Panther football is a convincing 2-0 to begin the season.
After beating last year’s 1A state champion, Murphy, 35-15, avenging their 48-14 loss in Cherokee County this spring, Franklin emerged from the first week of the fall 2021 season with a 20-point win over one of the region’s top programs. On Friday, Aug. 27, fans packed into the Panther Pit to watch the team take on Hayesville and were treated to a blowout victory for the second week in a row.
Fans still finding their seats at kickoff missed a huge play right off the bat, when Hayesville appeared to complete a deep pass to the Franklin 30 on the first play from scrimmage. When a holding penalty negated the big gain however, Hayesville was forced to build a drive the old-fashioned way, and did so with multiple completions to 6’7 tight end Jake McTaggart, who has fielded scholarship offers from several Division 1 colleges.
On third-and-2 from the Franklin 29, Hayesville’s luck changed when the Jackets’ quarterback fumbled the snap and junior middle linebacker/fullback Brayden Watts fell on the ball for an early turnover. After the change in possession, Franklin put together a good-looking drive of their own, highlighted by an excellent throw and catch into tight coverage by junior quarterback/defensive back Chris McGuire and senior receiver/middle linebacker Keagan Pollock. Watts and junior outside linebacker/tailback Ty Handley added a couple tough carries up the middle, and Handley capped off the drive with a 14-yard TD to give Franklin a 7-0 lead.
After the subsequent Hayesville drive stalled and forced the Jackets to punt it away, Franklin put together another nice drive highlighted by a shifty 22-yard catch-and-run by senior receiver/defensive back Grant Adams to the Jackets’ 11. Watts bullied his way into the end zone on the next play to give Franklin a 14-0 lead with 9:26 left in the half.
After defenders Daniel Ensley, Israel Jackson and Bradley Stiles sandwiched Hayesville’s quarterback to force a three-and-out on the next possession, the Jackets again punted back to Franklin, barely getting the ball past midfield. Upon receiving the punt, Pollock broke a speedy return all the way back to the Hayesville 28, and senior placekicker Erick Munoz bombed a 46-yard field goal to put Franklin up 17-0.
Hayesville finally found some offense on the next possession, gaining positive yards to their own 42 with less than four minutes remaining in the half. On third-and-14 the Jackets caught a huge break, completing a deep pass over Franklin defenders for a 58-yard TD to cut their deficit to 17-7.
Seconds later, Hayesville caught an even bigger break when Franklin fumbled the kickoff at their own 42, and the Jackets recovered with just under three minutes left in the half.
After the fumble, Hayesville drove toward the Franklin goalline and punched it in with just 16 seconds remaining in the half. Having dominated much of the first half, the Panthers headed to the locker room with just a narrow 17-14 lead.
After watching their 17-point lead get cut to 3 in just four minutes of game time, Franklin came out with a vengeance in the third. After receiving the second-half kickoff, the Panthers’ offensive line continued opening running lanes for their backs, with several Jackets falling victim to tough contact from Handley. Hayesville’s defense was unable to slow Franklin’s march on the drive, and Watts found the end zone on a 12-yard carry to put Franklin up 24-14.
After more pressure by Jackson forced an errant Hayesville throw on fourth-and-2 a few minutes later, Franklin took possession deep inside Jacket territory at the 38. Hayesville’s defense was again unable to stop Franklin’s rushing attack after the turnover, with Handley and Watts continuing to punish defenders through big holes cleared by their O-line. Handley found the goalline on first-and-goal from the 8 to put Franklin up 31-14.
On the next possession, Hayesville faced a third-and-12 from their own 43, but Franklin’s defensive backs locked up their receivers downfield, allowing sophomore Gabe Nickerson to chase down the quarterback for a sack. Facing fourth-and-a-mile on the next play, the Jackets attempted a fake punt pass, but the throw went off the receiver’s hands and into the waiting arms of Pollock for an interception.
After both teams traded turnovers on the next two possessions – Franklin with a fumble and Hayesville with a turnover on downs – the Panthers took possession deep inside their own half at the 20. One play later, Franklin’s linemen opened the biggest hole of the day for Handley right up the middle, who rumbled all the way for a 73-yard score to give Franklin a 38-14 lead. Senior Joseph Vernelson broke off a similar 51-yard carry minutes later to put the game out of reach 44-14.