Newton’s explosive start soars Eagles past Franklin

NEWTON — Newton demonstrated why it remains one of the state’s premier Class 3A football programs Friday night, using explosive plays on offense and special teams to defeat fellow powerhouse Franklin 40-20 at Hedrick Field. The Eagles needed only 18 seconds to take control. Dayland Alfred returned the opening kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown, giving Newton a 6-0 lead after a fumbled 2-point attempt. Franklin’s opening drive stalled following a penalty, and Newton struck again on its first offensive play. Sophomore quarterback Izayah Foster raced 49 yards for a touchdown, stretching the lead to 12-0. After Franklin went three-and-out, the Eagles fumbled the ball away. Newton’s defense immediately answered the mistake by stopping Sawyer Januse short on fourth-and-1. Kendray Porter Jr. then broke loose for a 25-yard touchdown. Porter added the conversion run to give Newton a commanding 20-0 lead in the first quarter. Franklin responded with a long scoring drive capped by Jace Kimich’s 9-yard touchdown run. The Eagles answered almost immediately as Porter scored from 8 yards out following a long return, restoring Newton’s three-score advantage. Franklin blocked a punt for a safety late in the second quarter, but the Eagles still carried a 26-8 lead into halftime. The Lions opened the second half with a touchdown and later forced Newton to punt, giving Franklin an opportunity to make it a one-score game. Foster quickly changed the momentum by forcing a fumble on the return, and Justin Bray Jr. recovered it for the Eagles. Porter turned the takeaway into his third rushing touchdown of the night, scoring from 25 yards out to push Newton’s lead to 32-14. Franklin pulled within 32-20 on a deflected 24-yard touchdown pass from Kimich to Ayden Groves, but Newton again had an immediate response. Alfred scored on a 13-yard run before Foster connected with Cameron Hunter for the 2-point conversion. Newton’s defense sealed the victory with a fourth-down sack on Franklin’s final possession. Porter led the Eagles with 115 yards and three touchdowns on 13 carries. Foster completed 4 of 6 passes for 61 yards while rushing four times for 52 yards and a touchdown. Alfred finished with 123 all-purpose yards and two scores. Newton totaled 261 offensive yards, including 200 on the ground. Marktavious Issac led the defense with 16 tackles, while Ivan Gatson recorded 10. The Eagles will travel across the state line to face DeRidder, Louisiana, for the third consecutive season. The teams have split the first two meetings, with DeRidder winning the first matchup and Newton answering with a victory last year. The home team has won each game in the series, a trend Newton will have to break on the road.