
Post Photo by Chris Siers Landon Mitchel paves the way for Ben Franklin in the first half. Franklin had 28 carries for 300 yards and two touchdowns, eclipsing the 2,100-yard mark this season.

Post Photo by Chris Siers Austin Cooper finds a crease on a big gainer in the second half against the Eagles.
By Chris Siers
csiers@bedfordcountypost.com
EAGLEVILLE — Bulldog coach Eliot Cook knew his team would have to play mistake-free football in Friday night’s regular season finale at Eagleville.
A handful of turnovers and penalties went against the Bulldogs’ favor and the Eagles were able to rally past Cornersville and end a three-game win-streak with a 23-14 win.
“All their points came off our mistakes. Either penalties or turnovers led directly to everything they had, but they made the plays and we didn’t stop it. We felt like if we played mistake-free football, we would take a win home. Especially early, we just didn’t do it,” Cook said.
After forcing a three and out on the game’s opening drive, the Bulldogs took over possession on their own 41-yard line.
Enter Ben Franklin.
The senior running back found a crease on the Bulldogs’ first play from scrimmage and streaked 59 yards to paydirt for his first touchdown of the night.
Freshman quarterback Jackson Smith added a successful two-point conversion and with just 1:40 taken off the clock, the Bulldogs led 8-0.
Early in the second quarter, a shanked punt that went just 13 yards gave the Eagles a chance at a quick-strike score.
Eagleville qu

Post Photo by Chris Siers Wesley Pigg wraps up Eagleville quarterback Brody Mclemore for a loss.
arterback Brody Mclemore hit Elijah Fearns on a 33-yard touchdown pass, but the conversion attempt after failed.
Misfortune fell the Bulldogs’ way again as Cornersville fumbled on its own 30-yard line and seven plays later, the Eagles made good on a 33-yard field goal to take the 9-8 lead.
Mirroring the first touchdown of the night, Franklin took a handoff from the Bulldogs’ own 20-yard line, made one step to the second level of the Eagles’ defense and was off to the races for his second score of the night, this time on an 80-yard jaunt to officially put him over the 2,000-yard mark this season.
Following the score, the conversion attempt fell short, but Cornersville regained the lead with 8:18 left in the half.
After forcing a punt later in the quarter, Cornersville took possession near its own 25-yard line.
Hoping to run the clock out and get to the half, Eagleville came up with a Bulldog interception and returned it to the 10-yard line with 33 seconds left in the half.
Two plays later, Cade Pippenger scored on a reverse from four yards out, flipping the momentum back to the Eagles.
Following the successful kick after, the Eagles led 16-14 just before the half.
After the half, Cornersville looked to reclaim some of its earlier momentum, but was unable to move the chains on its first drive of the half after a personal foul set the ‘Dawgs behind the chains.
Three plays later, Cornersville punted back to Eagleville and from the 49-yard line, it was Eagleville who found the end zone after a lengthy run, this time coming from Kade Snitzer.
Throughout the remainder of the game, Corrnersville was able to move the ball on the Eagles’ defense, but were unable to find the end zone.
Franklin finished with another 300 yards to his historic career with the Bulldogs and finished the regular season with 2,184 yards.
“I know I wouldn’t want to tackle him all night. When I got the job, I told him that was my goal for him for the season. We set some really high goals at the beginning of the season. We’ve gotten some and we’ve come short on others,” Cook said.
Even though the game went down as a loss and ended a hot-streak by the Bulldogs, Cornersville now enters the postseason in the Class 1A bracket as the No. 4 seed and will face McKenzie in the opening round this week.
“Half the state is going to be turning in their stuff come Monday. We get one more week. Anybody that’s ever played this game, if you could go back and get one more week, if I was given that, I would soak it up and take advantage. Why not us? Everybody is good in the playoffs. Four-seed or one-seed, it doesn’t matter. Everybody is good.” Cook said.
Cornersville will travel to McKenzie on Friday night for a 7 p.m. kickoff.
Cornersville 8 6 0 0 — 14
Eagleville 0 16 7 0 — 23
First Quarter
C — Ben Franklin 59 run, (Jackson Smith 2pt. run), 10:20.
Second Quarter
E — Elijah Fearns 33 pass from Brody Mclemore, (2pt. pass failed), 11:40.
E — Lane Freise 33-yard field goal, 8:37.
C — Franklin 80 run, (2pt. run failed), 8:18.
E — Cade Pippenger 4 run, (Freise kick), :18.
Third Quarter
E — Kaleb Snitzer 49 run, (Friese kick), 9:20.