The Livonia Franklin Patriots squared off with the Westland John Glenn Rockets in a KLAA-East battle. The Patriots held an eighteen point lead as the fourth quarter started, but John Glenn scored twenty-two unanswered points to come out with a 35-31 victory.
Zac Olesuk got the Patriots started with a seventeen yard touchdown rush. This was the only scoring play on either side in the first quarter, giving Livonia Franklin the 7-0 advantage.
In the second quarter, all of the excitement was packed into the final thirty seconds. First, Franklin pushed their lead to ten points on a thirty yard field goal by Brayden Felt. John Glenn got a touchdown with just four seconds before halftime when Aaron Rieskamp passed to Justin Hart for a twenty one yard touchdown. As the teams went to the locker room, it was 10-7 Franklin.
Four touchdowns were scored in the third quarter, and three of those were by Franklin. First, Cordell Mabins ran twenty six yards to the end zone. Just two minutes later, the Patriots had the ball back and scored. Olesuk found Don Ufferman on a forty seven yard pass to make it 24-7. After John Glenn got a touchdown, Olesuk and Brandon Reiten paired up for a fifty yard splash that pushed Franklin’s lead to 31-13 with just twelve minutes to go.
The Rockets began their comeback with a twenty seven yard pass from Rieskamp to Jaylon Fulwood, his second touchdown of the game. Three minutes later, Rieskamp and Hart connected again for a thirteen yard toss. This brought the score to 31-28, as the Rockets got a two-point conversion on the first of those touchdowns.
With 1:25 to go, John Glenn broke through and took the lead. Rieskamp tallied his fifth and final touchdown when he ran across the goal line from a yard out. Franklin was unable to score in the final eighty-five seconds.
Calvin Griggs, a first year coach at John Glenn, recorded his first victory with this win. The Rockets will take on Dearborn Fordson next week. Livonia Franklin has one of their most important matchups on the schedule next week when rival Livonia Churchill comes to town. This game will be broadcast LIVE on Michigan Sports Radio.
