The Franklin College football team remained unbeaten in Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference play with a Manchester 42-0 win Saturday against visiting Manchester.
With the victory, Franklin improved to 3-0 in the HCAC and 3-2 overall.
Franklin got a huge offensive lift from sophomore quarterback Chase Burton, who completed completed 28 of 44 for 413 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for 39 yards and two touchdowns on 10 carries.
“The game’s really starting to slow down. The more and more I play, the easier the (shot) gun gets,” Burton said. “Credit is due all across the board on offense. We’ve got a great O-line with three seniors, and they protect all day.
“Receivers are great. Just get the ball to them and they go make plays. I can throw the ball for five yards, and they can go for 50 at any time.”
By halftime, the Grizzlies had built a 28-0 lead and never looked back.
In the first period, Burton found senior wide receiver Mason Deal racing down the sidelines for a 46-yard score. Burton also hooked up with sophomore split Tanner Wroblewski on two more touchdowns of 53 and six yards in the half to put the game out of reach.
Deal led the Grizzlies’ receivers with six catches for 141 yards.
As effective as Franklin’s aerial assault was, the ground game just as effective. The Grizzlies rushed for 191 yards on 35 carries.
Juniors Kole Stogner, a Greenwood graduate, and Ty’Ronte Files got most of the work load. Stogner finished with 60 yards and a touchdown on seven attempts, and Files rushed for 50 yards on seven carries.
Manchester (2-1 HCAC) threatened to score on four different occasions. But each time, the Franklin defense stiffened, preserving the shutout with a goal-line stand in the closing minutes.
Spartans quarterback Logan Haston completed 24 of 47 attempts for 207 yards with two interceptions.
Manchester was limited to 77 yards rushing on 33 attempts.
“I was pleased with the performance,” Grizzlie’s coach Mike Leonard said. “We’re not where we truly want to be. I keep writing things down during the game on things we need to improve on.”
Franklin travels to conference rival Earlham on Saturday.
