|
Franklin’s Damion Pursley scores in front of Linden’s Hunter White for the Yellowjackets’ second score of the game Friday at Linden. CRAIG SANDERS/FOR THE RECORD
LINDEN —The mantra follows the Franklin football team from its pregame stretches to the sideline.
Coaches bellow at players, and those players respond with vigor.
“How are we going to start? Fast! How are we going to finish? Faster!”
While the Yellowjackets didn’t live up to the opening line, trailing at halftime after a slew of penalties and poor run defense, they lived up to the finish by rallying past host Linden 26-21 in Friday night’s season opener.
Juan Castillo, a tight end and defensive lineman who had a touchdown catch and a sack, said his group embraces that “faster” saying.
“It’s in our head all the time,” Castillo said.
In that second half, the defense tightened up, and the offense, in its debut as a shotgun spread unit, found its rhythm.
In the first all-time matchup between the Yellowjackets and Lions, Franklin seniors in quarterback Julian Serrano and wide receiver Damion Pursley put on a show. Through three quarters — Franklin ran the ball more in the fourth to protect its lead – Serrano threw for 357 yards and four touchdowns and Pursley had 10 catches for 175 yards and three scores.
Pursley, the Yellowjackets’ leading returning receiver, turned in TD grabs of 22, 30 and 30 yards, overwhelming the Lions’ defense with his speed, hands, route running and instincts.
Yellowjackets senior Stevie Thompson pitched in six catches for 80 yards as well through the first three quarters.
The defense, meanwhile, blanked the Lions for most of the last three quarters.
Linden ran over Franklin early, as senior Hunter White racked up 166 first-half rushing yards on just eight carries, but not at all in the second half. The Yellowjackets dominated the trenches, and sacked quarterback Clinton Sizuela several times.
A variety of Yellowjackets dazzled on defense. Luis Castillo had a first-half interception, while Juan Castillo — in addition to a 26-yard first-half TD grab — busted through to sack Sizuela in the fourth quarter.
Julian Lopez, also Franklin’s backup quarterback, took part in two sacks, while Gustavo Mendez added a sack and Brandon Madrigal had a fumble recovery.
“We were just missing keys and weren’t doing our jobs. We went in at halftime, and I told them that we’re playing good ball, but we gave them two touchdowns,” said Yellowjackets coach Larry Thompson, a former arena football defensive back.
Larry Thompson said that, should they do those jobs, they’d hold the Lions to 14 points. That nearly came true.
“They believed it. They came out here and showed they believed it, and did their jobs,” the second-year coach said.
Linden tailback Rowdy Reed delivered both of his team’s early touchdowns, on a 39-yard pitch play on the Lions’ opening drive, and a 1-yard run late in the first quarter.
While the Yellowjackets were dysfunctional at times in the first half, mostly hampered by penalties, Serrano was savvy under pressure. Serrano resembled the slipperiness of Super Bowl champion Russell Wilson – donning the same No. 3 – turning three potential sacks into 30 rushing yards.
Linden forced the issue in the game’s final minute, as Sizuela found Scott Hushaw for a 10-yard TD pass with 49.3 seconds remaining. But the onside kick was recovered easily by Franklin’s Joshua Hendon.
Franklin faces Modesto-Grace Davis on Thursday night at Modesto-Gregori, while Linden treks to Gustine next Friday.