Franklin pitches 2nd consecutive shutout in HCAC play
ANDERSON, Ind. – For the second consecutive game, the Griz kept its host football opponent off the scoreboard - this time in a 69-0 rout at Anderson today.
Franklin College, ranked 24th this week in the D3football.com Top 25 Poll, improved to 4-0 in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference and 4-2 overall. The Ravens fell to 0-4 in the league and 0-6.
The lop-sided decision also was the second straight time FC piled up 69 points at Anderson's Macholtz Stadium (the Griz won 69-10 in 2010) and extended Franklin's winning streak in HCAC contests to 22. The Grizzlies blanked Mount St. Joseph 38-0 in Cincinnati last weekend.
And there were more key numbers for Franklin.
Quarterback Jonny West was nearly perfect throwing the football. West completed 20 of 21 pass attempts for 341 yards and 3 touchdowns and rushed two times for 13 yards. The junior, a second-year starter at QB, capped the Grizzlies' first drive with a 3-yard scoring toss to junior split end Kyle Linville.
West connected with Linville on a 79-yard pass play and hit senior wingback James Vaughn with a 4-yard TD strike in the second quarter.
Most of the Griz's touchdowns were scored on the ground.
Sophomore running back Sam Otley reached the end zone from just 1 yard out in the opening period and tallied a 2-yard scoring rush in the final minute of the first half.
Senior running back Luke Hamm ran for a 3-yard touchdown at the 10:27 mark of the third quarter, sophomore Joey Pasquale rushed for a 19-yard TD about seven minutes later and sophomore backup quarterback Grant Welp ran in from 19 yards with 13 seconds remaining in the third period.
Sophomore running back Micah Hatch produced FC's first rushing TD in the fourth quarter with a 2-yard run. The Grizzlies capped their scoring on a 30-yard interception return for a touchdown by freshman linebacker Jeremiah Windell with 4:15 left.
Franklin piled up a whopping 648 total offensive yards to Anderson's 186.
Franklin's defense was led by junior linebacker Jordan Segner, who made a strong showing in his homecoming. Segner had 1 solo tackle, but had 15 assisted tackles and made an interception, returning it 12 yards. Windell had 5 total tackles in addition to his pickoff.
The Griz next week will play at home for the first time since Sept. 22 when HCAC foe Rose-Hulman visits Faught Stadium for a 1:30 p.m. clash.
