As the winter season comes to an end, so does this sports season at Franklin High School. No stranger to athletic success, FHS athletes continuously make their town proud and break records. This winter season was no different.

Taking place in the middle part of the school year, the cold and snowy weather causes this season to feature the indoor athletics, like basketball, hockey, wrestling, swim, and gymnastics. Also returning for a consecutive season are reoccurring sports like track and field, and cheerleading.

Beginning in late November, these sports are as successful as ever. Providing strong scores and qualifying for postseason standings boosts Franklin pride in the athletes and their hard work.

However, the end of a season is bittersweet for many athletes. Freshman Kaleigh Dooney, a member of the varsity gymnastics team, noted that she was sad that the season was over, but excited for the upcoming spring season.

The end of each season, a three-month journey with teammates and coaches, is often regarded as a somber moment for the participants, especially the seniors who are facing the end of an era. Despite that, in most cases this ending is momentous as Franklin sports have a knack for making the playoffs or qualifying for tournaments (depending on the sport).

Winter varsity teams that have concluded their successful seasons include gymnastics, which qualified for sectionals for the first time in FHS gymnastics history and placed eleventh and boys basketball, who were Harvey Nasuti Tournament Champions, made the playoffs as the #4 seed and came up short to Algonquin 63-60.

Other teams include boys swim, who won the Hockomock League Championship and girls swim, who placed second in the Hockomock League.

Wrestling was also named the Division One Central Sectional Champions and girls track and field finished fourth at the Hockomock Championships.

However, not all winter sports are finished. Still alive, girls basketball and girls and boys hockey continue playoff journeys as they head towards the ultimate goal, a state championship.

Winter cheerleading also won Hockomock Champions and Sectional Champions. They move onto the state tournament.

The boys’ track and field team finished second at the Hockomock Championships and the 4×800 team took fourth place in New England’s. They move onto the New Balance Nationals.

Girls basketball made the playoffs as the #3 seed. They were victorious in the first playoff game versus Westford Academy and upset the #2 seed, Concord-Carlisle in the sectional semifinal game. They advance to the Division One Central Sectional Championship versus #1 seed Wachusett on Friday, March 8 at Worcester State University, 8 p.m.

Boys hockey was ranked as the #11 seed going into the MIAA Division 1 South Tournament. They defeated sixth-ranked Falmouth, third-ranked Mansfield and seventh-ranked Catholic Memorial. Their next game is versus the #1 seed, Duxbury, in the South Sectional Final on Sunday, March 10 at Gallo Arena in Bourne, 6:15 p.m.

Girls hockey was ranked as the fifth seed going into the tournament. They defeated #21 ranked Woburn. They advance to the quarterfinals versus fourth-ranked Andover on Friday, March 8 at O’Brien Rink in Woburn, 7 p.m.

No matter the outcome, all winter sports at FHS impressed viewers and helped further solidify Franklin High as a tough athletic competitor. The spring season ahead will attempt to continue this streak of outstanding seasons.