Walt Adams takes a handoff from Bayne Boston. Adams rushed for 84 yards on 19 carries with one TD.
Photos submitted | Suzanne Chambers
Jayden Resor cruises into the end zone on a 33 yard run. Resor scored two touchdowns on 11 carries for 82 yards.
D.J. Moore tackles Franklin running back Malachi Gipson as Jake Lenser moves in to assist.
Inside linebacker Jake Lenser (25) and defensive back Walt Adams (right) zero in on a Franklin ball carrier.
BROOKVILLE — The Brookville Blue Devils defeated the Franklin Wildcats on Senior night at Brookville last week 23-7. The win guaranteed The Blue Devils a winning season for the eighth consecutive season.
In addition, the seniors on this Brookville team are 35-12 heading into the postseason in their careers.
The win was also the 100th SWBL victory for Brookville coach Mike Hetrick.
Walt Adams and Jayden Resor each tallied rushing touchdowns during the game as Brookville outrushed the Wildcats 256 to 62 during the game. Adams ran for 89 yards and Resor for 82 yards and a pair of trips to the house. Jake Lenser added 63 yards for the Blue Devils.
Brookville held Franklin to a total of 80 yards in the game. Brookville had 67 plays to 36 for Franklin and the Blue Devils had the ball for 31:10 to 16:50.
Brookville took the opening kickoff and held the ball for 15 plays and took over nine minutes off the clock, but the drive ended when a pass was deflected and intercepted by the Wildcats’ Dawson Fitzpatrick in the end zone. However, Franklin picked up only one first down and a punt was returned by DJ Moore to the Wildcat 23. The first quarter ended with no score.
Brookville scored on the second play of the second frame. Jayden Resor toted the ball five yards for a touchdown. Walt Adams booted the PAT and Brookville led 7-0 with 11:21 remaining in the first half.
Franklin responded with a 12-play, 62 yard drive that took 5:44 off the clock and resulted in a touchdown. Malachi Gipson ended the possession with a five-yard romp into the end zone. Lilly Cook booted the extra point to make it 7-7 at 5:37 in the second quarter.
The teams exchanged punts and the Blue Devils got the ball at their 42 with only 1:51 left in the first half. Brookville’s drive bogged down and on 4th and 11 at the 25.
Boston tossed one to the end zone and a pass interference penalty moved the ball to the 13. With six seconds left in the half Walt Adams booted a 30 yard field goal to put the Devils up 10-7 at halftime.
In the second half the Blue Devils defense was outstanding. Franklin had only three possessions. Two were three and outs, and the third resulted in an interception by Walt Adams that effectively ended the game with 3:42 remaining.
Barring the final possession in which Brookville ran out the clock, Brookville scored two touchdowns on only two second half possessions. Walt Adams capped off a 13-play, 55 yard drive with an eight-yard TD run. Adams booted the PAT and Brookville led 17-7 with 2:38 remaining in the third stanza.
Forcing a three and out and a punt, Brookville fumbled the punt but recovered, however a personal foul moved the ball to the Brookville 17 with just 26 seconds left in the third.
Brookville then used 11 plays to ground out an 83 yard journey that resulted in a touchdown. At the Franklin 33, Resor circled left end and bolted into the end zone to seal the deal. The PAT kick sailed wide and the score was 23-7 Brookville with 6:15 on the clock.
Adams intercepted a pass by the Wildcats at the Brookville 37 and circled his way back up and across the field to the Franklin 39 where Brookville would run out the clock to improve to 6-4 overall.
Notes from Brookville Football Historian Larry Meyers show that in the past eight seasons Brookville has a record of 59-25. The Blue Devils have set a record with seven straight games scoring between 20 and 29 points. It was the second time Brookville has won 23-7, the other against Milton Union in 2000. It was the 7th time the Brookville has scored 23 points; 9th time the difference was 16 points and 13th time to total 30 points.
Brookville will be in the playoffs for the 5th straight time, a school record and for the 9th time under Mike Hetrick.
Brookville plays at Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy in the first round of the D4 playoffs Friday night. The game between the Eagles and the Blue Devils can be heard on the free internet radio website Brookvillesports.com beginning at 6:30 p.m.
