The Undefeated Swarming Hornets of Damascus HS and the 12-1 Franklin HS traveled to M&T Bank Stadium in downtown Baltimore to play for The Maryland 3A State Final Championship game. The first score came 5 minutes into the 1st qtr, on a #2 Jake Funk 2 yard run, with the extra point being good, Damascus 7-0. Franklin attempts to drive up field and fumbles, #80 Joey Salisbury, recovers it for a small gain, the next play he catches a 10 yard pass for the Hornets second touchdown, extra point good, Damascus 14-0 Franklin 0, with 2:42 left in the 1st. On the ensuing set of plays, Franklin #1 Darius Hinton fumbles as he approaches the end zone and Hornets recover giving them the ball at their 20 yard line with 1:06 left in the 1st.
Hornets #34 Jake Funk scores on a short run, extra point good, setting the score with 4:27 left in the 2nd, Hornets 21 Franklin 0. Franklin is losing a few yards with each play, they comes to a 3rd and 28, they pick up a few yards and line up to punk, but go for it and throws an incomplete pass. Damascus moves the ball some and end up giving it back, Franklin scores their 1st TD on a short pass to #7 Steven Smothers, extra point good, score Damascus 21 Franklin 7, with a half-minute left in the 2nd quarter. Halftime score Damascus 21 Franklin 7, the Damascus HS Marching Band and Varsity Poms performed at halftime.
With 10:19 left in the 3rd, Franklin #4 Kiandre Burrell scores on a short run, extra point attempt good, score Damascus 21-Franklin 14. Damascus bobbles a pass and end up with a turnover, Franklin #7 Steven Smothers scores on a 35 + yard pass, extra point attempt good, score 21-21 with 7:39 left in the 3rd. Damascus comes up short on the next series of downs and Franklin attempts a field goal on a 4th and 4, no good, with 3:49 left in the 3rd. they end turn fail to convert on 4th and 9 giving the Hornets the ball at mid field. With the Hornets moving the ball down field, they fumble giving Franklin the ball at mid field with 6 minutes to go, Franklin’s Quarterback #9 Jacquez Adams picks up 26 yards on a keeper. With in the next few minutes they score on a short pass to #7 Steven Smothers and the extra point good, score Franklin 28 Damascus 21. With 2:37 left Franklin #2 Murad Hussain intercepts a pass, giving Franklin the ball on the 31 yard line. Franklin can not score and Damascus gets the ball back only to move down field and fumbling, Franklin #7 Steven Smothers picks it up and runs in to the end zone, extra point good, score Franklin 35 Damascus 21 with 4 seconds left.
Final Score Franklin 35 Damascus 21
Story and Photos by Jeffrey Vogt
All photos from the game can be viewed and purchased at https://mocodaily.smugmug.com/High-School-Sports/20142015-High-School-Sports/Football/12-04-2014-Damascus-HS-vs/