Football: Franklin Tech saddles up for another run at league title

The Franklin Tech football team has the numbers and the position players to make another run at an Intercounty North league championship this season. The Eagles have one uncertainty in their offensive and defensive line. Some stalwarts graduated, leaving a group who has something to prove this season.

“We are going to go as far as our line is going to bring us,” Franklin Tech coach Joe Gamache said. “We certainly have skill position guys, we are feeling pretty solid in our secondary and out linebacking corps. A major question mark is our line and how well they are going to come together and if they can show some toughness.”

If the players in the trenches can do their part, the Eagles have high expectations.

“If that happens,” Gamache said. “I would expect we would have a shot at a league title. We would have a shot at a state playoff bid. Maybe a vocational playoff appearance again.”

Franklin Tech has 44 players in preseason practices. The Eagles have a nice balance of younger players and upperclassmen. The majority of starters should be the more experienced players on the roster.

Brady Gancarz played very effectively last season at cornerback and developed with a handful of carries at running back. The muscular and imposing Gancarz worked diligently in the offseason to prepare for a featured role out of the backfield. Wyatt Whitman brings some speed to the backfield as well.

“We are eager to see what he can do,” Gamache said of Gancarz.

Gancarz is a football-exclusive athlete at Franklin Tech. The work he did to get bigger is immediately evident. There should be a nice concoction of speed and size in Gancarz’s game. His season rests on the success of every part of the offense.

“It’s up to how we are as a team,” Gancarz said. “We have a really good group of guys. I just hope we can have a good year with the guys we have. I am a lot bigger; I gained 20 pounds since last year. My endurance is way better. I feel better with sprinting.”

Mason Bassett enters his junior season playing quarterback for the Eagles.

“He showed a lot of development last year as a sophomore,” Gamache said. “He did a lot of really good things. His decision-making grew very quickly. We’ll find out quickly if he’s continued that upward trend.”

Franklin Tech has a host of talented weapons at its disposal. The wide receiver room features Hunter Donahue, Nolyn Stafford and Cole Bassett.

“There are a lot of options there,” Gamache said. “A lot of weapons. I think our receiving corps is pretty deep. We have seven kids that would probably start on some other teams. He’ll (Mason Bassett) do a good job making sure they all get some touches.”

Now as an upperclassman, Bassett has the goal to lead the team.

“I want to step up as a leader on the team,” Bassett said. “We lost a lot of leadership last year. A lot of seniors graduated. That role needs to be filled.”

Bassett knows the offense and can help players who might not know what their roles are yet. During practice on August 26, Bassett worked alone with the younger quarterbacks. There is a lot of confidence in the weapons, Bassett also has full confidence in his offensive line.

“It makes my job a lot easier when they are skilled,” Bassett said. “A lot of them have been in this program for four years. They are experienced, which helps a lot.”

The defense has a lot of returners at linebacker in Donahue and Whitman. Stafford is the safety for the Eagles. The sizable Cole Gamache anchors the defensive line. Gamache plays defensive end and tackle, depending on the defensive set.

The Eagles open their season with a home game against McCann Tech on Sept. 11 at 7 p.m. Franklin Tech’s schedule includes a road trip to the coast to play Hull High School on Oct. 16 at 6 p.m.