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Long before the Friday night lights fired up, and hours before the first play was called, Wilson Central students were already hard at work preparing for the big game against Beech.
These are the kids that won't get the glory of putting it in the end zone, but still have plenty of pride. Perhaps no student has more of it than 19-year-old cheerleader Gabryelle Conklin, who doesn't let cerebral palsy keep her from energizing the fans or inspiring her fellow cheerleaders.
"I just like the support of my girls," Conklin said. "They mean the world to me and I don't even know if they know how much they mean to me."
Going into Friday's game, the Wildcats had 7 straight wins, and Head Coach Brad Dedman said some of that success is thanks to the team's unique source of inspiration.
"We've got Frazier Frans on our team," Dedman said. "He's an equipment manager for us."
Frazier suffers from a mental disability that keeps him from suiting up, but not from supporting the team, or from being one of the guys.
"You know, they treat him just like one of the guys," says Dedman. "He hangs out in our locker room. He sits around and jokes around with them."
Dedman says when it's time for the players to leave the locker room and put on their game faces, they carry Frazier's infectious energy with them onto the gridiron.
"You know, he inspires our football team with just his enthusiasm," says Dedman. "He's definitely big for our football team. He's definitely one of Wilson Central's biggest supporters."
Saturday, October 6 2012, 09:46 PM CDT
Tennessee News
Man pleads guilty to Memphis officer's murder
May 21, 2013 22:22 GMT
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) -- A former death row inmate is set to be released from prison after he pleaded guilty to second-degree murder of a Memphis police officer.
Shelby County District Attorney Amy Weirich said Tuesday that she has accepted Timothy McKinney's guilty plea.
McKinney was convicted of first-degree murder for the fatal shooting of Officer Don Williams. The officer was killed outside a comedy club in December 1997.
McKinney appealed and won a new trial, which ended with a deadlocked jury. A third trial earlier this year also ended in a hung jury.
The Commercial Appeal reports that McKinney was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Since he's already served more than 15 years -- including 11 on death row -- McKinney will be released this week.
Williams' family opposed the settlement.
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