Downey linebackers turned loose by nose guard Joe Franco

A quick look at the list of leading tacklers after the opening week shows three Downey Knights among the top seven in the Sac-Joaquin Section.

Senior Poaka Kekua was tied for second with 21 takedowns, just behind only Folsom’s Roger Neal (26) and ahead of Gregori junior Dominic Barandica (18).

In sixth and seventh place were Kekua’s teammates: junior Aaric Holt (17) and senior Dwayne Heller (16). A little further down the list sits Downey free safety Tyran Daniels with 14.

Those impressive totals were rolled up in a 30-14 win over Pitman at Chuck Hughes Stadium on Friday night and, according to coach Jeremy Plaa, Joe Franco was the big reason. At 6-foot-1 and 300 pounds, it takes more than one offensive lineman to handle the Knights’ nose guard.

“Joe Franco is one of the best-kept secrets,” Plaa told the Modesto Quarterback Club on Monday. “We told him to go B-gap to B-gap, and he controlled the entire middle for us. He was our MVP this week.”

Franco and the Knights will have a difficult challenge this Friday when they travel to Stockton to take on McNair, a 74-26 winner over Calaveras last week.

The Eagles feature wide receiver/kick returner Derrion Grim, who scored seven touchdowns last week, including an 89-yard kickoff return on his first touch of the season.

Grim has made a verbal commitment to attend Boise State but just recently picked up an offer from Nebraska.

“We’re going to play a box-and-one defense; find a way so that he doesn’t touch the ball,” Plaa said, referring to the old basketball alignment used to hamstring prolific scorers.

Focus too much on Grim and quarterback Osai Brown (eight TD passes last week), and holes could open for running back Sean Hamilton, who has committed to play at Sacramento State.

This story was originally published September 2, 2015 at 5:29 PM with the headline "Downey linebackers turned loose by nose guard Joe Franco."