Franklin Road Academy Completes Season Sweep of Columbia Academy in Gritty Quarterfinal Battle
Three times they met, and three times Franklin Road Academy found a way to come out on top. Columbia Academy gave everything it had in Wednesday’s Division II-A District 3 Tournament quarterfinal, but in the end, it was the Panthers who walked away with the 64-61 win-and a ticket to the semifinals.
For Columbia Academy, it was a tough pill to swallow. After dropping two close regular-season contests to FRA, the Bulldogs came into this one believing the third time might be the charm. And for stretches of the game, it looked like they might just flip the script.
“We had a young group this year-only one senior,” CA head coach Jarrett Jones said after the loss. “They’re starting to jell, figure it out here at the end. Man, I’d just love to get three or four more games.”
That one senior, Cooper Estep, left everything on the floor in his final game. The big man was a force inside, scoring a game-high 22 points and anchoring the Bulldogs’ offense from the paint.
Early on, CA leaned heavily on Estep, using his presence to set the tone and build an 18-10 first-quarter lead. Defensively, the Bulldogs threw high-pressure looks and quick switches at FRA, making it tough for the Panthers to find rhythm.
But as they’ve done all season, FRA adjusted.
Spiro Darsinos sparked the Panthers from deep, knocking down three of FRA’s five three-pointers and helping his team claw back into the game. By halftime, the eight-point deficit had turned into a 30-29 lead for the home team.
“No matter what defense you put in against FRA, they’re going to make shots,” Jones said. “Ride the wave.
They’re not going to make every shot. Make them shoot tough shots, rebound the basketball, and just ride the wave.”
That wave kept rolling into the second half.
The third quarter was a back-and-forth battle, with both teams trading buckets and momentum. Freshman Decari Parks stepped up for CA, scoring six of his 11 points in the third. FRA answered with Luke Kinnard, another freshman, who poured in seven in the frame to give the Panthers a narrow 46-45 edge heading into the fourth.
Then came the turning point.
FRA opened the final quarter with a 7-0 run, stretching their lead to double digits. Even with Estep battling through double-teams and powering his way to 10 fourth-quarter points, the Bulldogs were running out of time. Parks fouled out, and CA’s offense struggled to generate perimeter production-managing just two three-pointers all night, the last of which came from Alex Heffington at the buzzer to cut the final margin to three.
FRA’s young core-Darsinos, Kinnard, Thomas Woodard, Carter Bennett, and Earl Bennett Jr.-delivered when it mattered most, accounting for all 18 of the team’s fourth-quarter points. Darsinos led the Panthers with 20, while Kinnard added 12 and Woodard chipped in 10.
“Hat’s off to Columbia Academy,” FRA head coach David Gallagher said. “We knew this was going to be a battle.
Both times we played in the regular season, they were dogfights. It’s hard to beat a good team three times, and somehow we found a way to make that happen.”
The win moves Franklin Road Academy (19-6) into Friday’s semifinal matchup against host and No. 2 seed Battle Ground Academy, which advanced with a 73-51 win over Webb-Bell Buckle.
For Columbia Academy, the season ends at 9-15, but the growth from a young roster was evident down the stretch. With only one senior in Estep, the Bulldogs showed flashes of what could be coming in the future.
“They played well together and played hard for each other,” Jones said. “We just wish we had more time.”
Box Score
Columbia Academy 61, Franklin Road Academy 64
CA - 18 | 11 | 16 | 16 - 61
FRA - 10 | 20 | 16 | 18 - 64
Columbia Academy (61) - Cooper Estep 22, Decari Parks 11, Alex Heffington 11, Myers Malone 8, Zephyn Williams 6, Zion Johnson 3
Franklin Road Academy (64) - Spiro Darsinos 20, Luke Kinnard 12, Thomas Woodard 10, Carter Bennett 9, Castor Maynard 5, Earl Bennett Jr.
4, Jaden Vawters 4
3-pointers - CA 2 (Heffington, Williams); FRA 5 (Darsinos 3, Woodard, C.
Bennett)
Lady Bulldogs Season Ends in Quarterfinal Loss
Columbia Academy’s girls team also saw its season come to an end this week, falling to Franklin Road Academy 70-45 in Tuesday’s district quarterfinal. The sixth-seeded Lady Bulldogs couldn’t overcome FRA’s pace and firepower, wrapping up their postseason run on the road.