Brandon’s varsity football team provided their fans with a Homecoming to remember ? and stayed in the playoff hunt in the process.
The Blackhawks scored 28 points in the first half on their way to defeating visiting Holly 35-7 in Brandon’s Sept. 30 Homecoming contest. With the win, Brandon improves to 3-3 overall and 2-2 in Flint Metro League play.
With three games remaining in the regular season, the Blackhawks need to run the table in order to reach the six-win mark needed to qualify for the state playoffs.
However, Brandon coach Ron Gill said he and his staff told the team before the Holly game that they are treating each game from here on out as a playoff game.
‘We’re a blue-collar team, and we’ll beat teams by outworking them each and every day of the week, in practice and culminating in the game on Friday,? he said.
The Blackhawks began gaining momentum early in the contest when Brandon’s David Dew recovered a Holly fumble at the Bronchos? 36-yard line with 10:41 left in the first quarter.
On the very next play, Brandon running back Josh Polasek scored on a 36-yard touchdown run. Jacob Hardy’s extra point gave the Blackhawks a 7-0 lead.
‘That was very important,? Gill said of the turnover and subsequent Brandon touchdown. Right away, our kids took control of the game.?
However, the Bronchos would answer on a 32-yard touchdown run by Nate Schuermann. The successful point-after attempt tied the contest at seven.
That would be the last time Holly would score in the game. The Blackhawks took the lead for good on a one-yard touchdown run by Darryl Goodrich with 9:33 left in the second quarter, putting Brandon up 14-7.
‘Certainly, once Holly scored, the momentum could have switched,? Gill said. ‘They answered and answered again. It was a game in which we played well in every facet ? offense, defense and special teams.?
On the ensuing possession, Brandon’s Donald Carter intercepted a pass by Holly quarterback Phil Calopsis and returned it to the Bronchos? 48-yard line. That led to a 20-yard touchdown run by Brandon junior Josh Ellett, giving the Blackhawks a 21-7 lead with 4:21 left in the second quarter.
The Blackhawks would score once more before have time. A diving catch by Carter set up the Blackhawks with first-and-goal from the Holly 5-yard line with 31 seconds left, and quarterback Sean Montgomery then hit sophomore Jake Feltner for a six-yard touchdown pass with 16 seconds left, giving the Blackhawks a 28-7 lead at halftime.
Goodrich then wrapped up the game’s scoring with his second touchdown of the game, a three-yard run in the third quarter, to provide the final margin of victory for Brandon. For the game, Goodrich carried the ball 71 times for 14 yards.
Montgomery was 10-of-12 passing for 133 yards, continuing to make progress as the Blackhawks? field general.
‘He’s developed each and every game,? Gill said. ‘Keeping in mind he didn’t really play as a junior, he’s worked extremely hard, as have all of our kids. He was making his reads, and he was throwing the ball on the break instead of waiting for the receiver. That comes from working hard in our summer passing camps. I’m real proud of Sean.?
Matt Collier led the Blackhawks defensively with 11 tackles.
Brandon was scheduled to take on Lapeer West in an Oct. 7 contest. The Panthers are currently 4-2 overall and 3-1 in Flint Metro League play after a 21-14 win against Oxford Sept. 30.
The Blackhawks? next scheduled opponent is Fenton in an Oct. 14 home game. The Tigers are 1-5 overall and 1-3 in the league after a 55-0 loss to Linden Sept. 30.
Last season, the Tigers went 0-9, including a 21-20 loss to the Blackhawks. The teams split their prior two meetings, with Fenton winning 27-21 in 2003 and Brandon earning a 7-6 win in 2002.