Franklin is on a roll at the right time.
The Class 5A No. 8 Grizzly Cubs picked up their fourth straight win Friday, a 21-13 home victory over Decatur Central. Franklin (7-2, 5-2 Mid-State) was in control on the scoreboard for most of the evening, but it was tight for a majority of the game. The total yardage was pretty even — Franklin outgained Decatur Central 304-274 — and both teams missed scoring opportunities in the red zone. But ultimately, the Hawks (3-6, 2-5) let a few too many chances slip away offensively.
For Franklin coach Chris Coll, it wasn’t a pretty game, but it was competitive both ways. He said his team was able to move on quickly from its miscues, which was key to the win.
“You don’t have time to sit there and get frustrated or feel sorry for yourself. You’ve got to go play the next play,” Coll said. “These guys are pretty good at that and kept their composure, and we just kept going and made enough plays.”
Franklin drew first blood on the opening possession of the game. The Grizzly Cubs converted a pair of third-and-longs to cross midfield before senior Beau Baker broke off a big run. He used a quick hesitation move to juke a defender, and he was gone from there for a 47-yard touchdown.
The Hawks nearly responded with a 36-yard field goal on their first offensive drive, but a bad snap instead forced a turnover on downs.
Baker picked up his second touchdown in the second quarter on a direct snap. He patiently waited for the play to develop in front of him, and once he saw a lane, he burst through it for a 21-yard score to make it 14-0.
Baker finished with 100 yards on 10 carries and the two touchdowns, with most of that yardage coming in the first half.
“He’s a football player,” Coll said. “It doesn’t matter if it’s defense, special teams or offense. He’s going to make some plays. He’s going to do some things that impact the game.”
Decatur Central successfully answered that time, capping a 12-play drive with a touchdown pass from freshman Bo Polston to senior Tequan Taylor.
Neither team scored in the third quarter, as Franklin missed a 30-yard field goal. In the fourth quarter, the Grizzly Cubs all but put the game away on a 38-yard deep shot from junior quarterback Clay Pinnick to senior receiver Max Clark.
Pinnick went 8 for 16 for 89 yards with the touchdown. The Grizzly Cubs rushed for over 200 yards as a team, so the passing game just supplemented their success on the ground.
The Hawks fired back later in the quarter after a fourth-down stop, driving 88 yards and scoring on a 5-yard run by senior Jordan Cox. But Decatur Central’s onside kick was unsuccessful, allowing Franklin to run out the clock.
So now, the Grizzly Cubs will reset and focus on the postseason. They get a bye week before their sectional semifinal at Terre Haute South on Oct. 28.
After the game, Coll made sure to tell his team he was proud of their regular-season accomplishments. Franklin finished tied for second in the Mid-State Conference, and heads into the playoffs with momentum. Coll didn’t want to start thinking about Terre Haute South too much yet, but he knows that’s coming.
“I’m just proud of them. That’s not easy winning football games. (Decatur Central) was not going to go away. We finished and got it done,” Coll said. “They should feel good about it, and they should appreciate it. Come next week, we’ll put that behind us and forget about it. But tonight, they should feel good about what they’ve accomplished.”
