By FRANK DAVIS/CORRESPONDENT
f.davis@charter.net

FRANKLIN—After two weeks on the road, Franklin High returned home in style Friday night, whipping Middlesex 48-7 at Armory Stadium.

The Broncos sprinted to a 22-0 lead after one quarter, led 28-0 at halftime and never looked back.

“Great job,” FHS coach Darren Parker told his team after the Broncos improved to 4-0 on the season.

Parker’s only concern was the Chargers’ lone touchdown, scored against Franklin’s defensive reserves midway through the fourth quarter.

“No matter who is in the game, the level of play does not drop just because we are ahead,” he said.

The Broncos’ ground game produced 399 yards on the night. Trevis Dunn led the way with 135 yards, followed by Melquan Mitchell with 104 yards. Mitchell also scored two touchdowns.

Quarterback Trey Kigler completed 3-of-7 passes for 41 yards.

The Franklin defense held the Chargers to 164 yards on the ground and nothing in the air. Jalen Boone led the charge defensively with 6 tackles.

After returning the opening kickoff to the Charger 45-yard line, the Broncos moved the chains twice before Martinez Hill pushed it over the goal line on a 1-yard run. The point-after kick by Antone Bland was blocked, but the Broncos led 6-0 with 10:08 left in the first quarter.

After the Bronco defense held the visitors on their first possession, FHS’ Justin Grant nearly broke it all the way on the punt return but was stopped at the Chargers’ 6. From there, with 7:20 left on the clock, Lavon Evans ran 3 yards for the TD. Mitchell scored on the two-point conversion to put the Broncos up 14–0.

After a 21-yard pass from Kigler to Shaquan Cook on Franklin’s next possession, Mitchell rushed for a touchdown and made the two-point conversion to make it 22-0 with 48 seconds left in the opening quarter.

Kigler recovered his own fumble in the end zone for the Broncos’ only touchdown of the second quarter.

In the third quarter, the Broncos added two more scores — a 22-yard run by Mitchell and a 41-yard power run by Evans. With the score 42-0, the referees elected to run the clock.

Middlesex’s only score was an 8-yard run by Jeremy Rich with 7:53 remaining. The extra point was good.

Dunn capped Franklin’s scoring with a 19-yard run in the final minute of the game.

The Broncos host West Point next Friday.