The playoffs started this week, and the first round saw the Allen Park Jaguars host the Livonia Franklin Patriots in the district semifinals. It was only the second time the two schools had faced off, with the last meeting coming in the 2024 district semifinal, where Franklin came away with a 21-14 win. Could this time be different for the Allen Park Jaguars, or would Franklin make it 2-0 against the Jaguars? It would once again be a one-score game, and once again, it would go in favor of the Patriots as they knocked the Jaguars out of the playoffs by a final score of 35-28.
Allen Park
Outpaced
The Allen Park Jaguars jumped out to a quick 14-point lead that took up half of the first quarter. It started with a 9-yard run by Mason Marsee, and less than 10 seconds later, Cooper Obrycki picked up a fumble and ran it back 20 yards for a touchdown. However, from there, the Jags were outpaced in the game.
While they were in the game, what did them in were three personal foul penalties that allowed Franklin to extend its drives. Two of those penalties put Franklin in the red zone and eventually led to scores. Add in a running quarterback that the Jaguars had a hard time tackling, which was an issue they had all season, and when push came to shove, that same issue once again reared its ugly head and ended their season.
Livonia Franklin
Run With Authority
The Franklin Patriots run the ball with authority, and in their district semifinal win over Allen Park, they did just that. Brody Gross, Zyaire Lanier, and Jake Kotrych each ran the ball with power. Led by Gross, the Patriots were able to assert their dominance in the run game over the Jaguars as the three-headed attack rushed for 245 yards and four touchdowns in the victory.
Quarterback or Running Back?
The way quarterback Brody Gross played in this game, it would be hard to tell what position he played on the field if you weren’t at the game. Gross carried the ball 23 times for 146 yards and three touchdowns in the win. He also went 3-of-4 passing for 48 yards and a touchdown, showing that he can throw it when needed.
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Bear’s Final Take
Franklin showed off its strong run game in the win over Allen Park and showed that it can run the ball with authority. With the three-headed running attack it has, the Patriots could make for a tough out in the playoffs.
Allen Park has been bounced in the first round of the playoffs in back-to-back years, and the culprit in both of those games has been a quarterback who can run the ball. With more dual-threat quarterbacks around, including multiple in their own league, the Jaguars will need to figure out how to stop the running quarterback heading into next season. Doing so will be important if they want to advance in the playoffs, make noise in their league, and become the best version of themselves.