(Brian Miller/CHSAANow.com)
ARVADA – Six weeks had gone by since Kent Denver’s football team had received a real challenge from an opponent, so the Sun Devils had a little something to prove Friday night at Faith Christian Academy.
It didn’t take long to make a statement. Jaden Franklin took a handoff on the team’s first offensive play and broke free for a 72-yard touchdown run, one of four on the night for the senior. The second-ranked Sun Devils broke the game open with three second-quarter touchdowns, racing past No. 5 Faith Christian 39-7 in a Class 2A Colorado League showdown in Arvada.
The victory put Kent Denver (7-0, 5-0) in the driver’s seat in league with two games remaining.
“That’s what we were talking about,” Franklin said. “When there were certain moments where the momentum was iffy or we just didn’t perform well, we would talk about ‘this is it fellas. This is the league championship.’”
Franklin rushed for 187 yards on the evening and Wyllis McKissick returned an interception 70 yards for another score.
“Faith’s always a big game. They have such great players and great coaches,” McKissick said. “It was really great to come into a stadium like this and just do business.”
Even before Franklin’s long run, the game got off to a rough start for the Eagles (5-2, 4-1). Leading rusher Daniel Langewisch went down with an injury on the first play, and after a three-and-out led to a punt, Franklin began to work his magic.
On his first carry he went up the middle, cut to the left and sprinted up the sideline for the score.
“We were hoping to contain him better throughout the whole night,” Faith Christian coach Ralph Nance said. “Obviously we didn’t get that job done. He’s a great running back, so what he did was not something that’s unexpected.”
The Eagles were forced to punt on their first three possessions, and Franklin made it 13-0 with a 1-yard run early in the second quarter. Faith Christian found some success on its next possession, but facing a fourth-and-10 situation, quarterback Adam Buchmann was hit as he threw. The ball went directly to McKissick, who outraced the Eagles into the end zone.
“We talked about those kind of plays a lot, with the tight end releasing. I just knew it was coming behind me,” McKissick said. “Our d-linemen did a great job getting some pressure on the quarterback, and the ball came right at me. I couldn’t drop that one if I tried.”
Buchmann capped an 11-play drive with a 2-yard touchdown run to get Faith Christian on the board, but Franklin came through again before halftime. The senior returned the kickoff 53 yards, and followed that up with runs of 29, 6 and 2 yards – the latter went for a touchdown to make it 26-7.
Franklin added a 10-yard touchdown run in the third quarter and Zander Ellis connected with Joe Rassenfoss for a 31-yard touchdown. Kent Denver’s defense also held up on a 17-play Eagles drive that stalled at the Sun Devils’ 18-yard line.
“I’m just glad we got the opportunity to do what we did tonight,” said Franklin, who went over 1,000 yards for the season and now has 20 total touchdowns. “Having a game like this is great, so you can have great competition.”
Kent Denver closes the regular season with home games against Bishop Machebeuf and Alameda before the postseason begins. The Sun Devils are one of three unbeaten teams in 2A, along with Strasburg and Brush.
“Hopefully it’s a learning experience for our team,” Franklin said. “Hopefully the potential takes us to state.”
Faith Christian will look to turn things back around next weekend at Denver North. The Eagles had won four in a row and had posted shutouts in their three previous games. Buchmann led the team Friday with 63 yards rushing and 71 through the air.
“We’ll bounce back,” Nance said. “We’ll just work hard at getting better at the things we’re doing, and fixing the things that we’re not doing right.”