FRANKLIN – A power outage couldn’t stop a Franklin-Simpson comeback, with the Wildcats rallying for a 35-20 win over Hopkinsville in the Class 4A, Region 1 championship Friday at Shadetree Stadium.

Franklin-Simpson (10-3) rallied from 20 down to race past Hopkinsville and advance to face Collins in the 4A state semifinals.

Senior running back James Baker provided the spark the Wildcats needed, running for 165 yards and two scores and adding another touchdown reception to lift Franklin to a second straight region title. It was the first time the Wildcats have won consecutive region titles since winning seven straight from 1977-1983.

“We came out and knew we had to fight hard,” Baker said. “We couldn’t let up. It’s been a while since we’ve won the region championship two years in a row, so it meant a lot to us. We came out as a team and gave it all we had.”

It was all Hopkinsville (6-7) early, before the Wildcats took control.

The Tigers got on the board midway through the first quarter when Javier Bland found Gavin Marschand in stride for a 45-yard touchdown pass.

Marschand struck again on the defensive side three minutes later, intercepting a tipped pass from Rylan Thomas and running it in from 11 yards out to extend the lead to 14-0.

It was still 14-0 on the first play of the second quarter when a bank of lights went out, causing a 20-minute delay. When play resumed, Marschand and Bland hooked up for a 47-yard gain to move into Franklin territory. Three plays later, Bland found Jordan Hopson down the seam for a 21-yard score to put the Wildcats in a 20-point hole. Still, Franklin-Simpson coach Doug Preston said the light delay actually helped settle his team.

“We told them to play, that there were three quarters to go,” Preston said. “We said, ‘We are going to play hard,’ and the kids started making plays.”

Those plays came right away following the Hopkinsville score.

Franklin-Simpson picked up some momentum late in the first half with two scores in a three-minute span. Baker’s 34-yard touchdown run gave Franklin its first points with 6:26 left in the half.

Trevon Goodnight recovered a Bland fumble on the Hopkinsville 15, setting up Rylan Thomas’ touchdown pass to Tre Bass four plays later – allowing Franklin to pull within 20-14 at the half.

“A lot of these kids played last year and we were down 14-0 at the half to South Warren,” Preston said. “We talked about that and said, ‘We’ve played good teams before and been in this situation. We just have to believe in each other.’ ”

The momentum continued in the third quarter.

Franklin-Simpson’s defense forced a fumble right outside the red zone to set up a drive that ended with a 37-yard run around end from Bass that gave the Wildcats the lead for good.

Baker’s 54-yard scamper extended the lead to 28-20 late in the third quarter and the Wildcats iced it with a 15-play, 69-yard drive that lasted nearly nine minutes – the final play a bootleg by Thomas to a wide-open Baker in the flat for a 21-yard score.

Franklin-Simpson outgained Hopkinsville 395-223, running for 357 yards. Bass finished with 125 yards rushing.

The Wildcats defense forced four turnovers and held Hopkinsville to eight yards rushing.

“I was really happy that our kids were able to fight like that,” Preston said. “I felt like we were flat coming out. Give them credit too, (Hopkinsville) came out ready to play, but we talk about it all the time. We have a sign in the locker room that says ‘48 minutes to play and a lifetime to remember.’ That’s what we preach to them all the time. They played hard the whole game.”

HHS 14 6 0 0 – 20

FSHS 0 14 14 7 – 35

First quarter

HHS – Gavin Marschand 45 yard pass from Javier Bland (Taylor Harton kick), 4:33

HHS – Marschand 11 interception return (Harton kick), 1:56

Second quarter

HHS – Jordan Hopson 21 pass from Bland (kick failed), 9:25

FS – James Baker 34 run (Cole Hollingsworth kick), 6:26

FS – Tre Bass 17 pass from Rylan Thomas (Hollingsworth kick), 4:03

Third quarter

FS – Bass 37 run (Hollingsworth kick), 8:27

FS – Baker 54 run (Hollingsworth kick), 3:10

Fourth quarter

FS – Baker 21 pass from Thomas (5:17){&end}