Grand Island has a healthy Caleb Francl, and that means Islander opponents in the football postseason could be in a world of hurt.
The all-state linebacker/running back scored two touchdowns, registered 10 tackles, blocked an extra point, recovered a fumble and forced another fumble in leading the Class A No. 7 Islanders to a 34-13 win over Lincoln Southwest on Friday at Seacrest Field.
Francl injured his ankle in a 32-31 season-opening win against Kearney, and has been gradually working his way back to 100% ever since. The 6-foot, 170-pound senior caught four passes for 83 yards and rushed for 89 on 14 carries in his most extensive work since Week 1.
“Caleb is a really good all-around football player and he makes everyone around him better,” Grand Island coach Jeff Tomlin said. “Whether it’s making tackles for losses or running the ball, he’s a difference-maker for us.”
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The Islanders (7-1) rode two big plays to a 14-0 halftime lead. On their first series, Carson Cahoy found Francl wide open over the middle after coming out of the backfield for a 50-yard touchdown pass.
It appeared the Silver Hawks (4-4) were going to tie the game early in the second quarter. A 30-yard pass from Laken Harnly to Dakota Harders highlighted a drive from the Southwest 34 to inside the GI 10, but a fumble that Francl recovered inside the 2 ended it.
Grand Island quickly made the Silver Hawks pay. One play after a 27-yard run by Francl got the Islanders out of the shadow of their end zone, Cahoy broke a 71-yard keeper for a touchdown with 5:41 left in the half.
After being upset by the Silver Hawks last season, “we came out with a little chip on our shoulder from last year,” Francl said. “We wanted to come out fast and get momentum on our side early.”
The Southwest passing attack came to life in the second half. Harnly, who finished 20 of 28 for 271 yards, threw for 194 after intermission. After a 23-yard field goal by Braxton Mendez gave Grand Island a 17-0 lead midway through the third quarter, Harnly completed three passes for 53 yards to put Telo Arsiaga in position for his 14-yard TD run that narrowed the deficit to 17-6.
The Islanders responded by scoring the next 10 points on a 28-yard field goal from Mendez and Francl’s 4-yard TD run that made it 27-6 with 1:59 left in the third quarter. The touchdown came two plays after Daylon Keolavone recovered a Silver Hawk fumble at the Southwest 18.
Southwest, however, refused to go away. Just 19 seconds after the Islanders' touchdown, Harnly hit an open Grant McKinsey in stride for a 71-yard TD pass over the middle to make it 27-13. McKinsey, a senior wide receiver, finished with seven catches for 150 yards.
Grand Island took advantage of a short field in the fourth quarter, driving 37 yards on five plays with Ace McKinnis producing the final score on a 1-yard run with 2:14 left. Southwest averted a disaster just before that when a snap went over punter Jacob Hohl’s head into the end zone, but Hohl was able to track it down and get the punt off under heavy pressure.
“Our kids responded every time they made a run at us,” Tomlin said. “Southwest is a very talented team. They have speed at the wide receiver positions and their quarterback is a never-say-die guy who kept plays alive and got the ball down field.”