Sports
Franklin Routs Poly on the Road
Panthers nearly shut out Parrots and move to 2-0 on the season.
The football team knocked off the defending 2010 East Valley League champions in a 34-6 non-league victory at Francis Polytechnic Senior High on Friday night.
“It was a big, big win for us especially for playing with our backup quarterback,” head coach Eric Jaimes said. “It was a pretty good collective effort.”
FHS (2-0) got things started early and never looked back. The offense chewed up most of the game clock on their first possession, moving the ball on the ground until running back Antonio Macias scored on a short run up the middle. The ensuing two point conversion was good.
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Franklin defensive back Milton Zelaya intercepted a pass thrown to his side and returned it for a touchdown with 6:47 left to play in the second quarter. FHS was successful on their second two point conversion attempt of the first half, giving the Panthers a 16-0 lead.
“It felt great, getting the pick and running it all the way back,” Zelaya said. “I was just looking for that pick and trying not to let any deep passes get through.”
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Poly (0-1) struggled offensively and Franklin took full advantage. The Panthers headed into the break up 22-0 after FHS quarterback Joshua Taylor scurried down the left sideline and into the end zone with 26 seconds remaining in the first half.
Taylor connected with wide receiver James Turner for a touchdown in the third, and Franklin would go on to add six more points to their lead when Willy Davis crossed the goal line on the Panthers next possession.
“It took him a while, but after he settled down he made some throws and that kind of spread out the defense,” Jaimes said of Taylor. “When they thought he was going to throw, he would keep the ball and run right up the middle and that would hurt them pretty good.”
Omar Aragon scored the lone touchdown for Poly with just over two minutes left to play in the ballgame.
Taylor said, “It was good game. We just came out fired up right off the bus. I had to step in at quarterback again and I felt like I carried my team. The whole team stepped it up, defense and everything.”
