FRANKLIN, Pa. (EYT) — Franklin Quarterback Hunter Marsteller hit Cole Buckley for a short pass late in the second quarter after the Knights fell behind 20-0.

(Story and photo by Richard Sayer/Eight & 322.)

Buckley gripped the ball in his hands, then twisted his body around, broke a tackle here, broke a take there and scampered 49 yards before being taken down at the 13. Prior to that play, not much good was happening for Franklin.

Now the Knights could smell the end-zone.

“Boy we needed that,” said old Doc Fee said as he made the long trek up the sidelines for the next play.

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After struggling to move the ball for positive yards and giving the homesteading Hickory Hornets the ball on couple turnovers, this seemed like the spark they needed.

It was the first chink in the armor of Hickory’s defense, which seemed to be in the Knight’s backfield before the snap of each ball during the first three possessions of the game.

And it was the last.

Hickory stopped the Knights dead in their tracks and even pushed them back a few yards, forcing kicker Nate Pfenningwerth to boot a 35-yard field goal to cut the Hickory lead to 20-3.

That was the extent of Franklin’s highlight reel for the long evening in a 62-3 loss on Friday night.

Hickory kept pounding their way through Franklin’s line, tormenting Marsteller, taking out back Toby Sanchez legs before the speedy back could get momentum and closing holes before they could form.

On offense, the Hornets just kept pounding out yardage.

Franklin was with out three key starters: the talented tight-end Drew Wilkinson, senior Jackson Ewing and running back/strong safety Bryson Watson. All three were out with injuries.

This didn’t help matters.

Assistant coach Paul Weidman was also thrust into managing the team as head coach Matt Turk was watching from afar while serving a two-game suspension after being ejected in the first week game in Titusville.

Franklin hopes to bounce back next week in a non-region contest when they host General McLane in their home opener. McLane is 1-1 on the season.

Franklin High School sports coverage on Explore and D9Sports.com is brought to you by Redbank Chevrolet and DuBrook.