Hart Factbook 2009

Lion tamers: Hart beats Franklin 28-6

Sports writer

The Hart County Bulldogs went into last Friday's game in Carnesville having won four straight games this season and won 16 out of their last 17 against Franklin County. Add one more win to each of those streaks.

Thanks to a dominant running game and a stingy defense, the Bulldogs' 28-6 victory punched their ticket to this year's 8-AAA playoff bracket.

The game got off to a sloppy start, as the Lions committed two turnovers and the Bulldogs committed one of their own. Neither team was able to capitalize on the other team's mistakes, and at the end of the first quarter, the game remained scoreless.

After three more punts to start the second quarter, Hart got the scoring started on a quick, three-play drive. Starting on their own 35, John Blackwell took a hand off from Landon Beck and went 60 yards down to the Franklin 5-yard line, setting up a first and goal.

Keitius Harper ran for three yards on first down and scored from two yards out on the next play. Zain Rowland's PAT was wide left, leaving Hart County with a 6-0 lead with 5:29 remaining in the first half. They would take that lead to halftime.

With 5:47 left in the third quarter, the Lions got their only points of the night when DaQuan Merritt returned a punt for a touchdown. The Dogs' Jermonte Hickman blocked the Lions' PAT, leaving the game knotted at 6-6.

Hart responded with an eight-play scoring drive on the ensuing possession. Starting at their own 39-yard line, the Bulldogs connected on their only completion of the second half when Beck hit Fred Stowers for 16 yards. Four plays later, tight end Jeffrey Rucker took a reverse 37 yards for the touchdown. Rowland's PAT made it 13-6 lead with 3:30 left in the third quarter, a lead they would not relinquish.

The Bulldogs scored again early in the fourth quarter when Hickman rammed it in from the 1-yard line. Rowland's PAT was good again, stretching the lead to 20-6 with 8:25 left in the game.

Franklin committed a safety on their next drive when the snap sailed over punter Steven Norris' head on fourth-and-nine. Norris ran it out of the back of the end zone to give the Bulldogs a 22-6 lead.

Hart County's last score was their most spectacular of the night. Starting the drive at their own 29, Harper ran for nine yards on first down, and fullback Josh Carey took it 10 yards on second-and-one to get the ball to their own 48.

On the next play, Harper broke through an opening on the right side of the offensive line, and aided by a huge block from Rucker, cruised 52 yards for the final score of the game.

Lions linebacker Matt Jackson, not taking too kindly to Rucker's block, committed a late hit penalty on the play, getting ejected from the game in the process. Rowland's PAT failed, leaving the final score at 28-6.

Rucker said he had never scored a rushing touchdown before this game, but seemed more happy about the block he made on Harper's scoring play.

"I love to block, baby," he said. "I love blocking a whole lot."

"We've been practicing that play (Rucker's TD) for about three or four weeks," said HCHS offense coordinator Ben Osborne. "But we hadn't had a good opportunity to run it."

After rushing for 325 yards in the contest, Osborne was effusive in his praise of the offensive line, including guards Nate Simpson and Brandon Hamm, tackles Colin Glasco and Blake Clark, and center Branson Allen.

"Branson had a lot of plays designed where he had to block their (middle) linebacker," he said. "Our guards did a great job on their kick-out blocks, and my tackles did a good job with their down blocks."

After giving up 77 yards of total offense in the first half, the Hart County defense stiffened considerably in the second half, giving up only three yards.

"We just started tackling better (in the second half)," HCHS defensive coordinator William DeVane said.

DeVane singled out Harper and Rucker for their great play on defense.

"All of our guys played well, but Keitius was exceptional," he said.

DeVane said the defense is "starting to get into a groove," and that of the 10 defensive goals they set for each game, nine were attained against Franklin. The only one they didn't achieve was turnover ratio, which ended in a tie. The Lions and Bulldogs had two apiece.

"I credit the coaches and the players for stepping up," head coach Joby Scroggs said about making the playoffs for the 17th consecutive season.

"Tradition carries a lot of weight, and when you have tradition, people step (their game) up for it."