Franklin tops CCHS in weather-shortened scrimmage

Mother Nature did her best to make things difficult Thursday, but Central Catholic and Franklin still managed to get in some preseason work in a fall football scrimmage.
While the scrimmage originally was scheduled to be held in Morgan City at Central Catholic, the event was moved to Franklin Thursday afternoon following a heavy downpour in the Morgan City area.
The teams, minus referees, scrimmaged on Franklin’s practice field before the event was cut short due to lightning.
“Good, physical day,” Central Catholic Coach Tommy Minton said. “They’re a good 2A football team. They’re big, got great size, and I wanted to see how we’d hold up against that, and I thought the kids did a good job. They got after it pretty good.”
Franklin scored three touchdowns during the scrimmage — one by its first team and two by its second group. The Eagles were held out of the end zone.
Franklin’s first-team score came on its first drive with a rushing touchdown.
While the Eagles received some good running from Davidyione Bias and Central Catholic quarterback Ryan Miller completed a pass to tight end Nathan Hebb for a nice gain on the Eagles’ first drive among its top unit, the squad could not get close to the goal line.
Central Catholic’s first-team defense stiffened on its second series, holding Franklin out the end zone despite a nice pass play and another nice run. Freddie Calloway recovered a fumble for the Eagles’ defense on the first-team unit’s second series of work.
Offensively, Central Catholic was more productive on its second drive among first teamers as the Eagles received solid running from Davidyione Bias as well as a nice run from Damondrick Blackburn, who also excelled for the Eagles’ ground game in the second-team work.
Central Catholic’s Hugh Hamer appeared as if he may have a shot at the end zone on the Eagles’ second drive, but he was corralled by Franklin before he could attempt to break away.
“I thought up front on offense, especially the second series, we did a good job,” Minton said. “We moved the ball, and my backs ran really hard. All four of the one’s that got action ran really, really hard.”
The scrimmage was called after Miller’s completion to Hebb in Franklin territory on the second Central Catholic drive with its first team.