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Franklin High School’s varsity football team has gone 2-1 in its first three games of the season, and the Broncos gave their fans some major reasons to cheer in their home opener Sept. 9.

Franklin’s first-year head coach, Lamont Hill, and his coaching staff worked together to help the Broncos win 42-22 over the visiting Drifters of Colonial Beach High School. This team has, in past years, been a big rival of the Broncos.  

Though Franklin won by 20 points, the victory was not as easy as the final score indicates. In the first half the Broncos had their share of turnovers, with a fumble and an interception. Though they struggled significantly early on, they managed to stay close on the scoreboard as the Drifters were up only 14-6 at the half. 

Franklin’s struggles continued briefly in the third quarter when on its first drive, it turned the ball over on another fumble. 

But with strong defense, the home team got the ball back and added a touchdown on a Derrick Perry run. 

At this point the Drifters still held the lead with a score of 14-12, but midway through the third quarter, the momentum shifted in the Broncos’ favor, as Perry picked off a Colonial Beach pass. This led to a successful Franklin drive that was capped off with a touchdown pass from sophomore quarterback Altavis Turner to junior wide receiver Kaden Bailey. Senior running back Solomon Moody added the two-point conversion, and the home team went ahead with a score of 20-14. 

At this point, it was all over for the Drifters. Perry, a senior running back and defensive back, had a very good game, as he rushed 13 times for 302 yards and four touchdowns.

In comments after the game, Coach Hill noted that it was a hard-fought contest.

“The Drifters were a well-coached football team that we played against,” he said. “Our guys held in there and fought hard the entire game. I was so proud of them as we made some early mistakes, but during halftime the coaching staff and I were able to make some adjustments that helped. I thank God for giving us the perseverance to fight through what we went through tonight.”

The Broncos opened their season on the road Sept. 1 with a 28-21 victory over Amelia County High School. Franklin experienced its first loss Thursday, Sept. 15, when it fell 52-14 to host Essex High School, but the Broncos are looking to return to their winning ways with their return to Armory Field on Friday, Sept. 30. They will play Buckingham County High School (3-1), with kickoff set for 7 p.m.