FRANKLIN, Oh. – The Talawanda Brave might be a force to be reckoned with come playoff time, if the first four weeks of the 2026 regular season are any indication.
The Brave improved to 4-0 on the year, their second consecutive season starting 4-0, after a 35-0 pasting of the Franklin Wildcats on the road Friday night.
Talawanda led 14-0 after the first quarter, due to two touchdown passes from QB Jake Van Gorden to running back Oliver Bennett and wideout Brody Abner, and added three more scores in the second quarter — a Bennett TD run and two Van Gorden TD passes to wide receiver Camar Ellis — to make it 35-0 at halftime.
Van Gorden would finish the night 16 of 23 for 241 yards and four touchdown passes.
Talawanda has now outscored its opponents 155-12 so far this season, as they prepare to host Carroll next week. Franklin, with Friday’s loss, falls to 0-4 and will travel to Carlisle in Week Five.
SCORING BY QUARTERS
Talawanda: 14-21-0-0-35
Franklin: 0-0-0-0-0
RECORDS: Talawanda 4-0; Franklin 0-4
UP NEXT: #25 Fairfield hosts Carroll (2-2); Franklin at Carlisle (2-2)
