Canton Observer

Win puts Canton in division driver's seat

BY BRAD EMONS
STAFF WRITER

Canton's football team maintained its perfect record, but not without some anxious moments courtesy of defending Western Lakes Activities Association champion Livonia Franklin.

The Chiefs used the big play to carve out a hard-fought 23-19 victory Friday over visiting Patriots on a misty night at Centennial Educational Park.

With the win, the state-ranked Chiefs improve to 5-0 overall and 3-0 in the Western Division of the WLAA.

Franklin dropped to 3-2 overall and 2-1 in the division.

Canton rolled up 382 yards in total offense, 346 coming on the ground.

"We had a lot of yards, but not a lot of points,'' Canton coach Tim Baechler said. "They (Franklin) are a great team . . . very good. A Wing-T team is not hard to defense, but when you can throw the ball the way they can, it's tough. I got tired watching our defensive backs chase people.''

Franklin tacklers, meanwhile, had a hard time pinning down senior Deshon McClendon, who led the Chiefs with 160 yards rushing on 18 carries, including 40-yard touchdown run in the second quarter and a 75-yard jaunt in the third period.

"Our focus going is that we felt we had to take their number one player, (Deshon) McClendon, away,'' Franklin coach Chris Kelbert said. "They really broke two big plays and that was the story of the game.''

Antwaun Hawkins added 85 yards on 10 carries, including a 59-yard TD with 10 minutes left in the first period to stake the Chiefs to a 7-0 lead.

But after Hawkins' score, the Patriots came right back on an 87-yard kickoff return by Israel Woolfork. The lanky 6-foot-5 junior took a reverse lateral pitch from Cole Kelly after momentarily bobbling the ball.

The Patriots then took a 13-7 lead with 7:51 left in the second quarter thanks to a 41-yard burst up the middle by sophomore fullback David Fortin, but the extra point attempt was blocked.

Canton answered with McClendon's 40-yard TD burst with 4:09 remaining in the half to take a 14-13 advantage (following Colin O'Shaunessy's second straight extra point).

Franklin then missed the first of its two field goal tries from 42 yards out after driving down to the Canton 25 with 29 seconds left.

In the second half, Franklin took its first possession and drove down to the Canton 13, only to come up empty on a 30-yard field goal try.

Canton then responded with a six-play, 80-yard drive which was capped by a bizarre play when Hawkins burst into the Franklin secondary, only to fumble and have it picked up by teammate Williams Turner, who went the final 18 yards for the score with 5:28 to go in the third quarter.

Canton then appeared to have the game put away, only to be rebuffed on fourth-and-inches when quarterback Steve Paye was stopped at the goal line on the first play of the final quarter.

"The quarterback sneak was a stupid call on my part,'' Baechler. "I could just kick myself. I know Steve (Paye) is a big, strong guy, but that wasn't the right play.''

The Chiefs, however, did not come up completely empty, sacking Franklin quarterback Jesse Carpenter in the end zone for a two-point safety to make it 23-13 with 11:47 to go.

It remained a 10-point cushion for the Chiefs until late in the fourth quarter when Carpenter hit Sean Sciba with an 11-yard pass -- a play McClendon was injured on trying to make a tackle -- followed by Kelly's 33-yard halfback pass to Dan Chynoweth.

Franklin then scored on fourth-and-5 with 2:51 to play when Sciba, in for the injured Carpenter, hurled a 21-yard scoring pass to Chynoweth, who led all receivers with five catches for 115 yards.

The Patriots, though, muffed their second extra point of the night and were forced to try an onside kick, which didn't go the required 10 yards and Canton taking over at the Franklin 46.

With Paye going down earlier with a sprained knee, backup quarterback Adam Powers was inserted into the lineup and the Chiefs clinched the win by getting a critical first down on fourth-and-two with only 1:07 to go on a 4-yard run by Chris Bogdanski.

Franklin was limited to 111 yards on the ground and 137 yards passing (9-of-20). The Patriots also had three critical drops, including a sure TD in the second period, while missing four kicks.

"It's their size, did you see how big they are?,'' Kelbert said. "They shut down our inside game. But more than offense, it's their defense that has made them great teams. They suffocate you, especially when you're behind, and that's when they really make it uncomfortable for you.''

Originally published September 24, 2006