116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
In its final act together, Mount Vernon trio ‘want to be a problem’
Girls state basketball: Senior twins Taylor and Courtney Franck and sophomore stepsister Savanna Wright have the Mustangs in a position to repeat as Class 3A champions
Mar. 1, 2026 7:00 am
The Gazette offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
MOUNT VERNON — Basketball formed a bond between twins Taylor and Courtney Franck and Savanna Wright.
Marriage cemented it.
This isn’t a tale about evil stepsisters (and the Mount Vernon Mustangs bear no resemblance to Cinderella).
Rather, this is about a blended basketball family that has created one tight trio.
“All three of us hang around a lot,” Courtney said. “We love each other so much. It’s family, right?”
The twins are seniors. Savanna is a sophomore. They have helped elevated this program to rare heights.
Top-ranked, defending Class 3A champion Mount Vernon (22-2) carries a 20-game win streak into the state tournament, which begins Monday at Casey’s Center in Des Moines.
The Mustangs open with No. 9 Cherokee (20-3) at 5 p.m.
“I don’t see us losing,” Savanna said. “It’s just the confidence I have in the team.”
Courtney said, “That’s pretty bold of her to say that. I’m confident, but we can’t play like we did against Mid-Prairie. We’ve got to be better.”
The Mustangs trailed their regional-final game before breaking free in the final four minutes and winning 58-50.
Taylor (the eldest of the twins) and Courtney have been together since Day 1, of course. Savanna came into their lives in elementary school.
“I think I was in third grade and they were in fifth,” she said.
The twins were playing AAU basketball at their age group. Though two years younger, Savanna joined their team.
“I was definitely intimidated by (Savanna),” Taylor said. “She was this short little thing. But she was really good.
“I thought, ‘I better watch out, I’m going to lose my spot.’”
Savanna’s mom, Kelly, and the twins’ dad, Gary, began dating and eventually married.
Living arrangements vary in the Franck/Wright family unit. Savanna said she stays at the family home all of the time while the twins are there half-time.
Of the twins, Taylor is — by all accounts — the alpha female.
“She tells me what to do,” Courtney said. “Honestly, I’m a little scared of her. She’s bossy sometimes. I’m taller, but she’s faster.”
The twins’ plan, growing up, was to play four years together at Mount Vernon, four years together at college.
Then, UNI offered Taylor a Division-I scholarship.
“I had made my mind that I was going to play with Courtney,” she said. “When I met their staff, I couldn’t say no.
“We’ll be apart, but it’s only for four years. And it will be good for both of us to shine our own light.”
Courtney will play at Wayne State (Neb.).
Jacob Misener served as assistant coach at Mount Vernon for four years under Nate Sanderson before his promotion to head coach.
The presence of the twins — veterans to the program — has made the transition seamless.
“They’ve been putting out a lot of fires, both on and off the floor,” Misener said.
Taylor missed eight games early this season with an injury to her left calf — “It’s OK,” she said. “Just (one) more week” — and averages 12.4 points per game.
“The world’s fastest kid,” Misener called her. “She’s strong, really twitchy. She not afraid to get in there and stick her nose in there.”
Courtney’s scoring numbers are down this season (from 7.9 points per game last year to 3.9), but her impact on a game remains high.
She leads the team in rebounds (8.7 per game), assists (6.0) and steals (4.1).
“She’s so capable of scoring. In practice, she scores all the time,” Taylor said. “In games, she just doesn’t make it her first option.”
Her role? To facilitate. And to defend.
“I’ve been coaching (at several levels) for 15 years, and pound-for-pound, she’s a top-three defender that I’ve ever had,” Misener said. “She can guard a post player. She can guard a guard. If you have to have a stop, you go with Courtney.”
The Wamac Conference East Division player of the year, Savanna already has her first Division-I offer, from Murray State University, and averages 17.8 points per game.
A gym rat and a film junkie, she more than makes up for her short stature — she’s 5-foot-5 — with quickness and uncommon instincts.
Three years ago, the Franck twins arrived at the varsity level, and their four-year record is 86-15. Savanna joined them last year and helped the Mustangs get over the top.
And now, in their final act as a trio ...
“We want to be a problem,” Taylor said. “We want to play three more games together.”
Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com
Daily Newsletters