The Franklin County girls basketball team is still getting used to a new league with a new style of play. So far things have gone well, although the Lions will get a big test Friday when they host Dawson County.
Franklin County has been competing for years against teams in the northeast Georgia area (Hart County, Elbert County, etc.) but this season got moved into a league made up primarily of teams from the Gainesville area and North Georgia Mountains.
“It’s some great competition,” said coach Holly Wilk-Mason. “These teams up here are well-disciplined and really play under control.”
The methodical style is different for Franklin County, which likes to move the ball up and down the floor and take its share of 3-point shots.
“Right now we’re not doing what we want to do, but we’re winning,” Wilk-Mason said. “We’re a fast-paced team. That’s our style of play.”
Franklin County has started the season 9-1, the only loss by one point to Class AAAA Stephens County, a long-time rival, but avenged that with a 20-point win last week. The Lions enter tonight’s game in Dawsonville with an eight-game winning streak.
The Lion have two freshmen in the starting lineup. Ivey Ginn, a 5-foot-8 guard, leads the team in scoring with 15.7 points and Maddie Moorhead, a 5-3 point guard, leads the team with 5.5 assists.
The two have been regulars with the team in the summer. “So we pretty much knew where they were going to fit in for us,” Wilk-Mason said.
Tiarra Ellis, a 5-9 junior forward, averages 13.9 points. The Lions also get contributions from senior Bree Teasley, senior Dominique Aruther and junior Kayla Russell.
This is also a big year for the coach, who is coming back from a head injury that occurred when she was struck by a Frisbee on the back on the head. She was virtually robbed of her memory and ability to communicate effectively.
"We're in the process of getting back to where we've been in the past," she said. "We had a good reputation until the Fall of 2012." Now in her 19th season, Wilk-Mason's team have won 10 region championship and been to the state tournament 14 consecutive years.
(Coming Saturday: A look at the Blessed Trinity boys basketball team.)
