Saturday, November 15, 2008
FRANKLIN — A wonderful football season highlighted by the play of nearly a dozen seniors came to an end Friday night as turnovers and missed opportunities marred Hopkins County Central’s chances to knock off Franklin-Simpson in the first round of the Class 4A playoffs.
Once the second-half rains came, execution did not become any easier and the Storm (7-4) fell 38-9 to Franklin-Simpson (8-3).
The Storm’s Kelsey Bowman brought his team to life with two minutes left in the first half on an 82-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, cutting the deficit to 17-9, but the Wildcat offense continued to cruise against a struggling Central counterpart.
Following Bowman’s sprint to the endzone, Franklin-Simpson performed the two-minute drill nearly perfect, retaliating with a score in just one minute.
Wildcat quarterback Courtney Dalcourt, a touted Division-I college prospect, threw to 6-6 wide receiver Jim Murphree for a 12-yard fade rout in the endzone. The score put Franklin-Simpson up 24-9.
During the second half, Dalcourt became less of a factor, but Murphree and running back Patrick Flippin continued to push the throttle.
On Central’s first drive of the second half, the Storm once again moved deep into Wildcat territory, but on first down from the 30-yard line, Murphree jumped in front of a Powell screen pass intended for Kevin Couch and broke 65 yards for the score and a 31-9 lead.
Flippin added the game’s final points on a 4-yard touchdown scamper to the right corner with seven minutes to go in the third quarter.
Storm defensive lineman Josh Adamson recovered a fumble just inside the fourth quarter at the Franklin-Simpson 7-yard line, but Central could not capitalize to begin a comeback.
Central came out with the momentum and looked in position to surprise another talented team on the road as the Storm did to Lone Oak in the regular season.
The Storm defense forced a three-and-out on the Wildcats’ first possession and the Central offense assumed its first drive on the Franklin-Simpson 28-yard line after a shanked punt.
Coming back under center for first time in three games, senior quarterback Jacob Powell could not direct Central to a first down on the ensuing drive. Kicker Carlos Diaz salvaged the situation with a 42-yard field to take a 3-0 lead.
Troydale Rorer brought the rush on another Wildcat three-and-out and tipped a punt, but with a good roll, Central started the possession around midfield.
Powell found his stride on his team’s second drive throwing for 41 yards and rushing for another seven, but nearing the redzone Central found first downs difficult to achieve. On second-and-five, Wildcat Jim Murphree recovered a fumble on a high snap at the 27-yard line.
During the next Franklin-Simpson offensive play, Dalcourt passed to Murphree in the flats, who made a move, turned and tossed the ball to Flippin on the “hook n’ ladder.” Flippin raced down the sidelines and gave the Wildcats their first lead, one they would never surrender.
Bowman mishandled the following kickoff and Shaquille Harris recovered for Franklin-Simpson. Four plays later Justin Dyer kicked a 40-yard field goal.
With 1:52 left in the first half, Flippin capped a 12-play, 80-yard drive with a touchdown rush to go ahead 17-3.
HCCHS: 3 6 0 0 – 9
FSHS: 10 14 14 0 – 38
HCCHS: Carlos Diaz 42-yard field goal
FSHS: Courtney Dalcourt pass to Jim Murphree pitch to Patrick Flippin 73-yard reception, Justin Dyer XP
FSHS: Dyer 40-yard field goal
FSHS: Flippin 6-yard rush, Dyer XP
HCCHS: Kelsey Bowman 82-yard kickoff return, XP failed
FSHS: Jim Murphree 12-yard reception from Dalcourt, Dyer XP
FSHS: Murphree 65-yard interception return, Dyer XP
FSHS: Flippin 4-yard rush, Dyer XP
Hopkins County Central (7-4)
Passing: Jake Powell 10-18, 89 yards, 1 INT Luke Crawley 0-2, 1 INT
Rushing: Troydale Rorer 10-35 Powell 12-43 Keith Couch 6-22 Crawley 1-0
Receiving: Kelsey Bowman 2-9 Nikee Caldwell 1-13 Rorer 4-33 Von Lovan 2-23 Kevin Couch 1-11
Franklin-Simpson (8-3)
Passing: Courtney Dalcourt 9-16, 177 yards, 2 TD Hayden Williams 0-1
Rushing: Dalcourt 5-37 Patrick Flippin 15-66, 2 TD Williams 3-7 Jalen Bell 1- -1 Darius Wickware 3-18 DeAlmar Garner 1- -4
Receiving: Flippin 4-129, 1 TD Zack Herrington 2-9 Jim Murphree 3-39, 1 TD
Fumble recovery: Murphree
Interception: Murphree 1-65, 1 TD Williams 1
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