This week in sports: Penalties plague FHS

Published 12:00 am Thursday, September 20, 2007

Notes from Friday’s football action:

* Franklin is 2-0 and looked dominant in Friday night’s 31-13 win over Southampton. One aspect of the game the Broncos need to work on is penalties. Franklin committed eight penalties in the contest, including three personal fouls and three holds.

* Franklin did not punt against Southampton until almost five minutes into the fourth quarter.

* Despite scoring just 13 points in each of its first two games, Southampton is capable of making the big play when it gets time from the offensive line. Friday night against Franklin, Sidney Rawls completed a 35-yard touchdown pass to Taylor Revelle.

Unfortunately for the Indians, that one play was more than half their offense for the entire first half.

In Southampton’s loss to Tabb the previous week, Rawls ran 55 yards on a sweep around the right side.

* While the Franklin-Southampton game has become one of the season’s most anticipated games for the fans (as witnessed by the huge crowd in Franklin Friday night), the teams, at least publicly, treat the game as just another contest on the schedule.

&uot;It’s just another game. We’ve got 12 more to go. Just keep moving for 12 more,&uot; said Donzell Shearin, Franklin quarterback.

* At times on Friday night, the Broncos used a no-huddle offense. &uot;That is one dimension of our game. We are going to speed it up sometimes, and we’re going to slow it down sometimes,&uot; said Darren Parker, Franklin head coach.

&uot;We’ve got to be in shape, and we stress that when we work.&uot;

* After the game, Darren Parker had praises for his former coach, Littleton Parker of Southampton. &uot;They are well coached. Coach Parker coached me. He is one of the best coaches in Virginia, and I stand behind that. Tonight was just our night.&uot;

* In press interviews, Darren Parker always stresses the team effort. When asked about Shearin’s big performance, Parker said, &uot;he had a nice game because somebody else did their job. He is a heck of a talent, but everybody did their job and when everybody does their job, things come together.&uot;

* Sophomore Andre Rawls is learning to play &uot;centerfield&uot; in the Southampton defensive secondary.

Rawls picked off Shearin twice in the first half on balls that he anticipated well and came up on.

* Look out, Bay Rivers District opponents, Smithfeld is 2-1 after dropping Jamestown 46-28 this weekend. Quarterback Dyrell Roberts was involved in seven touchdowns for the Packers. He scored six and passed for another, and rushed for 222 yards.

* Windsor is spreading the offense around, and it is paying off. The Dukes went to a running game in the rain in their 36-7 win over Northumberland High School. Four different players scored in the game.

* Can anyone stop Isle of Wight Academy? The Chargers pounded Kenston Forest 34-0 Friday and play Brunswick Academy this Friday. Normally Brunswick could be a challenge for IWA, but BA only beat an improved Tidewater Academy team by eight points on Aug. 31.

Could be another laugher in Isle of Wight.