Jordan Cody gets upended in the Devils loss to Franklin on Friday (photo from Fran & Christie
Bryson City – It was a typical Swain Franklin football game Friday night, that featured hard hitting and hard nosed play from both sides. Franklin scored 24 unanswered points before halftime, heading to the break leading 24-0. Swain rallied in the 4th quarter outscoring the Panthers 12-0, but in the end the Panthers took the win 24-12.
In the first half the Devils got a large dose of Jeremiah Young. Young, Franklin’s tough bruising running back, scored 2 touchdowns and rushed for most of his game high 92 yards in the first half. Franklin limited Young’s play in the second half due to a sore knee. Young scored on runs of 2 and 5 yards, which capped with a 45-yard field goal from Kevin Sanchez left the Panthers with a 17-0 lead midway through the 2nd quarter.
Franklin quarterback Dalton Cochran found tight end Zach Tallent in the back of the endzone for a 3 yard touchdown just 19 seconds before halftime. Sanchez nailed the extra point to give the Panthers their 24-0 halftime advantage.
Swain would not crack the endzone until midway through the 4th quarter. Spencer McCoy did the honors from a yard out to put the Devils on the board. The two point try failed. On their next possession Brody Sitton capped a 6 play 49 yard drive with a 2 yard touchdown run. Again the two point try failed.
Taylor Oros and Chris Miller spurred the Devils running game, which finished with 172 yards on the night. Oros had 84 on 6 carries, while Miller finished with a career high 54 yards on 4 carries. Kobe Stephenson was 5 of 10 through the air for 75 yards. Christian Norton had a pair of catches for 44 yards, including a spectacular 38 yard catch down the home sideline.
Taylor Oros led the Maroon Devils with 15 tackles, while Caleb Woodard added 10.
Swain (3-1) will travel to Tuscola this Friday to face the Mountaineers.