Healing Hands International
Franklin Coach Teaches More Than Soccer Skill
Jimmy Burchett has coached soccer for the past 35 years and has coached at Franklin High School for the past 12 years. As with all sports programs, his school gets new equipment each year. Over time, the used soccer balls and jerseys have begun to pile up, but Jimmy knew he did not want to waste them. Several years ago, Burchett's stepdaughter went on a mission trip to Honduras and developed a heart for the
people there. When Jimmy recently ran into his daughter's group leader, she suggested that the balls be sent to Mission Lazarus. After doing some research, Burchett found out that Healing Hands works closely with Mission Lazarus and that we would be able to add the balls and jerseys to the next container.
In countries where people struggle to feed their families, sports equipment is considered a luxury. Many children use wadded up newspapers as soccer balls. You can make a difference in the lives of these children. If you or someone you know has access to gently used sports equipment, please contact us at (615) 832-2000 or contact@hhi.org.
2008/10/23 Tennessean
Defense powers Franklin's win
by Tom Kreager
On Wednesday night at Cheek Park, the Lady Rebels played it to perfection, holding Christi Padgett and her teammates without a shot in a 4-0 victory in the District 11-AAA semifinals.
2008/11/05 Tennessean
AAA soccer: Brentwood, Franklin earn shutout wins
by Tom Kreager
Townley Cheek scored after her shot bounced off goalkeeper Lauren Fritts' feet in the 17th minute. The Lady Warriors (17-5-1) controlled the second half, ripping off 12 second-half shots but could never find the back of the net.
2008/11/06 Knoxville News Sentinel
Unfamiliar Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats struggle in first-round loss to 10-time champion Franklin at state, 3-0
By Mike Blackerby
- CHATTANOOGA
Listless Oak Ridge High School stumbled out of the gate Wednesday night against Franklin and exited in the first round of the Class AAA state soccer tournament with a 3-0 loss to the Lady Rebels at Baylor School.
Franklin (20-4-1) scored its goals in a 20-minute span of the first half to knock out coach O.J. Sheppard's Lady Wildcats (21-4-1). "We didn't look like the Oak Ridge team normally does," said Sheppard.
"I saw it in warmups that we were going to struggle . . . we had no energy."
The Lady Wildcats, making their sixth appearance in the state tournament in last seven years, also got no breaks in the match.
Franklin scored in the 17th minute of the first half when Townley Cheek's mid-range shot was mishandled by Oak Ridge goalie Lauren Fritts and trickled into the corner of the net.
The Lady Wildcats suffered more tough luck at the 31:56 mark of the half.
Fritts moved up in the box following a direct kick by Franklin's Anna Grigg and collided with another Lady Rebels player.
The ball once again found its way into the Oak Ridge net with Franklin's Lucy Brient getting credit for the score - her 32nd goal of the season.
Franklin's final goal came with just less than four minutes showing on Chesney White's shot on a breakaway after an assist from Megan Baron.
Sheppard angrily challenged the third goal and also questioned the second score by Franklin.
"I thought the second goal was a clear foul (against Fritts) in the box and the third goal was offsides," said Sheppard.
Oak Ridge also struggled offensively as the Lady Wildcats managed just three shots on goal - with all of those coming in the second half.
Jennifer Lee finally managed OR's first shot on frame with just 25 minutes to play.
Tradition-rich Franklin, which has claimed 10 state soccer titles but none since 2003, advances to tonight's semifinals against the Houston-Siegel winner.
Lady Rebels coach Jimmy Burchett said his team is on a mission after losing in the opening round of the state tournament the last two years.
"Our team was pretty focused," said Burchett.
"Us getting bumped out in the first round the last two years has been talked about all year. We weren't gonna let that happen again. We played pretty good tonight."
Emotional Lady Wildcats senior Gwen Lawson, who was playing in her first state tournament game after missing the event the last two years with knee injuries, said it was tough losing and not playing your best.
"We were coming off such a high last week with region wins over Farragut and Bearden - that was awesome," said Lawson, who has battled through three ACL injuries.
"I don't know if it was nerves, or what. We're so much better than we showed tonight."
2008/11/06 The City Paper
Prep Notes: Franklin, Brentwood Advance
Class AAA: Both Brentwood and Franklin won their quarterfinal matches Wednesday to advance into today’s semis.
Franklin blanked Oak Ridge 3-0 as Townley Cheek, Lucy Brient and Chesney White all scored first-half goals.
Finals in both the A/AA and AAA divisions are Saturday.
2008/11/06 The OakRidger
Lady Wildcats fall short against Franklin
The Lady Wildcats traveled to Chattanooga for a state quarterfinal match with the Franklin Lady Rebels. Franklin, winner of ten state soccer titles, entered the game with a 19-4-1 record and a Region 6 championship.
Oak Ridge started the game pressing the Franklin, but in the 16th minute a misplayed cross led to an own goal and the Lady Rebels were on top 1-0. The Lady Wildcats were unable to recover and Franklin pressed Oak Ridge for rest of the half. With ten minutes left in the half, the Lady Rebels received a free kick outside the eighteen and lofted a ball into the box. Keeper Lauren Fritts came off her line to collect the ball and collided with a Franklin player in what looked like keeper interference. The ball popped loose and was knocked in the goal by Franklin's Morgan Zigelsky for a 2-0 lead. Four minutes later on another controversial play, Franklin played a ball in behind the Lady Wildcats defense that had stepped to put the forwards offside. The flag was not raised, however, and Lady Rebel Chesney White finished with a well struck ball to leave the Lady Wildcats with a 3-0 deficit. In the second half, Oak Ridge switched to three defenders in an attempt to generate some offense. They were unable to find the Franklin net and the game and season ended with the Lady Rebels on top 3-0.
2009/11/12 The Oak Ridge Observer
Lady Cats end bittersweet
by Mike Blackerby
It wasn’t supposed to end this way, Oak Ridge, with perhaps its best shot ever at winning a state soccer tournament.
Instead, coach O.J. Sheppard’s Lady Wildcats, in an otherwise glorious season, ended the 2008 campaign with a disappointing 3-0 loss to Franklin last Wednesday in the state Class AAA tournament at Baylor School.
Franklin, which lost in the semifinals to eventual state champion Siegel, scored all three of its goals in a 20- minute flurry of the first half to eliminate ORHS (21-4-1). "We didn’t look like the Oak Ridge team normally does," said Sheppard.
"I saw it in warmups that we were going to struggle -- we had no energy."
Sheppard said big wins over Bearden and Farragut the previous week in the region tournament may have taken its toll on Oak Ridge.
"I hoped it wouldn’t be that way, but our state tournament win was against Bearden," said Sheppard.
The Lady Wildcats, making their sixth appearance in the state tournament in the last seven years, lost in uncharacteristic fashion.
Franklin dented the scoreboard in the 17th minute of the first half when Townley Cheek’s mid-range shot was mishandled by Oak Ridge goalie Lauren Fritts and meandered into the goal.
The Lady Wildcats fell victim to another unusual score at the 31 minutes and 56 seconds mark of the half. Fritts moved up in the box following a direct kick by Franklin’s Anna Grigg and collided with fast-charging Lady Rebel Lucy Brient.
The ball found its way into the net with Brient getting credit for the score and her 32nd goal of the season. Franklin’s final goal of the half came with just less than four minutes showing when Chesney White scored on a breakaway after an assist from Megan Baron.
Sheppard said two of the three goals were questionable at best. "I thought the second goal was a clear foul (against Fritts) in the box and the third goal was offsides," said the Lady Wildcats’ skipper. Oak Ridge also struggled offensively as the Lady Wildcats failed to get off a shot on frame in the first half and managed just three after intermission.
Jennifer Lee finally recorded OR’s first shot on frame with just 25 minutes to play. Lady Wildcats senior Gwen Lawson said the way Oak Ridge went out, not the loss itself was tough to take.
"We were coming off such a high last week with region wins over Farragut and Bearden," said Lawson. "We’re so much better than we showed tonight."
2008/12/15 Franklin Life
Athelete of the Month - Lucy Brient
Senior Lucy Brient was the leading scorer on the Lady Rebels soccer team with 32 goals this past season. She scored two out of four goals in a game against Ravenwood, which moved the team into the state tournament.
Brient was a four-year varsity starter and college coaches did not overlook her talent. She was offered a full scholarship during her junior year to play for Arkansas State University.
“I like working as a team, connecting with my teammates and making things happen on the field,” she said.
The Lady Rebels made it to the state semi-finals this season, which Brient said was the farthest they had gone during her high school career.
“It’s bittersweet that it’s over,” she said. “It was a great season and an awesome senior year.”
Head girls soccer coach Jimmy Burchett said Lucy is one of the most skilled players to have ever played at Franklin High.
“She plays with a lot of energy and desire,” he said. “She has finished her career as the 5th leading scorer in FHS history. In addition to her individual accomplishments, she is a leader and has the uncanny ability to make other players around her better.”
Lucy Brient is the daughter of Cindy and John Brient.
Lucy Brient is known by her teammates for her numerous superstitions on game days. She wears a rainbow ring on her finger and her shoelaces must be tied perfectly during a game.
“During a game my freshman year my hair twisty broke so I always keep an extra one on my drawstring shorts,” she said.
Post-Season Awards
All-District Players: Lucy Brient (Offensive MVP), Kaitlynn Heileman, Townley Cheek, Morgan Zigelsky, Caroline Hiskey, Anna Grigg
All-Region Players: Luchy Brient (Offensive MVP), Kaitlynn Heileman, Townley Cheek, Morgan Zigelsky
2008 NSCAA/adidas Girls High School All-America Team
2008 NSCAA/adidas Girls High School All-America Team:
Front Row (L-R): Lauren Gunderson, Amanda Glass, Kayla Bala, Ashley Cuba, Laura Heyboer, Jessica Craig, Lucy Brient, Laura Eddy, Ashley Baker, Meghan Gilmore.
Back Row (L-R): Natalie LeClair, Andrea Barklage, Danielle Hubka, Juliana Libertin, Mallory Schaffer, Tara Tokar, Stephanie Brandt, Whitney Berry, Catherine Parish, Lia Bellizzi.
The All-America selections were recognized at the annual All-America Luncheon, held in St. Louis, Mo., on Jan. 17, as part of the 2009 NSCAA Convention.
2009/01/29 Williamson Herald
Lady Rebels’ Lucy Brient named soccer All American
By Joe Williams
Franklin soccer forward Lucy Brient has been named to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America’s High School All-American Team.
A senior, Brient was named along with 71 others from across the country at the NSCAA conference earlier this month in St. Louis. The national award follows the naming of Brient as the Tennessee Player of the Year by the NSCAA, the nation’s largest association of soccer coaches. She has signed to continue her playing career at Arkansas State University.
“I was kind of in shock,” said the soft-spoken senior who became the seventh All American in the storied history of the Lady Rebels soccer program. “My first thought was that my dad had read the wrong name.”
Brient led the Lady Rebels to a 20-5-1 record as the team fell one goal short of playing for yet another state title in Chattanooga in November. Brient’s 32 goals led the Jimmy Burchett coached team.
“I didn’t think the season could end with such a great award and my teammates have been so supportive,” Brient said. “I just wish we could have played one more game.”
Although undecided about her long-term future, Brient’s commitment to Arkansas State was made last year.
“I’m very excited. I’ve known all along that Arkansas State was the school for me.”
Brient is also a finalist for the Gatorade Player of the Year honor in Tennessee. The winner is expected to be announced in February.
2009/02/26 In Focus Magazine
Franklin High School student Lucy Brient was recently named an All American by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. Brient's soccer coach at Franklin High School is Jimmy Burchett.