Ike football drops OT thriller to Franklin
RUSSELL — Caden Mincer’s 5-yard touchdown run in overtime lifted Franklin to a 40-34 come-from-behind football victory over Eisenhower on Friday night.
Franklin trailed 34-20 early in the fourth quarter, but Mincer scored from a yard out with 4:23 remaining to trim the deficit to 34-26.
The visitors were just getting started.
On its ensuing possession, Eisenhower fumbled and Mincer returned it 26 yards for a touchdown. The two-point conversion try was fumbled, but Eisnhower recovered it in the end zone to tie the game 34-34 with 1:53 left in regulation.
In the extra session, Eisenhower was stopped on fourth-and-goal from the 6, turning the ball over to Franklin, which then ended the game on Mincer’s 5-yard TD.
Eisenhower was in control early, opening a 14-0 lead, courtesy of a 50-yard punt return by Caleb Jakubczak and his 8-yard TD pass to Tanner Lookenhouse. Bryceton Wilkins connected on both point-after kicks.
Franklin scored the next two touchdowns, a Freddie Blackhurst 1-yard run and Mincer’s 25-yard burst, and Connor Ritchey connected on both PATs to tie the game 14-all. Eisenhower immediately regained the lead 21-14 when Jakubcak found Lookenhouse on a 33-yard TD pass. Wilkins’ point-after try was good.
Mincer’s 4-yard touchdown run on Franklin’s first possession of the second half pulled it within a point, but the PAT was no good and Eisenhower led 21-20 with 9:56 remaining in the third quarter.
Nolan Gesing’s 10-yard TD burst pushed Eisenhower’s lead to 27-20 and, after a Franklin turnover, Jakubczak raced 63 yards for the score. Wilkins’ extra point kick was good, giving Eisenhower a 34-20 lead 13 seconds into the final period.
That set the stage for a frantic final 11-plus minutes of regulation and into overtime.
NOTE: Jakubczak rushed for 115 yards on 10 carries and passed for 104 yards, accounting for three touchdowns for Eisenhower. … Jacob Penley added 108 rushing yards on 17 carries and Lookenhouse added two TD receptions. … Mincer led Franklin with 135 yards on 21 carries and four touchdowns, while Blackhurst added 64 yards on 18 carries.