Franklin’s Alex Leugers, left, runs the ball as Whiteland’s Alexander Ulloa tries to make the tackle during Friday’s game.
Chris Williams | For the Daily Journal
Down, but never out.
Franklin trailed three times in its Friday night battle with longtime county and Mid-State Conference rival Whiteland, the last when Slate Valentine scored with 2:19 left on the clock. But the host Grizzly Cubs had an answer each time, and senior Clay Pinnick’s 1-yard quarterback keeper with 28.5 seconds to go lifted Franklin to a heart-stopping 22-21 triumph.
“I went up to (coach Chris Coll) and I was like, ‘Put me in’ when we got it down to the goal line,” said Pinnick, who has been platooning all season under center with sophomore Greyson Betts. “I told him, ‘I’m scoring this. Put me in; I’ve got this. I’m the guy.’ And he listened, and I got that in there.”
Getting the ball back with just over nine minutes remaining after the Grizzly Cubs had just driven for a go-ahead touchdown, the Class 5A No. 4 Warriors converted a fourth down and four third downs on the game-winning drive, including Valentine’s go-ahead dive into the end zone from 8 yards out.
But as it had twice before, Franklin (3-1, 2-0) had a potent retort. Alex Leugers — who rushed for 159 yards on 22 carries — broke free for 35 yards to put the ball on the Whiteland 25. Four plays later, Quentin Richards pulled in a clutch 10-yard catch on fourth and 8, and after a 9-yard Leugers run set up first and goal at the 1, Pinnick called his own number and got across the goal line with a second-effort dive.
“That first defender, he hit me and we kind of stopped,” Pinnick said, “so I knew I had to do something to get in the end zone. I kind of spun around him and stuck the ball out, and I ended up landing in the end zone.”
Whiteland (2-2, 1-1) came out swinging with a 25-yard run by Valentine on the game’s first play from scrimmage, but a fumble two plays later was recovered by Franklin’s Harjot Singh at the Grizzly Cub 45. Three straight runs by Leugers, the last a 26-yarder, set up first and goal at the Warriors’ 3-yard line, but the visitors held up defensively and Franklin had to settle for a 24-yard field goal from J.D. Sever.
After forcing a Warrior punt, the Grizzly Cubs again moved into scoring range before stalling at the Whiteland 23. Sever again came through, this time drilling a 40-yarder through the uprights to make it 6-0 with 3:21 left in the opening period.
Having kept it a one-possession game, Whiteland was able to erase the entire deficit on its next drive, going 80 yards in nine plays to reach the end zone. Valentine (30 carries, 165 yards) finished off the march with a 24-yard scoring run, and Noah Pope’s extra point gave the Warriors a 6-0 edge just over a minute into the second quarter.
Franklin appeared set to respond with a long touchdown drive of its own, but Leugers was hit on the arm just before reaching the end zone and Whiteland’s Ayden Shaffer came up with the ball at the 3-yard line. A defensive stop gave the Grizzly Cubs another shot before halftime, though, and while the offense again stalled at the Warrior 20, Sever was able to put the home team back on top by converting a 38-yard field goal with just 13.8 seconds to go.
The Warriors then regained the lead with an 84-yard drive that chewed up more than eight minutes of third-quarter clock, getting into scoring position via an unlikely path. Quarterback Ollie Taylor completed passes of 15 and 30 yards to Gunnar Hicks, with the latter setting up first and goal at the Franklin 7-yard line. Taylor was stuffed on a pair of quarterback sneaks from the 1, but his third try on fourth down was successful, and a two-point conversion pass gave Whiteland a 15-9 advantage with 1:12 remaining in the third.
Again the Grizzly Cubs answered — this time with a touchdown. The tandem of Leugers and Pinnick did much of the work with their legs before Pinnick finished it off with a 19-yard toss up the left sideline for Richards, who pulled in his seventh of eight receptions to tie the score with 9:24 left in regulation. Sever’s point after put Franklin back in front, 16-15.
The Grizzly Cubs didn’t have nearly as much time on their last go-ahead drive, but their confidence never wavered.
“We work that two-minute in practice all the time, so we were prepared,” Pinnick said.
