FRANKLIN -
Junior quarterback Nick Purichia (Indianapolis, Ind./Cardinal Ritter H.S.) and the Grizzlies took advantage of penalties costly to visiting football foe Trine and rallied to edge the Thunder 30-29 at Faught Stadium today.
Franklin College fought back from a 13-point third quarter deficit to improve to 2-1 overall while Trine, ranked 22nd this week in the D3football.com Top 25 poll, dropped to 2-1 and saw its 14-game winning streak in regular season contests end.
Purichia hit senior split end Adam Mellencamp (Freetown, Ind./Brownstown Central H.S.) on a game-winning 13-yard touchdown strike with 2:25 left shortly after the Thunder gave FC a first down with an encroachment penalty on fourth-down at the Trine 22-yard-line.
The Grizzlies then stopped Trine's would-be go-ahead scoring drive cold and took over on downs at the Thunder 45 with 1:32 left. FC was able to run out the clock with the help of an encroachment penalty committed by the Trine defense.
Earlier in the final quarter, the Thunder held a 23-17 and had a chance to add some cushion. But a holding penalty doomed the visitors' scoring threat after they reached the FC 22. Franklin then drove 82 yards and capped its march with a 9-yard TD run by Purichia to take a 24-23 lead.
Trine then answered with a 79-yard drive, highlighted by a 24-yard TD rush by elusive quarterback Eric Watt, to take a 29-24 lead. However, Watt's pass attempt on a two-point conversion try was foiled.
Franklin opened up the scoring with 5:07 left in the first quarter on a 27-yard field goal by kicker Machy Magdalinos (Indianapolis, Ind./Warren Central H.S.) after the senior missed his first try from 37 yards away four minutes earlier.
The Thunder responded with touchdown passes by Watt to Paul Curtis -- the first on a 28-yard play late in the opening period and the second on a 17-yarder with 2:13 remaining in the second quarter. The Grizzlies clawed back with a key touchdown just before halftime when sophomore running back Nick Mongan (Greenwood, Ind./Center Grove H.S.) scored on a pitch play from 1 yard out with 20 seconds to go.
Trine then went up 16-10 with a 32-yard field goal by Jeremy Howard and upped its advantage to 23-10 when Watt hit Cody Nash-Kniffen with a 21-yard touchdown strike - both scores coming in the third period.
But Franklin pulled to within six points when Purichia hit junior wingback Ryan Momberger (Franklin, Ind./Frankfort H.S.) on a 15-yard scoring toss just before the third quarter ended.
Purichia completed 14 of 18 passes for 173 yards and two touchdowns and rushed 10 times for 32 yards and a score. Starting quarterback Kyle Ray (Trafalgar, Ind./Indian Creek H.S.) completed 19 of 38 passes for 162 yards before being shaken up in the third period. Sophomore Mitch Deffner (Greenwood, Ind./Center Grove H.S.) made 11 receptions for 83 yards, Momberger had six catches for 79 yards and a TD, and Mellencamp made five receptions for 94 yards and a score.
For Trine, Watt completed 27 of 39 passes for 233 yards and three TDs with one interception he threw in FC's end zone early in the second quarter. He also led all rushers with 120 net yards and one TD on 17 carries. Curtis was the visitors' top receiver with seven catches for 106 yards and two touchdowns. Trine outgained FC in total offensive yards 463-431.
On defense, Franklin was led by senior safety Jesse Mercer (Franklin, Ind./H.S.), who had 10 total tackles, including nine solo stops, and the Grizzlies' lone interception. Senior linebacker Joe Rush (Speedway, Ind./H.S.), junior linebacker Nick Cochran (Plainfield, Ind./H.S.) and senior safety Matt Gore (Boonville, Ind./H.S.) made seven total tackles each.
Franklin College fought back from a 13-point third quarter deficit to improve to 2-1 overall while Trine, ranked 22nd this week in the D3football.com Top 25 poll, dropped to 2-1 and saw its 14-game winning streak in regular season contests end.
Purichia hit senior split end Adam Mellencamp (Freetown, Ind./Brownstown Central H.S.) on a game-winning 13-yard touchdown strike with 2:25 left shortly after the Thunder gave FC a first down with an encroachment penalty on fourth-down at the Trine 22-yard-line.
The Grizzlies then stopped Trine's would-be go-ahead scoring drive cold and took over on downs at the Thunder 45 with 1:32 left. FC was able to run out the clock with the help of an encroachment penalty committed by the Trine defense.
Earlier in the final quarter, the Thunder held a 23-17 and had a chance to add some cushion. But a holding penalty doomed the visitors' scoring threat after they reached the FC 22. Franklin then drove 82 yards and capped its march with a 9-yard TD run by Purichia to take a 24-23 lead.
Trine then answered with a 79-yard drive, highlighted by a 24-yard TD rush by elusive quarterback Eric Watt, to take a 29-24 lead. However, Watt's pass attempt on a two-point conversion try was foiled.
Franklin opened up the scoring with 5:07 left in the first quarter on a 27-yard field goal by kicker Machy Magdalinos (Indianapolis, Ind./Warren Central H.S.) after the senior missed his first try from 37 yards away four minutes earlier.
The Thunder responded with touchdown passes by Watt to Paul Curtis -- the first on a 28-yard play late in the opening period and the second on a 17-yarder with 2:13 remaining in the second quarter. The Grizzlies clawed back with a key touchdown just before halftime when sophomore running back Nick Mongan (Greenwood, Ind./Center Grove H.S.) scored on a pitch play from 1 yard out with 20 seconds to go.
Trine then went up 16-10 with a 32-yard field goal by Jeremy Howard and upped its advantage to 23-10 when Watt hit Cody Nash-Kniffen with a 21-yard touchdown strike - both scores coming in the third period.
But Franklin pulled to within six points when Purichia hit junior wingback Ryan Momberger (Franklin, Ind./Frankfort H.S.) on a 15-yard scoring toss just before the third quarter ended.
Purichia completed 14 of 18 passes for 173 yards and two touchdowns and rushed 10 times for 32 yards and a score. Starting quarterback Kyle Ray (Trafalgar, Ind./Indian Creek H.S.) completed 19 of 38 passes for 162 yards before being shaken up in the third period. Sophomore Mitch Deffner (Greenwood, Ind./Center Grove H.S.) made 11 receptions for 83 yards, Momberger had six catches for 79 yards and a TD, and Mellencamp made five receptions for 94 yards and a score.
For Trine, Watt completed 27 of 39 passes for 233 yards and three TDs with one interception he threw in FC's end zone early in the second quarter. He also led all rushers with 120 net yards and one TD on 17 carries. Curtis was the visitors' top receiver with seven catches for 106 yards and two touchdowns. Trine outgained FC in total offensive yards 463-431.
On defense, Franklin was led by senior safety Jesse Mercer (Franklin, Ind./H.S.), who had 10 total tackles, including nine solo stops, and the Grizzlies' lone interception. Senior linebacker Joe Rush (Speedway, Ind./H.S.), junior linebacker Nick Cochran (Plainfield, Ind./H.S.) and senior safety Matt Gore (Boonville, Ind./H.S.) made seven total tackles each.
