Franklin returns to lead Buchanan to 35-18 win over Dowagiac

Published 10:08 am Saturday, October 19, 2024

By Max Harden

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DOWAGIAC — Quarterback Jake Franklin made his presence known early and often in his return to action Friday against Dowagiac.

The Buchanan senior returned from injury to complete 18 of 31 passes for 262 yards and two touchdown passes – including a 60-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Baker on the game’s first play – to help lift the Bucks to an important 35-18 win over host Dowagiac on Senior Night. 

“We’ve been practicing all week and we ran that play multiple times,” Franklin said. “I knew my receiver Tyler Baker could make the grab. I’m putting it up there and I know he will catch and score, so it was a great feeling when he entered the end zone.”

Franklin had been sidelined since suffering a collarbone injury Sept. 20 against Benton Harbor.

“We kept that under the radar,” said Buchanan Coach Mark Frey. “He got cleared two weeks ago to throw and then got cleared (to play) yesterday, so we said ‘let’s go.’”

“My collarbone is feeling well, so why not try to get a release (from the doctor) to play in a game like this,” Franklin said. “When I got the release, I was so happy. I almost hugged the doctor.”

Buchanan ran 47 total plays compared to Dowagiac’s 48, with the Bucks out gaining the Chieftains 338-241. The Bucks had a 262-89 advantage in passing yards while the Chieftains had the edge on the ground 152-73. The Bucks tallied eight penalties for 35 yards and the Chieftains five for 65. 

“We took steps back in maturity level tonight,” said Dowagiac Coach Duane Davis. “We were not the team that we coached during the summer. We were a little more selfish tonight and I didn’t enjoy that. We gotta start thinking about the football team better.”

Dowagiac quarterback Isiaiah Fitchett completed 3 of 5 passes for 89 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Jamal Williams caught two touchdown passes and Kaleb Smith notched a 41-yard touchdown run. 

Tompkins had nine carries for 37 yards and two touchdown runs and Baker had four catches for 109 yards and one touchdown while Reed added six catches for 71 yards and a score. On defense, Owen Thompson led the team with 12 tackles, Baker had 10 tackles and one sack,  Ethan Frame had two sacks, Lucas Zeiger had one sack and Reed added eight tackles and the pick-six.

“I feel like (Reed) was everywhere, and then he also made a good defensive play too,” Franklin said. “Brody’s an animal on both sides of the ball and I can go to him whenever I need him. Great hands, great size and they’re gonna have two more years of him, and I don’t think they’re gonna be happy.”

Adding to the game’s fanfare was Friday Football Tailgate, a pre-game show dedicated to high school football rivalries and big matchups that gives viewers an experience similar to that of College Gameday. Hundreds of Dowagiac and Buchanan fans turned out before the game to participate in the experience.

“Both crowds were amazing,” Franklin said. “We had people along the fences. It’s a game I’ll never forget, especially with the scenario we’re in. It was a great game and the victory makes it even better.”

“I think we dug into this way too much,” Davis said. “I said it last week against Berrien Springs because it turned out to be a Game of The Week and that’s all (the players) talked about. They didn’t talk about the football game and we focused on the wrong things at the wrong time, to be honest. We need to start focusing on football and not the rest of it.”

The Bucks got the ball back after Smith’s touchdown run and found the end zone via a 10-yard pass from Franklin to Brody Reed to go up 14-6 at the end of the 1st.

The Chieftains were driving the ball looking to even the score when Reed intercepted an Isaiah Fitchett pass and returned it 50 yards for a touchdown to put the Bucks up 22-6. 

“I think that was a huge catalyst,” Frey said. “I think they had a lot of momentum, a lot of big crowd plays and then all of a sudden when that happened, it got quiet out here. We’re really proud of him for that.”

The Chieftains were able to respond just before halftime with a scoring drive capped by a 14-yard touchdown pass from Fitchett to Williams to trim Buchanan’s lead to 22-12 at the break.

Buchanan received the ball coming out of halftime and made the most of it as Gabe Tompkins punched in a four-yard touchdown run to put the Bucks up 29-12. Buchanan recovered its onside kick attempt as it aimed to put the game away for good but the Dowagiac defense was able to hold.

Following a missed field goal attempt from Buchanan, the Chieftains embarked on a 5:55 scoring drive that saw Fitchett find Williams again for a 21-yard touchdown strike to make it a 29-18 game with 11:54 left in the game. After recovering a Buchanan fumble, the Chieftains were called for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. Looking for a big play on offense, Fitchett handed the ball off to LaMone Moore Jr. for a halfback pass attempt that was intercepted by Tompkins at the Dowagiac 12-yard line, sealing the win for the Bucks. Tompkins would find the end zone a few plays later for the game’s final points.

“We really emphasized this week bending and not breaking,” Frey said. “We knew they could score a lot of points so we really said buckle down and fight hard.”

Franklin’s poise in the pocket allowed him to find open receivers on short, intermediate and deep throws. Seven different Bucks caught a pass in the game.

“He’s a phenomenal player, he’s worked so hard for this,” Frey said. “I’m just so glad he was able to get back and lead us to another victory.”

Buchanan (5-3, 4-1) will face Union City next week as it aims to keep its postseason hopes alive.

“We’re gonna have to put it together next week and hopefully sneak in again,” Frey said.

The Chieftains have lost two straight after a four-game win streak. Davis aims to get his team back to playing “old school Dowagiac football.”

“It’s going to be a benefit because we gotta get back to old school us and we’re going to find that old school us again and that’s going to happen next week,” he said. “There’s gonna be a different tempo to practice and they’re either going to accept it or they’re not.”

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