Turnovers cost Jackets in 14-35 loss at Franklin

--Franklin, Ind.—The Defiance College Football squad fell to the Franklin College Grizzlies 35-14 at Faught Stadium in Franklin, Indiana.

Nate Fitton threw for 190 yards and two touchdowns on 19-for-33 passing with one interception. Aaron Schmidt had a big day with eight catches for 75 yards and the one score. Darin Lomason and Fitton ran for a net of 40 and 38 yards, respectively. Kevin Dixon had three grabs for 34 yards and had 135 return yards, including a long burst of 65.

After trailing 14-0 at the half, DC battled back to tie the score at 14-all on the strength of two Fitton touchdown passes to Aaron Schmidt and Kevin Dixon. Franklin, however, answered back with three straight scores to put the game out of reach.

Franklin took the opening kick-off and marched down the field for the game’s first score, coming on a four-yard touchdown run by Brad Ohanian. Later in the first half, Blake Stambaugh’s punt was blocked in the DC endzone and recovered t for the score, putting the Jackets behind the eight-ball, down 14-0 after one period of play.

The two DC scores came within three minutes of each other, with Schmidt’s grab coming at the end of a 12-play, 78-yard drive at the 9:40 mark. Dixon’s touchdown snare finished a five-play, 40-yard drive that began with a Kris Zajac interception of a Andy Clark pass. Zajac ended the game, tying for the team-lead with 11 tackles and one sack. Mike Haydon also had 11 stops for DC, including one stop-for-loss.

Franklin followed the final Jacket score with a Brian Nay touchdown grab, and then forced a DC fumble that they converted into a six-play, 41-yard touchdown drive. In the fourth quarter, the Grizzlies added a Mike Perkins touchdown run at the 12:16 mark of the fourth quarter to close out the scoring.

Defiance led in time of possession, 30:32 to 29:28 and matched the Grizzlies in most statistical categories, but fumbled three time, all of which were lost, and had the one costly interception.

DC falls to 0-7 on the year and 0-4 in the HCAC. Franklin climbs to 4-4 on the year s 2-2 in the conference.

Defiance next will travel to Manchester to face the 0-8 Spartans (0-4 HCAC) at 1:30 p.m. CST.