SAN JOSE, CA -- The Branham High cheering section, in the waning minutes of a 38-7 victory against Mt. Pleasant on Friday night, chanted "CCS, CCS, CCS." It must have felt like manna from heaven to Bruins' coach Nick Gardiner.
The victory in the de facto BVAL-West Valley title game, earned former doormate Branham at least a share of the division title and a berth in the section playoffs it narrowly missed last season.
"I'm excited," Gardiner said. "Where it is now and where it's come from -- I'm just happy. This is for them. This is their time. Being able to see them rejoice is a true blessing for me and for my coaches."
Gardiner replaced former coach Justin Halas in 2011 and his 2012 team went 3-7. The Bruins (9-0, 6-0 this season) won just four games out of Gardiner's first 23 as coach, including staggering to a 1-9 season in 2012. Then there was the start to the 2013 when Branham was outscored by a combined 106-0 by Sacred Heart Prep, Leigh and Homestead. Lesser programs would have imploded.
Down on junior varsity two years ago, Branham's current quarterback Luke Morin watched and simmered, determined to help turn things around. He has, leading the program to its 14th consecutive victory in Friday night's title-clincher.
"It's unbelievable right now," Morin said. "I wasn't on that 1-9 team, but I was sitting there on JV and saying 'I got to do something about this.' We came in this year and it's just a great feeling knowing that we're going to CCS."
Branham celebrated wildly for a moment when the game ended, then lined up to shake hands with Mt. Pleasant which -- like Branham -- went 1-9 in 2012 before rebounding this season under first-year coach Victor Avelar.
"The players were here already," said Avelar of this season's Cardinals. "We just needed to instill a lot of discipline and put in our system. It's getting there and they're starting to get our system. But we did not play good ball like we should have and they were the better team."
Morin operated Branham's pistol spread efficiently, helping to stake the Bruins to a 14-0 halftime lead. The senior quarterback's 1-yard touchdown run with 4:51 left in the first quarter and then Sean McPherson's 7-yard pass from Morin with 1:25 left in the half off a play-action fake did the damage.
Mt. Pleasant (8-0, 5-1) had trouble stopping Branham up the middle, as well as corralling Morin on the option. When the Cardinals crept to close, Morin burned them over the top.
"We spread out the defense and we can either eat them up inside or get it out to our speed guys," Morin said. "I either just hand the ball off or make my reads."
Branham scored on its first possession of the second half on Morin's 43-yard pass to Justin Ramos, making it 21-0. The shoulders of Cardinal fans slumped. But then life was breathed into Mt. Pleasant when playmaking Cardinals' quarterback George Landeros hit Osmar Veronica with a 16-yard TD pass with 8:35 left in the third quarter for 21-7.
Landeros is listed as 5-foot-6 160 pounds and he oozed character in a losing effort, scrambling to bide time and then often throwing accurate medium-range spirals while on the run.
Even better for the Cardinals, an interception by Raul Ortega set Mt. Pleasant up on the Bruin 30 mid-way through the third quarter. But Branham's defense repelled the Cards and then Branham put the game away with a 14-play drive capped by Atkins' three-yard run to make it 28-7.
"Our defense is (based) on togetherness," Gardiner said. "It takes 11 players to go out there and stop somebody. They love each other and they love playing defense and it shows on the field."
Said Branham lineman Noah Antonello, who had two of Branham's four quarterback sacks. "We had pressure coming from the D line and our secondary was right there with all of the receivers. We just knew our reads and we knew where we needed to be with every formation."
Junior cornerback Mike Swift had two interceptions for Branham.
Offensively, Atkins led Branham with 140 yards on 29 carries and two touchdowns. Jonah Cook chipped in with 115 yards on 10 carries and Morin passed for two scores and ran for one.
Cook, like the rest of the Bruins, was all smiles after the game.
"This win for us is pretty big," he said. "Bruins football, CCS -- we're just doing it out here."
Branham plays Yerba Buena next week and can clinch an outright Santa Teresa title with a win over YB or another Mt. Pleasant loss. Mt. Pleasant meets Prospect. Both games are at 7 p.m. Friday.
Despite winning eight of nine games so far, the Cardinals are effectively eliminated from post-season consideration since the Santa Teresa is a "C" division and only the top seed automatically advances to CCS. Branham, even with a loss next week, gets the top seed by defeating Mt. Pleasant head-to-head. Mt. Pleasant still has an outside shot at an at-large berth, but is unlikely to qualify.
Avelar was classy in defeat.
"It was a tough game," he said. "I give (Branham) credit. They're a well-coached team and a well-disciplined team and I wish them all of the luck in the CCS playoffs."
