Yuba City downed by Franklin
ELK GROVE — For a second consecutive week, the Yuba City High football team played a non-league game at the Franklin-Cosumnes Oaks Community Stadium — but the outcome of Week 2 was much different.
After notching a season-opening shutout last week, Yuba City had one of its key players carried out on a stretcher before the half and the offense numbed following in a 56-30 loss to Franklin on Friday.
A big night for Honkers fullback Taylor Rowe would probably be traded in for a victory, as Franklin pulled away from a 29-22 halftime lead. With the loss, Yuba City drops to 1-1 for the season.
The loss overshadows a big rushing night for Rowe, a senior, who rushed 37 times for 321 yards. That included 12 carries for 125 yards after the first quarter and 20 for 231 yards at halftime.
Toward the end of the second quarter, and down 21-14, senior wide receiver Bernell Barmore went down with what appeared to be a neck injury. On a reverse, Barmore took the ball from quarterback Raul Lozano, and ran to the Wildcats 40-yard line before being tackled near the Wildcats' sidelines. The game stopped for about 15 minutes, with 49.6 seconds left, as Yuba City and Franklin coaches and athletic trainers tended to Barmore.
According to Yuba City head coach John Ithurburn, Barmore felt some swelling in his neck, before leaving the field on a stretcher.
"I think the kids were a little shell-shocked when we lost one of our studs," Ithurburn said.
Lozano, taking the ball from quarterback David Schroeder, threw a 40-yard halfback option pass to Aaron Byers for a touchdown with 40.8 seconds left. Rowe ran in for the 2-point conversion to give Yuba City a 22-21 lead.
But that would be the last time the Honkers led in the game.
In the third quarter, Franklin piled it on, scoring three touchdowns to take a 49-22 lead, and never looked back.
"We didn't protect the ball very well," said Ithurburn, "and you can't do it against these guys."
Rowe scored the Honkers' final touchdown with 10:02 left in the fourth quarter on a 3-yard run. Lozano scored on the 2-point conversion to make it 49-30. Franklin scored its final touchdown on the ensuing drive when McIntyre hit King on a 66-yard pass with 8:05 left.
Rowe scored two of the Honkers' TDs in the first half; a 5-yard off-tackle run with 10:57 left in the first quarter and a 35-yard run with 8:58 left in the second quarter.
In the junior varsity game, Yuba City rallied, but fell short as Franklin posted a 28-20 win. The Wildcats led 28-14 early in the fourth quarter.
