Second half surge helps Franklin pull away from Smoky Mountain

Shawn Blanton picks up yardage for Smoky Mountain in Friday's 42-14 loss to Franklin. Blanton caught seven passes for 69 yards. - Photo by Mark Haskett

Josh Durm carried 18 times for 243 yards and two touchdowns while leading a Panther ground attack that piled up 365 yards. Eight of his carries went for double digit yardage.

Marcus West added 72 yards and a TD in 12 attempts.

Clay Wyatt completed six of 14 passes for 70 yards and two scores.

Both of the TD passes went to Dustin Penland, who had four receptions for 69 yards.

SM's Justin Roper completed 12 of 25 passes for 173 yards and a score. Shawn Blanton had seven catches for 69 yards.

The Mustangs (3-6, 3-3) were limited to 56 yards on the ground.

Franklin remained undefeated in the Mountain Athletic Conference and clinched a spot in the state 3-A playoffs while spoiling SM's homecoming.

Rion Gray (30) gave Smoky Mountain a 14-13 lead with this 1-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter of Friday's game against Franklin. The Mustangs failed to score again and lost 42-14. - Photo by Mark Haskett

The Panthers led 21-14 at intermission and took advantage of a 12-yard punt to take control of the game late in the third quarter. They started at the SM 45, and consecutive runs by Durm of 24 and 19 yards moved the ball to the 2. After a penalty, West scored from the 6. Kyle Garner, who was four of five on extra points, made it 28-14 with 1:39 remaining in the third period.

Franklin needed just five plays to march 63 yards after another punt. Durm ran for 19 yards, and Wyatt passed to Penland for 16 before Durm's 21-yard TD run upped the lead to 35-14 with 11:25 to go in the game.

Jake Day ended Franklin's next possession when he picked off Wyatt's pass at the SM 6.

The Panthers got the ball back following a punt and moved 39 yards in five plays to end the scoring. Durm and West had consecutive 16-yard runs before Durm went over from the 3 with 5:21 on the clock.

The Panthers took the lead on their second possession of the game. Starting from their 21 after a punt, Durm ripped off a 48-yard run on the first play. West picked up 12 yards, and the payoff was a 12-yard pass from Wyatt to Penland for a 7-0 advantage with 5:36 to play in the opening stanza.

The Mustangs were forced to punt, but they got the ball right back at the Franklin 44 when Jared Day picked off Wyatt's pass. On fourth-and-6, Roper hooked up with Tony Belcher on a 40-yard scoring pass. Stephen Brown's PAT tied it 7-7 with 1:10 to go in the first period.

Franklin regained the lead in less than a minute. After an incompletion from the 30, Durm ran for 14 yards and West picked up 23. Wyatt and Penland connected again, this time from 33 yards, for a 13-7 lead with 14 seconds to play in the first quarter. Garner's extra point was wide.

SM moved 80 yards in eight plays to take its only lead of the night. Roper completed passes of 29 yards to Jake Day, 19 yards to Blanton and 16 yards to Michael Ayers for a first down at the 12. Blanton's 10-yard run took the ball to the 1, and Rion Gray scored from there. Brown's PAT made it 14-13 with 10:30 remaining in the half.

The Panthers went ahead for good with a 64-yard drive in seven plays. Penland picked up 26 yards on a reverse, and Chris Durm gained 19 yards. Wyatt's quarterback sneak from a yard out with 7:25 on the clock along with a conversion pass from Wyatt to Penland gave Franklin a 21-14 lead.

Neither team threatened the remainder of the half. Blanton intercepted Penland's pass and brought it back 21 yards to the SM 43 as time expired.

19

39-365

6-15-3

70

5-28.0

0-0

6-53

First Downs

Rushes-Yds.

Passing

Passing Yds.

Punts-Avg.

Fumbles-Lost

Penalties-Yds.

14

38-56

13-29-0

181

10-33.0

1-0

4-28

Back to Sports: 11/01/01.