
The Franklin High School boys track team’s championship season was capped off Aug. 8 with the awarding to team members of their championship rings.
The event was held in the FHS cafeteria, and attended by team members, their families, coaches and district officials.
Team head coach Dashawn Gourdine had nothing but praise for his athletes.
“This season was one of those seasons that don’t come too often,” he said. “I had a great group of kids who covered many of the events in track and field. We had jumpers, we had throwers, we had distance runners, we had sprinters, we had hurdlers. They worked hard.”
He said the spring season didn’t start off well, after which three seniors – Chris Jenkins, Tyler Howard and William Hill – “got together and said we have to get on the ball.”
“The first step was the conference championship, then the county championship, and I told them, listen guys, if we stay together and we stay healthy, we’ve got a shot in the sectional and group meets, but it’s going to take some sacrifice, some dedication and some hard work,” he said. “They all bought into it and group IV championship was the end result. Number one in the state. What more can you say?”
Board of Education president Ed Potosnak congratulated the team’s coaches and the team members’ parents.
“Of course, you couldn’t do great things in athletics if you didn’t do great things in the classroom as well,” he said. “We’re very proud of you. We’re looking forward to more good things to come.”
FHS athletic director Ken Margolin praised district administrators for their support of high school athletics.
Schools Superintendent John Ravally, he said, “is probably one of the most pro-athletics superintendents in the state. He understands the value of athletics to the school system.”
Without FHS principal, Cheryl Clark, “weighing in and making sure things get done behind the scenes, we wold not be able to have the success we have,” Margolin said.
Even newly minted Franklin Middle School principal Nicholas Solomon has a rle to play in FHS athletics success, Margolin said.
He praised Solomon for “getting our middle school athletes reaady for when they come to the high school. That’s our feeder system.”
“Our coaching staff we have here, especially track and field, is second to none,” Margolin said. “What they do for our student athletes is truly amazing, Thank you for all the effort you put into our kids.”
Margolin also thanked the owners of Mezza Luna restaurant on Easton Avenue, which donated the food for the dinner.