The Franklin Reporter & Advocate Eight Villages, One Community
There are different things that can bind together a community; politics, volunteerism, and a shared history being some of them.
In Franklin Township, the success of our children is one of the strongest magnets which pull us all together, even moreso when athletics is involved.
That’s not to discount academic achievements; based on reaction to stories we’ve run of our excelling students, Franklin residents are justly proud of our scholars. But there is something about the athletic competition, the two teams battling it out on the field or court, that sets this town on fire when there’s good news to share.
That’s why we’ve chosen the 2018 Franklin High School Lady Warriors basketball team, and their coaches, as our People of the Year for 2019.
What more can be said about the Lady Warriors’ historic 2018-19 season? The team ran the table on every local and regional championship on its way to a 34-0 record, and the second state Tournament of Champions championship in three years.
It’s the sense of pride that the team instilled in their friends, family and fans during that incredible run that sets them apart from the other achievers last year, and in our opinion makes them more than worthy of this designation.
Talking to head coach Audrey Taylor during the season, one could see that she and her girls were focused not on “the prize,” but on winning the next game. And during those games, the team focused on doing what they did best to win, sometimes in an overwhelming fashion.
You could see the pride in the faces of Franklin Township at the Rutgers Athletic Center when the final buzzer rang, during the team’s “Tour of Champions” through the district’s elementary and middle schools, and in the faces of students who were given bragging rights for another year.
The Lady Warriors helped give Franklin an “identity,” said Mayor Phil Kramer.
“With no town center and Franklin divided into many villages, we sometimes lack a unifying identity,” he said. “The high school often acts as a binding focus.”
“The coaches and the team helped us be one Franklin this year,” Kramer said. “We are so proud of all of you.”
Schools Superintendent John Ravally said the girls are a “tremendous group.”
“The 2018-2019 Girls Basketball Team demonstrated a sense of leadership, determination and camaraderie that truly defines who we are,” he said. “They are a tremendous group who we encourage all to emulate.”
Marisa Gallagher, president of the Franklin High School Boosters, said the 2018-19 girls basketball team “brought our Franklin school communities together.”
“From elementary all the way to Franklin High School, you could FEEL the excitement in the air,” she wrote in an email. “Everyone wanted to know when and where the next game would be or if it would be live-streamed.”
“Because of the success of our Lady Warriors, we have seen an increase of student support at all athletic events,” she wrote. “Athletes and non-athletes alike supporting each other by attending games/matches.”
Team Roster
No. Name
1 Diamond Miller
2 Luese Ufuah
3 Tiana Jackson
5 Onoseta Ufuah
10 Keona Schenck
11 Kennady Schenck
12 Erica Jackson
14 Morgan Jones
15 Jalysse Wynns
23 Kylerah Dempsey-Toney
24 Christina Midgette
Head Coach: Audrey Taylor
Assistant Coaches: Alicia Kavanagh, Dorcas Miller-Edwards
Managers: Leslie Salas, Serena Jackson
