By Aaron Allen, The Seattle Medium
It has been a rough journey for the Franklin High School football program. However, it appears that the program, which endured an 8-year losing streak, is on a new trajectory under the leadership of new Heat Football Coach Terry Green, as the Quakers posted a 19-0 victory over Black Hills last weekend, and hope that the victory ignites a new beginning to their football legacy.
Green, a Franklin High School Alumni, started his career as a coach at Franklin, became a journeyman and lent his knowledge to several football programs throughout the Puget Sound area, including the turnaround of the Ballard football program, helping to take them from a 1-11 season to back-to-back championships.
For Green and his staff, it’s all about changing the culture and the mindset of his players, the school and the community as a whole towards personal and school pride when it comes to Franklin’s success on the gridiron.
“First and foremost, we want to change the culture,” says Green. “We want to let kids know that you can come to Franklin and play competitive football and do what you want athletically and scholastically and move forward in life and have a good experience.”
Coming off their shutout win over Black Hills and with the addition of a few new players, the Quakers are looking to rebuild a program that has a rich history in the area and historically has a proud following.
“I think the community will embrace us,” says Green. “I always said the apathy surrounding the school and program is the one thing we have to change. For awhile everyone was resigned to us just being terrible and that’s an attitude that I am destined to change.”
After Franklin’s performance Saturday, they have given themselves daylight to be optimistic and motivated.
However, with just 32 players on the roster it truly is going to take an all-around team effort if the Quakers wish to taste success and re-establishing a winning tradition.
“We have just started to turn the corner in this process, we have a long way to go,” says Green. “Winning one game means nothing. Like I said our goal was never to win one game, that’s not what I told my staff, that’s not what I told my kids, our mantra for our team is “legacy or nothing!”
Another piece of the puzzle is the addition of running back James “Duke” Scott, Jr. Scott (5’10”, 205 lbs.), a junior, who transferred from O’Dea High School after suffering a season ending injury last year, could have gone anywhere, but decided to attend Franklin and be “part of a transformation”.
On Saturday, Scott carried the ball 18 times for 150 yards and two touchdowns, while quarterback Lyndon Vaivau, (6’2, 235lbs) provided the field generalship necessary to lead the Quakers offensive attack.
For the Quakers defensively, it was definitely a team effort. Defensive back A’Kari Jack (5’10”, 170lbs) pulled down two interceptions, including one he returned for a touchdown and an eight-five yarder that was called back. Defensive linemen Dave “Uno” Pugh hauled in 10-plus tackles and a forced fumble, while Bubba Banks recorded an interception. Banks’ brother Carmonte “Tank” Banks finished the day with three catches for fifty yards and two sacks.
“This win felt good,” says Scott. “I mean after overcoming a shoulder injury and buying into changing the culture and writing our story, the beginning of the season shows promise, but we have work to do.”
For Scott, the decision to transfer wasn’t an easy one. Many people would have opted with to stay with a winning program over the possibility of being a part of legacy that rebuilt a losing program and returning it to glory.
“You can be a part of program and maybe have a chance in playing in championships, might have a chance at a state championship,” says his father, James Scott, Sr. “Or you can transfer to Franklin and help them. Eight years straight, 52 straight games and help change that history and never be forgotten there, they will always remember you, but you have to courage to do that.”
Despite the lack of success in recent year, Green says that the depth and versatility is what make this team different than teams in the past.
“We have a special group,” says Green. “We’ve actually assembled some dudes that are pretty good.”
“We can take different players and mix and match and gives our team speed and/or girth where we need it and that provides us with depth,” added Green. “We are only 32 deep, we do not have a big team, but we actually have more depth than anybody would ever give us credit for.”
Against Black Hills, Franklin, as a team, showed it was listening. Next week will be a bigger challenge as they take on Ballard but taking it one a game at time simply and changing their mindset, legacy or nothing, the Franklin Quakers, at least for the moment, are embracing the changing of the culture.
“I’m confident we are going to make a difference,” says Scott. “We are a different team and we are not going on a losing streak again!”
