Franklin stays unbeaten

Published 1:30 am Saturday, September 27, 2008

Referees stopped the game with 2:13 remaining in the fourth quarter, but the Franklin High Broncos had everything well in hand by then.

Franklin trounced West Point 34-14 in a battle of unbeatens.

The Broncos improved to 4-0. The Pointers, ranked 10th in the state in The Associated Press Group A poll, fell to 4-1.

Officials decided to call the game after an incident near the end zone.

Antonio Smith had rushed for a two-point conversion after Elliott Bottoms’ 24-yard touchdown run. All seemed well until the Franklin players and coaches rushed onto the field.

Witnesses on the Franklin sideline claimed that three West Point players roughed a Bronco player while he lay on the ground following the play, causing his teammates to rush to his defense.

The Broncos were penalized 13 times for 131 yards during the game.

On the Broncos’ final drive, the Pointers received back-to-back unsportsmanlike penalties, which moved the ball to the Pointers’ 24-yard line and set up Bottoms’ run.

As for the game, the Broncos easily dominated. Isaiah Hudson crossed the goal line from 4 yards out with 7:47 remaining in the first quarter to open the scoring.

On West Point’s first possession, Bronco Derrick Thompson picked off a Pointer pass, which led to the next Bronco score, a 17-yard run by Hudson. Hudson also ran for the two-point conversion to put the Broncos up 14-0 in the second quarter.

The Pointers scored in the second quarter following an 11-yard run by Aaron Roane. The extra point failed and the Broncos took a 20-6 lead to the locker room.

The Broncos scored twice in the third quarter — an 8-yard run by Martinez Hill and a 42-yard run by quarterback Donzell Shearin — to put it away.

Hudson had 117 yards rushing and Donzell Shearin 82 as the Broncos outrushed the Pointers 308-174.

Franklin hosts another unbeaten team, Colonial Beach, next week for homecoming.