NORTH MANCHESTER, Ind. – The Franklin football team collected their first league win of the year in dominant fashion, shutting out the Manchester Spartans on Saturday (Oct. 19) afternoon.
 
The Grizzlies (2-4, 1-1 HCAC) scored on the game's opening drive and never looked back, routing the Spartans (0-6, 0-2 HCAC) by a 49-0 score. It marks the second straight year Franklin has kept the Spartans off the board, as they have now won three straight in the all-time series.
 
How it Happened
The Grizzlies needed less than three minutes to record the opening score, with Garrett Cora capping an eight-play drive with a 17-yard touchdown run. Cora would get familiar with the end zone in the first half, scoring on a two-yard run in the first quarter and a nine-yard grab from Kai Ross early in the second quarter to make it 21-0.
 
The Franklin defense got in on the fun before the end of the half, with Michael Loper pouncing on a fumble and scampering nine yard to the end zone to make it a 28-0 game, which would be the halftime score.
 
The second half saw Franklin produce three more scores on the ground, with Cora scoring for the fourth time from 20 yards out early in the second half. Kam Jennings hit paydirt from 27 yards late in the third and Zane Downing capped the scoring late in the fourth quarter with a 22-yard touchdown run to finish off a 98-yard drive.
 
Inside the Box Score
-Franklin controlled the game in the trenches, finishing with a 26-9 edge in first downs and 260 rushing yards to 45 for Manchester.
-Total yards were 482-100 in Franklin's favor.
-Cora led the Franklin ground game with 124 yards on 12 carries and notched the third four-touchdown game of his career.
-Jennings finished with 79 yards on nine touches and Brayden Wilkins picked up 44 yards on three carries.
-Kai Ross went 15-for-22 through the air for 198 yards and a touchdown.
-Owen Wright was a handful for the Spartan secondary, matching a career high with nine grabs for 136 yards.
-Haden Durnil led the Griz defense with five stops.
-DeMarion Newell had four stops, one sack and forced a fumble.
 
Up Next
The Grizzlies are back on the field next Saturday (Oct. 26), welcoming the Mount St. Joseph Lions to Faught Stadium for Football Alumni Day. Kick-off is set for 1:30 p.m.