Box Score Welp Video
Files/Thornton Video
Anderson, Ind. - The Franklin College football team opened defense of the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) championship in a big way, scoring 48 first-half points in a 62-14 victory at Anderson University on Saturday.
Franklin (1-2) amassed 411 yards of offense during the first half in the victory.
Senior Grant Welp (Ferdinand, Ind./Forest Park) threw five touchdown passes in the first half. Three of those scores were 30 or more yards. For the day, the quarterback completed 15 of his 23 passes for 321 yards.
The Grizzlies raced out to a quick start by scoring 27 first-quarter points. The team scored on their first four possessions. Senior Sam Otley (Indianapolis, Ind./Roncalli) capped a five-play, 56-yard drive on a one-yard touchdown. The team did not convert the extra point.
Welp threw the first of his five touchdown passes with a 30-yard hookup to senior Joey Pasquale (Noblesville, Ind./Noblesville) to give the visitors a 13-0 lead with 6:09 left in the first quarter.
Sophomore Ty'Ronte Files (Ocala, Fla./Vanguard) caught a nine-yard pass from Welp to cap the Grizzlies next offensive possession. The score marked his first collegiate touchdown. Files added a rushing touchdown during the second quarter.
Franklin took a 27-0 lead with 22 seconds left in the opening quarter when Welp found sophomore Zay Thornton (Ocala, Fla./Vanguard) for a 59-yard touchdown pass. Thornton added a 45-yard touchdown reception in the final minute of the first half to cap the offensive outburst.
In the second half, Otley caught a 24-yard pass from sophomore backup quarterback A.J. Puente (Delray Beach, Fla./Boca Christian) to give the Grizzlies a 55-7 advantage.
Four players recorded multiple touchdowns in the contest.
Files added a 10-yard rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter.
Individually, senior Zach Cole (Middletown, Ind./Shenandoah) caught three passes for 67 yards. Thornton had two catches for 104 yards and two touchdowns. Junior Kendal Butler (Toledo, Ill./Cumberland) and senior Jonny Hession (Speedway, Ind./Speedway) each had two receptions.
Junior Patrick Ellis (Shelbyville, Ind./Shelbyville) led the team's 227 rushing attack with 58 yards.
Defensively, sophomores Tyler Christensen (Fishers, Ind./Hamilton Southeastern) and Ethan Bailey (Greenwood, Ind./Greenwood) joined senior Trevor Yates (Kendallville, Ind./East Noble) in hauling interceptions against the Ravens.
Junior Jeremiah Windell (Corydon, Ind./Corydon Central) made a team-high 11 tackles. Twin brother Lucas Windell (Corydon, Ind./Corydon Central) added five tackles. Christensen made four tackles.
Franklin plays its HCAC home opener on Saturday, September 27 at 1:30 p.m. against Bluffton University from Faught Stadium. Live statistics, video and audio of the game will be available. In-game updates will also be available on Twitter (@FCAthletics) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/FranklinCollegeAthletics).
