By: Colton Steiner
FRANKLIN, Ind. - After a tough outing against HCAC-stalwart Hanover last week, the Beavers traveled to Franklin College to go up against the Grizzlies in a thrilling HCAC contest on Saturday, Nov. 8. Following offensive explosions from each team and overtime periods, it would be Franklin College coming out on top, knocking off the Beavers, 59-57, dropping the Beavers to 5-4 overall with a 3-3 record in the conference. The Grizzlies improved to 5-4 and 3-2 in the HCAC.
Franklin got it started early, scoring on the first drive of the game as the home team took a 7-0 lead just four minutes into the contest. The Beavers would answer, however, as Damien Brockington (Tiffin/Columbian) scurried up the middle for a 32-yard touchdown which evened up the score at 7-7 heading into the second quarter.
It would be a scoring frenzy in the second stanza as Bluffton used a 19-yard field goal from Drew Michael (Eaton) to go up 10-7. The lead was short lived as Franklin would answer with back-to-back touchdowns, taking a 21-10 lead with just 4:27 left in the first half. Despite falling behind, the Beavers stayed composed, finding the end zone with 1:13 left after a 2-yard score from Jaivon Hudson (Bedford) cut the Grizzly lead to 21-17. On Franklin's next touch, the Beaver defense forced a turnover on downs with 25 seconds left in the half, taking over in Grizzly territory. After Tywuan Clark (Toledo/Central Catholic) scrambled for 15 yards, he connected with Jashawn Wyckoff (Cleveland/Cleveland Heights) from 33-yards out as Bluffton took a 23-21 lead heading into the break.
Coming out of the half, the Beavers would get the ball, but a fumble led to a Franklin touchdown. The Beavers would get two points after a muffed snap on the extra point would lead to Nolan Mills (Louisville, Ky./Meade County) taking the ball all the way to the opposing endzone to put the score at 27-25 with 12:55 left in the third. Another score from the Grizzlies made it 34-25, but a 1-yard rushing score from Damien Brockington trimmed the deficit to 34-32 with just under eight minutes left in the third. The Bluffton defense stepped up as Mason Brandon (Louisville, Ky./Meade County) snagged an interception, setting up a 27-yard field goal from Drew Michael on the onsuing drive, putting the Beavers up 35-34. Following a touchdown and two-point converstion from Franklin, the score was 42-35 in favor of the home team heading into the fourth quarter.
Bluffton opened period four with a touchdown, but a blocked extra point and another touchdown for Franklin gave the home team a 49-41 lead with 12:31 left in regulation. The Beavers responded with a Damien Brockington touchdown for the third time of the day at the 6:47 mark of the fourth quarter and a successfull two-point converstion knotted it up at 49 apiece. Neither team was able to get past 50 in regulation as the game went to overtime.
The Grizzlies got the ball to start the first overtime, but they were stopped when freshman Jaylen Lee (Toledo, Ohio / Rogers) hauled in a pick at the goal line. After a blocked field goal attempt for Bluffton, the contest would head into a second overtime.
Tywuan Clark hit Niegel Payne (Detroit, Mich./River Rouge) for a 27-yard touchdown, and after a successful two-point converstion attempt with a 2-yard pass to Jashawn Wyckoff, Bluffton held a 57-49 lead as Franklin would take over on offense. The Grizzlies managed to score on a 14-yard touchdown pass and successfully converted the two point attempt, tying the game up at 57-57 going into the third overtime, where each team would be forced to go for two-point conversions. After Franklin would take a 59-57 lead with a successful try, the Beavers were stuffed in the backfield as the Grizzlies would come out on top, 59-57.
Bluffton's offense would put up video-game like numbers, erupting for 613 yards, with 333 yards on the ground. While the Beavers defense held Franklin to 90 yards rushing, the offense for the Grizzlies lit it up with 429 yards through the air.
Under center for Bluffton was Tywuan Clark who completed 18-of-32 passes for 280 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran it 21 times for 114 yards, adding up to 394 yards of total offense. On 16 attempts, Damien Brockington would find the end zone three times, running wild for 125 yards and hauling in three catches for 50 yards. Jaivon Hudson chipped in with 94 yards on the ground and a touchdown. Jashawn Wyckoff paced the receiving corps with eight catches that went for 126 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Senior Niegel Payne hit paydirt on one of his four catches while tallying 86 receiving yards.
Leading the Bluffton defense with seven total tackles was Devin Hogan (Warren, Mich./Fitzgerald). Mason Brandon checked in with six tackles and an interception. Savon Gatlin (Riverdale, Ga./Drew) and Aaron Carmack-Lovett (Toledo/St. John's Jesuit) each would record a sack for the visitors, while Jaylen Lee picked off his first career interception.
The Beavers will close out the 2025 campaign when they travel to Marietta next Saturday, Nov. 15 with kickoff set for 2 p.m.
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