There was a time when throwing the football might have been considered a distant offensive option for Danville teams.
That era — no pun intended — has passed.
Junior quarterback Kale Payne completed 21 of 26 passes for 177 yards Friday night as the Warriors, ranked ninth in Class 3A, made new coach Jayme Comer’s debut a successful one by defeating visiting Franklin, 21-7.
The schools, which before last season hadn’t met since Week 5 of the 1960 season, are now tied in the overall series, 3-3-1. Franklin defended its home turf, 27-17, in the 2019 opener against Danville.
“I thought we played hard, we competed and didn’t let it get away from us,” Grizzly Cubs coach Chris Coll said. “(Danville’s) offense was tough to predict with a new coach, a new offense and they didn’t scrimmage last week, so we didn’t have any film on them.
“But there were good things to take away. We just couldn’t put enough plays together offensively in the first half. We just couldn’t finish.”
Danville led, 14-0, at halftime, and stretched it to a three-touchdown margin in the third quarter when Payne delivered a 14-yard strike to junior receiver Tyler Dostin. The Grizzly Cubs got on the board in the fourth period when senior running back Jalen Ward found a gap opened by the left side of the line and took it in from 27 yards.
Ward finished as the game’s leading rusher with 110 yards on 25 carries. Franklin quarterback Reed Roberts rushed for 41 yards and passed for 123 more; Ward and senior Isaiah Klein led Grizzly Cub receivers with three catches apiece.
Franklin finished the first half with more yards on offense than Danville.
The Warriors used two touchdown passes from Payne to seize control at intermission, with the Grizzly Cubs unable to take advantage of four trips into Danville territory.
A fumble recovery by Franklin on a botched punt return by Danville early in the first quarter had the visitors in a favorable position, but Roberts was intercepted by Luke Wooten, who ran it all the way to the Cubs’ 20.
Danville then squelched a scoring chance of its own, advancing to the Franklin 2 until a fumble was recovered by Grizzly Cubs safety Noah McCann.
The third offensive series proved the charm for the Warriors, who moved 49 yards in six plays, Payne’s 30-yard floater over the top of the defense and into Wooten’s arms, breaking the scoreless tie.
In the second quarter, Franklin broke down on special teams, mishandling the snap from center on a punt. Danville recovered the football at the Cubs’ 16 and scored two plays later with Payne delivering a 16-yard slant to senior receiver Matthew Brabec for a 14-0 cushion.
Franklin plays its home opener on Friday when it welcomes Shelbyville.
