ANGOLA, Ind. – The Franklin football team closed out non-conference play on Saturday (Sept. 16) afternoon, heading north for a meeting with the Trine Thunder.
 
In what turned out to be an offensive shootout, the Grizzlies (0-3) and Thunder (2-1) sat tied through three quarters before the hosts pulled away over the final 15 minutes to win 58-43.
 
Junior quarterback Kai Ross threw for 316 yard and rushed for a career-high 148 yards to pace the offense. Franklin racked up a season-high 574 yards of total offense on the day.
 
How it Happened
Down by a score in the first quarter, Franklin forced a Trine turnover and turned it into seven points when Ross called his own number on fourth down to score from eight yards out. The Thunder added their second touchdown of the day but Franklin responded immediately in the second quarter with a long drive that ended with Kam Jennings punching it in from a yard out to make it 14-13 Trine.
 
Ross found Dylan McKinney with 1:51 to go in the first half on a 42 yard scoring pass and Gabe Crutchfield sent Franklin into the break with a 23-21 when he connected from 28 yards out at the halftime gun.
 
Both teams scored a pair of touchdowns in the third quarter with Garrett Cora finding Spencer Wright for a 10-yard score on a halfback pass and Ross connecting with McKinney for a 20-yard score and the two teams entered the final period tied at 37.
 
But the Griz offense stalled out early in the fourth quarter and the Thunder capitalized, scoring on three of their four possessions in the final period. Franklin's Zane Downing found the end zone for the first time in his career as the final horn sounded to cap the scoring.
 
Inside the Box Score
-Ross went 29-for-51 through the air while recording a career-long run of 71 yards in the third quarter.
-Cora carried the ball 14 times for 8 yards and his pass to Wright was the first passing touchdown of his career.
-McKinney hauled in six balls for 95 yards and a pair of scores.
-Owen Wright caught a career-high four passes for 41 yards.
-Charlie Moore led the Franklin defense with eight tackles.
 
Up Next
Franklin is off next week before opening up Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) play on Sept. 30 when they host the Bluffton Beavers on homecoming weekend. Kick-off from Faught Stadium is set for 1:30 p.m.