SLIDELL — Franklinton suffered a 5-2 loss to Salmen in District 6-II competition on the road Wednesday.
Salmen scored the first two goals. The first came in the 15th minute when Aaron Parks tallied after keeping the ball inside of the left post to make it a 1-0 game.
The next goal was in the 31st minute, when Theo Batista tallied inside of the left post on a long shot and the Spartans were up 2-0.
Franklinton trimmed it to 2-1 eight minutes later when Jayden Ard made a run and his shot from the right went into the middle of the net, as the Demons were within a goal of Salmen.
But the Spartans responded quickly when Carlos Halteh made it a 3-1 game.
It stayed that way through halftime.
Franklinton got back within one in the 50th minute. Justin Miller won possession from a loose ball. The keeper came out to defend the play and Miller kicked it past him and Demons were down just 3-2.
But Salmen added two more. Jermond Conner tallied off of a rebound in the 66th minute and Parks scored after getting past the defense and 1-on-1 with Franklinton’s keeper for the 5-2 final.
Franklinton coach Nate Murray had plenty of positives when talking about his team’s play Wednesday night.
“I saw a group of young men that challenged everything and that was physical with a physical team and a group of kids that rose to the challenge,” Murray said. “It’s unfortunate — maybe it falls on coach and I with conditioning — but there were a few lapses in physical fatigue and mental concentration which led to a couple of goals. I wouldn’t trade any of these 25 guys for anybody else. Tonight’s a night, regardless of score, that makes you proud to be affiliated with a group of kids like this.”
Franklinton is 3-7 while Salmen is 6-5-2.
The Demons are 42nd in the unofficial LHSAA Division II power rankings while Salmen is 35th.