(by Don Meador)
A slow start by the Patriots proved costly
last week. Franklin-Simpson used 14 early points and a strong ground game to
overpower Allen County-Scottsville, 31-21---handing the Patriots their first
District setback of the year in action last Friday at Patriot Stadium.
A six-yard rushing touchdown at the 8:16
mark of the first quarter by Cedric Partinger lifted the visitors to the early
7-0 lead. Franklin-Simpson held AC-S at bay before the rest of the quarter
before adding a “surprise” score on the final play of the first quarter. Omar
Harrison broke loose for a 60-yard touchdown run---a score that came as the
result of a defensive breakdown.
“We had a miscall on our defense,” coach
Brad Hood admitted, adding, “That play kind of summed up how we started the
game. We were just very lackadaisical and on our heels and not firing on our
cylinders. I don’t know if it was nerves, if it was Franklin. We just wasn’t
ready to come out swimming. That play should not have happen. We were just not
prepared and that play kind of explained the first of the game.”
The Wildcats’ Cole Hollinsworth added a
39-yard field goal at the 5:28 point of the second period. The long boot lifted
the Wildcats to a commanding 17-0 lead. However, the Patriots refused to go
down without a gallant effort the rest of the way.
“That was when our defense held their chest
out,” coach Hood “Our offense had drove the ball once and turned it over on
downs. We had an interception. We had gave them everything in the world. Our
defense held them to a fourth-and-long and made them kick the field goal. That
slowed down the bleeding. That was the moment I knew we were going to fight and
from then on, it was a different football game. It was our game.”
The Patriots counted with a big play on
defense near the three-and-a-half minute mark, recovering a loose pigskin
before the Wildcats were able to retrieve the ball.
“Noah (Kinslow) ended up with the ball,”
Hood said. “Dillion (Rookstool), Will Moore, and Landon Witcher came in and
that ball went shooting out. That was huge down 17-0. We got a good break..”
The turnover led to an 11-yard scoring run by
Jaquez McPeak at the 46 second mark of the first half. Thorny Walker point
after pulled the Patriots to within 10 at the break.
AC-S followed the first score with a quick
score to start the second half. Rookstool capped the scoring drive with a
16-yard run.
“Both our fullbacks (McPeak and Rookstool)
were brute and power,” Hood noted. “On the touchdown, Dillion had his head down
and had the mindset that he was going to score. Both our fullbacks are big,
have a low center of gravity, and are hard to wrap up. They are both really
strong, you are not go to bump them down. Dillion did a great job there and
Jaquez had some big runs.”
The Wildcats took advantage of a short field
late in the third. After a short Patriot punt, the Wildcats marched 26 yards to
add a 14-yard receiving touchdown by Andrew Ogles at the 1:47 mark of the
third.
AC-S answered less than five minutes later.
Landon Witcher’s five yard run capped a scoring drive that brought AC-S to
within three again, 24-21. However, the play of the drive was a leaping pass
reception by Jax Cooper---a pass from the hands of wide out Brandon Baxter. The
39-yard pass play would be followed by the score that had AC-S within the
contest with 9:20 left.
“Brandon
has the strongest arm on the team.” Hood explained. “We had worked on that play
this week and we needed a spark right there. Brandon set his feet and let it
fly. Jax made a heck of a catch.”
Franklin-Simpson
kept the ball on the ground and scored their final touchdown on a five-yard run
at the 6:51 mark. Chase Gooch’s score and the point-after gave the Cats a 31-21
lead.
“We
weren’t down but it was hard to overcome,” Hood noted. “We had a few dropped
passes and got in a situation where we had to go for it on fourth down.”
Witcher
led the Patriot running game, finishing with 70 yards on 14 carries. Close
behind was Trace McIntyre who rushed for 58 yards on 12 attempts---including a
long first half run down the Wildcat sideline. McPeak finished with 58 yards on
12 carries with Rookstool rushing for 20 yards.
McIntyre
finished with eight pass completions for 55 yards while Bazter’s lone pass went
for 39 yards. Cooper had two grabs for 48 yards. Zane Ward, Nick Grissom, and
Noah Kinslow also caught seven balls in the game for a combined 37 yards.
Defensively,
sophomore Christopher Holland was in on eight tackles to lead the way with
sophomore Will Moore recording seven total tackles.
AC-S (1-5,
1-1) will travel to Danville (1-4) to face the Admirals---a team that did not
play an entire game last week due to lightning. .
“They will
have a lot of speed,” Hood said. “They are young right now. Danville has played
a hard schedule. They have a good quarterback and receivers. They will be
rested. There is a lot of pride at Danville. It’s a tough place to play.”
Kickoff
Friday is slated for 7 p.m. CDT.