MANDEVILLE — Franklinton went 4-1 in pool play, but lost in its first game of bracket play of the 2018 Southeast Louisiana 7-on-7 Invitational Tournament at Lakeshore on Friday and Saturday.
Games were 21 minutes long, with the first 20 minutes running time. The clock stopped in the final minute based on regular football rules. Teams were awarded six points per touchdown. Defensively, clubs received three points for an interception and two points for a turnover on downs. Teams could only go for one in pool play and had the option of going for one or two in bracket play.
Games were played on a 40-yard field and first downs were at the 25 and the 10-yard lines. Teams had three downs to get a first down.
Franklinton lost the opener of pool play to Slidell, 21-13.
The Demons led 13-12 with 55 seconds left after Jasper LaSalle connected with Mike Martin to put Franklinton up by one after the unsuccessful point after.
Slidell completed a 38-yard pass on the first play and scored on second-and-goal. The PAT was no good. An interception accounted for the Slidell’s final three points to cap the scoring.
Franklinton got down 8-0 after Slidell threw a touchdown pass and forced a turnover on downs.
After the teams exchanged turnovers on downs to make it 10-2 with 11 minutes left, Conerly picked off a pass, bringing the Demons within five.
After a turnover on downs by each team to make it 12-7, LaSalle threw the touchdown pass to Martin, giving the Demons a one-point lead with 55 seconds to go, as the game went down to the wire.
The next game also went down to the wire and Franklinton won that game, 21-19, over Northshore.
The contest was tied, 19-19, late after the Demons evened the score on a pass from LaSalle to Duke Bell for a touchdown. The two combined for the extra point to tie the game with 15 seconds left.
With the scoring system, the Demons could win on defense with an interception or by forcing a turnover on downs and the defense came through.
The unit forced a turnover on downs on the final play for the exciting victory.
Franklinton scored on the game’s initial drive on about a 23-yard touchdown pass from LaSalle to Bell to make it 6-0.
Noah Breland added to Franklinton’s lead when he intercepted a pass for a 9-0 lead.
Northshore tallied 10 straight points with a turnover on downs, a touchdown and a turnover on downs. The point after touchdown attempt was no good. The Panthers led 10-9 with 6:40 left.
Kian Conerly gave Franklinton the lead back with an interception at 12-10 with 4:51 on the clock, but Northshore tied the game by forcing a turnover on downs at the 2:40 mark, setting up a great finish.
Following the victory over Northshore, the Demons capped off Friday with wins over Fontainebleau and St. Paul’s School.
The final game was pool play was a win over Archbishop Hannan on Saturday morning.
The tournament then moved the single elimination bracket play.
Franklinton lost its first game of bracket play to Ponchatoula to cap off its tournament.
“We played well overall,” Franklinton coach Jonathan Barber said. “Obviously, we would rather have played better on Saturday morning, but we didn’t play well. Even the game we won, we didn’t play well. I was a little disappointed, but we learned some good things.”
Franklinton faced six different teams during the tournament and Barber said it was good to play so many teams.
“In terms of getting ready for the season, it helps out from seeing different formations and different personnel groupings,” Barber said. “In terms of playing other teams, the competition is good and you’re seeing different route combinations and different formations of defense. It’s good for our kids because they have to adjust on the fly.”
Barber said wide receiver Shayland Allen played really well.
“He had a great tournament, so it was a big step for him,” Barber said.
Barber also said the secondary players did well, especially the cornerbacks.