FRANKLIN – As we begin a new year, the local sports scene tends to take off and 2023 is no exception.
From the basketball court to the wrestling mats to the bowling lanes and beyond, simply put: it’s super busy.
District 11- and District 12-4A play has begun on the hardwood in the last year of the current classification that has Williamson County’s biggest schools split down the middle. All eight will be in the same district next year, but until then, games like Tuesday’s wild doubleheader at Centennial where visiting Ravenwood earned a split with both the girls and boys games being decided by late buckets are just for pride.
Congratulations to Emma Rayl and the Raptors for the 39-37 victory and Luke Burnett and the Cougars for their 47-44 overtime victory. The two players knocked down game-winners in the final seconds. Find the full coverage featuring all the WillCo teams online.
Centennial will be a part of the always special Natchez High School tribute crosstown clash on Friday at the newly – and finely refinished – main gymnasium. The two schools share a history directly linked to the former all-Black high school, which closed its doors in 1967.
Franklin High opened that same year as Natchez was closed, integrating the historic school and in 1996, when Centennial High opened, much of the original neighborhood Natchez served was zoned for the new Franklin school.
“It’s a special link and a special night,” Franklin boys’ basketball coach Jason Tigert said during the “WillCo Sports Power Hour” on Monday at Tony’s Eat and Drink.
The rivalry game will feature throwback jerseys in the Natchez Panthers blue and gold.
“I just love being a part of it,” Franklin junior Davis Long said. “I’m looking forward to Friday night and just so stoked to be able to go out there.”
Members of the last graduating class of Natchez High will be honored as well. Twice actually.
Franklin’s 2023 Sports Hall of Fame class will also be honored on the busy night and it includes former Natchez stars and teams. Those that will be added to the Hall of Fame Friday at 5 p.m. ceremony before the doubleheader include John "Bubba" Hunter, Donnell Lane, Maurice Patton, Scott Schiltz, Courtney Shelton, the 1967 Natchez girls' and boys' basketball teams and the 1988 boys' basketball team.
On the wrestling mats, Franklin will also be hosting the Franklin Admiral Invitational tournament for boys and girls. The Admirals will host about 20 teams with grapplers from each gender for a full day of wrestling Saturday.
Up the road at Brentwood, which scored a tight 42-30 dual win at Franklin Tuesday, will be the two-day GP West Invitational. The annual tournament begins Friday at 5 p.m. with 18 tough teams from Tennessee and beyond.
The tournament is in its 54th year and bears the name of the longtime Hall of Fame wrestling coach from the area.
“We got some really top-quality teams,” Brentwood wrestling coach Damon Smith said. “We have kind of turned this tournament into quality over quantity … it’s a showdown for sure.”
Besides host Brentwood, Fairview, Centennial and Ravenwood locally, state powers Bradley Central, Arlington, Blackman and Wilson Central will be among the visiting teams as well as Evansville Mater Dei of Indiana, last year’s tournament champion. Several state champions are in the mix with plenty more vying for the coveted state titles this year.
I’ll be trying to bounce around as much as I can and have plenty of our freelancers tied up trying to cover the action.
Here’s to the first of many more busy weekends of sports coverage in Williamson County in 2023!
Article by: Charles Pulliam
