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Franklin swimmer remembered after death in crash

Andrew Worley, a champion swimmer at Franklin High School and a lifeguard at Woodhaven Pool in Centerville, died in a car crash July 9 in Clearcreek Twp., officials said.

Staff photo by Chris Stewart Andrew Worley, a champion swimmer at Franklin High School and a lifeguard at Woodhaven Pool in Centerville, died in a car crash July 9 in Clearcreek Twp., officials said.

ENLARGE PHOTO

Andrew Worley

ENLARGE PHOTO

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By Lawrence Budd, Staff Writer Updated 5:36 PM Tuesday, July 14, 2009

FRANKLIN — Reverberations from the death of a 17-year-old star high school swimmer were felt from Clearcreek Twp., where he lived, to Washington Twp., where he worked, to Middletown, where he was active in community service.

On Friday, July 10, Andrew Worley’s friends held hands and prayed near yellow roses and a sunflower that had been placed at the tree where he crashed his car crashed Thursday night on Weidner Road, south of Springboro.

In Washington Twp., the Woodhaven Swim and Tennis Club, where the teen from Clearcreek Twp. worked as a lifeguard, was closed so workers could grieve.

In Franklin, counselors gathered at Franklin High School to help support those who were grieving, officials said.

“This is a crushing loss for our school and our community,” Principal David Riegel said.

“He was absolutely one of the finest Franklin had to offer. As a school community we grieve alongside his family and we will pray and we will rally for his family,” Riegel said.

Worley, a freestyler, was the first Franklin High swimmer to win a district title and qualify for the state meet.

He was a team leader and led his peers in prayer before their swims, said longtime coach Debby Roberts, who noted that word of the accident spread quickly through a meet Friday at Miami University.

“Everybody looked up to him,” she said.

The senior-to-be, who school officials said was being heavily recruited by colleges, also was a lifeguard at the Washington Twp. Recreation Center.

He attended A New Beginning Church in Middletown.

“He was one of those kids that was liked by everybody,” school counselor Gary Sturm said. “He was concerned about others. He did community service. He was involved with his church. Just a real nice kid and smart, a hard worker.”

The son of Mark and Brenda Worley was southbound on Weidner, near his home, when he lost control of a Volkswagen Jetta and struck a tree, Clearcreek Twp. police Sgt. Larry Cornett said.

Worley was trapped in the wreckage and died at the scene, Cornett said.

He also survived by brothers Kyle and Brandon.

Visitation is Sunday, July 12, 5 to 8 p.m., at the Anderson Funeral Home, 40 N. Main St., Springboro.

The funeral is 11 a.m., Monday, July 13, at the funeral home, with interment at Woodhill Cemetery in Franklin.

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