Grizzlies Tackle Trine

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By Dexter Howard, October 1, 2009

 To the chagrin of the Thunder, Franklin had no problems slowing down a diversified Trine offense, allowing the visiting team only four touchdowns on the day. The defense also pulled through when they were needed most, stiffening up for Trine’s last drive of the game, in turn sealing the win for Team Griz. Grizzly head coach Mike Leonard said, “They do run an interesting offense. Defense put in a lot of teaching and hours. I was really pleased with (head defensive) Coach Theo, the defensive staff, and of course the players. Trine has a good explosive offense that could score 50 points on a lot of teams so that says something about the way our guys played.” Seniors Jesse Mercer, Joe Rush, Matt Gore and junior linebacker Nick Cochran led the way for the Griz defense compiling 31 tackles all together.

 

Despite a somewhat slow start for the Franklin offense, the home team managed to concoct a late second quarter 13 play, 79 yard drive. The end result of the much needed offensive production was a Nick Mongan touchdown. Quarterback Kyle Ray went 6-8 on the critical drive, with 69 yards through the air and 8 more yards rushing. The Grizzly score would allow the team to close the gap on Trine and enter the second half with a score of 10-13.

 

Trine distanced themselves early in the second half, putting another 10 points on the board just ten minutes into the third quarter. The Thunder offense, led by speedy quarterback Eric Watt, thrived on keeping the Grizzly defense guessing with a variety of play-action passes, reverses, misdirection runs, and quarterback bootlegs. Freshman running back Devin Leas added 99 more yards to the misleading rushing attack, accompanying the 127 gained by Watt. Also in Trine’s varied arsenal were receivers Paul Curtis, Cody Nash-Kniffen, and Ja Vontae Hence who together managed 179 yards and 3 touchdowns in the loss. 

 

After a 32-yard field goal by the Thunder’s Jeremy Howard, and a 21-yard touchdown pass from Watt to Nash-Kniffen that split two defenders, the score was 23-10 in favor of Trine. However, on the very next Grizzly drive, Purichia and the offense found their rhythm and put together a 10 play, 70 yard touchdown effort of their own. Purichia found receivers Sean Walton and Mitch Deffner for big gains before hitting junior Ryan Momberger on two plays for the final 37 yards and a touchdown. Franklin would be down 17-23 going into the final quarter of play.

 

After an early fourth quarter scoring attempt by the Thunder was thwarted by a costly holding penalty, the Franklin offense would put together yet another scoring drive. Purichia would go 5-5 passing before scampering into the endzone the final 9 yards for the score. This would be only the second time the Grizzlies had taken the lead all day and the only time since the beginning of the first quarter. 

 

On their very next possession, Trine would quickly change their one-point deficit into a five-point advantage with help from a 24 yard Watt rushing touchdown.   With about six minutes left until the end of regulation, the Franklin offense would start with the ball on their own 31 yard line trailing by 5. Yet again Purichia and the rest of the offense would coordinate a scoring drive, eating up five minutes of clock in the process. Some big runs from halfback Mitch Downs and Purichia, clutch grabs from Deffner, and a costly penalty on Trine allowed the Grizzlies to get another opportunity to score. This opportunity was seized when Mellencamp a 13-yard jumping catch in the endzone. The play would yet again put Franklin on top 30-29, where they would stay for the remaining two minutes of the game.

 

There’s no doubt revenge tasted sweet for the Grizzlies after beating the team who handed them their only regular season loss last year. Leonard said, “We had an incentive to win because the Trine game last year was our only defeat. We got a chance to prove ourselves again this year. It’s always good to win, there’s no substitute for victory. Doing it against a quality opponent just makes it that much sweeter. Even I feel rejuvenated and confident. Any time you win in a good way you feel confident.” Franklin will try to take this confidence into their first conference game next week at home against Defiance.