Thursday, August 24, 2006

Warren Central bolted out to a big lead by halftime and then bolts of lightning halted play.

For the second consecutive season, the Franklin-Simpson Wildcats dropped their season opener to the Warren Central Dragons in the Rafferty’s Bowl. The year, the Cats fell to one of the top teams in Class 4-A – 28-0.

Saturday night also marked the second straight time weather has played a role in the contest. The nightcap of the Rafferty’s Bowl doubleheader was stopped at halftime due to severe thunderstorms in the Bowling Green area. Last year, extremely hot weather and then lighting delayed the start of the game.

Returning only two starters, Franklin-Simpson’s offense could not get on track and failed to pick up a first down until their seventh and final possession late in the second quarter.

Warren Central was plagued by four penalties on their first two series and was forced to punt each time. The Dragons also had a game-opening 95-yard kickoff return for a touchdown called back due to a penalty.

Central, which reached the 2005 Class 4-A state semifinals, began clicking behind three-year starting quarterback Blake Ayers and scored on their next four possessions.

Ayers connected on a 26-yard scoring strike to tight end Allen Clarkson with 2:24 remaining in the opening quarter. Danny Stoneburg’s point after kick was good, giving the Dragons a 7-0 edge at the end of the first 12 minutes of play.

Ayers completed eight of 11 passes for 171 yards and two touchdowns and also rushed for another score to earn Offensive Player of the Game honors. As a junior, he won the same award in the Rafferty’s Bowl last year after throwing for four TDs and running for another in a 46-14 romp over F-S.

In the second period, a 64-yard reception by Warren Central’s Nikko Beason helped set up a 16-yard Ayers’ TD scamper. The PAT made the score 14-0 with nearly 10 minutes left.

The Dragons took over on F-S’s 30-yard line the next time they got possession, converted a fourth down and seven predicament and struck on the next play when Ayers connected with Beason on a seven-yard toss with 7:14 remaining in the first half. Once again, the point after was good, widening the margin to 21-0.

A 62-yard scoring run by Central’s Darrius Brooks on the first play of Warren Central’s next series put the icing on the cake. Stoneburg’s fourth successful point after kick set the score at 28-0 with 4:45 to play in the second stanza.

Franklin-Simpson recovered a fumbled punt by the Dragons at midfield late in the second quarter. F-S junior running back Jereece Payne picked up the Wildcats’ lone first down of the night via two runs that netted 11 yards. But, the drive stalled when the Cats came up a yard short on fourth down and three.

Central racked up 330 yards on offense compared to F-S’s 26 yard. Warren Central’s Aaron Rhodes was named the Defensive Player of the Game.

Beason, meanwhile, hauled in four catches for 103 yards and a TD to pace Central’s talented receiving corps. Brooks led the ground game with 97 yards on seven handoffs.

Louisville St. Xavier defeated Bowling Green 15-8 in the opener of the Rafferty’s Bowl. The Purples had six players injured, including starting quarterback Trent Steelman and running back Avery Hibbitt.

F-S and Bowling Green will participate in another bowl this week – The Pigskin Classic at James “Shadetree” Mathews Field in Franklin. Bowling Green faces Christian County (1-0) at 5 p.m., while the Wildcats will meet Trigg County at 8 p.m. WFKN will carry the F-S game live. Trigg County got off to a good start last week, mauling Madisonville 39-6.

In other action last week involving Franklin-Simpson’s opponents, Warren East bombarded Monroe County 56-26, Butler County edged Logan County 24-19 and Westmoreland, Tenn. whipped Allen County-Scottsville 35-0.