FRANKLIN, Texas — Tuesday afternoon, 10 student athletes at Franklin High School were honored with a signing day ceremony.
Caleb Berger: Concordia University (tennis)
Kyleigh Cambiano: Temple College (softball)
Anysia Contreras: Austin College (cheerleading)
Marissa Ellison: Abilene Christian University (cheerleading)
Jayden Jackson: Iowa State (football)
Parker Kiser: Dallas College Cedar Valley (volleyball)
Traci Lowry: McLennan Community College (softball)
Emma Rekieta: Sam Houston State College (softball)
Karaline Smitherman: McLennan Community College (softball)
Noah Tart: Wharton County Junior College (baseball)
All-state running back Jayden Jackson, will head to Iowa State to continue his career in the Big 12 and continue to be a problem for some opposing defenses in the state of Texas.
Jackson finished his high school career as Franklin's all-time leading rusher with 8,035 yards, which is also good enough for 14th all-time in Texas high school football history. The two-time state champion will head up to Ames, Iowa, where he found his home away from home.
“When I went up there for a visit back in January it was very nice, it was sweet,” Jackson said. “Everyone treated you like you were their family member, and so that's what I like, and I just loved that about it and it just felt like home for me. So, I felt like that was the place I should be for the next 4 years.”
Four Franklin softball players will continue their careers in college, including Emma Rekieta, who will be just down the road at Sam Houston.
“Sam Houston has been a dream of mine since I was little,” Rekieta said. “Ever since I started going to camps, just the field, the town, everything just felt like home. So that's always been my number one goal and my dream.”
Family, friends, coaches and teammates filled the gym to show their support to these student athletes, providing a true example of the meaning of community.
“Being here for the past 10 years it's helped me a lot,” Jackson said. “I feel loved, and I feel like I have someone I can talk to and someone that's going to support me in everything I do. So, I just love Franklin for that, and Franklin has taught me a lot and I've learned a lot.”
“Franklin has had the biggest impact on me,” Rekieta said. “Whether it's teachers, coaches, community, my family, my friends, you know, everyone here is just so close, and the support is unreal. I never have to worry about anything, everyone in this town has my back and it's just a great environment to have grown up in and living here my whole life.”
Even though Rekieta doesn't know where her career will lead her, she'd love to find her way back home.
"I either want to be a physical therapist or really my ultimate goal in the end is to come back to Franklin and teach and coach and really influence kids, just how coaches had influenced me and make an impact on their life.”
