MEADVILLE — As home openers go, the Franklin County boys andgirls basketball teams experienced both highs and lows Thursdaynight in the Bulldog arena against the Class 4A laden Panthers ofBrookhaven.

The Bulldogs bit the dust 55-36 against the Panthers while theLady Dawgs surprised Brookhaven 61-59 in a thriller.

Brookhaven hosts West Lincoln Saturday night while FranklinCounty travels to West Lincoln Tuesday.

Brookhaven 55, Franklin Co. 36

The Panthers (1-2) took advantage of the football mindedBulldogs from the start with easy baskets from outside and in.Franklin was minus the services of five projected starters due totheir participation in the Class 3A State playoffs. The Bulldogs(0-1) fought Brookhaven to a 10-all tie after one period of action.Brookhaven took a 25-18 lead into intermission.

“We played hard,” said Brookhaven head coach Ronald Hines.”Defensively we played well.”

The Panthers forced coach Chris Jordan’s young and inexperiencedBulldogs into 14 first half turnovers. The Bulldogs lost the ball15 more times in the second half, as Brookhaven began to pullaway.

“This was a good bounce back win for us,” added Hines, referringto the Panthers overtime loss to Loyd Star Monday. “We beat a wellcoached Franklin County team tonight.”

Offensively, Wade Stewart led the Panthers in scoring with 12points, five rebounds, and two steals. Tory Robinson added eightpoints, four rebounds, and one steal.

For the Bulldogs, 6-4 junior center Wesley Brown led all scorerswith 17 points, nine rebounds, three steals, and two assists.Junior guard Nagee Jones pumped in five points and added two stealsand two assists.

Franklin Co. 61, Brookhaven 59

The Lady Dawgs (1-1) ran out to a 26-22 lead after two quartersof play off the hot shooting of juniors Shalenia Wilcher andVictoria Hunt. Franklin stretched to lead to 43-38 after threeperiods.

“Shalenia came out and hit some early outside shots and thathelped us,” said Franklin County girls coach Charles Moore. “Ithought we played okay on defense as well.”

Franklin’s stunning defense halted a late Brookhaven rally inthe final seconds of the fourth quarter with steals and blockedshots that overwhelmed the winless Lady Panthers (0-3). Brookhavencommitted four fouls in the last two minutes to aid the LadyDawgs.

The Lady Panthers got 17 points and six rebounds from AshleyLeggett. Guard Blanche Wilson added 14 points, four rebounds, twosteals, and two assists.

For the Lady Dawgs, Hunt led all scorers with 20 points, fiverebounds, four steals and four assists. Wilcher finished with 14points, 10 boards and three assists. Senior forward AshleyWeathersby added five points, seven rebounds and three steals.