<p>INDIANAPOLIS</p>
<p>In a defensive struggle, two big plays by Franklin Central junior running back Peyton McClendon proved to be the difference.</p>
<p>McClendon rushed for 132 yards on 18 carries, including a 59-yard touchdown run, to lead host Franklin Central High School to a 14-7 victory over Class 5A No. 9 Roncalli Friday night. The Flashes (1-1) broke a seven-game losing streak to the Rebels (0-2).</p>
<p>“Both defenses played pretty well,” Roncalli football coach Scott Marsh said. “We made a few more mistakes than they did. We gave up a couple big plays in position to get a couple of scores.”</p>
<p>McClendon’s 46-yard run helped set up the first TD late in the first half.</p>
<p>“We got a little undisciplined there. When you give up big chunks like that, you get back on our heels a little bit,” Marsh said.</p>
<p>Offensively, the Rebels had trouble getting the running game going.</p>
<p>“We were a little one-dimensional,” Marsh said. “We’ve got to get better there and that’s starts with me, so I have to do a better job. I’ve got to find a way. The kids played hard.”</p>
<p>Rebels sophomore Cole Beckman took over as starting quarterback as senior Alex Volk learned earlier in the week he had suffered a broken leg in the loss to Southport.</p>
<p>“(Volk) took a shot in the game, practiced Monday and he took another hit in practice Tuesday and he went to get an X-ray,” Marsh said.</p>
<p>Beckman completed 23 of 46 passes for 152 yards. He connected with Luke Dill on a 25-yard TD pass in the fourth quarter to cut the Flashes’ lead to 14-7.</p>
<p>“He competed. He was put in a really tough position,” Marsh said. “You find out you’re starting at the end of practice on Wednesday. It’s a tough situation, but I thought the kid stood in there and threw some nice balls. He did everything he could have done considering the circumstances.”</p>
<p>Dill caught 11 passes for 77 yards.</p>
<p>Rebels senior running back Elijah Mahan, who had 187 yards in the opener, was held to 58 yards on 17 carries, with much of that coming on a 23-yard run in the first quarter. As a team, the Rebels had 30 carries for 54 yards.</p>
<p>The Flashes took a 7-0 lead with 1:31 left in the second quarter on Dylan Bishop’s 6-yard TD pass to Bryce Durm. Back-to-back runs of 46 and 13 by McClendon were key in the touchdown drive.</p>
<p>“Roncalli’s defense came out strong but we punched them in the mouth toward the end of the half,” said Bishop, who completed 10 of 17 passes for 129 yards. “It was huge (for confidence).”</p>
<p>McClendon boosted the Flashes’ lead to 14-0 with his big TD run in the opening minute of the third quarter.</p>
