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FBBellGame
27
Winner Franklin FRA 5-4 , 4-3
16
Hanover HAN 5-5 , 4-3
Winner
Franklin FRA
5-4 , 4-3
27
Final
16
Hanover HAN
5-5 , 4-3
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
FRA Franklin 0 0 17 10 27
HAN Hanover 7 3 6 0 16

Game Recap: Football |

Hanover wraps up the season with the playing of the 91st Victory Bell Game

HANOVER, Ind. – The Hanover Panthers welcomed Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference rival Franklin to Alumni Stadium for the playing of the 91st Victory Bell Game. Hanover also celebrated senior day, falling in the contest 27-16.
 
The Blue and Red conclude the season at 5-5 overall, 4-3 HCAC while the Grizzlies improved to 5-4 overall, 4-3 HCAC.
 
Hanover finished the contest with 308 total yards of offense led by senior, quarterback, Matthew Weimer (Georgetown, Ind.) with 195-yards through the air and one touchdown. The Panthers added one score on the ground for a combined 70-yards rushing.
 
The Hanover football team dominated play in the first half as they were able to find the first strike at the 3:46 minute mark in the opening quarter. The Panthers traveled 52-yards on seven plays led by a 12-yard rush and score by senior Shawn Coane (Evansville, Ind.), 7-0.
 
Franklin looked to find an equalizer early in the second quarter as they traveled to the Hanover 41-yard line before freshman Jayleem Santos (Warner Robins, Ga.) was able to recover a fumble that set-up Hanover for the final score of the first half. Sophomore Blake Simpson (Allen, Texas) came through in the clutch as he hit a 33-yard field goal as time expired to give HC the 10-0 advantage.
 
However, the second half saw a scoring frenzy as the Grizzlies punched in back-to-back touchdowns en route to their first lead of the contest, 14-10.
 
The excitement wouldn't last long as senior Walt Ballinger (Beech Grove, Ind.) went to work with just 3:55 to play in the third stanza. The senior capped off a 64-yard seven play drive with a 17-yard run and score, 16-14. The endzone visit marked the second of the afternoon for the Panthers.
 
The back-an-forth battle continued as the 91st Victory Bell Game heated up seeing a change in momentum with a pair of Franklin field goals. The first came at the 1:12 mark in the third quarter before the second split the uprights in the fourth quarter at the 10:21 minute mark for the 20-16 advantage.
 
Franklin tacked on the final score with just 4:10 to play as they traveled 84-yards on three plays for the game securing touchdown.
 
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