Sports Editor’s note: Due to ongoing renovations to the Panther Pit at Franklin High School, Panther football is playing their “home” games this season in E.J. Whitmire Stadium at Western Carolina University.
Panther football’s first conference win is in hand.
After road blowout wins over Robbinsville and Swain, on Thursday, Sept. 11, Franklin returned to WCU to host East Henderson in their first Mountain Eight Conference game. In demolishing the Eagles 59-0, the Panthers improved their overall record to 3-1.
Franklin’s special teams unit wasted no time on the opening kickoff, clearing the way for a 45-yard return by Zavion Ensley. Taking over at the Eagle 40, Franklin’s offense followed suit, driving 34 yards on the next eight plays including third- and fourth-down conversions from Addix Sutton. On first-and-goal from the 6, Garrett Young bulldozed a defender at the goal line for the game’s first score.
Young stayed involved for Franklin’s defense on East’s first drive, recovering a fumble at the Eagle 35. The sophomore scored again moments later with another bruising run on first-and-10 from the 12. East blocked the extra point to keep the score at 13-0.
Franklin’s defense forced a three-and-out on East’s next drive, then gained even better field position on a kick catch interference penalty. On Franklin’s first play from scrimmage at the East 31, Anderson Terrell found fellow junior Damion Bowles for a 27-yard completion to the 4. On first-and-goal Paxton Sutton scored on a run up the middle, before a Young two-point conversion made it 21-0.
Franklin kept harassing East on the Eagles’ next drive, getting hurries/tackles for loss from Young, Addix Sutton, Lance Parker and Cayson McAllister. Just two plays after the ensuing punt, Young posted another tackle-breaking run for 57 yards up the left sideline to the Eagle 1. Addix Sutton scored on a first-and-goal carry to put his team up 28-0 in the first quarter.
Both defenses traded stops for the next few drives, led for Franklin by tackles for loss from Young and Daiveon Hall. On the first play from scrimmage at the Eagle 47, Terrell found Bowles for another big completion to the 25. On second-and-3 from the 18 Terrell found Payton King to his left, who evaded East defenders to the end zone. Franklin missed the extra point to keep the score at 34-0.
Still in the second quarter, Franklin’s offense began deploying backups on their next drive, who took over at the Eagle 31 and didn’t skip a beat. On third-and-goal Ensley scored on a five-yard carry, before East blocked another extra point to keep the score at 40-0.
Parker made the play of the game for Franklin’s defense on East’s next possession, intercepting an Eagle pass and returning it 39 yards for a score. Franklin defended their 47-0 lead to the half.
With Franklin up by more than 41 points, the N.C. High School Athletic Association’s running clock rule took effect after the break, before Franklin’s defense forced another three-and-out. Taking over at their own 47, Franklin’s offense mounted another steady drive, marching 45 yards on eight straight runs. On first-and-goal from the 8 Ensley scored again on a run up the middle, before Franklin missed the extra point to keep the score at 53-0. Freshman Eli Stanley scored on a 41-yard completion minutes later for the game’s final points to win 59-0.
“I saw a knockout punch that happened early, and our team was extremely focused,” said head coach Josh Brooks after the game. “We had a great week’s practice, and we carried it over to the field. We knew that East was going to be down and we respected that, but our kids played hard, and the kids that subbed in there and got a chance to play just did outstanding. It didn’t turn into a sloppy game, and we did some really good things, so I’m just proud of our team.”
After three straight blowout wins over Robbinsville, Swain and East, Franklin now faces a much tougher stretch to come, entering the heart of their conference schedule with games versus Brevard, Pisgah and Tuscola the next three weeks. Ahead of a Thursday night clash with the Blue Devils Sept. 18, Brooks said his team would need to focus in the upcoming week.
“We’ve got some big challenges coming up with Brevard, Pisgah and Tuscola. … Everybody’s going to be tough, but these next three will be really special for us,” he said. “I think Brevard has got the best team in the mountains, and so we’ve got to take care of Franklin, and we’ve got to do things that are going to give us a chance to win that game. I think they’re super-physical, I think they’re very good on both sides of the ball, so it’s going to take a complete effort for us. But no matter how that game goes, we want to win the rest of the games anyway, so it should be a special night for us. I think our kids will rise up to that opportunity and that challenge, and I’m excited about that opportunity.”
Panther football reminds fans that their next varsity game will be played on Thursday night, Sept. 18, at Western Carolina University versus Brevard, as the final game of a special tripleheader with Panther volleyball. Due to Catamount practices beforehand, the gates of E.J. Whitmire Stadium will open at 6:30 p.m., with kickoff scheduled for its normal time at 7:30. The JV Panthers will play their next game on Wednesday, Sept. 17, at Brevard. Both teams return to their regular Thursday/Friday schedule next week.