While Franklin’s fans could have easily been tempted to look ahead to next week’s rivalry clash with Whiteland, the Grizzly Cub players and coaches weren’t affording themselves that luxury. There was the nagging matter of Friday’s Mid-State Conference opener against a Perry Meridian team that handed the Grizzly Cubs a narrow defeat a year ago.
Chris Coll’s squad dispensed with any such drama fairly quickly.
Four second-quarter touchdowns helped get Franklin started down the road to what became a 42-0 shellacking of the visiting Falcons — and set the stage for what now promises to be a highly anticipated clash.
At least for the fans. On the field, the company line held.
“We play a big game nine weeks out of the regular season and then however many weeks we get in the playoffs,” Coll said. “We don’t talk about big games; they’re all big games. … I don’t think there’s anybody in our program at this point that thinks to look ahead to anybody.”
On the move at the end of a scoreless first quarter, the Grizzly Cubs (3-0, 1-0) appeared set to stall for a third straight possession before quarterback Clay Pinnick scrambled for a 23-yard gain on third and long. That set Franklin up on the Falcons’ 18-yard line, and two plays later Pinnick connected with Luke Bechert from there for a touchdown.
After a stop and a short punt left the Grizzly Cubs with a short field, Pinnick hooked up with Quentin Richards for a 32-yard gain to the Perry 5. On the next snap, Pinnick called his own number and followed as his linemen cleared just enough room for him to reach the goal line.
The Falcons (1-2, 0-1) responded, quickly moving into Franklin territory with a 51-yard pass play — but after advancing as far as the 17, Perry Meridian surrendered a first-down sack and then fumbled on second down. The loose ball was quickly gobbled up by Grizzly Cub senior John Shepard, who rumbled 72 yards for the score with 5:46 remaining in the half.
“I kind of went back to my basketball days,” Shepard said. “I’m actually supposed to get the quarterback on that play, but … I read the pitch, and it was right there and it bounced right in my hands.”
“That’s something that (assistant coach Zach) Durrett preaches, and they practice in practice,” Coll added of his team’s penchant for seismic defensive takeaways. “It’s part of our philosophy. In today’s world of football, your defense needs to make big plays.”
Franklin’s defense forced a three-and-out to give the offense the ball back at midfield, and the Grizzly Cubs again cashed in. A pass interference flag and a 15-yard pass play from Pinnick to Shepard helped move the ball into the red zone, and Kaleb Owens finished off the six-play drive with a 2-yard run at the 1:23 mark.
Perry Meridian moved across midfield to start the second half and looked poised to break up the shutout — until an Allen Zupan pass was picked off by Nate Owens, who returned it up the left sideline to the Falcons’ 30. Shepard took it from there, getting the ball on three straight run plays, the last of which saw the senior trot through a gaping hole in the line from 8 yards out. Patrick Fancher’s fifth PAT of the night triggered the running clock with 6:34 to go in the third.
Kaleb Owens finished off the third quarter with a 36-yard run to make it 42-0.
With Week 3 comfortably in the rear view, the Grizzly Cubs can now turn their full attention to next week’s short trip up US 31. Franklin will be looking for its third series win in the last four years.
“We’re just focusing game by game,” Shepard said. “That rivalry, that can stay for the fans. We’re going to go do the same things we do every week. Once the time comes, we might get a little more excited for the game, but a football game’s a football game, any team is any team. We treat them the same.”
