Undefeated district for Franklin
Lions take 26-2A title by beating Lexington
FRANKLIN - It comes as no great surprise, but Franklin is back to playing Mike Hedrick football.
The small but scrappy Lions won the District 26-2A title Friday night at Hedrick Field, beating Lexington 33-19 in the style their head coach preaches.
The Lions finished the regular season at 8-1 and were undefeated in district with a 6-0 mark. They will face Jarrell or Little River Academy in bi-district play.
"Our kids have bought into the program and they just give it everything they've got," Hedrick said just after receiving the traditional soaking from the water cooler. "They just want it more."
The first half was a defensive gem by both teams. Only four yards separated the two teams in total offense. Lexington got the first break on he opening kickoff when a high pooch kick was caught by the Eagles' Michael Kieffer, but Lexington fumbled back to Franklin on the next play. The Lions got a 7-0 lead on Austin Miller's two-yard run to finish a 57-yard drive on their first offensive series.
The remainder of the half was mostly made up of Lexington driving and Franklin stopping them short of the goal line. Those thwarted drives resulted in two field goals of 25 and 31 yards by Lexington's Bradley Reynolds, making the score 7-6 at the break.
Hedrick made a change in the second half, inserting junior Jake Russ in place of starting quarterback Ross Bishop. Russ fumbled his first handoff, but recovered. Then he connected with Jonathan Eiman over the middle for 25 yards just before Austin Miller's 33-yard run around right end for a touchdown early in the third period to give the Lions a 14-6 lead.
Lexington began to help the Lions after that. Jenner Jones, who hit five of seven passes in the first half, was intercepted by Bishop, who returned it nine yards to the Eagles' 38.
Russ went right back to work, hitting Dennis Darnell for 25 yards to the 11. Russ then went to Jermain Williams at the five, and he walked into the end zone. The kick failed, but Franklin led 20-6.
Franklin then held the Eagles on three plays and forced a punt. Reynolds boomed a punt 60 yards into the end zone.
Lexington stubbed its toe again two series later. On fourth and 10, the punt was snapped short to Kaleb Kearney, who tried to pass. The Lions broke it up and got the ball at the Lexington 20.
The short drive was nullified, however, when Russ, running around left end, was hammered. The ball, and his helmet, went flying. Lexington recovered, but soon had to punt.
Franklin had to drive only 34 yards for the next score after a short kick. Steven Currie got 27 yards on a reverse, and two plays later he dived over from the two for a 26-6 lead.
With 3:09 left, Lexington had to gamble and Jones went down the middle to Clinton Hutson for 49 yards and a score with 1:49 left, cutting the score to 26-13.
The Lions did not lost their roar. They got the ball at their own 49 after recovering an onside kick. Williams then cleared left end on a 31-yard run, and on the next play Darnell went over the left side on a counter for a 15-yard touchdown with 19 seconds left in the game.
Down 33-13, Lexington pulled one last score out of its hat when Jenner passed over the middle to B.J. Brister, who pitched to Kearney. Kearney ran 53 yards for a score with two seconds left in the game.