Chaminade-Madonna shuts out undefeated University School ahead of state playoffs
Chaminade-Madonna running back Thaddius Franklin took the early fourth-quarter handoff and sprinted down the right sideline.
He hustled past a group of University School defenders and before he knew it was in the end zone for a 64-yard touchdown.
The running clock was on, the domination complete.
Behind Franklin’s 279 rushing yards and two touchdowns, as well as a pair of touchdown catches from John Dunmore and a stifling defense, Chaminade-Madonna shut out host University School 35-0 on Friday night in both teams’ regular-season finale.
“It was a big game for us,” said Franklin, a sophomore committed to the Miami Hurricanes. “We practiced hard all week. It paid off.”
It was another marquee win for defending Class 3A state champion Chaminade-Madonna (8-2) as it prepares for another playoff run. The Lions also defeated Alabama powerhouse Muscle Shoals, Piper, Booker T. Washington and Doral Academy this year.
They also gave University School (9-1) a dose of reality. The Sharks had put a running clock on every opponent this season, albeit against a weaker schedule.
Chaminade-Madonna made a grand entrance 10 minutes before the game, running onto University School’s field through a cloud of smoke and running rampant at midfield.
It didn’t take long for that intensity to show up on the field, with Chaminade-Madonna jumping out to a 24-0 halftime lead, scoring on four of their first five possessions.
The Lions opened scoring by marching 98 yards down the field on 11 plays, capped by a 2-yard touchdown run from Franklin at the start of the second quarter. A 27-yard field goal after a Cameron Wiliams interception made it 10-0 before quarterback Daelen Menard threw a pair of touchdowns to Dunmore from 31 and 8 yards. Dunmore’s first touchdown, set up by a blocked punt, came as he had simultaneous possession with University School cornerback Xavien Flowers.
Another 27-yard field goal early in the third quarter and Franklin’s 64-yard touchdown run with 11:05 left to play forced the running clock.
The defense played a big part in the offense’s success, intercepting three passes from University School quarterback Nick Vattiato, which led to 14 of Chaminade-Madonna’s points.
Both teams now turn their attention to the state playoff. Chaminade-Madonna, the No. 1 team in Class 3A, and University School, the top-ranked team in Class 4A, will each have a first-round bye before hosting regional semifinals on Nov. 16.
“[The win] feels good, but we’ve got to have short-term memory,” Dunmore, a Penn State commit, said. “It’s on to the next week. Get ready to grind.”
This story was originally published November 2, 2018 at 9:40 PM.