There are some changes going on with the Franklin County football team, starting with the head coach.
Aaron Stepp is beginning his first year as coach of the Flyers after being head coach at Harrison County last season.
“It’s going really well,” Stepp said. “The kids are transitioning very well. They’re doing the things we’ve asked them to do. I’m really pleased.”
Stepp coached the Thorobreds to a district championship last year when they beat Franklin County in overtime. FCHS was district runner-up.
“It helped me make my decision about coming to Franklin County,” he said about the teams’ meeting last season. “I felt like from an athletic standpoint they had some very nice athletes.
“That’s nothing against Harrison County at all,” he added, “but one thing when you have a wife and four kids is you have to look at the opportunities that are there. This is a great town, and it’s a great deal for my three daughters and son.”
Another change is at quarterback. Senior Sean Thompson, after a standout season as a pitcher last spring for the Flyers, will be concentrating on baseball.
The team’s starting quarterback the past two years, Thompson will be FCHS’ kicker and punter this season. Senior Jeremy Gardner will step into the quarterback spot.
“Jeremy’s done a really, really good job,” Stepp said, “and he throws a really good ball right now. Jeremy was the backup last year, and very few kids at this level know the offense as well as he does.
“To run the offense and make checks, make reads, to have a kid with the cerebral ability Jeremy has is a no-brainer,” he added. “He’s one of the better leaders I’ve seen, and I’ve been coaching for 12 years.”
Last season Thompson passed for over 2,000 yards and 23 touchdowns. This past spring he had a 7-2 record as the ace of the FCHS pitching staff. He had 78 strikeouts in 52 innings and also had one save.
“He’ll be on special teams,” Stepp said. “He wants to play baseball and he’s very, very good at it, but at the same time this keeps him in the football end of it.”
Gardner and Thompson are two of just nine seniors on this year’s roster, which numbers 51 players.
“Given the fact we only have nine seniors, I’m very pleased with where we are numbers wise,” Stepp said. “This gives us 42 lower classmen, and that gives us something to build on.”
The biggest area where building will take place this season is on the lines.
“Most of our skill people are back,” Stepp said. “Our offensive and defensive lines took huge hits with graduation, but a lot of our skill kids are back. We lost DeRon Hicks, and we lost Leland Robinson (to graduation). Those were big hits.
“We have a lot of kids at skill spots who played last year and some even started,” he added. “Our offensive and defensive lines are young and inexperienced. From an athletic standpoint we’ll be OK there. This season our focus is to get better so when November rolls around and playoffs roll around we’ll be in good shape.”
The Flyers, who reached the second round of the playoffs and finished with a 6-6 record last year, open the season Saturday against Holy Cross in the Dairy Queen Bowl at Henry County.
Their district opponents are Harrison, Pendleton and Bourbon counties. District play starts Oct. 9 at Bourbon County.
This year’s assistant coaches are Nick Sheridan, Steve Perkins, Greg Moore and Eddie James.
Right now, Franklin County’s focus is on the season opener and showing just how strong a program the Flyers have.
“I tell the kids every day they can be as good as they want to be,” Stepp said. “People around town may talk about us rebuilding, but they don’t control that. We do. I don’t feel like Franklin County ever has a rebuilding year. I know there’s an ebb and flow of talent, but I don’t feel like there’s ever a rebuilding year.”
Franklin Co. Schedule
All games begin at 7:30 p.m. unless otherwise specified
Aug. 22 vs. Holy Cross, Dairy Queen Bowl at Henry Co., 5:30 p.m.
Aug. 29 at Danville, Bob Allen Pigskin Classic, 8 p.m.
Sept. 4 Open
Sept. 11 Lafayette
Sept. 18 at Frankfort
Sept. 25 Woodford Co.
Oct. 2 at Cov. Holmes
Oct. 9 at Bourbon Co.
Oct. 16 Pendleton Co.
Oct. 23 Harrison Co.
Oct. 30 at Western Hills
Franklin Co. Roster
No. Name Grade
2 Deshawn Alo 10
3 Jeremy Gardner 12
4 Damian Hicks 12
5 Greg Maupin 9
5 Ryan Timmons 9
6 Corey Ware 11
7 Aaron Lackey 10
8 Billy Perkins 10
9 Zack Bowman 9
10 Josh Lopez 9
11 Daniel Anderson 10
12 Sean Thompson 12
13 Tabor Casey 9
14 Michael Chenault 12
15 Jordan Moore 10
16 Jacob Semones 9
17 Monte Wilson 10
18 Brandon Smith 9
19 Connor Ault 9
20 Damani Aziz 10
21 Jalen Jones 10
22 Trey McGee 9
26 Cody Hunt 9
30 Sean Robinson 9
32 Keaston Jones 11
35 Jacob Campbell 10
37 Allen Williams 11
43 Ryan Northcutt 9
50 Trent Sency 9
51 Dale Hensley 10
52 AJ Burrell 12
54 Jesse Bertrand 10
56 Jacob Williams 11
57 John McIntosh 11
58 Wesley Watkins 11
59 Jay Brough 10
60 Jose Rebolledo 9
62 Chip Bird 9
63 Ryan Martin 12
65 Chance Blythe 9
68 Trae Williams 11
70 Jacob Perkins 9
71 Aaron McDonald 9
74 Zack Ray 9
75 Josh McCoy 10
76 Kris Long 11
77 Mike White 12
80 Will Bell 11
81 Joe Barnett 12
84 Franklin Goins 12
85 Joshua Pedone 9
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