Rebels Wrap-up Season Falling to Franklin 21-14

The Fannin County High School Rebels football team, hopped on the buses for a long road trip, stopping in Franklin to try and find the final 7-AAA spot in the playoffs. The Boys in Blue came up short as Fannin found itself on the wrong end of a 21-14 score, to end the season and year of play for the team.
Fannin started the game on defense kicking off to the Lions. Daniel Kinser and the Rebel defense pushed the Lions back into a 3rd and 20 during the opening drive, forcing the Lions into a throwing situation. Dominik Leben took advantage intercepting the ball and giving great field position to the Rebels’ offense.

Although penalties stopped the Rebels from moving the ball, a squib kick from Brad Davis pinned the Lions deep. The result was the Lions’ offense starting the possession on the Franklin six yard line.

The Lions showed the Rebel Nation that the offense could drive the ball, getting to the opposite 25 before Jarod Petty and the defense stepped up holding the Lions on a fourth and short situation to end the first quarter of play.

Tyler Beaver and the offense started to drive the ball down the field when a Franklin interception took the ball the other way setting up a short field.

Petty stepped up and picked up an interception in the end zone for the Rebels to keep the Lions from scoring on the short field.

Seniors Dakota Queen and Trent Galloway both found the QB of the Lions pushing them back for losses on the ensuing defensive stand.

After a failed fake punt from the Rebels, the Lions took the ball around the Rebels’ 35. Franklin would get lucky, catching a tipped pass in the end zone to go up 7-0 with 10 seconds left in the first half.

The Rebels started the third quarter by going three and out, but Dominik Leben was there once again, falling on a Lions fumble during the ensuing drive.

A fumble on a pitch set up another short field for the Lions. The short field allowed Franklin to find the goal line with six minutes left in the third, increasing the Rebels’ deficit to 14-0.

Senior, Daniel Lange, was the Rebels’ star in the fourth. On the first play of the quarter Lange took a Davis pass 20 yards to the end zone, cutting the lead in half, 14-7, with 11:50 to go in the game.

After a defensive stand, the Rebels started a drive from the Fannin 15. On the backs of Senior Cooper Earls, Beaver and Lange, the Rebels marched down the field. Davis once again found Lange in the corner of the end zone to tie the game at 14 all with 7 minutes left.

Fannin held the Lions, forcing a punt for Fannin to get the ball on the Rebel 14 with three minutes left in the game. Franklin County found Davis’ pass and intercepted the ball. The score, a few plays later, put Franklin up 21-14 with 3:45.

Fannin punted the ball on the ensuing drive and looked to the strong defense to make a stop with 2:40 left in the game and the season. Petty and the Rebels defense stopped the Lions and got the ball back with 1:30 left in the game with the ball on the fifty.

Lange once again grabbed the ball on a 4th and ten to keep the drive alive. With 20 seconds in the game the Rebels looked deep towards the goal line with a pass falling into the wrong hands. The interception was all Franklin needed to drain the clock and a playoff birth from the Rebels.

Fannin showed great strides throughout the year. During a emotional meeting on the field, head coach, Jim Pavao, thanked and praised each of the players for the hard work put in to get this team turned around and playing for a spot in the playoffs in year one.

Below are just a few of the great accomplishments of the team throughout the season.

2014 REBEL “AIR RIDGE” – SEASON SUMMARY

4,441 YARDS OF TOTAL OFFENSE-2.5 MILES OF OFFENSE.
2,521 YARDS PASSING, SOPHOMORE BRAD DAVIS 196 OF 333 12 TD’S.

5 PLAYERS WITH 400+ YARDS OF RECEIVING.

SOPHOMORE -COOPER EARLS -41 CATCHES 630 YARDS
SENIOR – DANIEL LANGE – 40 CATCHES 578 YARDS
FRESHMEN – CODY JACOBS – 32 CATCHES 480 YARDS
SENIOR – TYLER BEAVER – 30 CATCHES 478 YARDS
SENIOR – HUNTER ONEAL – 26 CATCHES 401 YARDS

1,920 YARDS RUSHING

SENIOR TYLER BEAVER – 162 CARRIES 1301 YARDS IN 9 GAMES

7 GAMES 400+ YARDS OF OFFENSE

AVERAGED 61 PLAYS PER GAME

BROKE SCHOOL RECORDS FOR:
TOTAL YARDS PASSING
TOTAL COMPLETIONS
TOTAL ATTEMPTS
PER GAME PASSING
TOTAL OFFENSIVE PLAYS IN A SEASON 611
AVERAGED PLAYS PER GAME 61