INDIANAPOLIS − Franklin Central upset Decatur Central, 41-23, to advance to the Class 6A sectional championships on Friday, Oct. 30.
“They’re a very good football team … They’re used to winning,” Franklin Central coach Jayson West said of Decatur Central (8-2). “So any time you get a win against a quality program, it feels pretty good.”
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Franklin Central (5-6) will face Warren Central (10-0) on Friday, Nov. 6
Franklin Central hopes to “shock the world” against unbeaten Warren Central, West said during the team’s postgame huddle.
But Franklin Central had to survive Decatur Central before looking ahead, and it did so with ease.
Junior quarterback Caiden Marsden was 13-of-19 passing for 233 yards and three touchdowns for Franklin Central, which has not been to a sectional final since 1993. Rian Frazier led the ground attack with 106 yards on 19 carries and two touchdowns.
Out the gate, Michigan commit Jayce Brewer got Franklin Central on the board at the nine-minute mark. Brewer had five receptions for 131 yards and two receiving touchdowns. He also scored a rushing touchdown.
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In the second quarter the pace picked up quickly.
Brewer scored on a 15-yard pass from Marsden for a 14-0 lead but Decatur senior Hunter Harvey, who scored twice, cut the lead to 14-7 on a 1-yard punch in.
Franklin Central ended the half with all the momentum after Frazier scored on a quick, 8-yard run up the middle for a 21-7 lead.
Going into halftime, Franklin Central had been in this position before, in Week 5 against Avon. The Flashes were up, 24-7, at half, but couldn’t close out the game, losing 34-27. This time though, the Flashes held their ground.
“I was proud of our kids,” West said. “We had a game earlier this year. We were up on Avon at half … and we came out real flat in the second half. So I’m glad they learned from a lesson. That’s football.”
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Sophomore Zac Lutz and Brewer scored in the third quarter as Franklin Central poured it, forging a 35-14 lead.
“We worked hard all year so it was really nothing new,” Brewer said. “We knew what we were expected to do and we went outside and did it.”
With five minutes left, Frazier put the game away, his second touchdown giving Franklin Central a 41-21 lead.
“[I saw] tunnel vision [and was] finding the seam,” Frazier said. “[I was] running through the holes, full speed.”
West realizes his team has work to do to pull off another upset.
“We got to clean that up [the mistakes], if we want [to] advance in this tournament or play against high-quality teams like Warren Central or whoever we’re going to see down the road,” he said. “You got to be clean. If not, you’re going to be out.”
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Franklin Central stuns Decatur Central in IHSAA 6A sectional semifinal
