Franklin makes most of alternate spot to advance to state
June 2, 2009

By DAVID CLAYBOURN
Herald-Banner Staff

GREENVILLE -- After Jessica Franklin finished fourth in the triple jump at the District 10-4A track and field meet she may have thought her season was over in that event.

Only the top three finishers advanced to the Region II-4A meet though Franklin was an alternate.

Franklin got a big break when Highland Park coaches withdrew the third-place finisher, Katherine Culwell, to save her for relay duty and not take away from her chances of going to state in the long jump.

As it worked out, Franklin won the Region II-4A title with a career-best leap of 40 feet 2 inches and Culwell advanced to state in the long jump the following day with the second-best jump.

Franklin is now one of the favorites in the Class 4A triple jump event at the University Interscholastic League State Track and Field Championships in Austin. She’ll compete in that event at 4:30 p.m. on Friday at Mike A. Myers Stadium and then will run the 100-meter hurdles at 7:05 p.m.

“Going in two events this year. That’s a happy feeling,” said Franklin.

Franklin went to state last year as a sophomore in the long jump, placing fifth with a leap of 18 feet 1/4 inch.

“I was nervous,” she said. “But this year I feel okay.”

Her experience from that meet last year should help Franklin on Friday, according to Lady Lions coach JoAnna Vaden.

“It’ll probably help calm her nerves a little bit,” said Vaden. “She’ll know kind of what to expect.”

Franklin will be facing the defending state champion in the triple jump, Beaumont Ozen’s A’Lexus Brannon, who also won the long jump last year. Brannon ranked among the national leaders in both events last season, taking the long jump with a wind-aided leap of 20-1/2 and the triple jump with a wind-aided mark of 40-4.

Brannon set a region III-4A record with her winning leap of 42-1/2. The wind was under the allowable speed of 2.0 meters per second, which ranks Brannon among the national high school leaders in the triple jump.

Franklin clocked a time of 14.76 seconds in the 100 hurdles at regional to finish second to Olivia Amy of Henderson (14.57).

Franklin will also face Brannon in that event after the Beaumont Ozen hurdler won the Region III-4A title in 13.97 into a slight headwind. Brannon was fourth in that event last year with the time of 13.93. Donique Flemings from Saginaw captured the title last year at 13.52.

Franklin’s goal is “to win both events.”

“It just depends on how she handles it,” said Vaden. “She’s got it in her to do well. She has as much opportunity to do well as anybody else.”

Franklin hasn’t competed since the region meet on May 13 but has been working out for the GHS team and a summer track club.

“I tell her to, ‘Practice with a purpose and the purpose is gold,’” said Vaden.