Friday’s game
What: Bellbrook (2-4, 1-2 SWBL Southwestern) at Franklin (4-2, 2-0 SWBL Southwestern), 7 p.m.
Where: Veterans Memorial Field at Atrium Stadium, 301 E. Sixth St., Franklin
Last meeting: Bellbrook won 6-0 in 2014
Franklin High School’s football team is quietly grinding toward its goals.
The Wildcats have won three straight tight games after a 1-2 start, leaving them unbeaten in Southwestern Buckeye League Southwestern Division play and contenders in the Division III, Region 10 playoff chase.
“We’re always competitors,” sophomore inside linebacker Payton Standifer said. “I like to think of Franklin football players as the hardest-hitting guys out on the field.
“I’m really proud of the team and the way we’ve played. I think we’ve stepped up since last year. We’ve had some really up-tempo practices. The coaches are always on us, forcing us to do our best, and we’re giving it our all.”
Franklin (2-0) and Brookville (3-0) are the only Southwestern Division squads without a loss. They were voted fourth and sixth, respectively, in the preseason coaches poll.
The Wildcats will host Bellbrook for homecoming on Friday.
“I always felt like we had good players. We’re just so young,” Franklin coach Brad Childers said. “Each week, each day, we’re focusing on the details. That’s kind of been our motto the last couple weeks. Attention to detail, ATD.
“We’re trying to win that moment and not worry about anything else. If we can just stop shooting ourselves in the foot at times and take care of the football and minimize some of our penalties, I really feel like our success can continue. We’re going to keep fighting the good fight every day.”
Defense has been the constant for the Wildcats. They posted a 14-0 road win over Waynesville last Friday, their first shutout since blanking Bellbrook (39-0) in Week 5 of 2013.
Standifer leads the team with 77 total tackles, followed by senior outside linebacker Jordan Mullins (59) and senior inside linebacker Sam Hauser (56), who has two interceptions and two fumble recoveries. Freshman outside linebacker Matt Centers has 40 tackles and four sacks.
Last weekend represented the initial shutout for Franklin, which has 15 takeaways in 2015, under new defensive coordinator Frank Russell. The goose egg earned the Wildcats some Saturday doughnuts.
“Man, the defense was just lights out against Waynesville,” Childers said. “They were flying to the football and making play after play after play.”
The 5-foot-10, 179-pound Standifer was a key player as a freshman. He accumulated nearly 100 tackles last season and is averaging about 13 per game this year.
“I just go out there and go crazy,” Standifer said. “My goals were to lead the league in tackles and be a leader of the team, lead by example. I had to earn my spot last year in practice. You have to show that you can hang with the big boys.”
The Wildcats’ offense has taken more time to develop.
Sophomore Ryan Montgomery was switched from running back to quarterback in Week 5 and has completed 12 of 23 passes for 273 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for a team-high 393 yards and four TDs on 82 carries. Junior quarterback Noah Kremer moved outside and is now Franklin’s top receiver (five catches, 138 yards, one TD).
Junior Bailee Moore (57 carries, 313 yards, two TDs) and senior Brandon Young (45 carries, 210 yards, one TD) are among the leading rushers in a balanced attack. Standifer (22 carries, 108 yards, one TD) is contributing as well.
“We’re going to go with whatever’s working that night,” Childers said. “We’ve made a couple changes on the offensive line, we’ve made a couple changes in the skill positions. We think putting Ryan at quarterback adds another dimension to the offense. We feel like we can run or throw it from that position.”
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