FRANKLIN — Heading into its Southwestern Buckeye League opener, the Bellbrook High School football team was looking to help spur a title run after getting off to a 1-3 start.

A 21-0 win over undefeated Franklin in the Wildcats’ home opener would be a step in that direction.

“This is huge,” Bellbrook’s Taylor Wood said after the Golden Eagles improved to 2-3 and 1-0. “Hopefully, this will swing the season way around.”

Wood was the one who swung the pendulum toward the Eagles.

Wood stepped in front of a Kevin Stewart pass and returned it 60 yards for the first score of the night with 8:41 left in the third quarter.

“That was huge,” Eagles running back Steve Rasso said after carrying 23 times for 98 yards, including 80 in the second half. “When the defense scored that touchdown, it was a huge momentum swing. It made us (the offense) ready to score one of our own.”

Based on the legs of Rasso, Wood and Alex Oldham, Bellbrook churned out 130 yards on the ground in the second half, including following Wood’s pick-six with a six-minute scoring drive Rasso capped with a 5-yard run. Oldham added a 3-yard run with 2:50 left to put the game away.

While Bellbrook was grinding out 183 yards on the ground on 47 carries and 199 yards overall, the Golden Eagles defense was holding Franklin to 99 yards total offense, including 21 yards and zero first downs in the second half.

“It was a defensive battle,” Franklin coach Rodney Roberts said after the Wildcats fell to 4-1 and 1-1. “I give all the credit to Bellbrook. I thought they played with a lot of confidence, they were more physical than us, they had a great plan and they just whipped our butts.”

While the Eagles hope the win sparks a SWBL title run, Roberts knows the Wildcats’ goals aren’t gone yet.

“We need to watch the film, learn from our mistakes and move on,” Roberts said. “All of our goals are still obtainable.”