Franklin County Aucilla game postponed

If anyone would have said at the outset of the 2024 football season that halfway through the season, Franklin County would be the only undefeated team on the Forgotten Coast, and that they would squaring off against an undefeated Aucilla Christian team, they likely would have had their doubters.

But as improbable as it sounds, that could be the case later next month at Mikel Clark Stadium.

Originally slated for this Friday night, the looming Hurricane Helene, which prompted the closing of schools Wednesday through Friday, Sept. 25 to 27, required the game to be postponed.

According to Athletic Director Anna Bull, school officials are in talks with Aucilla over a possible makeup date during week 11, but that no decision has yet been made final. Both Aucilla and Franklin County have events scheduled for Friday, Nov. 1, which is the first night of the Florida Seafood Festival.

Now standing at 5-0, the only five-game winning streak in the school’s history, the Seahawks are coming off two straight away wins, a 35-28 victory on Sept. 16 at Liberty County and on Friday night, a 25-13 win at Rocky Bayou Christian.

And to think that these two wins came without the help of standout skilled player sophomore Sadiq Jones, out for the season with a collarbone fracture.

“Sadiq’s a special talent, we miss him dearly,” said coach John Cooper. “But there’s guys there to step up.”

And stepped up they have, as seniors Ajaylen McNair, Michael Hill, Ta’marion Carr and Garyson Millender, junior Eric Smith and freshman Dre North, amassed 195 yards on 35 carries in leading the team to the victory over the Liberty County Bulldogs.

A sack in the end zone on the team’s first play from scrimmage put the Hawks down 2-0,

And that was followed by the Bulldog touchdown drive that put them up 8-0.

But the Seahawks wouldn’t let those points go unanswered, with North’s 5-yard TD pass reception and Hill’s two point conversion knotting the game at 8-8.

To start the second half, Smith returned an onside kick for a score, McNair and Hill would both have rushing touchdowns, and Carr would run an interception in for the score, and the Seahawks would build a razor-thin 22-21 lead.

The Seahawks scored, and with Alex Narine’s extra point, had a 29-28 lead.

Eventually on a third and long, McNair capitalized on a reverse and scored from 35 yards out, to go up 35-28.

All it took was a tough defensive strand with three minutes left and “we shut them down,” said Cooper. “We took over on downs.”

It was only the third time in school history that Franklin County defeated Liberty. “It was huge for our program to give kids confidence, and huge for our kids and how hard they worked since. It was an overall team victory.”

McNair led the team with 91 yards on 10 carries, followed by Hill’s 46 yards on nine carries and Smith’s 46 yards on six carries.

Millender had 12 yards on six carries, and completed 2-of-6 passes for five yards.

Smith led the team with six solo tackles. Hill, Carr and junior Jamichael Miller each had a sack.

Against Rocky Bayou, the Seahawks fell behind 13-0, but two second quarter scores knotted the score at 13-13 going into the locker room at the half.

The Seahawks then shut their opponents down the entire second half, and two more touchdowns would etch their fifth straight win.

“Brock Johnson called a heck of a defensive game,” said Cooper. “He made some great adjustments and our kids responded well. They willed their way to stopping Rocky Bayou’s run attack.”

Carr led the team with 65 yards on 12 carries, two touchdowns, one 18-yard reception and 27 kickoff return yards.

Smith gained 69 yards on nine carries, and Hill gained 46 on six carries, and caught a 10-yard pass.

McNair toted the ball twice for 32 yards, and had one 30-yard kickoff return. North caught two passes for 78 yards and a touchdown.

Millender completed 4-of-10 passes for 106 yards and a touchdown.

Smith had a pair of solo tackles, for assists, recovered two fumbles, had an interception and a touchdown.

Hill and Miller each had five solo tackles, and Miller had a pair of sacks. Carr and North each had a pair of solo tackles, while Millender had a solo and an assist and a half-sack, while senior Preston Butler had a solo, four assists, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

Sophomore Kyle Gilbert had five assists and a forced fumble, and Bennett McNair two solos, five assists and one-and-one-half sacks.

Freshman Kayden Drake had two solos and an interception, and Maddox Shaw had two solos, four assists and a sack.

“We have some guys banged up, we’ll make some game time decisions,” said Cooper, anticipating a big crowd at Friday’s game. “We’re facing a very good Aucilla program that has been winning a lot of ball games.

“They have one of the best offenses we’ll see all year,” he said. “We have to limit their explosive offense and take care of the ball and do what we do.”