On a night when both the defenses took center stage, one special teams play made the difference in Franklin’s 6-0 victory over visiting Overlea in a Class 3A North Region second round playoff game Friday night.
Anthony Gibson returned a punt 40 yards for a touchdown for the game’s only score with 53 seconds left in the third quarter and the Franklin defense sealed it the rest of the way.
“I saw my teammates blocking and I just hit the hole. It was a straightaway to the touchdown,” Gibson said. “I just saw a clear path to the touchdown and I just had to take it. I’ve got speed for a reason, speed kills.”
“Our defense played well and they were holding us in the game and we got a little spark from the special teams,” Franklin coach Anthony Burgos said. “Anthony Gibson came through when we needed him to like he always does.”
The win sends the Indians (8-3) to the Class 3A state quarterfinals. Their opponent will be determined when the eight remaining teams are reseeded based on the regular season point total.
Gibson may have made the highlight play of the night, but both defenses were the story.
Franklin held Overlea to 66 total yards from scrimmage and the Falcons held the Indians to just 81 yards. Franklin’s leading rusher, Dylan Eaton, rushed for 80 yards on 12 carries, but the Indians had 11 plays for negative yardage.
Overlea’s standout was Mujeeb Waheed, who had three sacks in the first half, but on the last play of the half he suffered a broken leg and had to be taken off in an ambulance.
“He was a great player, that kid was having an unbelievable night,” Burgos said. “That was the unfortunate part, but he was having a great night. Our prayers are with him and we’ve had a tough year here at Franklin so any time an ambulance comes on the field it’s a different feeling for us.”
Overlea’s leading rusher, Taiwan Samuel (six carries, 21 yards), also left the game in the second half with a concussion. Watching from the bench didn’t make it any easier for Samuel.
“We just couldn’t get in there. We fought hard with a lot of heart,” he said. “It’s a tough loss, tough loss, tough loss.”
Franklin’s defense made nine plays for losses and it was a swarming one anchored by Gil Robinson, Nathan Damiano, Reggie Osoluka and several others.
Photo by Craig Clary/Staff
Franklin coach Anthony Burgos watches his team celebrate a 6-0 victory over Overlea in the regional final. (Craig Clary/Staff)
The Indians made their biggest stand after Overlea’s Pascal Akuwugwe recovered a fumble at the Franklin 11-yard line with 7:18 remaining in the game.
On first down, Jalon Brewer was tackled for a 6-yard loss by Robinson, Nevin Conney and Ryan Hartman. Khallil Wright was stopped after gaining a yard by Jalen Richardson on the next play and quarterback Corey Perry threw incompletions on the final two plays.
Franklin ran out the clock for the final 5:24 with Eaton doing a bulk of the running.
“I feel very great about this,” said Gibson, who also played on defense and had an interception, but cramps forced him out late in the game. “If our defense comes out and plays like they usually play we are good. Our defensive line was real good.”
“We knew we were going to rely on the defense,” Burgos said. “I told the guys we win the game 6-zip, 3-zip, 1-zip, I don’t care as long as we win.”
The Indians also won the field position battle thanks to punter Troz Troung, who had a 53-yarder and 38-yard in the second half.
“He’s done a great job all year helping us change the field,” Burgos said.
But Overlea (6-5) stayed in the game because of their attacking defense.
“They played fast and they created some problems for us up front,” Burgos said.
And that’s exactly what first-year coach Phil Williams wanted.
“The key for our defense is actually communication and being extremely aggressive,” Williams said. “We have an aggressive defense, we are lightning fast. We might be the smallest in the county, but I think we’ve got the biggest hearts in the state and I’m not saying that because they are my boys, I’m saying it because they’ve showed it time and time again. For the most part of the season we are extremely, extremely violent and I like that.”
But, it’s Franklin’s defense, offense and special teams that will be moving on.
“They understand what is at stake and they are trying to extend the season as far as possible and we are just taking it one game at a time,” Burgos said.
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