Even without any band to play them down the lit stairway to the field (the band was away at Tazewell for a competition), the Cougars had the same air as usual when descending them: simply powerful. Franklin won the coin toss and elected to receive the ball.

Considering Pulaski’s tendency to defer after winning the toss, it was just as if we had won it.

Luis Piscura’s kickoff landed the Eagles on their own thirty-four yardline. They gained four yards with star running back Ronnie Edwards took the ball in for Franklin’s first touchdown of the evening. To return the favor, Pulaski saw that their extra point was no good. The score was 19-6 with 5:11 left in the third quarter.

Pulaski’s next possession was very long. They had six first downs during it. First, Dean got the kickoff and returned it to the thirty-eight yardline. Chad Thompson and Kevin Crouse dominated the next seven plays, which got the Cougars up to the Eagles’ twenty-four yardline. It was here where a pass intended for Will White was overthrown, and where Chad wrestled through the line to reach the thirteen. This got Pulaski a first down, after which they were called for delay of game and pushed back five yards. As the third quarter ended, Thompson claimed the fifteen. Ryan Dean surprised everyone with a run straight to the three yardline to begin the final quarter of the game, thus proving himself more and more versatile as a player. It was here that Crouse escaped the hands of Eagle defenders and scored yet another touchdown. Luis Piscura scored the extra point again and kicked the score up to 26-6 with 11:28 left in the game.

The kickoff went into the arms of Franklin wide receiver Xavier Drakeford who ran to the twenty-nine and met Frank Baldwin there. A pass was completed for a first down, and after that landed them on the Pulaski forty-five, they were penalized for illegal procedure and pushed back to the fifty. They remained there for two plays, and then Ronnie Edwards was bumped out of bounds by Ryan Dean at the twenty-seven. From there, they reached the twenty-three and then completed a pass to the eighteen. Edwards scraped the six yardline for a first down, and on the next play an Eagle carried, fumbled, and recovered the ball. Franklin was flagged for moving someone in their backfield, and then Josh Bowles threw a touchdown pass and executed a two-point conversion to put some more points on the board. The score was now 26-14 with 6:51 remaining.

The following kickoff flew into the arms of Ian Montgomery who immediately fell down on the thirty-three yardline. The Eagles were called offsides next, which put our boys on the forty. A pass attempt for Chad Thompson was incomplete, and then the cougars decided to run that exact same play. Chad, who had just missed the ball previously, jumped up and made an outstanding one-handed catch on Franklin’s forty-five. Kevin Crouse made it to the forty, then straight up to the five yardline. After making it up to the two, he scored another touchdown followed by another extra point, making the score 33-14 with 3:54 left on the clock and in the game.

Franklin tried to kick up their game a little with this possession. Starting from their thirty-three, they claimed a first down with a short pass to a receiver on the forty-nine. A long bullet pass was attempted two times in a row and connected on the last one, landing the Eagles on Pulaski’s twenty-nine yardline. Kevin Crouse and Frank Baldwin got in a quarterback sack which lost Franklin County eight yards. From the thirty-six, they still reached the twenty-eight for a gain of nine, and then Shane Cooper ran it to the twenty-four. The down was fourth and five. They threw an incomplete pass and the ball was turned over to our boys. Ryan Dean simply continued to take knees until the clock, which had had only about a minute remaining at the turnover, ran out. The final score was cougars 33, Eagles 14.

In the locker room, head coach Jack Turner confirmed street rumors that the game would not be won without a very hard fight. “It was very physical, and of course they’re a triple A division six school and we’re a division four school so it was definitely hard-fought.” When asked his thoughts on the showdown in Lynchburg against E.C. Glass, he simply stated, “another triple A team, another big battle.”

I personally hope to see as many of you as possible at next week’s E.C. Glass game in Lynchburg. It’s actually going to be on my birthday, October 1. With that in mind, I would like to throw out some random gift ideas that you all may get for me if you wish. Without further delay, here they are:

Digital Camera

Cell Phone (one of those sweet flip phones)

A car would be good

A special parking space at the school to go with it

A Russian mail-order bride to bring to homecoming

A rumor started at school that I’m dynamite with the ladies

All-expense-paid trip for two to Jamaica

Therapy

New Umbrella Hat

Camcorder

Front row seats for me and a female companion to Saturday Night Live

Again, those gift ideas are only voluntary. I hope none of them sound too over the top. (yeah, right) Seriously though, come on down to Lynchburg. Although I would welcome the electronic gifts with very open arms, that would also be good enough. See you there!