For The Tribune
Seymour exploded for 30 points in the third quarter and defeated Franklin County 46-30 on Friday night in the opening round of Class 4A Sectional 23 at Bulleit Stadium.
The Owls took an 8-6 lead after Zach Carpenter caught a 38 yards pass from Alan Perry with one second left in the first quarter, and Luke Dover threw a two-point conversion to Perry.
Franklin County added a pair of scores in the second quarter to take a 22-14 lead into halftime.
With 2:13 left in the first half, Carpenter busted open a 65-yard run for a score before Chris Knight caught a two-point conversion pass from Perry.
“I really wanted this one,” Owls coach Josh Shattuck said, after having water poured over him by his players after the game. ”We have a potent, dangerous offense.”
The Owls showed off that offense in the third period when Carpenter caught a 27-yard pass from Perry for a score, Jackson Morris caught 38- and 82-yard passes form Perry, and Perry raced 66 yards for the another score.
In the fourth quarter, the Owls gave up one score without amassing any points of their own.
Perry finished with 15 for 27 in the passing department for 299 yards, and he rushed for 100 yards.
Carpenter rushed 15 times and gained 101 yards, and he caught six passes for 74 yards. Morris had five catches for 133 yards.
The Owls defense had a strong night, managing three fumble recoveries from Todd Kewitt, Nick Richert, Nikson Cribs while Chris Knight had an interception.
With Morris’ five catches, he moves to second all-time for catches in a season in Seymour history at 56.
Cole McCreary rushed 26 times for 95 yards and scored two touchdown to lead the Wildcats.
The Owls take a record of 4-6 to Silver Creek next Friday in a semifinals bout.
In Week 1 of the regular season, the Dragons defeated the Owls 32-28 in Seymour.
In his third year as the Owls’ head coach, the win against the Wildcats was Shattuck’s first postseason victory.
“We are not the same team they saw two months ago,” Shattuck said. “We have a good football team. I can’t say enough about how proud that we gave up eight points in the second half.”