By Douglas Pils
WILLIS – It took 16 seconds to realize that the Franklin Lions weren’t going to let the Shepherd Pirates surprise anyone else.
That’s how much time had elapsed when senior Devyn Hidrogo finished a 58-yard sprint to the end zone on the first play, setting off a 50-16 rout of a Pirates team coming off its first playoff win since 1967.
The victory sends Franklin (11-1) to the regional semifinal against Little River Academy (10-2) on Friday at 7 p.m. at Tomball Stadium. The Lions beat Academy 49-28 on Nov. 3 to secure District 11-3A’s second seed and leave the Bumblebees in third.
That’s a big reason why coach Mark Fannin talked to his team about staying “locked in” on the bigger goal of a third straight state title as they prepare during Thanksgiving week to face a team it has already beaten this year.
(Photo by Nash Pils)
“I’m not a big fan of playing teams twice, but we’re going to have to go and be humble about our situation and learn from our mistakes the last time we played them and try to get a game-plan together,” said Fannin, who’s now 55-4 as Franklin’s head coach.
After Jayden Jackson’s two-point run gave the Lions an 8-0 lead, Shepherd went on a 12-play drive that reached the red zone. Senior linebackers Major Kimbrough and Brayden Youree stopped a fourth-and-9 play at the Franklin 23.
By the time the Pirates put together another extended drive that reached the Lions’ red zone, Franklin led 36-0 early in the third quarter.
“We knew we had to come in here and be disciplined, do our jobs and we were going to win this game,” said Youree, who led the team with 11.5 tackles to give him 93 this season. “We just had to bow our necks up, be physical and figure it out when we needed to.”
The Lions gave up 300 yards, all on the ground, but 130 of that came in the fourth quarter when the first-team defense was on the bench.
“When you’re going against a team like that with that type of offense, you’ve got to be very disciplined with your eyes,” Fannin said. “After that first drive, it looked like we settled in and started playing some good football.”
Franklin used more big plays to build that 36-0 lead, using a wide array of Lions to reach the end zone.
Jackson sprinted 77 yards to the end zone on Franklin’s second offensive snap, but that was called back on a holding call. Undaunted, the Lions set off on a seven-play drive capped with a 32-yard run by Bubba Jackson, Jayden Jackson’s younger brother.
(Photo by Nash Pils)
The drive included a 16-yard reception by Hidrogo, his ninth straight game with a catch, giving him 17 receptions for 426 yards this season.
“Our offense is pretty special and it’s hard for other teams to rep it in practice and see what it’s like,” Fannin said. “Those first couple of drives, we’re coming off the ball and they’ve really never seen that.”
Three plays later Kimbrough beat Blake Autrey to a fumble recovery after a bad handoff, setting up the Lions at Shepherd 37. On the first play, senior quarterback Cort Lowry rolled to his left and hit wide open freshman tight end A.J. Phillips for his first varsity catch and touchdown.
That gave Franklin a 22-0 lead early in the second quarter.
“I was so proud. We finally got the ball to A.J.,” Fannin said. “He’s a freshman who’s got really good hands and we just haven’t had the opportunity to get him the ball this year. What a special night for him to catch that ball and score that touchdown.”
(Photo by Nash Pils)
Offense spreads the wealth around
Both teams stalled for a bit in the second quarter until Franklin took over at its 27 with 4:24 before halftime. The Lions went on an eight-play drive that included senior end Ryan Tucker’s first catch of the year, a 31-yard gain.
That set up R.J. Fulton’s 4-yard run with 23 seconds left in the half for a 29-0 lead. Fulton was the eighth different player to gain yards on the eight-play drive.
“Our offense struggled at the beginning of the year, but now they’re clicking,” Youree said. “It’s fun to watch them, especially No. 1, Jayden Jackson.”
Franklin’s defense stopped a fourth-down play at Shepherd’s 30 to start the second half. Three Jayden Jackson runs later, Franklin led 36-0 after Erick Lopez added his first varsity extra point.
The Pirates threatened to score after a personal foul helped them get inside the Franklin 10. Jackson stuffed a fourth-down play at the Lions 7.
Five plays later, he scored for the second time on a 56-yard run for a 43-0 lead. Jackson had his seventh straight game with at least 100 yards with 125 on just seven carries. He’s also scored in nine straight games, and it’s his seventh game this season with at least two touchdowns.
(Photo by Nash Pils)
Hidrogo had 102 yards on just four carries, his fourth 100-yard game in the past five outings. He’s never had more than five carries in any of those games.
Early in the fourth quarter, junior Noah Tart, typically a defensive back, scored his first offensive touchdown of the year on a 6-yard run. Franklin led 50-0 with 10:12 left in the game, and that allowed Fannin to play many of the reserves and junior varsity call-ups the rest of the way.
Shepherd added two touchdowns, one on a 66-yard run, and the Lions’ junior varsity offense ate up a chunk of time in the final quarter with an eight-play drive.
“It makes me feel good as a coach, because those guys put in just as much work as anyone else,” Fannin said. “When they can have a chance to get on the field and put on a show, it’s always special. … Just that playoff experience alone, that says a lot.”
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