Franklin’s track team made the trek to the state championships in Greensboro on May 15 and the results beat expectations as many FHS students placed in the top ten for individual and team events.
Coach Matt Harlfinger was encouraged by the outdoor track performances at this year’s North Carolina High School Athletic Association 5A State Championship.
“Our sophomore boys right now are just spectacular. Reid Lassiter, who finished fifth at States in the 400-meter run with a 49.73 time, is probably our MVP this year,” said Harlfinger, who has been coach since 2021. “Gabe Harrison tied our school record in the long jump, with a 20 foot 9.5 inch effort. Garret Young finished eighth at Greensboro in shot put with a 48 foot 10.5 inch throw.”
He said the majority of the Panther longer distance running boys are sophomores so “the future is really bright there, with Evan Biles and Anthony Martinez in particular.” Biles and Martinez are just two of numerous promising athletes the program is counting on to keep FHS varsity track and field successful in the coming years.
From a team perspective, the girls’ team of seniors Abigail Pope and Amy Mendoza Lopez, junior Morgan Cress, and freshman Abigail Timan placed 2nd overall in the 4×800 meter relay, breaking a long-held FHS record from 1995 by over a second, with a 9:48.80 time.
Hurdles Produce School’s Best Finishes
The Panthers first place finishes among the various competitions were Senior Jonas Phillips in the 300 meter hurdles, with a 38.97 time and fellow senior Anna Timan (pictured top), who did likewise with a time of 44.49 in the same competition.
Melissa Ward, FHS women’s head track coach, said, “Watching Anna win was an incredibly special moment. I’ve seen how hard she’s worked, how much she’s poured in to her efforts, and the dedication she’s brought every single day. Seeing it all come together on the biggest stage made me so proud – not just of the athlete she is, but the person she’s become.”
In other state championship events, Phillips placed fifth in the 110 meter hurdles, with a 15.56 time; senior Jonah Brant finished sixteenth in pole vaulting. The men’s relay teams finished fifth, and fourth twice, in the 4×100 meter, 4×200 meter, and 4×400 meter races respectively.
On the women’s side, Mendoza-Lopez and Cress finished sixth and seventh in the 1600 meter run finals with 5:24.01 and 5:25.49 respectively. Both girls also placed seventh and ninth respectively in the 3200 meter event, while Abigail Timan took tenth.
Senior Isabella Shope finished fifth in the high jump at 5 feet while freshman Adrianna Stewart did the same in the pole vault, with a 9 foot jump. Sophomore Avynlee Anderson coming in twelfth at 8 feet.
Junior Kamden Reis placed in both the long jump, coming in eleventh with a 15 foot 11.5 inch and the triple jump with a sixth-place finish at 35 feet .5 inches.
Finally, a Home Track Advantage
The new FHS high school track will be eligible to host conference and regional meets in coming years. While it probably won’t be fully utilized until the 2027 outdoor track season, Harlfinger has high hopes for future events being hosted at the new high school.
“We put in a bid to host the conference meet next year. Coaches voted unanimously in support of that. Now, it’s up to the athletic directors,” he said. “It’s my understanding we are now in a three-year rotation, along with Smoky Mountain who is also building a track currently, and North Henderson. At some point, I’m going to put in a bid to host a regional meet.”
MoveMore Fitness to provide year-round training
Regarding off-season conditioning for track athletes, Harlfinger passed on information for upcoming opportunities this summer. As MoveMore Fitness owner since January 2025, he relayed that the facility plays a key role in helping track athletes and others stay in shape.
“We start summer training June 1 and we have a majority of the kids signed up to train with us at MoveMore Fitness. We’ve done that the last couple years and this summer we are actually picking up some kids from other schools; one student from Robbinsville and another from Hayesville. We’ve had some Rabun Gap kids here over the past two years as well.”
He added that MoveMore will assist some Smoky Mountain High School baseball players train over the summer.
“It’s a program that can benefit a multitude of sports and a multitude of student athletes. We’re excited to be branching out and helping some other programs,” he said. “It’s been instrumental for us on the track side of things, but we’ve also seen some other kids from previous seasons that signed scholarships with colleges who were part of our training program. We just want to make a positive impact with anybody and everybody.”
Along with Harlfinger, Ward is the lead trainer at MoveMore Fitness and both coaches are looking forward to great things in track and fitness overall as the new high school facility stands up with its state-of-the-art track that will be shining brightly for Franklin athletes and families for years to come.
