For the Daily Journal
This was a game that either Franklin or Plainfield might have paid a million dollars to win.
As it was, Plainfield looked like a million, especially in overtime, as the Quakers took a thrilling 40-39 win over the Grizzly Cubs in a game that saw both teams supply big-money plays.
“It was a great game,” said Franklin coach Chris Coll. “They made a few more plays and we were at the wrong end of it.”
In the end, it was Plainfield’s 5-4 dynamo, Tavian Gadia, who was the money player, rushing for a season-high 231 yards (the second time he’s done that) and the game winning two-point conversion to add on to his overtime touchdown.
Additionally, Gadia also caught a touchdown pass.
Gadia’s heroics took some of the luster away from Franklin, including quarterback Drew Byerly, who had 205 yards passing to go with 105 yards rushing and three touchdowns.
Byerly also threw for two scores.
Franklin went 89 yards in nine plays on its opening drive, with Byerly hitting on his first four passes before ultimately using his legs to score from the 2. The extra point was blocked; unfortunately for Franklin (2-5), it wasn’t the only time.
Plainfield (4-3) countered with a drive of its own that ate up the rest of the quarter and culminated with an 8-yard run from Byerly’s counterpart, Derek Keller.
Some razzle-dazzle gave the Quakers their second score as freshman Cael Vanderbush took the pitch on what appeared to be a reverse sweep and threw a wobbler that was caught by Plainfield’s other quarterback, Aiden Moyers, in the end zone to make it 14-6.
Plainfield got the ball again, but fumbled the ball in Franklin territory. After two penalties, Byerly hit a wide-open Cory Richards for a 50-yard strike. Another blocked kick meant the Cubs trailed 14-12 at halftime.
It was then big-money plays in the second half for both teams.
Byerly again hit Richards, this time for 29 yards and a score, and then Tyce Miller electrified the homecoming crowd with a 69-yard punt return for a score that gave the Cubs a 26-21 lead.
But Plainfield’s Colin Dorsett immediately countered that with a 90-yard kickoff return.
“That hurt,” Coll said.
Franklin took the lead back in the see-saw affair when Byerly ran in from the 20 with 4:22 left, and looked to have the win when Grant Roberts intercepted his second pass with 3:42 to go in Plainfield territory. However, the Cubs wasted the opportunity and Plainfield drove the ball down to the Franklin 10 before Harris Nichols hit a 29-yard field goal to tie the game and send it to overtime.
Byerly then gave the Cubs a short-lived lead when he scored from the 6, but Gadia ran in from the 10 and then raced in for the conversion to spoil the Franklin party.
“I’m very proud of the way the kids played,” Coll said. “We’ll look at the film and take a look at our play calls.”
Franklin travels up the road for next week’s game at Greenwood.
