Box Score Leonard Video
Deal Video
Wilson Video
Franklin, Ind. - The Franklin College football team gained 631 yards in total offense and the defense created two first-half turnovers in cruising past Bluffton University 54-21 on Saturday at Faught Stadium. The Grizzlies improve to 2-0 in Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) play and are 2-2 overall for the season.
Senior quarterback Grant Welp (Ferdinand, Ind./Forest Park) threw five touchdown passes for the second straight week. The reigning HCAC Offensive Player of the Week threw for a career-high 381 yards in the home victory.
Franklin took a 7-0 lead at the 10:12 mark of the first quarter when Welp found senior Jonny Hession (Speedway, Ind./Speedway) on a seven-yard touchdown pass. Senior running back Joey Pasquale (Noblesville, Ind./Noblesville) followed with a four-yard scoring run that capped a seven-play, 57-yard scoring drive with 3:32 remaining in the opening quarter.
The defense helped set up the next Franklin score when senior defensive back Jameson Brock (Noblesville, Ind./Noblesville) picked off a pass deep in Bluffton territory. Welp hooked up with Hession for a 14-yard touchdown reception to put the Grizzlies ahead 20-0 with 2:18 left in the opening frame.
Franklin added 21 points in the second quarter to hold a commanding 41-0 halftime advantage. Welp had a 44-yard strike to junior Mason Deal (Indianapolis, Ind./Perry Meridian) and a 69-yard scoring pass to Pasquale. Sophomore running back Kole Stogner (Greenwood, Ind./Greenwood) capped the team's first-half scoring with a 10-yard rushing touchdown with 35 seconds remaining in the period.
Welp kept the momentum going in the second half by hitting Deal on a 19-yard pass that put the hosts ahead 47-0. Sophomore backup running back Ty'Ronte Files (Ocala, Fla./Vanguard) capped Franklin's scoring for the day with a four-yard rushing touchdown in the third quarter.
Deal led the receivers with six receptions for 147 yards and two scores. Hession added five catches for 72 yards and two touchdown receptions. Pasquale had 83 receiving yards on three catches.
Franklin gained 202 on the ground to complement its 429 passing yards.
Defensively, junior Jeremiah Windell (Corydon, Ind./Corydon Central) led the team with five tackles. Sophomore Devante Ash (Indianapolis, Ind./Perry Meridian) had a career-high five tackles and made one tackle for loss. Classmate Ethan Bailey (Greenwood, Ind./Greenwood) recovered a fumble during the second quarter.
Franklin returns to action on Saturday, October 4 at 1:30 p.m. when it travels to Manchester University in another HCAC game. Live statistics and audio of the game will be available. In-game updates will also be available on Twitter (@FCAthletics) and on Facebook (www.facebook.com/FranklinCollegeAthletics).
