HORSEPOWER! Freshman LeSean Nichols-Porter powers in for the 1st of his 3 scores.
FRANKLIN- Charles City and Franklin have quietly built a small rivalry with several close games and a lot of exciting moments. Both teams didn’t have much success early in the first quarter but luckily for the home team they would get things going much faster than their guest.
You would think this was a preseason NBA game with Drelyn Ford and Rasean Rawlings rejecting passes back. Ford who is a 6 foot 4 215 pound tight end is very athletic and could be a solid receiver on the next level. Ford would help end a drive for the Panthers with a key block of the quarterback’s pass and then Franklin would turn to freshman LaSean Nichols-Porter who would race in from 10 yards out to make it 6-0 Broncos with 1:51 left in the 1st quarter.
Less than 20 seconds later the 3rd block by Ford would also come in the 1st quarter but this would be more beneficial. Craig Jones pass would be blocked right into the area of A’Breon Warren who would make an excellent interception. Coach Darren Parker would reward Ford for his excellent defensive play having quarterback Logan Pearson-Hines throw a 35-yard touchdown pass to Ford who would race to the corner of the endzone making in 12-0 with 1:35 before the 2nd would begin.
Drelyn Ford stretches the ball out for the touchdown.
Charles City could not get things going having several incomplete passes and trouble with the line. Being force to punt the Panthers would be hoping to get out of the quarter to gather themselves but the Broncos had other plans. Nichols-Porter would take the punt return 55-yards down the home sideline to make it 18-0 at the end of the 1st.
Following a Panther fumble, it would be Pearson-Hines going through his progressions and hitting Rasean Rawlings for a 15-yard touchdown pass. They would get the 2-point conversion making it 26-0 Franklin. Coach Steward Greene would get his guys to respond with a 20-yard touchdown pass from Jones to RJ Dobson right before half to make it 26-8.
RJ Dobson provided the spark the Panthers needed to have a chance throughout.
Jones for Charles City from 30-yards out would throw his second touchdown pass to Dobson to make it 26-14 in the 3rd quarter giving a few Franklin faithful flashbacks of last season’s playoff loss. No need for that when the Broncos went to their lead horse in the backfield Nichols-Porter who would stroll in from 7-yards out to make it 32-14 Franklin with 1:37 before the final quarter.
The Panthers would be short on a 4th attempt inside the Franklin 20 when a late hit way out of bounds kept the drive a live. Then it would be Jones going in from 1-yard out to make it 32-20 with 9:11 left to play. Charles City would recover an on-side kick but the drive would go nowhere.
Parker would go to one of the most dependable Broncos of the night, Ford who made a perfect touchdown down grab from Pearson-Hines for 22-yards out. Ford would get in position and high point the ball for the great catch. Some colleges in nearby Hampton Roads might want to keep notice.
Charles City would not go down easily as Jones would scamper 14-yards for a touchdown to cut the lead to 38-26. The Panthers would recover another on-side kick with 1:30 remaining but Franklin’s defense would rise to the occasion and the Broncos would capture their first victory of the season.
Craig Jones finds some daylight but it was too late to close the gap.
Franklin (1-2) will next travel to South Hill where they will face the Park View Dragons. (2-1). Charles City (1-2) will host the Colonial Beach Drifters (1-2) who almost pulled off a big upset at their house.
CHARLES CITY 0 8 6 12 - 26
FRANKLIN 18 8 6 6 - 38
F- Nichols-Porter 10-yard run (run failed)
F- Ford 35-yard pass from Pearson-Hines (run failed)
F- Nichols-Porter 55-yard punt return (run failed)
F- Rawlings 15-yard pass from Pearson-Hines (run good)
C- Dobson 20-yard pass from C. Jones (Dobson run)
C- Dobson 30-yard pass from C. Jones (run failed)
F- Nichols-Porter 7-yard run (run failed)
C- C. Jones 1-yard run (run failed)
F- Ford 22-yard pass from Pearson-Hines (run failed)
C- C. Jones 14-yard run (run failed)
SUSSEX CENTRAL 18 COLONIAL BEACH 12 OT
Trayvon Hatch carried the load for the Tigers carrying 36 times for 199 yards and 2 touchdowns including the 10-yard run to win it in overtime. The Tigers face rival Southampton Friday night for their Tri-Rivers district opener.
NORTHAMPTON 44 WINDSOR 0
The Windsor Dukes continue to rebuild and wasn’t able to match up with the Yellow Jackets who ran successful all night.
ESSEX 60 SURRY COUNTY 0
Coach Todd Jones group continues to improve and cruised from a 46-0 halftime lead to their biggest margin victory of the year. The Trojans get the week off with Thomas Jefferson and the big game with Northumberland to follow.
OTHER REGION A SCORES
Arcadia 36 Snow Hill (MD) 27
Colonial Heights 28 Southampton 26
James M Bennett (MD) 63 Nandua 27
LCA 52 Brunswick 16
Middlesex 28 Lancaster 14
Northumberland 51 Mathews 0
Washington & Lee 38 Rappahannock 27
West Point 47 Chincoteague 0
