The William Fleming football team was looking for a measure of redemption.
One week after opening their season with a 64-14 takedown on the road at the hands of Jefferson Forest, the Colonels found things more to their liking on the home turf of Fleming Stadium.
Overcoming an early deficit against the visiting Franklin County Eagles, Fleming reeled off 45 unanswered points to pull away in the non-district matchup.
Saturday afternoon’s 2pm kickoff was the result of downpours and lightning Friday night that necessitated the 19 hour postponement.
Things got off to a shaky start for Fleming after the Colonels took the opening kickoff and rolled the dice on fourth down near midfield. When quarterback Tyrell Adams’ long pass down the left sideline fell incomplete, Franklin County took over and the Eagles wasted no time getting on the scoreboard.
Eagle tailback Kaleb Smith broke into the open on Franklin County’s first play from scrimmage, taking it down the left sideline to the end zone for a quick 7-0 Eagle lead.
It was all Fleming thereafter.
Adams hit senior wide receiver Deontre Brown on a 48-yard scoring strike to cut the Eagle lead to 7-6 after a missed conversion, and Adams followed with an 11-yard keeper for a touchdown at the 3:31 mark that put the Colonels up 12-7.
Senior tight end Lajuan Greene brought in a 52-yard scoring strike down the right side for the third Colonel score of the opening frame, and the 19-7 lead was only a sign of more to come.
Franklin County looked ready to sustain its first drive of the game midway through the second quarter, but the Eagles coughed up a fumble and Adams followed with a 67-yard scoring pass to senior Deandre Gill at the 8:33 mark that sent the teams to the locker room with Fleming comfortably ahead 25-7.
The Colonels tacked on three second-half touchdowns, including two by sophomore tailback Malik Trayham via the ground and through the air, and a 66-yard interception return by senior Darrius Bratton.
Fleming now prepares for this Friday night’s cross-city rivalry matchup against Patrick Henry at Fleming Stadium.
Bill Turner
