Soccer Game Preview: Franklin vs. Southampton

Franklin is 1-8-1 against Southampton since April of 2021 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Friday. The Broncos will welcome the Indians at 5:00 p.m. After the two teams made easy work of their previous opponents, one won't be so lucky on Friday.

Franklin took a loss when they played away from home last Wednesday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Thursday. Their defense stepped up to hand Sussex Central a 9-0 shutout. The high-scoring effort was just what Franklin needed considering they were shut out in their previous contest.

Their offense was hitting Sussex Central from everywhere, as seven different players booted in a goal. Ayden Branch led that balanced group of strikers and accounted for two goals all by himself.

Meanwhile, Southampton and Surry County combined for 28 shots on goal last Wednesday, which explains the impressive eight total goals scored. The Indians put the hurt on the Cougars with a sharp 7-1 victory. The matchup was pretty much decided by the half, when the score had already reached 3-0.

Southampton is on a roll lately: they've won seven of their last eight games. That's provided a nice bump to their 10-2 record this season. Those wins came thanks in part to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they scored 34 goals over those eight contests. As for Franklin, their victory was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 6-9.