligament before starting his first varsity game at quarterback for the Panthers. The season-ending injury to Keener’s right knee occurred during practice. Franklin will now turn to sophomore Dalton Cochran to take over the offense. Cochran has looked steady in his duty as the Panthers signal caller in two preseason scrimmages this week against Hayesville and Charlotte Christian. The defending Western North Carolina Athletic Conference champions open their season Aug. 17 at Murphy.

Midnight Practice/ Intrasquad Scrimmage this Friday

Get ready for a real treat as the Panthers will hold a intra squad scrimmage this Friday night Aug 3rd at Midnight in the Panther Pit.

Conference Realignment Final Draft

The NCHSAA posted its final version of the conference realignment Wed 5/2/12. The previous drafts of conference realignment had Franklin in a new 2A only conference that would involve lots more travel. However many teams appealed and the complaints were heard and with the high cost of gasoline, the NCHSAA kept things the same as far as the WNCAC conference. In the final version remains the same as the past four years with the exception that Franklin will be a 2A School along with Brevard and Smoky Mtn. WNCAC Conference 2-A/3-A Brevard 2A Franklin 2A Smoky Mountain 2A East Henderson 3-A North Henderson 3-A Pisgah 3-A Tuscola 3-A West Henderson 3-A

Thomas Evans signs with University of Richmond

Lineman Thomas Evans has committed to play college football for the University of Richmond.

Evans was the 2011 Western North Carolina Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year and a Citizen-Times All-WNC selection after the 6-foot-3, 295-pound senior made 58 tackles and nine sacks. He was also selected to the NCPreps.com all-state team. Evans and the Franklin defense allowed just 13.8 points a game.

Along with fellow All-WNC selections Jacob and Parrish Young, he was a four-year starter and part of 35 wins for the WNCAC champion Panthers (13-1).

Franklin coach Josh Brooks said that Evans committed after taking an official visit to Richmond this weekend. Evans had also planned to take visits to Gardner-Webb and Western Carolina University.