Final from Death Valley
Franklin County 35
Lincoln County 13
Summary
The InterCounty Energy Lineman of the Game is Grady Foster. After the game, Grady Foster said, “We just have to forget this game and look ahead to district play.”
The Guardian Exterminating and B-Green Lawn Care Player of the Game is Bob Floyd who had a 5-yard touchdown reception. Reflecting on the touchdown, Bob Floyd said, “I caught the ball at the 5-yard and just kept my legs moving to get in.”
The Lincoln County Daily News dot com play of the game was Brennin Hazlett’s interception to thwart a Franklin County drive. Talking to WPBK-FM, Brennin Hazlett said, “I dropped back, saw the ball, and went and got it. I just did what I was supposed to, like they coached me.”
Two scores in 45 seconds of game time at the end of the first half gave Franklin County a lead that effectively put the game out of reach. The Flyers led 14-7 at that point, but Franklin County scored and then Lincoln County turned over the ball with less than a minute to play, putting the Patriots in a 28-7 hole at halftime.
After the game, Coach Levi Rogers took the blame for the end of the half, “That was bad coaching by me at the end of the half, and I take the blame for that.” He was referring to throwing the deep ball with one minute left in the half. He continued, “I love my guys. They came out and fought after the half and didn’t quit after that.”
There were lots of brights spots for the Patriots, especially on the defense, which made some important stands and played well most of the game.
The Lincoln rushing game rose to the occasion. Franklin County’s defense is pretty stout. Their opponents before tonight were averaging 72 yards per game. By himself, Reed Curlis ran for 89 yards. As a team, Lincoln County rushed for a total of 175 yards, which is more than Great Crossing (134), Bullitt East (166) or Lexington Christian (81) had against the Flyers in earlier games.
There were also some players who had to step up due to injuries, and they made big plays, including Beau Stonionis, Will Peek, and Brennin Hazlett on defense, all of whom were mention by Coach Rogers in his postgame comments.
Lincoln County (5-1) hosts Wayne County next Friday Night for homecoming. Franklin County (6-0) hosts Spencer County next week.
Scoring
FC 1Q 7:25 Jaeden Samuels, 1-yard run, Brayan Lopez Padilla kick (FC 7-0)
FC 2Q 8:28 Delano Collins, 65-yard punt return, Padilla kick (FC 14-0)
LC 2Q 2:18 Bob Floyd, 5-yard pass from Tucker Foster, Brody Baker kick (FC 14-7)
FC 2Q 1:06 Delano Collins, 34-yard pass from LaDarrius Simmons, Padilla kick (FC 21-7)
FC 2Q 0:21.6 LeDarrius Simmons, 14-yard pass from Knox Barrett, Padilla kick (FC 28-7)
FC 3Q 5:35 Jaeden Samuels, 75-yard pass from Knox Barrett, Padilla kick (FC 35-7)
LC 4Q 8:11 Reed Curlis, 16-yard run, kick failed (FC 35-13)
Series-by-Series Report
Franklin County won the coin toss and elected to receive the kickoff. They started at their own thirty-yard line and covered 70 yards in ten plays, crossing the goal line on a one-yard run by Jaeden Samuels with 7:25 remaining in the first quarter. The PAT kick was made by Brayan Lopez Padilla and Franklin County led 7-0.
After the kickoff, Lincoln County started from their own 34-yard. The Patriots had a short pass connection from Tucker Foster to Bob Floyd and then a good run by Reed Curlis but then got stuffed on third down forcing a three-and-out punt.
Franklin took over at their own 28-yard line, but a holding penalty pushed them back to the 18-yard line. From there, they connected on a 44-yard pass from Knox Barrett to Delano Collins. The Flyers kept chipping away yards toward the Lincoln County goal line and eventually had a first down and goal to go at the Lincoln 8-yard line. This resulted in a big goal line stand by the Lincoln County defense after four running plays into the teeth of the Lincoln County defense got only four yards f or Franklin County.
The Patriots took over at their own 4-yard line. Two penalties (encroachment and roughing the punter) helped keep the Lincoln County drive alive getting the ball out to the 35-yard line. The drive bogged down there, and Lincoln County punted. Delano Collins fielded it on the 35-yard line and ran down the home sideline untouched for a 65-yard punt return touchdown with 8:48 left in the first half. Brayan Lopez Padilla added his second PAT kick and Franklin County led 14-0.
Lincoln County started from their own 31-yard line after the ensuing kickoff. A roughing the passer penalty helped get it up to the 44-yard line. A Tucker Foster pass to Clay Pendygraft got it into Franklin County territory at the 48-yard line. On the next play, Drake Willoughby picked up 17 yards on an inside run, followed by a five-yard run by Reed Curlis to the 26-yard line. An unsportsmanlike penalty on Franklin County for tackling Johnny Adkins out of bounds, moved it down to the 15-yard line for Lincoln County.
From there, the Patriots had short runs by Reed Curlis and Drake Willoughby to the ten-yard line. On fourth-down-and-five-to-go, Tucker Foster connected with Bob Floyd for a five-yard touchdown pass with 2:18 to play in the first half. Brody Baker added the PAT, and the Franklin County lead was cut to 14-7.
Then, things got ugly in the last two minutes of the half. Franklin County started from their own 36-yard line and got it down to the Lincoln County 34-yard line where they faced a fourth down. The Flyers used a half-back pass that was well-covered by the Patriots, but the very athletic Delano Collins went up, caught the pass, and loped into the end zone with 1:06 left in the half. Brayan Lopez Padilla kicked the PAT and Franklin County led 21-7.
After the ensuing kickoff, Lincoln County started at their own 28-yard line with one minute to play in the half. On first down, the Patriots went deep for a streaking Bob Floyd, but Delano Collins moved under the pass, intercepted it and returned it to the Lincoln County 34-yard line. Two plays later quarterback Knox Barrett hit LeDarrius on a 14-yard pass with twenty-one seconds left in the half. Brayan Lopez Padilla kicked his fourth PAT, and the Flyers led 28-7. Lincoln County went from being down 14-7 in the waning minute of the half, to giving up two touchdowns in 45 seconds of game time and going into the half down 28-7. Lincoln County took a knee after receiving the kickoff and the half ended.
Lincoln County received the second half kickoff and started from their own 37-yard line. The Patriots got a first down at midfield after a three-yard run by Reed Curlis and then an 11-yard pass from Foster to Floyd. The Patriots got it as deep as the 18-yard line before throwing an interception on fourth down. The Tucker Foster pass was picked off by Shalom Moore.
Franklin County took over at their own 10-yard line after the interception. Three plays later, Knox Barrett hit Jaeden Samuels on a 74-yard touchdown pass with 5:35 remining in the third quarter. Brayan Lopez Padilla kicked the PAT and Franklin County led 35-7
Lincoln County started from their own 33-yard line after the kickoff. After a one-yard run, Bob Floyd had an 11-yard catch to the 45-yard line. A pass interference call moved the ball to the Franklin County 40-yard line. Reed Curlis carried for three yards to the 37-yard line, then Tucker Foster on a keeper for three yards to the 34-yard line. Then, Drake Willoughby ran three yards to the 31-yard line. Facing fourth down and one yard to go, Tucker Foster got a bad spot just shy of the thirty-yard-line. The resulting measurement came up just short of the first down and Franklin County took over on downs.
After getting the ball back, the Flyers connected on a 33-yard pass from Barrett to Jacob Taylor to the Lincoln County 37-yard line, but they stalled out there facing a stiff Lincoln County defense. The Patriots took over on downs at their own 36-yard line with 10:53 left in the game.
Behind the running of Reed Curlis and Tucker Foster (on run for 41 yards), the Patriots got into scoring position, where Reed Curlis finished of the drive with a 16-yard touchdown run with 8:11 left in the game. The snap on the PAT was high, and the kick was never attempted. The Frankin County lead was cut to 35-13.
On the ensuing kickoff, Lincoln County successfully executed an onside kick and got the ball back at the Franklin County 47-yard line. The Patriots could not move the ball, though, and gave it up on downs at the Franklin County 46-yard line. The Flyers went to work from there.
They connected on a 24-yard touchdown pass to Delano Collins again, but it was nullified by a holding penalty. On the next play, Brennin Hazlett intercepted the pass and returned it back to the 35-yard line where the Lincoln County offense went back to work but on a 4th down at their own 41-yard line, Lincoln County turned it over with an interception on a Tucker Foster heave that was picked off by Shalom Moore.
Franklin County was not happy with their 35 points and came out throwing the ball despite Lincoln County being without time outs and there being two minutes left in the game. They could have ran out the clock, but they kept gunning, including a hook-and-lateral with twenty seconds left in the game. They lost it on downs and Lincoln County ran out the clock.
