Published: September 05, 2009 11:26 am      

Leopards improve to 2-0 with win at Decatur

By STEPHEN MONAHAN

Register Correspondent

DECATUR — Two games into the 2009 season, the Gainesville Leopards have already matched their win total from a year ago.

Playing their first road game of the season Friday in Decatur, the Leopards looked for revenge from last year’s 51-20 drubbing at the hands of the Eagles. The Leopards, behind a strong second-half effort from their defense and a slew of Eagle penalties and turnovers, went into Eagle Stadium and came out victorious 27-17 for win number two.

Gainesville senior running back Deshawn Franklin and quarterback Kielyn Lewis combined for most of the offense, rushing for a combined 231 yards and three touchdowns. The duo also hooked up for another score through the air.

Down 14-13 at halftime thanks to two big passing touchdowns of 82 and 52 yards by the Eagles, the Leopards’ defense took control in the second half.

After chewing up half of the third quarter with an 11-play, 52-yard opening-half drive, Alejandro Beltran booted a 26-yard field goal to put the Eagles up 17-13, but from there it was all Gainesville.

The Leopards (2-0 overall) scored on their following possession when Lewis hit Franklin down the seam for a 33-yard touchdown on fourth and six, capping a 6-play, 52-yard drive. The extra point put Gainesville up 20-13 with 4:10 left in the third quarter.

From there Decatur fell apart, running just nine plays on offense before putting in some clean up work with about 40 seconds left in the game.

Decatur went three and out on its next possession following Gainesville’s go-ahead score.

But any rally the Eagles wanted to put together was dashed on Gainesville’s first possession of the fourth quarter. The Leopards punted the ball away, but the Eagles were called for roughing the kicker, resurrecting the Leopard drive. From there, the Leopards moved the ball with ease as Franklin ran for 21 yards all the way to the Decatur 17-yard line, setting up his own score just two plays later as the senior scampered in from 10 yards out to seemingly put the game out of reach from Decatur. The score capped off a 9-play, 58-yard drive with 8:02 left to play. Franklin set up the scoring drive by picking off his first of two passes on Decatur’s previous possession.

On the very first play on offense from Decatur following Gainesville’s fourth quarter touchdown, the Eagles turned it over for the sixth and final time. Again Franklin picked off a pass from starting quarterback Colton Parker, a transfer from Sanger. Parker had six total turnovers against the Leopards, including five interceptions, two to Franklin and three to Dakota Nichols.

The Leopards put the clamps down on the Eagles in the second half, allowing just 72 yards of total offense, 52 of which came on Decatur’s opening drive of the second half.

The Leopards were quick to score to start the game. Franklin scored his first of three touchdowns on Gainesville’s opening drive of the game. The senior scored from 25 yards out with 8:52 left in the first to give the Leopards a 6-0 lead after a missed point after attempt.

Decatur lost a fumble on its first play from scrimmage and was recovered by Gainesville’s Roderic Roland on the Decatur 33-yard line.

Gainesville could not capitalize on the miscue, giving the ball back on downs. Decatur came out on its second possession though, scoring from 52 yards out as Parker hit Brandon Jones for the go-ahead touchdown, making it 7-6 Decatur.

On the very next play from scrimmage, Lewis rumbled 68 yards, virtually untouched, for Gainesville’s next score. The Leopards led 13-7 with 5:56 left in the first quarter.

Decatur and Gainesville swapped turnovers on their next possessions. Nichols picked off a pass at the Decatur 30-yard line, but Franklin lost his first of two fumbles four plays later.

Decatur did not score again until the second quarter when Parker hit Tyler Swift for an 82-yard touchdown at the 10:24 mark, giving the Eagles the lead again at 14-13.

Nichols made interceptions on Decatur’s next two possessions, including one at the Gainesville 1-yard line near the end of the first half, saving a potential touchdown by the Eagles.

Franklin finished with 105 yards on 21 carries. Lewis led the team with 126 yards on 15 carries, adding 96 yards through the air.

The Leopards will be back at Leeper Stadium Friday when they host Fort Worth Castleberry in the annual Homecoming game.