Asher Ratliff
Franklin Central outscored Columbus North 21-0 over the final 6:02 Friday night to rally for a 42-35 win in the opening round of the sectional.
It was heartbreak once again for the Bull Dogs after losing late to the Flashes in the sectional semifinals last year. The teams were tied at 35-35 after North punted with 2:11 left in the game, Franklin Central got the back in Bull Dog territory. The ball got down to about the 18-yard line with Franklin Central facing a third down. Quarterback Connor Moreland found receiver Markell Bailey for the go-ahead touchdown with 15.9 seconds left.
North came out and ready to play at the opening kickoff. The Bull Dogs led 14-0 before the Flashes ran an offensive play.
North took the opening kickoff and patiently controlled the clock and marched down the field. The drive ended when quarterback Asher Ratliff found Hunter Koharchick for a 3-yard touchdown to lead 7-0 with 4:46 left in the first quarter after the extra point from Cole Stevens was good.
The special teams of North made a big play on the ensuing kickoff. A short kick that was scooped up by Franklin Central eventually popped out and the Bull Dogs recovered. North took advantage of the short field and eventually scored on a Ratliff 12-yard pass to Jacob Rice for a touchdown to lead 14-0 with 2:28 left in the opening quarter.
The Flashes finally had their first offensive possession, and they wasted no time marching down the field. A big play near the end of the quarter gave them a goal-to-go situation. Quarterback Moreland found Bailey for a 7-yard touchdown to cut the deficit in half 14-7.
After the Bull Dogs turned it over on downs on the ensuing possession, Franklin Central converted on another big play when Moreland found Bailey for a 52-yard pass. A pass interference by North put the Flashes in another goal-to-go situation, and Nathan Sparks ran it in for a 3-yard touchdown to tie the game at 14-14 with 7:57 left in the second quarter.
Later in the second quarter, the Bull Dogs drove down the field and later converted on a Ratliff 3-yard run for a touchdown, but the extra point kick was blocked with North leading 20-14. After Franklin Central punted on the ensuing possession, the Bull Dogs only need one play when Ratliff ran for a 39-yard quarterback draw to lead 27-14 with 1:30 remaining in the half.
It only took 15 seconds for the Flashes to respond when Sparks ran down the left side of the field and eventually took it to the end zone for the 87-yard kickoff return for a touchdown to make it 27-21 at the half.
North added to lead late in the third quarter when Cohen Long caught a 6-yard pass from Ratliff. After a high snap on the extra point try, Long picked it up and won the foot race to the pylon for the 2-point conversion and 35-21 lead.
Franklin Central didn’t have much offense going until the fourth quarter. The Flashes slowly moved down the field and took up a lot of clock, but eventually scored when Bailey caught a 1-yard touchdown pass from Moreland on fourth-and-goal to cut it to 35-28 with 6:02 left in the game.
Franklin Central forced a three-and-out and tied the game with 3:17 remaining when Sparks ran it in for a 3-yard touchdown. The Flashes then forced another three-and-out, setting up the final sequence.
Ratliff finished 19 of 31 for 147 yards and three touchdowns passing and led the Bull Dogs with 24 carries for 136 yards and two scores rushing. Charlie Parsons caught two passes for 58 yards.
Franklin Central 42, Columbus North 35
Columbus North;14;13;8;0;—;35
Franklin Central;0;21;0;21;—;42
CN—Hunter Koharchik 3 pass from Asher Ratliff (Cole Stevens kick).
CN—Jacob Rice 12 pass from Ratliff (Stevens kick).
FC—Markell Bailey 7 pass from Connor Moreland (Malachi Hasseld kick).
FC—Nathan Sparks 3 run (Hasseld kick).
CN—Ratliff 3 run (kick blocked).
CN—Ratliff 39 run (Charlie Parsons kick).
FC—Sparks 87 kickoff return (Hasseld kick).
CN—Cohen Long 6 pass from Ratliff (Long run).
FC—Bailey 1 pass from Moreland (Hasseld kick).
FC—Sparks 3 run (Hasseld kick).
FC—Bailey 18 pass from Moreland (Hasseld kick).
Individual statistics
RUSHING — Columbus North: Ratliff 24-136, Sam Perry 10-39, Long 1-3, Max Wilson 1-(-1). Franklin Central: Sparks 15-39, Hudson Moritz 7-17, Moreland 7-7.
PASSING — Columbus North: Ratliff 19 for 31, 147 yards, 3 touchdowns, 1 interception. Franklin Central: Moreland 14-30-209-3-0.
RECEIVING — Columbus North: Charlie Parsons 2-58, Rice 5-25, Koharchik 3-24, Long 6-20, Jerry Likens 1-15, Joey Stockey 1-7, Perry 1-(-2). Franklin Central: Bailey 7-146, Sparks 1-26, Drelan Vaden 3-16, Jayce Brewer 1-8, Jayvyn McKinley 1-7, Moritz 1-6.
