Region final, Dec. 2, 2022
Franklin 24, Columbus 21
By Douglas Pils
Story originally ran in the Franklin News Weekly
TOMBALL – Emotions displayed by Bryson Washington and Jayden Jackson ran as strong as their legs moved on Friday at Tomball ISD Stadium.
The two backs and defenders left so much on the field it’s a wonder they were still hydrated enough to produce tears of joy, but they fell anyway after an amazing 24-21 victory over Columbus. That gave Franklin (14-0) its 30th straight victory, a third straight region football crown and a berth in the Class 3A, Division I state semifinals.
“That was a good game for us, I know,” said Jackson as he fought back tears in the stands before hugging his mom.
Washington’s 7-yard run on fourth-and-4 with 27 seconds left gave the Lions the winning score after the Cardinals had taken a 21-17 lead with 5:03 left in the game. It capped a 16-play, 78-drive that will live forever in Franklin lore and it set up a semifinal match against Region IV champion Edna at 7 p.m. Thursday at Katy’s Legacy Stadium.
“I’ll remember that drive for the rest of my life and the kids will also,” said coach Mark Fannin, who’s now 42-3 as the Lions’ head coach. “It was a big-time drive.”
Jackson, a sophomore, produced four first-down runs on the drive as he fought leg cramps after each one. He piled up 174 yards on 27 runs that took every bit of energy he had.
“He’s grown a lot and I’m so grateful to experience him growing up,” Washington said of Jackson. “It’s just hard because I love each and every one of my brothers the same, but No. 1, he’s just special.”
As special as Jackson was Friday, when Franklin’s playoff life hung in the balance, it was the senior Washington who got the call with 34 seconds left in the game and possibly the season. The play was Right-36-half-to-half and if not for key blocks, it wouldn’t have worked.
Quarterback Cort Lowry pitched to Devyn Hidrogo, who ran right and shuffled the ball to Washington who was running left after lining up on the right end. Right guard Lucas Lincecum pulled and took out the left defensive end. Left tackle Quade Lopez pushed the defensive tackle inside. And Lowry took on the edge defender.
“Most of us were tired, but we had to keep pushing through one last play,” Lopez said.
That cleared a lane for Washington, who felt a little divine intervention from God and his late father, and his sprint to the left corner of the end zone set off pandemonium in the Franklin stands and on the sideline.
“I was scared for my life to be honest,” said Washington, who rushed for 116 yards with two touchdowns on 26 carries. “I was praying in the huddle. I talked to God and my Dad spoke to me, he said ‘I got this’, so I had to take care of it.”
Washington and Jackson embraced after the game and both were clearly emotional talking with reporters, teammates and family after the game.
“No. 1 was working his tail off,” Washington said. “I know I get all of the attention for scoring the game-winning touchdown, but without him I wouldn’t have been put in that position to be honest.
“I just thank God for a brother like that.”
Columbus (12-2) had quick-striking ability, taking a 7-0 lead with 7:33 left in the first quarter after completions of 36 and 35 yards by quarterback Adam Schoebel. The Cardinals didn’t have the lead again until Schoebel’s 14-yard pass to cousin John Schoebel produced the 21-17 in the fourth quarter.
As they have all season, the Lions showed no signs of panic.
“I’ve said this all year long, they just figure out a way to win,” Fannin said. “These guys just figure it out. It was a dogfight and their effort matched or was better than that team on the last drive and you’ve got to like that.”
Franklin built a 17-7 lead on Lowry’s 32-yard field goal on the final play of the first half and then opened the second half with a 14-play, 75-yard drive capped by what might have been Washington’s most impressive touchdown of the year.
He pushed three Cardinals into the end zone for a 21-yard score after they met him at the 5.
Now, with a little over 5 minutes separating the Lions from either the offseason or the state semifinals, they did what they do best – they started methodically marching down the field. The first second-half drive took 7:28 off the clock and the game-winning march took 4:29. Add those up and Franklin used up nearly a full quarter (11:57) scoring their two second-half touchdowns.
“I love those types of drives,” Fannin said. “That is the definition of Franklin football when you can get those drives going 3 or 4 yards at a time.”
As everyone headed home in amazement, the 2022 Lions had one more lesson in never giving up before the school’s fifth state semifinal appearance. This year’s team isn’t blowing out teams the way the 2021 state champions did, which might be a little hard on the fans’ blood pressure, but each week the team has come together when needed.
“You grow from it by learning every step of the game,” said Jackson, who also made a key stop on a fourth-and-1 from the Lions 1 with 7:33 left in the game. “When adversity hits you, you have to hit it right back in the mouth. That’s how it works in the real world. It hit us and we got right back up and hit back.”
What an exciting game!