Volleyball mainstay, soccer scoring ace among 4 Bluffton athletes to sign

At first, Annie Franklin didn’t want to leave home.

That would have severely limited her options to play college volleyball, of course, with only two programs within an hour’s drive of Bluffton. Getting selected for the North/South All-Star matches finally set the wheels in motion.

The North/South selection brought Franklin to Erskine College, and that’s where she signed Tuesday as one of four Bluffton athletes to lock in their college paths.

“It felt like home,” said Franklin, who was joined at the signing table by three Bobcats all headed to Limestone College.

Brenden Kelly, currently the top goal-scorer in Class 3A, will play soccer for the Saints. Nicholas Suaza will join Limestone’s swim team, and Kendra Gardner is headed there for competitive cheerleading.

“Through the years, it was pretty cool to see all my buddies sign,” said Kelly, who entered Tuesday’s play with 20 goals in 11 outings. “It’s always been a goal of mine to play college soccer. Once I put my mind to it, I knew I could do it. And now it’s here. That’s pretty cool.”

Soccer coach Josh Fox didn’t hold back in his praise for Kelly, calling him “one of my favorite players I’ve ever coached in my life.”

“I’ve seen him do nothing but improve, on and off the field, for four years,” Fox said. “Every instruction I’ve given, he’s taken and run with it and made sure to (communicate with) his teammates. Every piece of advice I’ve given him off the field, he’s run with it.”

In all, Kelly has tallied 62 goals thus far in his Bobcats career.

Suaza helped Bluffton to a sixth-place finish at last October’s Class 3A meet, despite little time in the water in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Matthew. He placed sixth in the 100 breaststroke (1:03.96) and seventh in the 200 individual medley (2:04.03), and was part of two relay squads.

Franklin may need time to get on the floor for Erskine, still in a big knee brace four weeks after surgery to repair a torn ACL. That injury actually came on the soccer field as she took part in the Bobcats’ first scrimmage of the season.

“I’m doing well,” she said. “I’m hoping to come back in time for next season. Hoping I don’t have to redshirt, crossing my fingers. I’ll be so excited to be playing again.”

The daughter of Bobcats coach Tina Franklin was volleyball’s Region 8-3A Player of the Year, helping the team navigate through a key injury and shuffling lineups to reach the Lower State final.

After the Bobcats lost Shadaisha Altacho to torn knee ligaments in the season’s first tournament, Franklin played every spot on the floor before settling in at libero. She finished the year with 86 kills, 278 digs and 10 blocks.

“She’s a natural leader,” said Al Stern, the Bobcats’ longtime coach before handing off to Tina Franklin two seasons ago. “The best thing is she will never, ever give up on a ball. Flying into the bleachers; the whole bit. It’s amazing she hasn’t had about 20 concussions.”

Selecting a college was a more hesitant process, until the North/South weekend turned Franklin on to Erskine. An official visit sealed it.

“I had slept over at a few other colleges for camps, but never felt like it clicked,” she said. “This was the first time I was like, ‘I can leave (home) now. I’m ready to go.’ ”

This story was originally published April 18, 2017 at 5:37 PM with the headline "Volleyball mainstay, soccer scoring ace among 4 Bluffton athletes to sign."