Recap: Talawanda football led by defense in statement 35-0 win at Franklin High School
“It’s really just a player-led group. We give our players the ability to hold each other accountable, and I think that leads to the turnovers, that leads to the big plays on defense.”
Atrium Stadium went silent for 25 seconds Friday, with hats and helmets off and heads bowed on both sides of the field.
Whether on the field or in the stands, no matter the name or colors on the shirts and jerseys being donned, every soul was unified for a moment. An American flag waved over the red and black midfield paw print, while both teams sported their own as they ran to their respective benches.
On the 25th anniversary of the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, one of the most tragic days in American history, the two teams battling under the Friday night lights in Franklin, Ohio, came together to remember those whose lives were lost. A short prayer was said, and the combatants took their respective sides, knowing in the back of their minds nights like this are bigger than just a game.
The Brave won the coin toss and elected to receive the opening kickoff. A boot off the right foot of Franklin senior Tito Harrison landed in the arms of Talawanda senior Camar Ellis to get the drive started.
A couple of run plays to junior Ethan Hainline and sophomore Brody Abney set up a deep ball to Ellis for 24 yards, and the Brave were off to a fast start. However, the Wildcats’ defense came up strong and forced a Talawanda turnover on downs.
After forcing a three-and-out on Franklin’s first drive of the game, only an 18-yard punt put Talawanda in excellent scoring position for their second offensive possession.
Head Coach Andy Stuckert calling the plays on the sideline led the Brave’s second offensive possession with a steady diet of Hainline and Abney. A catch by senior tight end Joey Beckett put Talawanda in the red zone.
Sophomore quarterback Jake Van Gorden found senior utility man Oliver Bennett in the back of the end zone for the Brave’s first touchdown of the night.
Down 7-0, Franklin senior running back Sammy Hughes put the Wildcats at the 38 yard line with a 28-yard kick return. But a fumble by senior quarterback Ryan Michael, forced by Brave junior linebacker Windon Lowe and recovered by senior linebacker Cooper Oldfield, put Talawanda’s offense back on the field.
Ellis hauled in an 18-yard reception on the first play of the drive to put the Brave down at the opposing 24 with three and a half minutes remaining in the first quarter. Another catch, this time by junior receiver Jio Henegar, gave the Brave their second first down on two plays following the fumble.
The Brave went back to the run game, giving Abney the ball and scoring on a nine-yard run for the visitor’s second touchdown in three drives.
The Wildcats got the ball back down 14-0 and once again struggled to find a chunk of yardage. The possession would only drag on.
On 4th and 4, Franklin Head Coach Brad Childers decided the team should go for the first down. Instead of sitting under center or in the shotgun, Michael received the snap back where the punter would stand if not for the trick play. But even after a run that appeared to garner a first down, the ball was spotted short, drawing loud boos from the Wildcat faithful.
The Franklin bench drew an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, putting the Brave once again in excellent scoring position. On the 17-yard line, the ball went to Hainline twice more, gaining 15 yards before the clock hit zero in the first quarter with Talawanda up 14-0.
On the 2-yard line to start the quarter, Bennett walked in untouched immediately, putting the Brave up 21-0 and adding another touchdown to his game resume.
With the ball back in Franklin’s hands, it wasn’t long before the Talawanda defense came up strong once more.
Senior free safety Kemper McAfee recovered a loose ball in the air from Michael at the 35-yard line after he lost control while scrambling to his right and taking a hit.
“It was just a lot of guys hungry to get to the ball,” McAfee said of the play postgame. “I’m running the alley, I’ve got my linebacker scraping over and making a big hit, and we were all there, so we were quick to get on the ball and make it happen again.”
Giving way to the offense, Talawanda’s Ellis promptly hauled in a 26-yard catch for the touchdown, putting the Brave up 28-0 early in the second quarter.
Franklin’s next drive looked more akin to what everyone was expecting when they walked through the gates, as Michael and freshman running back/wide receiver Levi Bradley gathered three straight first downs.
The runs opened up two passing opportunities, with two different receivers wide open past the Talawanda defenders.
But the ball fell through their hands on successive plays, and an incomplete shot at the end zone on fourth down turned possession back over to the Brave on their own 24 yard line with five minutes remaining in the half.
A series of runs and short passes led to a reception from Beckett, which he turned from 13 yards to 17 by pushing a pile of four Wildcats forward, and a second straight pass wound up in the end zone. Ellis received the ball in the middle of the field, made an inside-out move to evade a defender and walked in for the 30-yard touchdown, his second of the day, to put Talawanda up 35-0 with 2:09 remaining in the half.
The Wildcats had one more drive with 2:04 remaining in the half following the kickoff, and despite a couple of runs and a 13-yard catch to get them over midfield, a holding penalty brought the Wildcats right back where they started. On 2nd and 20,Talawanda sophomore defender Bryton Vaughn sacked Michael to end the half, with Talawanda leading 35-0.
Franklin began the second half with a 40-yard return and a switch at quarterback. Freshman Bentley McClure played for the first time since the Wildcats’ first game against Butler High School.
A personal foul on Talawanda gave Franklin an extra 15 yards and their first true look in the red zone all game. However, on the first play, the Wildcats took a false start penalty, putting them back five yards.
On 1st and 15, a botched handoff was recovered by Bradley, pushing them back another five yards, and a well-placed ball hit the hands of a Franklin receiver and fell through again on second down. Then came third down, and with the young McClure trying to avoid a sack, he launched the ball downfield right into the hands of Talawanda’s J.B. Bechin – his second interception in two games.
“J.B was a guy that was really close (to making varsity) last year as a freshman, but unfortunately he got an injury later in camp, and that kind of pushed him back a little bit,” defensive coordinator Cortez McGinnis said. “So now that he’s fully healthy and has had a full year in our scheme and understands what’s going on, he’s a ballplayer, man, and he just happens to be making plays.”
Nothing came of the offensive possession, and Talawanda was forced to punt. The third quarter ended with the Brave putting up no points for the first time in the game.
Franklin punted once more after a sack by sophomore defensive lineman Elisha McGhee, and with 8:47 remaining, Talawanda used Hainline exclusively until the game ended.
The Brave set up in victory formation and kneeled the ball, emerging victorious 35-0 and moving their record to 4-0.
The Talawanda defense was once again the focus tonight, forcing three turnovers (two fumbles and one interception) and gathering in three sacks.
“It’s really just a player-led group,” McGinnis said. “We give our players the ability to hold each other accountable, and I think that leads to the turnovers, that leads to the big plays on defense. And we have younger guys playing that are getting a little more vocal, and that’s what we encourage.”
