About this time last year, Franklin High School (FHS) Head Football Coach Josh Brooks was contemplating his coaching future. He would announce his retirement later in the year only to decide in early 2024 to return. His reasoning at the time was to help transition the program through “rough waters of a new school and athletic facilities construction that the football program would benefit from” if he and some others continued navigating through those changes.
Nearly 12 months later, the Panthers are undefeated and have fairly trounced every opponent they faced enroute to a 6-0 record. Their closest game was their last, a 35-14 win at Tuscola. After a tough season in 2023, many people could not imagine this level of success in 2024. But Brooks has seen a lot in his 19 years leading FHS and even more years as an assistant.
“We are taking care of the ball on offense – very few turnovers; we are making a lot of plays on special teams, blocking punts, returning kicks, covering kicks well, playing very well on defense,” he said. “[We are] playing harder; much more effort, and we are a tougher football team physically [than last year].”

Brooks admitted that his team got “blown out a lot last year” and he expected to at least be more competitive this year. However, even he did not anticipate a 6-0 start. His team decided in June to show more dedication, effort, and focus in the weight room that would hopefully transcend to success on the field.
According to Brooks, this team reminds him of his 2011 squad, which was his first undefeated team.
“These kids have handled everything in regard to weather, delays, helping their neighbors, having compassion, volunteering time and effort – things champions do.”
The coach has experienced five other seasons in which his team achieved 6-0 starts, with four of those ending up as undefeated regular seasons. As is always the case in sports, the players have the talent but the coaches have the responsibility to bring that talent out.
“I do think we have done a better job coaching – being more detailed and prepared,” said Brooks. He pointed out in February of this year that he was bringing back some key assistants with him, including his twin brother Jay, as well as current FHS Athletic Director Matt Bradley.
The Panthers have some standout stars, such as senior Braydon Hervey, who is having a remarkable year playing offense and defense, plus junior Addix Sutton, who is a multi-sport athlete for FHS. But the head coach adamantly clarified, “We have a very good football team; our kickers, our defensive front, our offensive line, and the quarterback (sophomore Anderson Terrell) play has been very solid, as has our [defensive] secondary as well.”
Hervey, who broke both collarbones last year, expressed his thankfulness to be healthy and how it drove him to achieve more this year. Reflecting on what he perceived as key moments thus far, he pointed to two games.
“Murphy thought they had the game in the bag after last year [when the Panthers were blown out]; there was a lot of smack talking going on. We put in all the hard work, over the summer and to see it pay off against Murphy was awesome.”
The last game played on Oct. 15 was the other instance that stood out in Hervey’s mind as a critical step toward potential perfection. With Tuscola focusing on stopping him, “everybody else did what they’re good at. For us to score that many points (35), it showed we can do stuff even if teams try to stop me,” he observed.
Brooks is not overlooking any opponent. The three remaining games are against West Henderson and Pisgah, followed by a final game at Smoky Mountain.
Brooks projected, “Three very tough games left against very physical teams. West has won back-to-back conference championships; they are the champ until someone can knock them off. Pisgah had the most returners of any team in our conference, and Smoky has a great offensive line with a good running quarter back and a big powerful running back. We have our work cut out for us.”
Brooks ended on an upbeat note: “Hopefully this year is one to remember with a conference championship, a home playoff run, and the final games to be played in The Pit, ‘Let’s roll.’”
JV volleyball ends perfect season
Junior varsity (JV) volleyball Head Coach Cindy Harrell predicted big things for her team back in September. They played 20 matches in the season’s entirety – and they won all 20 of them.
To put the achievement in an even finer light, Harrell’s girls played 20 matches, all the best-of-three format – and they lost a total of three games the entire season. That equals 40 games won. In fact, the girls did not lose a single game after Aug. 21, nor any games to conference teams during the regular season.

“They were dealt some crazy cards this season – injuries, having to learn new positions on short notice, a hurricane … these girls did everything that was asked of them; they always left it on the court,” relayed Harrell. “They’re going to be an exciting group to watch over the next four years and I’m so very proud of them!”
On the varsity side, Head Coach Bekah Brooks was hoping for vindication against West Henderson Oct. 16, but it was not to be.
“We played much better [than the first match]. We gave them the first game with our mistakes and just couldn’t rally back,” reflected Brooks.
Two star players were injured and out for the year early on in the season. Even in the last game, Brooks’ staff was forced to play three freshmen and even pulled up two JV players following that team’s win vs. West Henderson. Due to trying to finalize regular season conference games, the Mountain Seven Conference Volleyball Tournament was cancelled.
Considering all the challenges, Brooks professed, “If someone before the season asked me to sign a piece of paper that stated ‘you will be 18-3 and going to the playoffs, I’d take that in a heartbeat.’”
The Lady Panthers played Fred T. Foard Oct. 22, falling 3-2 in the first round of the NCHSAA State Playoffs.
Head Coach Josh Brooks is inviting all former players, cheerleaders, and band members to participate in a special halftime ceremony commemorating 75 years at The Pit Friday, Nov. 1, as the FHS Panthers host Pisgah.
Pictured top: FHS VARSITY team members show one another support by raising their helmets.