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Schools

Franklin Faces Bitter Rivals Eagle Rock Under the Lights

Panthers and Eagles head into tonight's game with identical league records, tied for second place behind Marshall.

and will battle it out under the lights at ERHS for the first time in their historic rivalry.

Friday night’s Northern League contest was originally scheduled to be played in the afternoon at 3 p.m., due to the Eagles’ lack of lights on their field. But that changed a couple of weeks ago when Eagle Rock installed permanent lights.

Despite the magnitude of the game, ERHS head coach Greg Pierce said his team prepared for this game and are doing their best to approach it as they do every other opponent.

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“Eagle Rock and Franklin has always been a very good rivalry. We have not beat them since 2007, but it’s just another league game for us,” Pierce said.

The Eagles (3-5, 2-1 Northern League) are fresh off a 27-21 win over Wilson High.

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After putting on a lack luster performance in last week’s 28-0 victory over Roybal, Franklin head coach Eric Jaimes said the team had a good week of practice this week.

“We need to stop their option offense and we have to execute on offense,” Jaimes said. “We are going to put the ball on our best players.”

Playmakers

Jaimes referred to the trio of senior running back Anthony Macias, senior wide receiver/safety Isaiah Turner and junior Joshua Taylor as the teams’ best players.

Macias has been a consistent weapon on the ground for a Franklin offense that has witnessed three different players start at quarterback this season. He accounted for more than half of Franklin’s offensive output last week, gaining 155 yards on 11 carries and scored one touchdown.

Turner at one point lead the team in TDs until Macias surpassed him and Taylor’s speed, height and elusiveness makes him an immediate threat when he’s on the field no matter what side of the ball he’s playing on.

The junior returns to the starting lineup after seeing limited action due to missing practice.

QB Update

John-Anthony Aguilar took his first snaps as backup quarterback for FHS in the league opening loss against Marshall. The next week he was the starting signal caller.

With two games under his belt as the first string QB, assistant coach Erick Valadez said the recently converted wide out is doing very well and he’s pleased with his progress.

“The whole offense is clicking with him right now,” Valadez said. Aguilar has thrown three TDs so far, one in each game he’s taken a snap.

Franklin (5-3, 2-1) topped Eagle Rock 14-7 in last year’s matchup between the two teams. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m.

As for the projected winner for tonight’s game, Valadez said, “The one that makes the most mistakes and turnovers will lose.”

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