Franklin earned its first state title a year ago in a 49-35 win over Gunter in the 3A Division II State Title Game. That night was one for the record brooks as Franklin broke a state title game record with 523 rushing yards.
And despite moving up a division this year, the Lions didn’t miss a beat as they ran the table to earn the chance to take on Brock in the 3A Division I State Championship on Thursday night at AT&T Stadium.
Across the field from Franklin, the Eagles have plenty of motivation heading into this game after falling 35-18 to Lorena in last year’s 3A Division I State Title Game. They’re seeking to add to their lone state championship they earned back in 2015 in a victory over Cameron Yoe.
Here’s what to watch for on Thursday night at 7:00 in the 3A Division I State Title Game.
Franklin Lions (15-0)
Head Coach: Mark Fannin (3rd season; 43-3)
Distance to AT&T Stadium: 164 miles
2022 Playoff Results
Bi-District: W 33-7 vs. Hallettsville
Area: W 32-7 vs. Anahuac
Regional Semifinals: W 53-18 vs. Hitchcock
Regional Final: W 24-21 vs. Columbus
State Semifinals W 41-13 vs. Edna
Key Players and Storylines
Franklin has put up gaudy number on the ground all year long as the Lions average over 45 points per game in their slot-T offense.
The key cog for the Lions offensively is Baylor commit Bryson Washington. He’s rushed for 2,032 yards and 30 touchdowns this year and also plays in the secondary for the Lions.
Against Columbus, he scored the game-winning seven-yard touchdown on fourth and goal to keep the Lions alive in the playoffs.
Franklin head coach Mark Fannin said that Washington is the type of player you want to root for both on and off the field.
“Bryson is an incredibly talented football player,” Fannin said. “There are not many players that possess the size, speed, and physicality he does but what makes Bryson so special is the person he is off the field. He is a one-of-a-kind human being that has tremendous leadership skills and has the respect of every single person in the locker room, school building and community because of the way he carries himself.”
But don’t be confused, it’s not a one-man show for the Lions.
Talented sophomore running back Jayden Jackson has continued to produce this year after winning his district’s Offensive Newcomer of the Year a year ago as freshmen. Just last week against Edna, he rushed for 124 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries.
Quarterback Cort Lowry has also proved he can be relied upon when needed as he threw for 110 yards and two touchdowns last week against Edna.
Defensively, alongside Washington in the secondary, junior safety Devyn Hidrogo will be another playmaker to watch as he has already picked up an offer from Iowa State.
Brock Eagles (11-4)
Head Coach: Billy Mathis (2nd season; 26-4)
Distance to AT&T Stadium: 56 miles
2022 Playoff Results
Bi-District: W 48-0 vs. Iowa Park
Area: W 57-20 vs. Muleshoe
Regional Semifinals: W 51-27 vs. Bushland
Regional Finals: W 30-19 vs. Whitesboro
State Semifinals W 21-10 vs. Malakoff
Key Players and Storylines
It has been a roller coaster of a year for Brock.
Brock head coach Billy Mathis said he remembers putting together a non-district schedule that he believed would challenge his team and prepare them for district play.
Brock’s gauntlet of a non-district schedule included 4A Division II state finalist Wimberley and 3A Division II state finalist Gunter. Despite that tough schedule, Mathis was confident in his team as the Eagles were coming off an appearance in the state title game a year ago.
But to his surprise, the Eagles started the season 0-4.
“We had serious growing pains early,” Mathis said. “We were not blocking consistently on the offensive line, and we just were trying to win the game on every play. We were not handling tough situations very well [either]. It seemed like when something went bad, it turned into a tidal wave of mistakes. We could not overcome those mistakes early.”
But after Brock squeaked out a tight victory against Whitesboro back in week seven, things started to turn the corner in Eagle country.
That same resiliency showed up in the regional semifinals as the Eagles turned an early 20-7 deficit to Bushland in the regional semifinals into a 51-27 victory. In the regional final, the Eagles overcame a 12-7 halftime deficit to knock off Whitesboro for the second time this season.
As Mathis mentioned, there are some familiar faces back for the Eagles helping to lead the way. At quarterback, Brock has Tyler Moody back for his second state championship start. The senior quarterback has thrown for 2,409 yards and 27 touchdowns this year, although he does have 11 interceptions. He’s also added 468 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground.
Out at receiver, Carson Finney (709 receiving yards) and Jhett Jones (513 receiving yards) are two players to watch after both went over 100 yards against Whitesboro.
In addition to Moody, the Eagles showed off their two-dimensional offense against Malakoff as they relied heavily on their ground game. Reid Watkins rushed for 137 yards and two scores, while Brett Tutter pitched in with 71 yards of his own.
Defensively, Finney has a knack for the ball as well with six interceptions on the year.
In the front seven, Cooper Massey (65.5 total tackles), Luke Cearley (62 total tackles), and Zachary Brewster (47.5 total tackles) will all need to be at their best in order to slow down Franklin’s dynamic ground game.
Final Thoughts
Brock has certainly proven its ability to battle through adversity this season.
The Eagles are peaking at the right time after securing 11-straight victories to book another ticket in the title game.
Mathis said his team is unified and ready to face whatever Thursday night throws at them.
“The key to our team’s success is the love and respect the boys have for each other and this football program. The guys never pointed fingers to blame anyone for the losses, and they never stopped believing in the process,” Mathis said. “We became a more resilient and humble team after those losses early, and without those losses, I don’t know if we would be where we are today. “
One thing the Eagles will need to do on Thursday is find a way to stop Bryson Washington.
If Brock can’t find a way to slow down the Lions’ slot-T offense, Franklin very well may run its way to its second-straight state title.
However, with the perseverance Brock has shown all year long, expect this game to go down to the wire no matter what Franklin throws at the Eagles.
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