Ground attack leads team to win

Press photo/Andy Scheidler. Franklin defender Creedence Riblett (No. 37) and Hayesville running back Tino Scolaro go after a fumble. Franklin held the Yellow Jackets to 29 yards rushing in the season opener Friday. The Panthers scored three times in the fourth quarter for a 35-16 victory.

If it weren't for a couple of interceptions and a fumble, the Franklin High School football team might have won in a blowout. Instead, the Panthers let Hayesville hang around before pulling away in the last few minutes of the game, winning the season opener 35-16 Friday in the Panther Pit.

Franklin amassed 404 yards on the ground, led by a 313 by senior tailback Josh Young. All five Franklin scores were of the running variety, with Young scoring four and Vince Collins adding the last touchdown of the game with less than a minute remaining.

Franklin coach Josh Brooks said the Panthers' mistakes allowed Hayesville to stay close.

"Turnovers, penalties and missed assignments (Friday) just really slowed us down. I thought the team fought through some of that pretty well," Brooks said.

"It allowed Hayesville to stay in the football game. But luckily we overcame that and were able to get a win."

Hayesville scored its first touchdown in the third quarter on a 29-yard pass to pull within six points (14-8). But Franklin answered by scoring touchdowns on all three of its drives in the fourth quarter.

The Yellow Jackets made the score 21-16 after a 37-yard passing strike with 4:45 remaining. After an on-side attempt failed, Young capped his fourth score of the game on a 10-yard run. Jake Stamey intercepted a long pass on Hayesville's next possession and Collins followed by busting a 39-yard TD run to the outside to seal the game.

"We did what we wanted to do," Brooks said. "I don't know how many plays they ran, but I thought we controlled the tempo of the game."

Hayesville went three and out on its first three possessions. The Yellow Jackets managed just one first down in the first half, coming on a Franklin penalty.

The defense held the Yellow Jackets to 29 yards rushing and played solid against the pass.

"I was very pleased with how the defense played considering we played six kids (Friday) that started their first varsity game," Brooks said. "Very seldom were we out of place. Very seldom did they just not play where we thought they could play. They were lined up right, got our checks, and played with a lot of heart and intensity. And (they) made a lot of big plays."

Last season's all-Mountain Athletic Conference quarterback Jonathon Shively threw for 157 yards passing for the Yellow Jackets, while connecting on two touchdowns passes.

Hayesville coach Neil Setzer said the Panthers defended the pass well.

"I thought Franklin played excellent man-to-man defense," Setzer said. "A lot of passes it looked like we're open and a hand at the last minute came in and knocked it down. A few of those go the other way, maybe (we have a chance to win). But my hat goes off to coach Brooks and his staff and his players, because they did a fine job."

Christian Vose was picked off twice and finished with 47 yards passing. All three completions went to wide receiver Jason Erxleben.

Along with the three turnovers, Franklin also had 11 penalties for 115 yards.

Brooks said the Panthers need to improve on the turnovers and penalties before their next contest.

"Teams learn more from the first game or the first loss than any other time," he said. "So I'm looking forward to seeing how we grow from (Friday's) game as we prepare for the Murphy game."