30 years later; remembering the 1976 state 2A football champion Panthers (11/14/06)

The following is a game-by-game summary of the Franklin Panthers 1976 run to the school’s first and only state championship in football.  The 2006 season marks the 30^th anniversary as the Panthers won a trilling victory over Erwin (Hartnett County) for the state 2A championship and finished the season with an 11-3 record.

FHS (13) vs Robbinsville (42) - Junior QB Ricky Mashburn throws 14-yard touchdown pass to Mike Kinsland and returns a Black Knight interception 37-yards for another touchdown for Franklin’s only scores.  Panthers give up 263 rushing and 104 passing yards to the Knights.

FHS (62) vs Andrews (12) - Panthers explode for 432 yards rushing (38 carries, 11.37ypc) against the visiting Wildcats.  Sophomore RB Keith Brooks rushes nine times for 228 yards and three scores (7, 25 and 88), while fellow RB Darnell Shepard chips in with 109 yards on six attempts and two scores (70 and 1).  Mike McGinnis scored from 33-yards out and returned a fumble for another touchdown.  Mashburn ran for two touchdowns and was good on six-of-eight PAT attempts.

 FHS (14) vs Sylva (34) – Franklin’s only points came on touchdown runs by Shepard (eight-yards) and Mashburn (one-yard).  The Panthers are now 1-2 on the season.  Sophomore RB Brooks has amassed 298 yards rushing through the first three games to lead the offense.

FHS (23) vs Swain County (38) - Panthers rush for 329 yards, but commit seven turnovers against the Maroon Devils.  Swain High QB Doug Plemmons (current head basketball coach at FHS) completes seven-of-14 pass attempts for 159 yards.  McGinnis tosses touchdown pass to Mashburn (six-yards).  McGinnis (one-yard) and Mashburn (two-yards) also score on the ground.  This would be Franklin’s last loss on the season!

FHS (23) vs Murphy (20) – With a 1-3 record to open the season, Franklin picks up a huge win as Mashburn runs for two scores (12 and 23 yards), passes to Brooks for another (four yards) and kicks the game-winning field goal from 43-yards out (school record at the time).

FHS(20) vs Edneyville (0) – Franklin’s defense records their first shutout of the season, while holding Edneyville to 102 total yards and six first downs.  McGinnis returned the opening kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown.  Mashburn passed to Brooks for the second touchdown and then scored from a yard out to close the scoring.  Mashburn averaged 36.0 yards per punt and was good on two-of-three extra point attemts.

FHS (36) vs Hayesville (0) – The Panther D records their second straight shutout, while holding Hayesville to 109 yards of offense.  Mashburn accounts for two touchdowns, a 70-yard pass to Brooks and a 55-yard run, while averaging 42.0 yards per punt and knocking home four-of-five extra points.  Franklin gets additional touchdown runs from Brooks (one-yard), Mike Kinsland (two-yards) and Jimmy Henry (50 yards).

FHS (34) vs Murphy (14) - Panthers rush for 340 yards (38 carries, 8.95ypc) and score 20 points in the fourth quarter for the win.  Brooks scores runs for three touchdowns (53, 35 and 6 yards) on the night, while fellow RB McGinnis scores two of his own (one-yard and a 60-yard blocked punt return for touchdown).  Brooks leads the ground game with nine carries for 120 yards, while Mashburn boots three punts for a 43.0 yard average.

FHS (29) vs Swain County (20) – Franklin avenges loss from earlier in the season and clinch playoff birth with win over the Maroon Devils in Bryson City.  Mashburn runs for two touchdowns (2 and 13 yards) and tosses one to Eddie Reneau from 20 yards out.  Shepard rounds out the scoring with a three-yard plunge.

FHS (28) vs Rabun County (7) - Brooks leads the Panthers with four touchdowns as Franklin finishes the regular season with a 7-3 record and the Smoky Mountain Conference championship.  Brooks scores three times on the ground on runs of 20, 68 and 57 yards, while adding a four score on an 18-yard pass from Mashburn (four-of-four PAT attempts, 31.0 average on five punts).  Franklin is on a six-game winning streak heading into the playoffs.

FHS (29) vs Avery (0) – 1^st Round of the N.C. State 2A Playoffs (Nov. 13).  Panthers get touchdown runs from four different backs; Brooks 69-yard run (eight carries for 104 yards), Shepard one-yard run (10 carries for 75 yards), Mashburn 37-yard run and McGinnis 3-yard run to lead Franklin to its first ever playoff win in front of the home crowd.

FHS (27) vs Charlotte Catholic (14) – 2^nd round of the N.C. State 2A Playoffs (Nov. 20).  RB Jimmy Henry scores 18 points in the 4^th quarter as the Panthers advance.  Henry, filling in for an injured Brooks, rushes 11 times for 109 yards and two touchdowns (35 and one yards).  Mashburn passes to Henry from six-yards out, while McGinnis scores on a three-yard run.  Mashburn averages 40.8 yards on four punts.

FHS (13) vs Thomesville-Ledford (0) - Semi-finals of N.C. State 2A Playoffs (Nov. 27th).  Panthers run for 338 yards (52 carries, 6.50ypc) and score 13 second-half points for the victory.  Mashburn is the star of the game as he accounts for all 13 points and averages 38.0 yards on two punts.  Mashburn runs for 170 yards on 20 carries and a touchdown (62 yards), returns an interception nine yards for another score and boots one extra point.  RB’s McGinnis and Shepard rush for 72 and 68 yards, respectively.

FHS (35) vs Erwin, Hartnett County (28) - STATE CHAMPIONSHIP (Dec. 4th).  Mashburn accounted for 17 points on an 87-yard kickoff return, 11-yard run (11 carries for 56 yards), three PATs and one two-point conversion.  The Panthers also got two rushing touchdowns (40 and 35) from McGinnis (eight carries for 99 yards) and one from Shepard (six carries for 33 yards).  Brooks came back from a two game injury and finished with 53 yards on the ground to give him 1,000 on the season.  Franklin ran for 238 yards and gave up 267 to the Warriors.  Most of the yards for Erwin came from 208-pound RB Walter Eason, who Franklin coach Bill Dyar called one of the best backs he had ever seen play.

1976 FHS Team Members include:  All-State linebacker Walter Wright (co-captain), Paul Gregory (Co-captain), Ren Corbin, Mike Kinsland, Ricky Mashburn, Eddie Reneau, Bill Barrett, Chuck Moore, John Barrett, Darnell Shepard, Jimmy Henry, Keith Brooks, Ted Mathis, Mike McGinnis, Chuck Sutton, Michey Francisco, Danny Butts, Gerald Sanders, Sam Shuler, Bob Golding, Danny Biggs, Greg Lees, Randy Holden and Ronnie Jones.

QB Ricky Mashburn – 14 rushing touchdowns, seven touchdown passes, one touchdown reception, two interceptions returned for scores, one kickoff return touchdown, 38.8 yard punting average and 146 total points scored.

RB Keith Brooks – 11 rushing touchdowns, four receiving scores and leads the team with 1,000 yards on the ground.  84 total points scored.

RB Darnell Shepard – five rushing touchdowns.

RB Mike McGinnis – seven rushing touchdowns, kickoff return for a score, blocked field goal returned for a touchdown and fumble return for touchdown.

LB Walter Wright – named to the AP All-State team.

RB Jimmy Henry – three touchdown runs, one touchdown catch.

Mike Kinsland – touchdown run, catch.

Eddie Reneau – one touchdown reception.

COACHING STAFF:

Head coach Bill Dyar (SMC coach-of-the-year)

Jim Tipton

Mark Ferguson

David Morgan

* The 1976 Panthers also received the Sportsmanship Award, given in the Smoky Mountain Conference.