FRANKLIN, Pennsylvania (EYT) – After a 60-point loss to Mercyhurst Prep that dropped their record to 0-5 midway through last season, the Franklin football team met for a reunion.

The consensus? The losing stops. Now.

“We walked into a room that Monday. There was no yelling,” Franklin coach Matt Turk said. “We all literally said, ‘Listen. We all love each other. We all believe in each other. Let’s go run.'”

And that is exactly what the knights did.

It started that Friday with a 35-0 win at Warren, ending a 20-game losing streak, and then followed that with a 42-20 home win over Seneca.

After a loss to Meadville, Franklin finished the season with wins over Conneaut and Lakeview, turning a disappointing 0-5 first half into a 4-6 record.

It gives the Knights a lot of momentum — and renewed confidence — heading into this season. And this program needed a lot of both after going 1-19 combined in 2021 and 2022.

The team’s unity helped them overcome these adversities and enabled them to regain promotion in the last five games of 2023.

“We loved each other very, very much,” Turk said. “We always say ‘Knight family!’ and we mean it. It’s not just a term we use.”

Like most families, they have gone through some conflicts.

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Senior quarterback Landon Lynch is ready for all the tough times to finally experience some good ones this season.

“I don’t want to feel like I used to,” Lynch said. “A few seasons ago we lost 10-0. Losing is not a good feeling. Not at all.”

Lynch said part of the reason for the sudden turnaround was a change in the team’s approach to training.

They focused on the details again.

“You have to work really hard in practice. Practice is super important,” he said. “We didn’t really take it seriously (the year we went 0-10). Last year we took it very seriously, especially towards the end of the year. The little things, the technique and things like that, we took it seriously. That’s why we won some games.”

Everyone is taking training seriously this season.

Especially Lynch, who got a taste of the quarterback position last year when Jason Carey was ruled out for the season. Lynch showed up to training camp with a stronger arm, a tighter coil and his ever-present smile on his face.

Lynch is unflappable – a trait that could help the senior lead the Knights to an even better season in 2024.

“When you get a baptism of fire, when you’re thrown in there and Hickory is your first game as a junior quarterback and you haven’t played that long – well, this kid is ready to go,” Turk said. “We’re excited for the opportunity he’s getting to lead our offense.”

“Every high school athlete develops so much between their penultimate and their senior year. Landon is definitely sharper and more mature. He’s been part of our program since his freshman year. He knows what it takes. He knows our offense – we’re not changing anything. He’s bigger, faster, stronger, sharper and it’s his senior year. He knows, man, this is his last hurrah.”

Carey could be back as early as Week 2 and will be Lynch’s primary backup. But Carey will be on the field in other capacities, Turk said.

“We have other plans for him,” Turk smiled.

What Turk likes most about his team this year is their attitude.

They are fed up with losing. Most of the players who were involved in the turnaround last year are back as regulars this season.

“Our core group doesn’t like to lose,” Turk said. “They know what it’s like to be part of a losing program. These guys were freshmen and sophomores when we lost 10-0. They don’t want to go back.”

The wealth of talent throughout the team suggests that this will not be the case.

Franklin will have one of the largest and strongest offensive lines in recent history.

Jeremy Cunningham, Avery Shetler and Kaden Kiselka are back to strengthen this unit.

“I’m an offensive line guy, so I’m excited about it,” Turk said. “This is the heaviest, strongest offensive line we’ve probably had in the last six or seven years. Two of our bigger guys are young — they’re about 6-foot-3 and 290 pounds. They have good training camps, but you need that muscle up front, even at the high school level.”

The biggest challenge, however, is replacing Buckley, who had the rare honor of leading the Knights in passing, rushing and receiving last year.

“Cole wouldn’t even know those were his numbers because he’s so humble,” Turk said. “You can’t replace Cole Buckley. We’re in the post-Cole Buckley era and he’s accomplished a lot. Three of our players can replace Cole Buckley and that’s going to be difficult for teams because in the past we were in trouble if we stopped Cole. This year we have to stop three or four of our various veterans.”

Caden Mincer will also play an important role in the offense as a running back and tight end. Hunter Hedglin, who did not play last year, will also get some playing time.

“We are happy about his opportunity,” Turk said.

However, Franklin is careful not to rest on his laurels given the upturn in the second half of the year.

The Knights want to take this feeling into the new season, but also not put too much emphasis on it.

After all, it’s a new year.

“It showed they were fully committed. They believed in the program. They knew we could win. And they believed in it,” Turk said. “And all of our kids that are going to be starting this year were part of that success. You have to get that one win. You have to have that culture. These guys came to training camp with that culture. (But) we have to be who we are in 2024. We have to be fundamentally sound. Technically sound and play to our strengths.”

Tiger Woods, of all people, could help them realize this.

“They all know who Tiger Woods is,” Turk said. “I asked them, ‘Hey, how many people has Tiger Woods beaten because they were trying to chase Tiger?’ Some of the guys that beat Tiger weren’t trying to play Tiger. They were playing themselves and ended up beating Tiger in some of these big tournaments. That’s what really impressed these guys this year. We’re not trying to top those 4-1 deficits in the second half of the season. We’re trying to be who you are in 2024. You have to take care of yourself, man.”

Franklin Area High School sports coverage on Explore and ExploreSportspa.com is brought to you by Redbank Chevrolet and DuBrook.