Using a stunning 14-13 win over Franklin midway through the season as momentum, the Towson football team secured its first playoff berth in school history this season. On Saturday at 1 p.m., the host Indians get their shot at payback at their Baltimore County rivals in the Class 3A North Region semifinals.
“I think our guys have been focused all week,” Franklin coach Anthony Burgos said. “We have been focusing on little things we didn?t do well in that game. Obviously, whenever you play a team that you lost to, there is a little added motivation to it. Towson showed they are a good program, and they wanted the game more than us.”
Franklin (8-2), which is averaging 36.2 points per game, has gotten terrific play from their senior skill players. Led by playmakers Scott Noble (tailback) and Jeremy Miller (wide receiver), the high-scoring offense has failed only once to score 20 points. Guess which game that was: Towson.
“Our expectation wasn?t just to get here,” Burgos said. “We want to try to win as many games as we can, one week at a time, and this is Week 1.”
Towson (6-4), meanwhile, has been game-planning all week to try to defeat a tough team twice in the same season. Much rests on the shoulders of Luke Smith, a freshman who has played like anything but the newcomer he is.
“Luke?s a real level-headed young kid,” Towson coach Harry McNeir said. “He has taken everything that has happened ? the big games we have played ? in stride. He?s been under pressure and gotten hit, but he?s made some big plays.
Big plays are always important to an offense, but for the Generals, their ability to protect the ball, play smart and ? more importantly ? not give up the big play defensively will be the deciding factors in whether Towson has more magic in store.
“We are going to have to execute on offense,” McNeir said. “Mistakes, penalties, turnovers ? that was a key last time. We kept that to a minimum.”
