Box Score
The Lions allowed 28 unanswered points in the first 20 minutes of the game on Saturday, but rebounded to make a game of it against Franklin College before falling by a 38-28 score. The Mount slips to 5-2 overall, 4-1 in the HCAC while the Grizzlies improve to 5-2, 5-0. The Lions return to action on Oct. 25 when they host 2014 Homecoming against Anderson University (2-4, 2-2).
Franklin came out firing on all cylinders against the Mount at Schueler Field, in a battle of the top two HCAC squads. The Grizzlies scored TDs on their first four possessions of the game, via two TDs passing and two TDs rushing the ball. Meanwhile, the Lions did not generate much offense of their own during the first half, turning possession of the ball over twice on punts, once on an interception and once on downs. The Mount was held to 70 yards of total offense in the first half.
The Lions got things turned around early in the third quarter, however, as they proceeded to cut the deficit in half, 28-14. Charles McCall (Miami, FL/Miami Norland) scored on a one-yard run at 10:58 of the quarter, and Greg Simpson (Cincinnati, OH/Sycamore) tossed a 24-yard scoring strike to Jay Roofener-DeMaria (Sacramento, CA/Rosemont). The Grizzlies would add to their lead, 31-14 thanks to a 27-yard field goal with just over 1 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter. Simpson would add two, fourth quarter TD throws, one to John Peters (West Chester, OH/Lakota West) and one to Leonard Riston (Cincinnati, OH/Withrow), to bring his team to within a 31-28 score, with just over six minutes left in the gamem, but Franklin would add a final score with 4:32 to play for the final margin. The Lions had the ball twice after Franklin's last TD, moving the ball just 19 yards on five plays in the first series to the Mount 44-yard line, before an interception. Franklin moved the ball down to the Lions' 20-yard line on their final possession, turning the ball over on downs after a fourth down play. The Mount ran two final plays, moving to their 34-yard line as time expired, ending their four-game winning streak.
The Mount out-gained Franklin, 449-429 in total offense, but the Grizzlies controlled the clock by a 2 to 1 margin. Franklin finished 10-of-16 on third down, to the Lions' three-of-10 on third down.
Simpson completed 21-of-30 passes for 355 yards, with three TDs and an interception, as Peters and Ronnell Colbert (Louisville, KY/Doss) each had 105 yards receiving. Colbert hauled in a game-high eight receptions. Simpson also ran for 46 yards. Robert Grogan (Cincinnati, OH/Elder) recorded a game-high 11 tackles, while Jermaine Drake (Cleveland, OH/BRush) added eight stops. The Mount had two sacks.
