|
Track
2010 Lions & Lady Lions Track Schedule
Franklin signs with South Plains College
June 17, 2010
 By
DAVID CLAYBOURN
Herald-Banner Staff
GREENVILLE -- The bigger the track and field meet, the better
the performance.
That was usually the case for recent Greenville High School
graduate Jessica Franklin, who finished third twice at the
state meet in Austin, plus was second once at the prestigious
Texas Relays and also earned district and regional titles.
Her big meet performances helped her land a scholarship with
the top women’s track and field program in junior college:
South Plains College of Levelland. Franklin signed a letter of
intent to attend South Plains, which recently won its second
straight national outdoor title in the National Junior College
Athletic Association’s Division I.
“She knows how to compete,” said JoAnna Vaden, who coached
Franklin at Greenville and will be coaching next season at
Corsicana Mildred. “She stepped up her training program this
year. She’s matured. She’s got a great opportunity at a great
school.”
Despite undergoing knee surgery in the offseason, Franklin
advanced to state for the third straight year. Franklin leaped
17 feet 1 1/2 inches under tough conditions to finish third in
the Class 4A long jump this past May in Austin. Franklin and
the other jumpers sat through a 5 1/2 hour storm delay before
beginning their competition.
Franklin also took third in the 4A triple jump at state as a
junior, leaping 39-5 3/4 and was sixth in the 100-meter
hurdles with a time of 14.86 seconds, which is a school
record.
She was also fifth in the long jump as a sophomore in 2008
with a leap of 18-1/4.
Franklin has traditionally performed well at Mike A. Myers
Stadium in Austin, having also finished second there this year
at the Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays with a leap of 18-5 1/2
in the long jump.
Franklin said she’s looking forward to the challenge of
college competition.
“I’m going to run track and going to make something of
myself,” she said.
Franklin, who was voted Miss GHS in the spring by her peers,
plans to become either a dental hygienist or a coach.
She could end up competing on the track and in the field
events for South Plains.
“I’m going to run and jump,” she said. “I’ll probably do the
triple jump and the long jump and the hurdles and I hope to be
on the relays.”
Vaden helped Franklin land the scholarship by sending out
email inquiries to some of the top college programs. South
Plains responded back and sent a coach to watch Franklin
compete.
“They saw her at the state meet,” said Vaden.
Franklin plans on continuing her collegiate career after her
two years at South Plains are completed.
“Probably College Station (Texas A&M) or Prairie View,” said
Franklin.
South Plains won 10 individual events at the recent national
championships in Hutchinson, Kan., to amass 192 points.
Central Arizona was second with 117 followed by Iowa Central
(78) and New Mexico Junior College (44).
More
News
Franklin signs with South
Plains College
(June 17, 2010)
GHS athletes honored at
banquet
(May 24, 2010)
Franklin earns all-state
track honors
(May 19, 2010)
Franklin brings home medal
from state meet
(May 15, 2010)
Lady Lion earns return
trip to state track meet
(May 5, 2010)
Franklin leads Lady Lions
in district meet
(April 16, 2010)
Lion takes long jump as
district track meet opens
(April 15, 2010)
Franklin leads Lady Lions
track at Terrell relays
(March 31, 2010)
Trio leads GHS thinclads
at Cotton Ford Relays
(March 14, 2010)
Teams preparing for
Cotton Ford Relays
(March 12, 2010)
Lions place third in
Forney relays
(March 9, 2010)
Freeman leads Lions at
Royse City track meet
(February 28, 2010)
Franklin sets new GHS
track record
(June 19, 2009)
Franklin makes most of
alternate spot to advance to state
(June 2, 2009)
Highland Park runs away
with district track titles
(April 18, 2009)
District track meet gets
off to strong start
(April 16, 2009)
Greenville's Franklin
shines at Friday's Cotton Ford Relays
(April 3, 2009)
Cotton Ford Relays set to go
today
(April 2, 2009)
Lions place third in Royse
City track meet
(March 30, 2009)
Region II-4A results
(April 27, 2008)
|
