The Franklinton Demons football team lost their non-district game to the Sumner Cowboys last Friday on the road, 20-19.
The loss moves the Demons record to 2-2 as they will face the 2-2 Lutcher Bulldogs at home this Friday in another non-district game. The Demons and the Bulldogs have met six times with the Bulldogs winning five, all in the 60's and early 70's. The Demons prevailed the last time they met, this time in the first game of the 1981 playoffs, on their way to the Class AAA championship game.
In the Sumner game, the Demons scored on their initial possession as they drove to the one yard line where quarterback Kerston Diddon ran in from two yards out to put the Demons on top 7-0.
The teams battled back and forth until Sumner scored with 2:18 left in the second period to pull to within one as the extra point was no good.
The Demons put together a drive before halftime that ended in an unsuccessful field goal attempt as time expired.
After a bad snap on a punt the Cowboys had a short field to work with and scored in the third period to go up 12-7 as their two point conversion was stuffed.
The Demons responded as Ricardo Burris scored with 8:55 left in the game to put the Demons back on top 13-12.
After Sumner punted the Demons fumbled the ball back to them at the Demons 48. Sumner put together a drive that ended in a one yard touchdown run to go up 20-13 with 2:26 left in the game after they added the two point conversion.
The Demons then drove down to the Sumner five and scored when Diddon hit Jayden Burkhalter in the end zone for a touchdown. This brought the score to 20-19 with :03 left in the game. The Demons elected to go for the two point conversion and the win but the play was stopped short and Sumner was victorious.
FHS Coach Nick Saltaformaggio was disappointed but resolved after the game.
"We had multiple opportunities to win and failed to finish drives. Our players played very hard and played well enough to win the game. I have to do a better job of preparing them for the competition we play during the week of practice. The key now is to get back up and battle."
The Demons were led by Ricardo Burris with 204 yards and one touchdown rushing on 28 carries as well as one reception for 8 yards. Quarterback Kerston Diddon was 8 of 13 for 118 yards and a touchdown with 18 yards rushing on 6 carries and a touchdown. Steven Tate rushed for 12 yards on 4 carries. Jayden Burkhalter rushed 3 times for 4 yards. Chakyn McClain caught 3 passes for 74 yards, Burkhalter caught 3 for 27 and a touchdown and Rhett Anderson caught 1 for 15 yards.
