The FSHS cheerleaders is ready to support the football team in 2024.

Coming off the school’s first basketball state championship since 1958, head coach Tremayne Johnson will be hoping that the momentum carries over to the 2024 prep football season.

“I think it’s going to be a good season for us,” Johnson said. “I have a lot of pieces coming back, but I lost a good bit of seniors. I had a strong junior class last year, so those guys are going to be filling those spots.”

Last year, the Hornets ended the regular season 5-5, defeating M.L. King Charter (24-6) and 5A Central Lafourche (30-28) before picking up district wins against Delcambre (51-0), West St. Mary (46-0) and Ascension Episcopal (44-43). Franklin advanced to the playoffs as the No. 16 seed, defeating No. 17 Grand Lake in the opening round of the LHSAA Non-Select Division IV playoffs before falling to top-seeded Logansport in the regional round. 

This year, the Hornets will face similar opposition. Kicking off the season will be an away contest against Class 5A Lafayette High School, with games against 4A and 3A opponents also on the schedule before district play begins.

For Johnson, playing larger schools is beneficial for a team with a limited roster like Franklin.

“We always try to schedule up. We’re not deep in numbers, so if we can go out there and compete against a 4A or 5A school, we should be able to compete with a 2A school with the same size roster as us,” he explained.

Regardless of the size of his squad, Johnson can rest easy in the knowledge that Franklin teams always make opposing coaches feel uneasy. Last season saw several come-from-behind victories and closely-contested battles, something that Johnson said can be attributed to his own personality rubbing off on his players.

“You adopt the attitude and the mindset of the leader,” said Johnson. “I’m one of those types of guys, hard-nosed and ready to finish it. The guys have adopted that mindset too.”

That mindset has attracted support from not just the Franklin community, but from across Iberia and St. Mary Parishes.

At the 2024 Non-Select Division IV basketball final, the stands were awash in a sea of garnet and gold, something that Johnson said will continue into the football season.

“We have momentum as far as the community coming out and supporting us,” he said. “It’s not just Franklin, it’s the whole surrounding area that wants to come out and see what type of product we are putting out on the field. We just need to get our guys ready, mentally and physically, but I think we’ll be ready for the task.”

Despite the small roster size, Johnson said he has a large pool of talent to choose from this season. With his strengths on both sides of the ball lying with the skilled positions, Franklin will have a talented team that can play from start to finish against anyone.

“Right now, our strongest position group on defense would have to be linebacker or our secondary,” Johnson said. “Offensively, our receivers and linemen are pretty strong as well. Ironman football is usually our thing, you play special teams, offense and defense. Our guys are accustomed to that and they’ve gotten to the point where if I find an extra player to take them off the field, they don’t like it. I love that, you just have to let the dog be a dog.”

Franklin Hornets 2024 schedule

Jamboree -St. Mary Parish Jamboree, 8/30/24

Week 1 – Lafayette, 9/6

Week 2 – M.L. King Charter, 9/13

Week 3 – Berwick, 9/20

Week 4 – Peabody, 9/27

Week 5 – Patterson, 10/4

Week 6 – Catholic – N.I.*, 10/10

Week 7 – West St. Mary*, 10/18

Week 8 – Houma Christian*, 10/25

Week 9 – Loreauville*, 11/1

Week 10 – Delcambre*, 11/8

* – District 7-2A Opponent

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