The 2023 Brownstown Central Middle School football team poses before a game this season.
Submitted photo
BROWNSTOWN — History was made for the Brownstown Central Middle School football team during the 2023 season, the first undefeated and untied middle school team that the Braves have had over a two-year period.
In seventh and eighth grade, this current group of eighth grade kids went 16-0, constantly finding ways to pull out the victory. Even with a target on their backs from being undefeated last season, they found a way to succeed.
One of Brownstown’s coaches, Gregg Goshorn, spoke about the season for the Braves.
“I’m proud of the team’s effort this season and all the heart they showed throughout,” he said. “Our coaches did a wonderful job of putting kids into position, and the kids executed the plays. We had 20 players, which is smaller for us. Due to injury, we had to have a few seventh-graders play for us.”
Goshorn said the unbelievable season was a true team effort.
“After doing it last year, they had a target on their back and delivered,” he said. “They had a lot of battles, winning close games and having to grind (it out) at times.”
Goshorn was asked about what went right for the team during the year.
“I felt that we didn’t have any ego in the team at all. Everyone bought into their role, and they did it well,” he said. “We had a few undersized linemen who stepped up tremendously this year. The unselfishness these kids showed at making plays and getting the job done every week speaks to their work.”
The middle school program is part of the feeder system to the high school, running a complex Wing T offense with a lot of motion.
Goshorn believes the coaches did a great job of adapting to the offense during the season.
“They were spot on in their play calling, doing a tremendous job of putting kids in these positions to succeed,” he said.
The roster for the 2023 season is as follows.
Ejghth-graders: Landyn Arnold, Dawson Branaman, Conner Brewster, Silas Brown, Isaac Cockerham, Domanik Cody, Keatyn Hallett, Mason Harrison, Eli Hutchinson, Linden Lanier, Tucker McCrary, Mason McKeown, Kolton Merrifield, Landon Mobley, William Ogle, Prather Peters, Matthew Sitterding and Dylan Toppe
Seventh-graders: Trenton Millick, Brennan Wingler, Nolan Nehrt and Cooper Vague
Managers: Mackenzie Grider and Alexis Shelley
Coaches: Clark Hauer, Brian Savilla, Brian Branaman, Gregg Goshorn and Noah Reynolds