Garrett Cora might wish that Franklin College could play Bluffton every week.
The junior back from Lizton rushed for three touchdowns and a career-high 265 yards as the Grizzlies came from behind to beat Bluffton, 31-24, and win their first game of the season Saturday afternoon at Faught Stadium.
It was the perfect time for the Grizzlies to get that first win, as it was the opener of the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference action for both teams.
“I’m really proud of the guys the way they battled,” Franklin coach Alan Hensell said. “We’re a very resilient group.”
Franklin (1-3, 1-0) had to be after going down early.
The first half was full of fireworks. The teams combined for 41 points with Franklin holding a precarious 24-17 lead.
Down 3-0 early in the first quarter, Hensell rolled the dice early on fourth down, but Bluffton snuffed out the Grizzlies’ try and got the ball on the Franklin 42. Four plays later, Beaver quarterback Xavier Reyero hit Chris Mclaurin for an 18-yard touchdown and 10-0 lead.
The Grizzlies then awoke, scoring 24 unanswered points through the courtesy of Cora’s two feet and the passing of quarterback Kai Ross.
Cora had scores of 23 and 11 yards, while Ross used his legs for a 1-yard touchdown. Add in Clint Hearne’s 22-yard field goal and it was 24-10 before the Beavers stopped the bleeding with a 13-yard touchdown pass from Reyero to Ethan Berlinger with no time left in the second quarter.
“It’s always tough when they score on the last play of the half,” Hensell said.
Any momentum for the Beavers was stopped by the Franklin defense.
Actually, both teams tightened up and the scoring fest of the first half was halted.
Franklin recorded five sacks in the game, two more than Bluffton (1-3, 0-1) had allowed all season.
“We put some pressure on the quarterback and for us to get some hits, our defense did a really good job,” Hensell said.
Franklin increased its lead when Cora scampered for a 40-yard touchdown run towards the end of the third.
The Grizzlies defense then did its job, stopping the Beavers on offense for most of the fourth until the final minute, when backup quarterback Darnell Thomas fired a 33-yard touchdown pass to C.J. Thompson, forcing Hensell to use his hands team on the ensuing kickoff.
No problem, as Franklin grabbed the onside kick and promptly ran out the clock.
Besides the sacks, Franklin impressed, allowing only 21 yards rushing and recovering a fumble. Hayden Kermode had 13 tackles and was credited with half a sack. The Beavers did get yardage, gaining 352 through the air.
Franklin had 303 yards rushing and 89 passing, and Ross was not touched for a sack once.
Probably the most important thing for Hensell was not found on the stat sheet, but in his team’s heart. The Grizzlies proved they could close out a game with a win after three close calls.
“Every game we’ve played this year in the fourth quarter could have gone either way,” Hensell said. “That’s what I told them after. It went our way, and I was happy with the way they battled and we need to build off of this.”
Franklin travels to Anderson Oct. 7.
