GREENSBURG – The rain was coming down in sheets at times Friday night, thanks to traces of Hurricane Helene, but it wasn’t nearly enough to deter the Franklin County Wildcats from hanging a 17th-straight loss on the Greensburg Pirates.

FC (3-3, 1-1) scored a touchdown on each first-half possession to go into the break up 28-0 and the Bucs averted a shutout with a pick-six on the Cats’ opening drive of the second half. Final score was 36-7.

Both sides understandably stuck to the run game on the wet Shriver Field turf, but that’s where the similarities ended. Aside from a couple decent gains, Greensburg was very predictable with its handoffs and the Wildcat defense quickly stifled much progress. At the other end, quarterback Quinn Gillman and his backfield mates tore off big run after big run to get the large three-score lead.

It started on the very first plays from scrimmage, Gillman picking up 28 and 21 yards, respectively. A play later he was going in from the 15-yard line for a 6-0 lead.

Special teams opted to try an onside kick that set the Pirates up in plus territory. They couldn’t capitalize, going backward seven yards and then regressing further back when a snap cleared the punter’s hands. FC took over just 21 yards from the end zone.

On 2nd-and-8 a sweep play to Carter Dozier sprung the junior for a 19-yard TD and he rushed in for the 2-point conversion to make it 14-0. Greensburg netted negative yards again, this time getting off a punt. Thanks to a decent return by Braylon Kruthaupt and an unsportsmanlike call on the hosts, FC started at the Bucs’ 34. Gillman later converted a 4th-and-11 and Mason Wewe did the rest with a 7-yard gain and 16-yard score.

The Pirates finally put together some positive yardage early in the second period, relying heavily on junior tailback Austin Cruz to eat some clock. Soon, however, the FC defense forced a turnover on downs at its own 35. 

A holding call negated a long Gillman run but Wewe promptly broke off a 61-yard dash. Dozier reversed field for 10 yards and 1st-and-goal inside the 5. From the 7 after a procedure penalty, Gillman hit Kruthaupt for FC’s fourth TD; the former ran in the 2-pointer. The hosts again had measured success on their next drive, but a sack ended the half.

FC was called for roughing the kicker early in the second half to prolong a Pirate drive. Greensburg responded by losing six yards on the next series. On a 3rd-down play for FC, Gillman’s pass was swatted in the air and returned for a TD by Owen Best. The Cats also turned the ball over via fumble late in the third.

The Bucs returned the favor in the fourth, fumbling the ball away inside the red zone and committing unsportsmanlike conduct to boot. FC followed with a 79-yard, 8-play drive that saw Dozier sweep in from five yards out; Kayden Kerr ran in the conversion.

Gillman rushed for 223 yards and Cruz 127 on the night. Lane Westerman led the FC defense with 11 tackles including a sack and forced fumble. Blake Stephenson had a sack and fumble recovery.

It’s homecoming week in Brookville as 4-2 South Dearborn visits Friday, 7 p.m. FC looks to give itself a chance at sharing the EIAC small-school crown, depending on later outcomes this fall.

Wildcats 36, Pirates 7

FC – 20 8 0 8 – 36

G – 0 0 7 0 – 7

Scoring

First Quarter

FC – Gillman 15-yard run, 10:25. Run failed.

FC – Dozier 19-yard pass from Gillman, 7:02. Dozier run.

FC – Wewe 16-yard run, 1:31. Run failed.

Second Quarter

FC – Kruthaupt 7-yard pass from Gillman, 2:38. Gillman run.

Third Quarter

G – Best 21-yard interception return, 4:54. Jacoby Miller kick.

Fourth Quarter

FC – Dozier 5-yard pass from Gillman, 4:58. Kerr run.

Total yds-FC 369, G 141

Rush yds-FC 336, G 128

Pass yds-FC 33, G 13

Stats: FC-Rushing: Gillman 16-223, Wewe 4-85, Dozier 1-10, Wyatt Bowling 1-8, Parker Gillman 2-8, Kerr 5-2. Passing: Gillman 4-5-33 (INT). Receiving: Kruthaupt 2-9, Dozier 2-24. G-Rushing: Best 4-6, Bryson Abplanalp 3-(-3), Carson Kilgore 2-(-2), Cruz 34-127. Passing: Abplanalp 1-3-13. Receiving: Kilgore 1-13. (From MaxPreps)