Franklin stays composed in bi-district rout
By DOUGLAS PILS
(First published in the Franklin News Weekly)
WALLER – Few thought the Franklin Lions’ 2021 playoff debut would provide much of a challenge and the scoreboard proved that true with a 63-7 victory over the Danbury Panthers on Thursday, Nov.11.
But the fourth-place team from District 14-3A put the Lions’ composure to the test with a couple of exchanges that netted two sets of off-setting personal fouls and an ejection for one of the Panthers. As the No. 1 Class 3A Division II team in the state improved to 11-0, it maintained its wits in tense situations, a skill it will undoubtedly need in the coming weeks.
“We knew they were going to come with some kind of fight,” said junior Bryson Washington, who rushed for 177 yards and three touchdowns on six carries. “Any team, whether you’re coming in first, second, third or fourth, it don’t matter, you’ve got to expect a fight. We didn’t let our heads get ahead of ourselves and we locked in. We handled that.”
When the Lions woke up the next morning, they had a prime example of putting that first-round lesson to good use going forward. Childress, the undefeated District 3-4A champion, No. 3 team in the state and runner-up at this summer’s state 7-on-7 tournament, lost 39-34 to Stanton in a stunning defeat.
“Every day is a learning, experience and it’s something I remind these kids of all of the time,” coach Mark Fannin said. “They’ve got to stay humble. They’ve got to continue to learn and be great. Winning a playoff football game is always a bonus.”
As for winning that game, the Lions attacked the Panthers as they have every other team this season with a relentless rushing attack, some well-timed passes and a suffocating defense.
The Franklin defense continued its hot streak by holding the opposition to a touchdown or less for the fifth straight game, as Danbury had just 168 yards. The Panthers picked up 78 of those yards on three plays, two long pass plays and a swinging gate trick play.
“It’s just practice, doing our stuff, reading our keys, being physical and just getting the job done when the time gets tough,” sophomore linebacker Brayden Youree said.
Sophomore Colby Smith led the team with 10 tackles, Haze Tomascik had nine and Youree, Seth Shamblin and Washington each had eight.
“Our defense is so underrated,” Washington said. “We take defense so seriously in practice. Everything is next play. If you get beat, it’s next play.”
Aside from those three plays, one of them a 32-yard touchdown pass that cut the lead to 28-7 in the second quarter, the Lions didn’t spend a lot of time getting beat last Thursday.
The first quarter ended with a 14-0 Franklin lead thanks to its longest drives of the night.
Danbury made one of its nine first downs on the opening drive and then a booming 44-yard punt pinned the Lions at their own 7. On the seventh play, Washington took a pitch on fourth-and-2 around the left end and then cut back across the field for a 64-yard touchdown. The lead was 7-0 lead after the first of nine good extra points by Shamblin on the day.
The Lions forced a three-and-out and then went to work from the 34. Like the first drive, it was a mix of Bryson and Bobby Washington and Malcolm Murphy gashing the Danbury defense. After a sack and a holding penalty forced a third-and-14 from the Panthers 34, Marcus Wade hit tight end Braden Smith with 17-yard completion.
Freshman Jayden Jackson took it 9 yards and then Bryson Washington capped the eight-play drive with an 8-yard score with seven seconds left in the first quarter.
Franklin picked up the pace considerably in the second and third quarters as the next five scoring drives lasted three, four, five, two and two plays before Jackson gave the Lions a 56-7 lead with a one-play, 54-yard sprint to the end zone with 3:36 left in the third quarter.
Other big plays included Bryson Washington’s 70-yard score on the second play of the second half and Wade’s pinpoint touchdown passes of 23 yards to Murphy in the right corner of the end zone to end the first half and 27 yards to Hayden Helton just before Jackson’s one-play drive.
“Once we get rolling, it’s hard to stop us,” Washington said. “I feel bad for any team that’s in our way.”
Other touchdowns went to Bobby Washington from 8 yards out in the second quarter and Landen Lorenz on a 1-yard dive in the fourth quarter.
“We got the ball to multiple backs and I was very proud of the linemen,” Fannin said. “I thought they played a heck of a game tonight and the backs did their thing.”
All of that brought the Lions back to the lesson they learned driving home from Waller about maintaining their composure at all times. The Lions’ next step in this year’s playoff journey will be Friday against 6-5 Stockdale at 7:30 p.m. at John Gupton Stadium in Cedar Park.
They already know they’ll be getting Stockdale’s best and Childress’ loss has shown them that they can overlook no one.
“What I learned, you can’t just be who you want to be,” Bryson Washington said. “You’ve got to think ahead.”
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