LIBERTY – Franklin County junior fullback Jimmy Barnes scoredtwo touchdowns en route to a 27-6 Bulldog victory over AmiteCounty’s Trojans Friday night to put the Bulldogs back in theRegion 7-3A race.

FCHS plays host to defending 3A state champion Tylertown Fridaynight at 7 in Meadville’s Louie Mullins Memorial Stadium. TheBulldogs haven’t beaten the Chiefs since 2006.

“We’ve got a big one coming up that we must get focused for,” saidFCHS coach Rickey O’Quinn Jr. “We played well against Amite County,but those 19 penalties for 200 yards is something we must correctbefore Friday.”

Despite the penalties, the Bulldogs (4-5, 2-1) never trailed in thecontest, building a 20-0 lead before halftime and never lookingback.

“We had a good first half,” said O’Quinn. “In the second half welost a little focus.”

Barnes, the Bulldogs’ 6-foot-1, 215-pound bowling ball at fullback,scored two 3-yard touchdowns in the second quarter, and BillyNorman returned a punt 32 yards for a score.

Senior wide out Calvin Robinson added two catches for 64 yards anda score. Senior speedster Milton Griffin led the Dawgs in rushingwith 88 yards on 11 carries.

Coleman Graves, the Bulldogs senior kicker was 3-for-3 on extrapoints. Both Robinson and Norman totaled 112 all-purpose yards inthe win.

“It was an ugly win,” O’Quinn said. “We got off to a good start inthe first half and we moved the ball.”

In the second half, not only did the penalties keep Franklin Countyfrom blowing the game away, but so did Amite County’s defensivepressure.

“Amite County played good. They pinned their ears back and wedidn’t make any adjustments,” continued O’Quinn. “We’ve got to playconsistently. Offensively, we’ve got to play for four quarters.Tonight we played for two and a half quarters.”

Damien Anderson scored the Trojans’ only touchdown of the game on a34-yard run early in the third quarter. Amite County (2-6, 0-3) waslimited to 109 yards of total offense, and also made fourturnovers.

“Defensively we played great. They scored on a reverse. Other thanthat it was lights out,” added O’Quinn.

Norman led the defense with eight tackles and two fumblerecoveries.

Franklin County, which is currently in third place in the divisionstandings, can secure a playoff bid with a win in one of its nexttwo games, either Tylertown or Jefferson County.