Frankford beats Northeast, 27-6

Frankford coach Will Doggett had to wake up his team during halftime of the Pioneers' football game against Northeast on Friday afternoon.

"I was a little ticked off that they were kind of brain-dead," Doggett said of the Pioneers, who were up, 7-6, over visiting Northeast and had struggled to take control of the game early.

But all it took was a stern talking-to by the two-year head man to get Frankford going.

"I told them we need to be smarter, in a not-so-nice way," Doggett said. "And I think that was the difference."

Quarterback Tim DiGiorgio marched the Pioneers down the field for a seven-play, 49-yard touchdown drive to open the second half. Frankford never looked back and won the Public League Class AAAA Gold game, 27-6.

The first series of the second half changed the game, and the offense's energy carried over to the defense.

On the ensuing play from scrimmage, Northeast's first of the second half, sophomore running back Rushawn Grange took a handoff from quarterback Daquan Bohannan, rushed up the middle about 8 yards, and lost control of the football.

The ball bounced backward, and Frankford's Quinton Ellis recovered it at the Northeast 30.

The Pioneers (2-2 overall, 1-0 league) took advantage, as five plays later junior Damion Samuels ran in for a 5-yard touchdown.

From that point, DiGiorgio said, "we played at our level instead of playing at their level."

In addition to the fumble recovery, Frankford's defense kept Bohannan in check through the second half, never allowing the Vikings (2-2, 0-1) to cross the 50-yard line.

And with a rejuvenated offensive line, which was spotty in its protection in the first half, DiGiorgio controlled the game with poise. Overall, he was 12-for-22 passing for 212 yards and a touchdown.

"The offensive line just woke up and started blocking," Doggett said.

DiGiorgio said the Vikings' blitzes left their cornerbacks vulnerable, and he exploited the situation.

In the final minute, Frankford completed the scoring on a 4-yard run by Samuels, his third TD of the day. Initially not across the goal line, Samuels (14 rushes, 60 yards) made a brilliant second effort to beat the Vikings defense and get in.

And with a league win, the Pioneers are back on track.

"It feels like we haven't won in a while," DiGiorgio said.

Frankford 7 0 13 7 – 27

Northeast 6 0 0 0 – 6

N: Devon Dillard 75 pass from Daquan Bohannan (pass failed)

F: Wydell Compton 5 pass from Tim DiGiorgio (Kenny Appiot kick)

F: Damion Samuels 14 run (Appiot kick)

F: Samuels 5 run (kick failed)

F: Samuels 4 run (Appiot kick)