Wildcats fall in OT at opener
August 23, 2022 at 9:10 p.m.
Friday night's season opener at Wildcat Field began and ended with touchdowns by visiting New Castle.
The first play of 2022 resulted in NC's Aidan Bradley burning the Franklin County special teams for a 75-yard kickoff return. Close to three hours later, Jon Eberhart broke a tackle and scored a walkoff touchdown on the fifth play of the Trojans' overtime possession. Final: New Castle 18, FC 12.
“We have a lot of things to work on, but it was good for our kids to play a formidable opponent and have a chance to win the game in the end,” said 5th-year coach Wes Gillman. “We'll continue to improve as our kids gain experience and confidence.”
The FC defense and special teams regrouped well after the initial shock and allowed the offense to draw even midway through the fourth quarter. Three punts ended regulation and the Cats had first crack of the end zone from the 10-yard-line in OT. Senior back Brady Morehead gained five yards – to complete a 188-yard evening – but sophomore quarterback Quinn Gillman was picked off in the end zone by Landon Semler.
Morehead forced a negative play when NC took possession but a pass interference call on FC broke up what would have been the winning TD. With the ball moving halfway to the goal, the Trojans got down to the one before Eberhart ended it.
“I thought our kids played hard … I couldn't ask more of them in terms of effort,” said the coach. “It's difficult to prepare for a team like NC because it's really the only time you see that type of offense. You never truly know what to expect until the game is played.”
The Trojans are known to pass frequently, though it was Eberhart's running that kept them moving the chains. It was a little surprising to the FC staff.
“I think they ran the ball more because of their inexperience at QB and receiving corps,” Gillman noted. “Our defense played well. We put pressure on the QB, and our defensive backs did a great job of not allowing big plays.
“A lot of our guys are going both ways too,” he added. “We had a lot of kids cramping, which is common for the first game of the year, but they kept fighting.”
The Cats tied the game at six on their first offensive possession. After a Spencer Bath return, FC started on its own 41 and went 59 yards in seven plays. Morehead ran four times for 15 yards and Gillman added 25 on a couple keepers. On 1st down from the NC 19, Morehead took an option pitch to the house. A pass play on the conversion failed to break the tie.
Following a first down, three straight incompletions had the guests punting back to the home team.
Morehead broke off a 39-yard run and later added 15 on the next drive. On a 3rd-and-4, Gillman hit senior wideout Terrell Beesley for 26 yards to the NC 17. With 3rd down at the 12, two incomplete passes turned the ball over.
A punt returned the ball back to FC inside Trojan territory. On a 4th-and-6 play, Morehead got first-down yardage but was stripped of the ball with NC recovering. It was part of a five-turnover night (2 lost fumbles, 3 interceptions) by the Cats' primary weapons.
“Both Quinn and Brady are essential and have to play well for us to have success this year,” said the FC coach. “Neither one of them leaves the field. I thought they played well, both exhausted and kept grinding.
“Brady will adapt to covering the ball through contact going forward,” he went on. “The option was an effective play all night long and we executed it well. Quinn will adjust in the passing game with our inexperienced receivers, all five playing their first varsity game. There are some timing issues, and they'll learn to create more separation.”
New Castle capitalized thanks to a 37-yard pass from Tyson Lewis to Quintin Boatright. A play later, Lewis found Bradley for an 11-yard TD.
Four straight punts followed. FC was driving late in the first half, which included a 28-yard completion to sophomore Jack Seals. The hosts were stopped on a 4th-and-6.
Interceptions ended the first three drives of the second half. A 25-yard pass to Beesley had the Cats across midfield on the opening possession. On 3rd-and-19, however, Gillman's pass was corralled by Gavyn Whitehead.
Gillman returned the favor from his free safety position three plays later, picking off a Lewis floater at his own 30.
Fullback Peyton McCreary was utilized on the ensuing drive, gaining 22 yards and a pair of first downs. Semler then read a Gillman pass across the middle to Morehead and returned it to FC territory.
Three punts later, play continued into the fourth.
The teams traded turnovers again as a Morehead fumble was fallen on by NC at the Trojan 45. After a 16-yard Eberhart run, a muffed handoff was pounced on by Branson Galyen.
FC then completed a 7-play, 62-yard tying drive. Gillman was shaken up after a 6-yard gain and Morehead stepped into a familiar QB spot in shotgun formation. He busted one outside for 41 yards and the score. His run was stuffed to go up two.
“Effort wasn't an issue Friday, and I don't see that being an issue going forward,” said Gillman. “This is a fun group to be around. They all get along and they're hungry. I can't fault a group for having a lack of experience.
“Knowing they'll go out each week and give full effort has me excited for the season. We may take our lumps at times, but we'll also improve as the year progresses.”
Trojans 18, Wildcats 12 (OT)
New Castle – 6 6 0 0 6 - 18
Franklin Co. – 6 0 0 6 0 - 12
First Quarter
NC – Bradley 75-yard kickoff return, 11:47. Run failed.
FC – Morehead 19-yard run, 9:32. Pass failed
Second Quarter
NC – Bradley 11-yard pass from Lewis, 9:51. Conversion failed.
Fourth Quarter
FC – Morehead 41-yard run, 5:40. Run failed.
OT
NC – Eberhart 1-yard run
Total yards: NC 127, FC 373
Passing: NC 54, FC 88
Rushing: NC 73, FC 285
First downs: NC 7, FC 10
Fumbles/lost: NC 2/1, FC 2/2
Penalties: NC 6-37, FC 5-46
New Castle – Rushing: Eberhart 19-108, Lewis 10 (-38), Brevan Thrine 3-4, Joe Hannan 1 (-1). Passing: Lewis 5-17-54 (INT). Receiving: Bradley 1-11, Boatright 4-43.
Franklin Co. - Rushing: Morehead 26-188, Gillman 16-63, McCreary 6-34. Passing: Gillman 7-15-88 (3 INT). Receiving: Beesley 2-51, Seals 2-33, Bath 1-2, Braylon Kruthaupt 1-4, Blake Stephenson 1 (-2).
(Stats unofficial)
Up next: Connersville visits Friday, 7 p.m., in an Eastern Indiana Athletic Conference “Big School” matchup. The Spartans trounced Richmond 47-14.
Gillman: “Connersville has improved, and we're not the same team we've been the past few years. We must play well to win. In the past, we've just completely dominated Connersville up front and had more explosive skill players. With our youth and inexperience, we have to play a complete game. We don't have that explosive player on the perimeter this year, but collectively we can have success. All players have to do their job.”
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Friday night's season opener at Wildcat Field began and ended with touchdowns by visiting New Castle.
The first play of 2022 resulted in NC's Aidan Bradley burning the Franklin County special teams for a 75-yard kickoff return. Close to three hours later, Jon Eberhart broke a tackle and scored a walkoff touchdown on the fifth play of the Trojans' overtime possession. Final: New Castle 18, FC 12.
“We have a lot of things to work on, but it was good for our kids to play a formidable opponent and have a chance to win the game in the end,” said 5th-year coach Wes Gillman. “We'll continue to improve as our kids gain experience and confidence.”
The FC defense and special teams regrouped well after the initial shock and allowed the offense to draw even midway through the fourth quarter. Three punts ended regulation and the Cats had first crack of the end zone from the 10-yard-line in OT. Senior back Brady Morehead gained five yards – to complete a 188-yard evening – but sophomore quarterback Quinn Gillman was picked off in the end zone by Landon Semler.
Morehead forced a negative play when NC took possession but a pass interference call on FC broke up what would have been the winning TD. With the ball moving halfway to the goal, the Trojans got down to the one before Eberhart ended it.
“I thought our kids played hard … I couldn't ask more of them in terms of effort,” said the coach. “It's difficult to prepare for a team like NC because it's really the only time you see that type of offense. You never truly know what to expect until the game is played.”
The Trojans are known to pass frequently, though it was Eberhart's running that kept them moving the chains. It was a little surprising to the FC staff.
“I think they ran the ball more because of their inexperience at QB and receiving corps,” Gillman noted. “Our defense played well. We put pressure on the QB, and our defensive backs did a great job of not allowing big plays.
“A lot of our guys are going both ways too,” he added. “We had a lot of kids cramping, which is common for the first game of the year, but they kept fighting.”
The Cats tied the game at six on their first offensive possession. After a Spencer Bath return, FC started on its own 41 and went 59 yards in seven plays. Morehead ran four times for 15 yards and Gillman added 25 on a couple keepers. On 1st down from the NC 19, Morehead took an option pitch to the house. A pass play on the conversion failed to break the tie.
Following a first down, three straight incompletions had the guests punting back to the home team.
Morehead broke off a 39-yard run and later added 15 on the next drive. On a 3rd-and-4, Gillman hit senior wideout Terrell Beesley for 26 yards to the NC 17. With 3rd down at the 12, two incomplete passes turned the ball over.
A punt returned the ball back to FC inside Trojan territory. On a 4th-and-6 play, Morehead got first-down yardage but was stripped of the ball with NC recovering. It was part of a five-turnover night (2 lost fumbles, 3 interceptions) by the Cats' primary weapons.
“Both Quinn and Brady are essential and have to play well for us to have success this year,” said the FC coach. “Neither one of them leaves the field. I thought they played well, both exhausted and kept grinding.
“Brady will adapt to covering the ball through contact going forward,” he went on. “The option was an effective play all night long and we executed it well. Quinn will adjust in the passing game with our inexperienced receivers, all five playing their first varsity game. There are some timing issues, and they'll learn to create more separation.”
New Castle capitalized thanks to a 37-yard pass from Tyson Lewis to Quintin Boatright. A play later, Lewis found Bradley for an 11-yard TD.
Four straight punts followed. FC was driving late in the first half, which included a 28-yard completion to sophomore Jack Seals. The hosts were stopped on a 4th-and-6.
Interceptions ended the first three drives of the second half. A 25-yard pass to Beesley had the Cats across midfield on the opening possession. On 3rd-and-19, however, Gillman's pass was corralled by Gavyn Whitehead.
Gillman returned the favor from his free safety position three plays later, picking off a Lewis floater at his own 30.
Fullback Peyton McCreary was utilized on the ensuing drive, gaining 22 yards and a pair of first downs. Semler then read a Gillman pass across the middle to Morehead and returned it to FC territory.
Three punts later, play continued into the fourth.
The teams traded turnovers again as a Morehead fumble was fallen on by NC at the Trojan 45. After a 16-yard Eberhart run, a muffed handoff was pounced on by Branson Galyen.
FC then completed a 7-play, 62-yard tying drive. Gillman was shaken up after a 6-yard gain and Morehead stepped into a familiar QB spot in shotgun formation. He busted one outside for 41 yards and the score. His run was stuffed to go up two.
“Effort wasn't an issue Friday, and I don't see that being an issue going forward,” said Gillman. “This is a fun group to be around. They all get along and they're hungry. I can't fault a group for having a lack of experience.
“Knowing they'll go out each week and give full effort has me excited for the season. We may take our lumps at times, but we'll also improve as the year progresses.”
Trojans 18, Wildcats 12 (OT)
New Castle – 6 6 0 0 6 - 18
Franklin Co. – 6 0 0 6 0 - 12
First Quarter
NC – Bradley 75-yard kickoff return, 11:47. Run failed.
FC – Morehead 19-yard run, 9:32. Pass failed
Second Quarter
NC – Bradley 11-yard pass from Lewis, 9:51. Conversion failed.
Fourth Quarter
FC – Morehead 41-yard run, 5:40. Run failed.
OT
NC – Eberhart 1-yard run
Total yards: NC 127, FC 373
Passing: NC 54, FC 88
Rushing: NC 73, FC 285
First downs: NC 7, FC 10
Fumbles/lost: NC 2/1, FC 2/2
Penalties: NC 6-37, FC 5-46
New Castle – Rushing: Eberhart 19-108, Lewis 10 (-38), Brevan Thrine 3-4, Joe Hannan 1 (-1). Passing: Lewis 5-17-54 (INT). Receiving: Bradley 1-11, Boatright 4-43.
Franklin Co. - Rushing: Morehead 26-188, Gillman 16-63, McCreary 6-34. Passing: Gillman 7-15-88 (3 INT). Receiving: Beesley 2-51, Seals 2-33, Bath 1-2, Braylon Kruthaupt 1-4, Blake Stephenson 1 (-2).
(Stats unofficial)
Up next: Connersville visits Friday, 7 p.m., in an Eastern Indiana Athletic Conference “Big School” matchup. The Spartans trounced Richmond 47-14.
Gillman: “Connersville has improved, and we're not the same team we've been the past few years. We must play well to win. In the past, we've just completely dominated Connersville up front and had more explosive skill players. With our youth and inexperience, we have to play a complete game. We don't have that explosive player on the perimeter this year, but collectively we can have success. All players have to do their job.”