SLIPPERYROCK — Sometimes numbers lie.

These didn't. These told the whole, ugly truth and nothing but the whole, ugly truth.

• Total yards: Franklin 197, Slippery Rock minus-1.

• First downs: Franklin 12, SlipperyRock 0.

• Score: Franklin 35, Slippery Rock 0.

The first half for the Slippery Rock High School football team was one disaster after another. The second half was much better for the Rockets, but by then — with the clock churning continuously because of the mercy rule — it was far too late in a 35-14 home loss to Region 5 foe Franklin Friday night.

"That was wonderful, wasn't it?" SlipperyRock coach Clyde Conti asked. "They're better than us. What can I take from this? We aren't very good."

The numbers spoke volumes.

The Rockets (0-4, 0-1) could do nothing on offense against the physical and aggressive defense. The Knights (3-1, 2-1) smothered Rockets quarterback Jonathan Powell, fullback Ryan Ferguson and wingback Chase Conti.

Powell had minus-2 yards passing and one yard rushing in the first half. Conti had minus-5 yards rushing and Ferguson just five yards on five carries.

Meanwhile, Franklin's offense was swallowing yardage in bunches on the ground and through the air.

CodyCummings scored on two 3-yard runs and had 71 yards rushing in the first half. His cohort in the backfield, fullback SeanCaffrey, had 74 yards on the ground.

Knights quarterback Nick Wested threw three touchdown passes in the first half, 11 yards to Jason Grill for the first score of the game, a 10-yarder toCaffrey and a 7-yard score to Dave Williams with 1:17 remaining in the second quarter to put Franklin up 35-0 and to send the mercy clock turning in the second half.

"Even from the get-go, they take the ball down the field on us," Conti said. "You can look in kids' eyes and get an idea of what to expect. Obviously, we're not very good."

In the second half, Slippery Rock moved the ball well, albeit against Franklin's second-team defense.

Ferguson ran hard for 62 of his 67 yards in the second half and Conti ended up with 47 yards and a 4-yard scoring run.

Powell put the final score on the board for the Rockets with a 1-yard sneak with less than a minute remaining in the game.

SlipperyRock was without JesseKniess, who pulled a muscle in the pre-game warmups.

"That's just par for the course," Conti said.

It doesn't get much easier for Slippery Rock next week when it welcomes state-ranked GeneralMcLane to its home field.

Conti would much rather burn the tape of the Franklin game.

"I think the sooner I get to the confessional, maybe things will start working out better for us," Conti said.