The Franklinton Junior High Falcons football team wasted no time getting on the scoreboard Tuesday night, scoring on the very first play and never surrendering the lead in a 16-6 victory over Kentwood Junior High.
Quarterback Dkari Williams connected with wide receiver Khalifa McClendon for a 70-yard touchdown on the opening play of the game. Jayce Magee powered in the two-point conversion to give the Falcons an early 8-0 lead.
The Falcons defense quickly followed with a three-and-out, but the next offensive possession ended in a fumble at the Kentwood 22-yard line, halting another promising drive.
Kentwood capitalized late in the first quarter, scoring on a 1-yard quarterback run with 32 seconds remaining. The two-point attempt failed, allowing Franklinton to maintain a narrow 8-6 lead heading into the second quarter.
Franklinton responded with a methodical 9-play, 79-yard drive, capped by an 8-yard touchdown run from Jayce Magee. Jeremiah Ellis added the two-point conversion to extend the lead to 16-6 by halftime.
The second half featured tough defense and long drives, but no additional scoring. Kentwood opened with a few first downs but was forced to punt. The Falcons answered with an 11-play drive deep into Kentwood territory that ended in a fumble at the 18-yard line, their second turnover of the night.
Still, the Franklinton defense stood firm once again, shutting down the Kentwood offense late in the game. The Falcons offense returned to the field and sealed the victory with three kneel-downs to run out the clock.
Franklinton improves to 1-0 on the season with the win. The Falcons will play Varnado next, on the road on September 9.
