MOORESVILLE
With starting quarterback Clay Pinnick out with a leg injury, Franklin freshman Greyson Betts stepped in and got the job done.
Betts threw two touchdown passes to help lead the Class 5A No. 10 Grizzly Cubs to a 28-21 victory at Class 4A No. 3 Mooresville Friday night in Mid-State Conference football action.
“He’s got good experienced players around him and that helped,” said Franklin coach Chris Coll, whose team improved to 4-2 and 2-2 in the Mid-State. “Overall team-wise, offensively and defensively and special teams, I don’t think we had any major breakdowns. Our coaching staff did a great job getting these guys focused after a couple of tough losses.”
Franklin senior running back John Shepard provided a lift as well.
“He’s a workhorse,” Coll said. “He plays hard.”
The 6-foot-2, 235-pound Shepard ran for 125 yards, including a TD, on 20 carries.
“It was a great job by my O-line tonight,” Shepard said. “We didn’t know how comfortable we’d be without our starter from last year and this year at quarterback. It started up front, and they made amazing blocks.”
Mooresville (5-1, 3-1) scored on a 6-yard TD pass from Nick Patterson to Wes Reeves to trim the deficit to 28-21 with 4:03 left. Franklin recovered the onside kick with 4:02 left. Shepard got a big first down with a 12-yard run to keep the clock moving.
“I just knew to find the holes that have been working all day,” Shepard said. “I found that hole and got my first down.”
Shepard, who also punts, got off a good punt with to put the ball on the Pioneers’ 18 with 1:03 left. Mooresville moved the ball to the 34, but a holding call sealed its fate.
“We’ve never seen a freshman be this comfortable and not nervous at all,” Shepard said. “He was hyping us up. … He played like he can play football and he played really well.”
Betts had two touchdown passes to Cooper Taylor, the second one for 20 yards to give Franklin a 21-7 lead in the third quarter. Patterson, who rushed for 115 yards, scored on a 7-yard TD with 2:01 left in the third quarter.
The Grizzly Cubs went ahead 28-14 with 6:46 left in the fourth quarter on a 26-yard TD run by Beau Baker out of the wildcat.
Baker praised Betts’ play as well.
“He wasn’t skittish; he just went out there and played ball,” Baker said. “The line gave the quarterback time.”
Coll said the wildcat package helps take advantage of Baker’s speed.
Franklin took a 7-0 lead on a 30-yard touchdown run by Shepard on fourth down and 2 with 47 seconds left in the first quarter. The Pioneers tied it on a 7-yard TD pass from Nick Patterson to Kade Garrett with 1:42 left in the second quarter.
Helped by a strong kickoff return, the Grizzly Cubs scored on a 15-yard pass from Betts to Taylor.
Coll said Pinnick is likely week to week with his injury.
“Betts has a good handle on things and understands things pretty well. Greyson has done a nice job in practice,” Coll said.
Pinnick was injured in last week’s loss to Martinsville and Betts saw action in the second half. Franklin senior receiver Max Clark returned to practice this week after a stint with Team USA at the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup in Florida but didn’t play against Mooresville.
“We’ll get Max going next week (against Plainfield),” Coll said.
