FRANKLIN, Indiana - The MSJ football team hit the road on Saturday heading to take on HCAC foe Franklin. The Lions scored late to avoid the upset bid by the Grizzlies, moving to 6-2 on the season and 4-0 in the HCAC keeping them atop the league for another week.
This game was in doubt until the final seconds as the teams battled back and forth the whole way and scored a combined 89 points. The Lions led 40-28 with just over 4 mintutes to play, the Grizzlies scored on a 40-yard touchdown pass to draw within 5. They then scored a touchdown on the ensuing kickoff to take the 43-40 lead with just 2:13 to play in the game.
When the Lions got the ball back
Tyler Prather was looking to lead his first 4th quarter game winning drive of the season. The first play of the drive was a huge one, as Prather found
Eli Aston for a 41-yard gain. It was a record breaking connection as it pushed Aston to 1,103 yards on the season, which broke a 20-year old MSJ record for single season receiving yards. The previous record of 1,101 was held by MSJ Hall of Famer Andy Wellendorf. On the next play Prather unsuccessfully tried to find
Ari Turner in the endzone but a pass interference call moved the Lions to the Franklin 34-yard line with just under 2:00 to play. At that point the Lions slowed the tempo and began to run the football, Prather carried for 8-yards and
Jackson Gifford did the rest. The senior carried the ball on the next three plays eventually scoring from 2-yards out and 37 seconds on the clock.
Franklin would move into Lions territory but a Hail Mary as time expired fell to the ground to secure the win for the Lions.
Prather who came into the game second in the nation in passing yards was 27 of 43 passing for a career-high 467 yards and 3 touchdowns. Aston came into the game the nations leading receiver and hauled in 9 passes for 183 yards and a score, while
Kadin Pollard added 10 catches for 162 yards and 2 touchdowns. Gifford had his second 100 yard game in a row, with 24 carries for 140 yards and 3 touchdowns.
Defensively the Lions picked off three Franklin passes,
Luke Paff secured his third in the last two games,
Evan Schlensker and
Luke Fortkamp each had one as well. Schlensker added a sack, a team-high 8 tackles (7 solo) and 2 TFLs.
UP NEXT: The Lions will have a bye week next weekend before finishing up their season with a road game at Manchester on November 9th and a home game vs. Rose-Hulman on November 16th.
