FRANKLIN
The Franklin High School Broncos opened their first game of the season with a 6-0 lead early in the first quarter, but that was all for scoring for the Broncos. The No. 3 ranked Essex Trojans flexed their muscles and went on to take an easy 42-6 win over the Broncos on Friday at the Armory Drive Recreational Park football stadium.

On 4th down, the Broncos pulled off a fake punt and Logan Pearson-Hines passed to Lasean Nichols-Porter, who raced untouched for an 83-yard touchdown on the Broncos’ first possession early in the first quarter. The two-point conversion failed.

The Trojans wasted no time as on their first possession scored on a 13-yard touchdown run by K.J. Dameron. Their two-point conversion also failed and the score was tied at 6 all at 7:06 in the first quarter.

After a failed Bronco possession the Trojans scored again on a 33-yard touchdown pass from Ashton Ashlock to Terrell Hundley. The Trojans were successful on the two-point conversion and took the led with a score of 14-6 in the first quarter.

As the game continued in the first quarter a light drizzle of rain increased heavier, which caused some problems to both teams. The Trojans fumbled five times losing possession twice. The Broncos fumbled nine times losing three of them to the Trojans.

Going into the second quarter of play the Trojans put 16 points on the scoreboard. Tim Johnson scored on a 7 and 12-yard touchdown run and both two-point conversions were good on runs by Recardo Hanson and the score increased to 30-6, which held until half-time.

By half time with the heavy downpour of rain, the stands were mostly empty including the Bronco band that would have performed.

After the half the Trojans scored one touch down in the third quarter on a 17-yard run by Tim Johnson and in the fourth quarter on a 29-yard run by K.J. Dameron.

On the statistics side of the game the Trojans were penalized 11 times for 98 yards and the Broncos seven times for 49 yards. The Trojans rushed for a total of 229 yards and the Broncos for 132 yards. The Trojans passed for 81 yards and the Broncos for 83 yards. The Trojans were led in rushing by K.J. Dameron with 109 yards and for the Broncos Lasean Nichols-Porter with 78 yards. On the defensive side, Dequan Reynolds led the Trojans in tackles with 5 while for the Broncos De-Shaun Butts also had five tackles.

To sum it up, the Broncos had their hands full as they faced a powerful team as the No. 3 ranked Essex Trojans, who last week lost to Bronco rival Sussex-Central Tigers 8-0. Dealing with the power of the Trojans with their many weapons and the heavy rain throughout the majority of the game, the Broncos fought hard the whole game never giving up and kept their heads high.