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Fennelly column: Season Is Over, But Brandon Just Starting

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By MARTIN FENNELLY | The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 17, 2007

BRANDON - Brandon senior running back Samir Baker was hurting as he walked from the field at E.F. McLane Stadium. He had beaten a high ankle sprain to play Friday, but now his high school career had ended. But something else had begun.

"We showed everyone that Brandon is here," Baker said.

That the Eagles did in the opening round of the Class 5A playoffs, against none other than mighty three-time defending state champion Lakeland, falling reluctantly, 31-17.

Last season, the Dreadnaughts rolled over the Eagles 49-6 in the first round. This wasn't last season. It might never be last season again.

"They gave us all we could handle," Lakeland coach Bill Castle said.

They might just be getting started.

"That's our plan," Brandon coach John Lima said.

Eagles Hung In There

They were outscored and outgained and turned the ball over too much Friday, and it stung, but the Eagles turned it around, going 7-3 this regular season instead of last season's 3-7.

They were led by senior runners Marquel Gilmore and Baker, dubbed "Thunder and Lightning." Their storm made a season. Friday night, Brandon dared to do more, much more.

You have to understand: The Eagles haven't won a playoff game in 22 years. And that Lakeland, as recently as two weeks ago, had a state-record 53-game winning streak. The Dreadnaughts had won 15 consecutive playoff games.

But you looked up at halftime and it wasn't Lakeland 29, Brandon 6, like in last season's playoff game. It was Brandon 7-0, then Brandon 14-10, and Brandon down just 17-14 at the half. Brandon was in it.

The credit goes to the players and coaches, including second-year head coach Lima, who came to Brandon from Port Charlotte, where he was a head junior varsity coach for six seasons. Before that, he was a graduate assistant coach at Michigan State under Nick Saban.

"I learned a lot of scheme and organizational stuff from him," Lima said. "I loved every minute of it."

Likewise his two seasons at Brandon. Decades ago, Brandon was a football power. Until a few years ago, you could hardly see it for the legendary wrestling program, whose 18 titles are listed on a billboard at the football stadium, along with other Brandon champs ... none in football. "Everything but," Lima said. Winning those, that's their plan.

Lakeland blocks the way, not to mention that school in Seffner. Begins with an "A."

"Look at Lakeland, they've built something up," Lima said. "It's the same way with Armwood. When you look at the Little League programs around here, all the best players want to go to Armwood. That's a tough mind-set to change."

Lima and his kids approach it the way they approached Friday night.

"Samir Baker isn't afraid of anybody," Lima said. "None of us are."

They Fought To The End

They'd been talking about another crack at Lakeland, about making tradition on the spot. No one expected them to hang with the Dreadnaughts.

"But we expect a lot from ourselves," Lima said.

Those demands paid off Friday, but they weren't enough. Lakeland was better, despite all its mistakes. Brandon could never catch up after halftime.

The Eagles didn't go gently. Quarterback Tracy Burr threw two touchdown passes, one to Baker and a beautiful fade to Javoris Lucas to make it 14-10. Could it be? No, it couldn't.

But Brandon's Eagles soared some this season, and made their third consecutive postseason. Near the end of Friday's game, Brandon senior offensive lineman David Mosley rapped sophomore linemate Jonathan Vega on a shoulder pad.

"I wish I was you, coming back," Mosley said.

Brandon is here.

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