FRANKLIN — The Brookville Blue Devils overcame injuries, an opening kickoff return for a touchdown by Franklin, rain, wind, and a fired-up Wildcats team to come from behind to defeat Wildcats 43-21 Friday at Veterans Memorial Field at Atrium Stadium.
The win clinched a third seed in the Division 5, Region 20 playoffs and a home game Friday night against the Miami East Vikings. The game can be heard on the free internet website Brookvillesports.com beginning at 6:35 p.m.
Brookville finishes the regular season with a record of eight wins and two losses.
Brookville kicked off and Junior Creager snagged the ball at the 11 and took off up the hash marks and went all the way for a touchdown. The kick sailed wide and 18 seconds into the game Franklin led 6-0.
Brookville had to punt and Franklin drove inside the Brookville 20 where Walt Adams intercepted a pass at the 11-yard line and returned the ball to the 22-yard line. However, the ensuing drive ended on downs at the Franklin 34 early in the second quarter.
On the Wildcats first play they fumbled and Brookville recovered at the Franklin 33. It took ten plays for Brookville to score. Jake Lenser got credit for a one-yard run, although the play was actually from about two inches. Walt Adams kicked the PAT and Brookville led 7-6 with 4:25 left in the first half.
Brookville forced a punt and beginning at the Blue Devils 17 quarterback Keegan Mehr scrambled to the 23. On a short pass to Kory Davis at the 30, Davis spun around got to the sideline and raced all the way for a touchdown. The kick try was blocked and it was 13-6 Brookville with 2:06 left in the half.
The Wildcats fumbled and Brookville’s Cole Crabtree recovered at the Wildcat 33 with just 52 seconds left in the half. With twelve seconds left and the ball at the 33, Keegan Mehr tossed a high pass into the end zone that Seth Hoover jumped up and snagged for a touchdown with one second left in the half. Brookville converted a two-point conversion when Mehr found Kory Davis in the corner for a 21-7 halftime lead.
Brookville scored on the first possession of the second half when Keegan Mehr tossed a nine-yard pass to Davis. Adams was true with the kick and Brookville led 28-6 with 7:05 on the third period clock.
Franklin answered with a nine-play, 75 yard drive that ended on a Hunter Prickett two-yard plunge. Brock Childers ran the QB draw play for the conversion and it was 28-14 with 3:03 left in the third period. Brookville drove down field but turned the ball over on downs at the Wildcat ten.
The Cats drove down field and with 7:45 left Childers tossed a 26 yard TD pass on a scramble to Gage Mullins. The kick by Tito Harrison made the score 28-21.
Brookville then went 75 yards in eight plays to score. The big play was a long pass from Mehr to Walt Adams that covered 52 yards. The drive ended when Lenser went in from the two. A bad snap on the conversion saw Mehr roll right and throw a dart into the end zone that Cole Crabtree managed to make a spinning catch while reaching backwards. It made the score 36-21.
Sam Fullenkamp intercepted a pass at the Franklin 30. Seven plays later DJ Moore ran around the right end for his first career varsity touchdown. Adams booted the PAT and Brookville led 43-21.
Franklin muffed the ensuing kickoff and Brookville recovered and took knees to end the game. Brookville finished tied for second in the SWBL Buckeye Division with Eaton. Valley View and Waynesville finished as Co-Champs.
Brookville has now made the playoffs for the fourth straight year for just the second time in school history. The first was 1987-1990. This is the seventh straight year Brookville has had a winning season, second all-time behind nine straight from 1986 through 1994.
Stats from Aaron Crabtree show Brookville won first downs 21-12, yards rushing 166-138, passing yards 280-120, total yards 416-258, time of possession 32:43 to 15:17, plays 77-47, 3rd downs 10/17 to 3/8 and points off turnovers with 15 on three Wildcat turnovers. Brookville did not have a turnover.
Individual stats show Franklin’s Picket with 77 yards rushing and a touchdown. Brock Childers threw for 120 yards and a TD. Jack Berry caught three balls for 87 yards and Gage Mullins two for 27 yards and a TD. Junior Creager had three kickoff returns for 112 yards and a TD.
Brookville stats show Kory Davis with 75 yards on 12 tries; Jake Lenser 47 yards on nine totes and a pair of TDs, and DJ Moore with a touchdown and ten yards on one carry.
Keegan Mehr was 14 of 21 passing for 280 yards, three touchdowns and a pair of PATS. Walt Adams had seven catches for 110 yards, Kory Davis 86 yards on two snags and two touchdowns. Davis also caught a conversion pass, Seth Hoover had three snags for 60 yards and a TD. Cole Crabtree caught a two-point play.
Counting the two PAT passes Mehr had 16 completions which ties the school record for completions in a game. Josh Sagester in 1996, Jake Harrison three times 2009 and 2010, and Braden Kindell in 2008.
Tackles show DJ Moore with five, four each for Xavier Stacy, Cole Crabtree, and Sam Norby. Crabtree also had three assists and a fumble recovery. Sam Fullenkamp and Walt Adams each had an interception.
