FRANKLIN, Ind. – The 11th-ranked Thomas More football team fell 43-39 to Franklin in the last minute tonight in the season opener for both teams at Faught Stadium in Franklin, Indiana.
The Saints led 13-7 after one quarter, 25-14 at halftime and 32-28 after three quarters.
Thomas More took a 7-0 lead with 8:29 to play in the first quarter when senior running back C.T. Tarrant (Hamilton, Ohio/Hamilton) scored on a one-yard run and first-year place kicker Cole Mathias (Reynoldsburg, Ohio/Reynoldsburg) added the PAT. Franklin tied the game at 7-7 on a nine-yard touchdown reception and added the PAT with 5:09 to play in the opening quarter.
The Saints extended the lead to 13-7 when junior wide receiver Daylin Garland II (Newport, Ky./Newport) scored on a 27-yard touchdown pass from junior quarterback Brenan Kuntz (Independence, Ky./Simon Kenton) and the PAT failed with 3:30 to play in the first quarter.
Tarrant scored on a 62-yard run and the Saints increased the lead to 19-7 with 14:14 to play in the second quarter. Thomas More extended the lead to 22-7 when first-year place kicker Ryan Hans (Fort Thomas, Ky./Newport Central Catholic) made a 24-yard field goal with 6:35 to play in the second quarter and then Hans made a 32-yard field goal with 3:54 to play in the second quarter and increase the lead to 25-7.
Franklin cut the lead to 25-14 at halftime when it scored on a one-yard touchdown pass and added the PAT with 34-seconds to play in the half.
On the first play of the second half the Saints increased the lead to 32-14 when sophomore wide receiver Logan Winkler (Independence, Ky./Simon Kenton) scored on a 43-yard touchdown pass from Kuntz and Hans added the PAT with 14:14 to play in the third quarter.
The Grizzlies answered with a 15-yard touchdown pass and PAT to cut the lead to 32-20 with 11:34 to play in the third quarter. Franklin then scored on a one-yard run and added the PAT with 6:06 to play in the third to cut the lead to 32-28.
With 14:35 to play in the game, senior wide receiver Matt Betustak (Avon, Ind./Avon) scored on a 15-yard touchdown pass from Kuntz and [added the PAT to increase the Saints' lead to 39-28.
Franklin scored on a 25-yard touchdown pass and converted the two-point conversion to cut the lead to 39-36 with 5:15 to play in the fourth quarter. The Grizzlies scored on a six-yard pass and added the PAT to take their first lead of the game at 43-39 with 31.6-seconds to play in the game.
Franklin stopped the Saints' game-winning drive and won the game, 43-39.
Franklin had an 630 yards (116 rushing/514 passing) to 482 yards (281 rushing/201 passing) advantage in total offense.
Kuntz was 14-of-27 passing for 201 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Saints. Tarrant led the team on the ground with 209 yards and two touchdowns on 30 carries. Betustak led the Saints' receivers with six catches for 73 yards and a touchdown.
The Saints' defense was led by junior linebacker Tre' Tunstill (Indianapolis, Ind./Ben Davis) with 14 tackles, 11 solo, and senior defensive back Lemuel Weyer (Cincinnati, Ohio/LaSalle) with 11 tackles, nine solo.
Thomas More returns to the road next Saturday when it travels to Bridgewater, Va., to play Bridgewater at 1 p.m.