By RayJaun Stelly, The Seattle Medium
Coming off their 23-14 loss to Lincoln last week, the Franklin Quakers looked to regroup against a Cleveland Eagles team who lost to Nathan Hale 40-6. Entering week five with an overall record of 1-3, a win for Franklin could keep their postseason hopes alive.
Taking a page from last week’s matchup against Lincoln, Franklin would score the games’ first touchdown for the second straight week, courtesy of James Scott, Jr’s 43-yard run past the Eagle defenders.
Now leading 8-0 after a successful two-point conversion, Franklin’s defensive pressure left Cleveland’s offense out of sync from their opening possession until the final quarter.
From quarterback sacks, to tackles for loss against the Cleveland running backs and forcing incomplete passes, the Quakers executed their game plan to perfection.
The Quakers outstanding defense led to a rapid scoring pace as just four minutes into the game Franklin held a 10-point lead, following their sack in the endzone of Cleveland’s quarterback Owen Tatterson.
Earning themselves a free kick, the Quakers would take advantage as Scott returned a short kick for 40 yards to get Franklin down to the Eagles’ one-yard line. Franklin would follow up the big play right away as quarterback Lyndon Vaivao handed the ball off to David Pugh for their second rushing touchdown of the game, giving Franklin a season-high first quarter scoring effort with 16 points.
Trailing by double-digits after one quarter, the Eagles looked to establish their rushing attack, but the physicality displayed by Franklin’s defensive front forced quick possessions and good field position for the Quaker offense.
Franklin would capitalize on good field position as Vaivao would drop back and find wide receiver Carmonte Schachere-Banks for a 10-yard touchdown pass on a slant route, extending their lead to 24-0 following their second successful two-point conversion of the night.
With six minutes left until halftime, Franklin would get the ball once more and three plays later Scott would take off for 60-yards to score his second touchdown of the game, as the Quakers now had a 30-0 advantage going into the second half.
Franklin’s 30 first half points were the most points they have scored in a game all season, and with their offense clicking from the opening possession, Cleveland had no answer on offense or defense.
In the second half, Franklin would score 22 third quarter points. Vaivao started the scoring barrage as he found Cash Schachere-Banks downfield for a 48-yard touchdown pass. Pugh would score his second touchdown of the game on a 49-yard run, and Vaivao would find Scott on a short throw, and he would take off for 75-yards to score the Quakers’ 52nd point of the game.
Defensively, the Quakers defense did not allow Cleveland to make it past the 50-yard line in either of their two second half possessions, and after three quarters the game was officially called. In three quarters, Franklin’s Vaivao and Scott were responsible for 36 of the teams 52 points scored, as Scott finished the game with 257 yards and three touchdowns. Franklin will be on the road next week to face Nathan Hale on October 7.
