Franklin's Michael Moses, No. 56, jumps to block a pass from Berwick's Cru Bella to Jayden Milton, foreground. Milton rushed for five touchdowns and had a TD catch Thursday in Berwick's 40-22 win.
The Review/Bill Decker
Milton piles up TDs in Berwick win over Franklin
Jayden Milton rushed for 243 yards and five touchdowns and caught a TD pass Thursday, leading Berwick to a 40-22 prep football win over Franklin and a 3-0 start for the Panthers.
Franklin, 0-3, led 22-20 as late as the 2:00 mark of the third quarter, after running back Zamarion Webber took a Jylon Jackson lateral 70 yards to the end zone, and safety Jayshaun Johnson returned a fumble 41 yards for a score.
But two of Milton's scores, runs of 13 and 50 yards, broke open the game. He rushed for a 12-yard TD late in the fourth quarter to cap the scoring.
Along with his TD runs of 55, 13, 13, 50 and 12 yards, Milton caught five passes for 74 yards, including a 33-yard touchdown.
Quarterback Cru Bella completed eight of his 16 passes for 121 yards and the Milton touchdown. Zack Gonzales caught two passes for 17 yards, and Namon Bennett had a reception for 30 yards.
Bella also finished with 87 rushing yards for a Berwick ground attack that rolled up 339 yards.
Franklin's Webber rushed for 144 yards, but Berwick throttled the rest of the Hornet offense. Jackson was 7-for-17 for 65 yards with a 20-yard scoring pass to Johnson.
Berwick intercepted two Jackson passes. Andre Engleton had one of the picks, and the other belonged to Nisaiah Bennett, who along brother Namon was among the leaders of the stingy Panther defense.
When Berwick was clinging to an 8-7 lead late in the first half, Franklin had a third-and-8 at the Panther 10. Johnson found a seam and was headed for the end zone before Nisaiah Bennett knocked the ball loose, and Namon Bennett recovered the fumble at the Berwick 1-yard line.
With a minute left before halftime, Bella hit passes of 30 yards to Namon Bennett and 21 to Milton to lead Berwick to Franklin's 14. From there, Bella took off for the end zone but was stopped a yard short.
Berwick will be at home Sept. 23 against Cohen. Franklin will look for its first win on the road at Central Lafourche in Raceland.
Berwick's Sept. 23 opponent has been corrected