All Wildcats in season opener
August 28, 2024 at 1:47 p.m.
Franklin County scored touchdowns on five of six possessions in Friday night’s first half against visiting New Castle, eventually posting a 41-14 rout over the Trojans to begin the 2024 campaign.
The final two minutes saw the Wildcats pressing to make it a 35-0 game, which would have meant a running clock to begin the second half. Senior Quinn Gillman found wide-open classmate Braylon Kruthaupt for a 20-yard TD with just 6.4 seconds left but fellow senior Hunter Weartz missed his only extra point of the night to give NC a little reprieve. The guests outscored FC in the next 24 minutes.
“We knew we had a good football team coming in,” said head coach Wes Gillman. “You just never know how good until they get out there and prove themselves. Pretty much everything was clicking … they were competing, making plays; I really couldn’t ask for more in the first game.
“The second half we had some kids cramping up,” he added. “It’s kind of difficult to maintain a high level of intensity when you’re up that much so there are things we have to fix but overall, I’m very pleased.”
The Cats took the opening kickoff, proceeding to go 75 yards in eight plays to grab an early 7-0 lead. The drive, as many in the first half did, contained equal parts run and pass.
“Having Quinn at QB allows us to do a lot of different things,” said his dad. “Last year I thought we were very one-dimensional at times with a young quarterback and unable to push the ball downfield.
“We have a lot of weapons this year,” he continued. “I think you’ll see games where we open it up and others where we grind it out. We’re in a position to take what the defense gives us.”
New Castle was very “giving” from the start. Gillman ran for 19 yards on the first play and an offsides call on NC produced another first down. Gillman used his legs for another fresh set of downs and after a pair of setbacks - delay of game and sack - passed to Carter Dozier as the junior went in from 32 yards out.
The FC defense got a quick three-and-out, though the offense was faced with a long field of 85 yards after a decent punt. A Dozier reception netted a first down at the FC 29-yard-line. From the 32, the Cats got an unexpected big play when Gillman hit senior Jack Seals on a quick out pattern; after a couple steps, a fumble was picked up by Kruthaupt and he ran all the way to NC’s 22. At the 14, Gillman carried twice with the second going for a 5-yard score.
The Trojans threatened to answer on the next drive, but FC tightened up around the 22 and a field goal try just under 40 yards went wide left.
FC’s first possession of the new quarter looked a lot like those in the previous. From their own 22, the Cats needed 10 plays to reach the end zone again. Dozier earned a first down after another reception and Gillman added two more on the ground. On a 2nd-down play, Gillman tossed to Kayden Kerr and the senior scooted down the right sideline for 27 yards. A screen to tailback Mason Wewe put the ball at the 2, where Gillman carried it in.
The teams then traded punts. Late in the half, NC had the ball in Wildcat territory, but sophomore QB Carson Bell threw an ill-advised pass that Kruthaupt gobbled up and returned to the Trojans’ 10. A play later, Gillman threw one up for Seals in the back of the end zone; the latter bobbled it briefly but came down with the TD. Weartz’s kick hit the crossbar and bounced through, making it 28-0.
With just 1:19 to go, FC somehow got the ball back at 33.4 seconds even with NC running seven plays. Tylin Thrine was stopped on fourth down and the Cats took over at the visitors’ 47. Dozier and Wewe ran for first downs, setting up the Kruthaupt score.
New Castle was held to just four first downs in each half.
“Defensively it was a solid effort across the board,” said the coach. “Outside of maybe one breakdown in the secondary, we limited their passing game and that’s what they wanted to do. We’ll have to be tougher stopping the run, but I thought we did a pretty good job in the first half in every facet.”
Gillman also praised his special teams.
“Hunter did a tremendous job kicking and punting and kick coverage was good. We have a lot of kids on the cusp of contributing offensively and defensively, and they’re making the most of their (special teams) opportunities.”
The Trojans finally scored on their opening drive of the second half. Senior Caleb Clapp rushed in from 10 yards out. The two sides swapped punts as the third quarter ticked down. On FC’s next possession, Gillman was removed after some muscle cramps; Wyatt Bowling completed the New Castle opener for the second time in as many years. He had some early jitters, fumbling his first snap on a 4th-and-5 play, but running for a 4-yard TD in the game’s final minute to cap scoring.
The Connersville Spartans visit Wildcat Field Friday for the annual Water Keg game, fresh off a 26-20 win over Richmond.
“They want to run the ball,” said Gillman. “If we stop that, we win. I expect them to fly around defensively and try to stop our run. It should be a fun week.”
Wildcats 41, Trojans 14
NC - 0 0 7 7 - 14
FC - 14 20 0 7- 41
Scoring
First Quarter
FC - Dozier 32-yard pass from Gillman, 7:20. Weartz kick.
FC - Gillman 5-yard run, 1:35. Weartz kick.
Second Quarter
FC - Gillman 2-yard run, 7:17. Weartz kick.
FC - Seals 10-yard pass from Gillman, 1:19. Weartz kick.
FC - Kruthaupt 20-yard pass from Gillman, :6.4. Kick failed.
Third Quarter
NC - Clapp 10-yard run, 8:32. Owen Barrett kick.
Fourth Quarter
NC - Neil McMartin 34-yard pass from Bell, 9:06. Barrett kick.
FC - Bowling 4-yard run, :46.2. Weartz kick.
Rush yds - NC 55, FC
Pass yds - NC 147, FC
Total - NC 202, FC 444
1st downs - NC 8, FC 18
Penalties - NC 5-35, FC 5-40
Fumbles/lost - NC 0, FC 3/2
Stats: NC - Rushing: Clapp 13-63, Bell 3-(-7), Thrine 5-(-1). Passing: Bell 10-21-147. Receiving: Thrine 1-13, Braylen Bennett 1-15, Cade Logston 2-7, Clapp 1-5, McMartin 3-83, Alijah Turner 2-24. FC - Rushing: Gillman 13-74, Wewe 13-64, Bowling 3-17, Kerr 6-37, Dozier 2-27. Passing: Gillman 10-15-147. Receiving: Dozier 5-70, Kerr 1-28, Seals 2-10, Kruthaupt 2-29, Wewe 1-10. (Unofficial)
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Franklin County scored touchdowns on five of six possessions in Friday night’s first half against visiting New Castle, eventually posting a 41-14 rout over the Trojans to begin the 2024 campaign.
The final two minutes saw the Wildcats pressing to make it a 35-0 game, which would have meant a running clock to begin the second half. Senior Quinn Gillman found wide-open classmate Braylon Kruthaupt for a 20-yard TD with just 6.4 seconds left but fellow senior Hunter Weartz missed his only extra point of the night to give NC a little reprieve. The guests outscored FC in the next 24 minutes.
“We knew we had a good football team coming in,” said head coach Wes Gillman. “You just never know how good until they get out there and prove themselves. Pretty much everything was clicking … they were competing, making plays; I really couldn’t ask for more in the first game.
“The second half we had some kids cramping up,” he added. “It’s kind of difficult to maintain a high level of intensity when you’re up that much so there are things we have to fix but overall, I’m very pleased.”
The Cats took the opening kickoff, proceeding to go 75 yards in eight plays to grab an early 7-0 lead. The drive, as many in the first half did, contained equal parts run and pass.
“Having Quinn at QB allows us to do a lot of different things,” said his dad. “Last year I thought we were very one-dimensional at times with a young quarterback and unable to push the ball downfield.
“We have a lot of weapons this year,” he continued. “I think you’ll see games where we open it up and others where we grind it out. We’re in a position to take what the defense gives us.”
New Castle was very “giving” from the start. Gillman ran for 19 yards on the first play and an offsides call on NC produced another first down. Gillman used his legs for another fresh set of downs and after a pair of setbacks - delay of game and sack - passed to Carter Dozier as the junior went in from 32 yards out.
The FC defense got a quick three-and-out, though the offense was faced with a long field of 85 yards after a decent punt. A Dozier reception netted a first down at the FC 29-yard-line. From the 32, the Cats got an unexpected big play when Gillman hit senior Jack Seals on a quick out pattern; after a couple steps, a fumble was picked up by Kruthaupt and he ran all the way to NC’s 22. At the 14, Gillman carried twice with the second going for a 5-yard score.
The Trojans threatened to answer on the next drive, but FC tightened up around the 22 and a field goal try just under 40 yards went wide left.
FC’s first possession of the new quarter looked a lot like those in the previous. From their own 22, the Cats needed 10 plays to reach the end zone again. Dozier earned a first down after another reception and Gillman added two more on the ground. On a 2nd-down play, Gillman tossed to Kayden Kerr and the senior scooted down the right sideline for 27 yards. A screen to tailback Mason Wewe put the ball at the 2, where Gillman carried it in.
The teams then traded punts. Late in the half, NC had the ball in Wildcat territory, but sophomore QB Carson Bell threw an ill-advised pass that Kruthaupt gobbled up and returned to the Trojans’ 10. A play later, Gillman threw one up for Seals in the back of the end zone; the latter bobbled it briefly but came down with the TD. Weartz’s kick hit the crossbar and bounced through, making it 28-0.
With just 1:19 to go, FC somehow got the ball back at 33.4 seconds even with NC running seven plays. Tylin Thrine was stopped on fourth down and the Cats took over at the visitors’ 47. Dozier and Wewe ran for first downs, setting up the Kruthaupt score.
New Castle was held to just four first downs in each half.
“Defensively it was a solid effort across the board,” said the coach. “Outside of maybe one breakdown in the secondary, we limited their passing game and that’s what they wanted to do. We’ll have to be tougher stopping the run, but I thought we did a pretty good job in the first half in every facet.”
Gillman also praised his special teams.
“Hunter did a tremendous job kicking and punting and kick coverage was good. We have a lot of kids on the cusp of contributing offensively and defensively, and they’re making the most of their (special teams) opportunities.”
The Trojans finally scored on their opening drive of the second half. Senior Caleb Clapp rushed in from 10 yards out. The two sides swapped punts as the third quarter ticked down. On FC’s next possession, Gillman was removed after some muscle cramps; Wyatt Bowling completed the New Castle opener for the second time in as many years. He had some early jitters, fumbling his first snap on a 4th-and-5 play, but running for a 4-yard TD in the game’s final minute to cap scoring.
The Connersville Spartans visit Wildcat Field Friday for the annual Water Keg game, fresh off a 26-20 win over Richmond.
“They want to run the ball,” said Gillman. “If we stop that, we win. I expect them to fly around defensively and try to stop our run. It should be a fun week.”
Wildcats 41, Trojans 14
NC - 0 0 7 7 - 14
FC - 14 20 0 7- 41
Scoring
First Quarter
FC - Dozier 32-yard pass from Gillman, 7:20. Weartz kick.
FC - Gillman 5-yard run, 1:35. Weartz kick.
Second Quarter
FC - Gillman 2-yard run, 7:17. Weartz kick.
FC - Seals 10-yard pass from Gillman, 1:19. Weartz kick.
FC - Kruthaupt 20-yard pass from Gillman, :6.4. Kick failed.
Third Quarter
NC - Clapp 10-yard run, 8:32. Owen Barrett kick.
Fourth Quarter
NC - Neil McMartin 34-yard pass from Bell, 9:06. Barrett kick.
FC - Bowling 4-yard run, :46.2. Weartz kick.
Rush yds - NC 55, FC
Pass yds - NC 147, FC
Total - NC 202, FC 444
1st downs - NC 8, FC 18
Penalties - NC 5-35, FC 5-40
Fumbles/lost - NC 0, FC 3/2
Stats: NC - Rushing: Clapp 13-63, Bell 3-(-7), Thrine 5-(-1). Passing: Bell 10-21-147. Receiving: Thrine 1-13, Braylen Bennett 1-15, Cade Logston 2-7, Clapp 1-5, McMartin 3-83, Alijah Turner 2-24. FC - Rushing: Gillman 13-74, Wewe 13-64, Bowling 3-17, Kerr 6-37, Dozier 2-27. Passing: Gillman 10-15-147. Receiving: Dozier 5-70, Kerr 1-28, Seals 2-10, Kruthaupt 2-29, Wewe 1-10. (Unofficial)