The Branham Bruins had already won two in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 41 points), and they went ahead and made it three on Friday. They strolled past Independence with points to spare, taking the game 52-38. This was one game where the offenses had no trouble playing at a high level.
Elias Antillon continued his habit of posting crazy stat lines, rushing for 197 yards and two touchdowns while picking up 10.9 yards per carry, and also picking up 76 receiving yards. Antillon was no stranger to the big play, turning on the jets for a run that went for 50 yards. Jack Lewis was another key contributor, throwing for 156 yards and three touchdowns.
Branham's defensive line stepped up as well, laying out the QB three times. Leading the way was Thomas Nguyen and his two sacks.
Branham's win was their 11th straight at home (dating back to last season), bumping their overall record up to 6-2. That said, the team wasn't facing the toughest opposition over that stretch, as it included 0-8 Lynbrook and 1-7 Soledad (their opponents had an average overall winning percentage of 38.2% over those games). As for Independence, their loss dropped their record down to 4-4.
Both teams will have to hit the road in their upcoming games. Branham will take on Silver Creek at 7:15 p.m. on Friday. Silver Creek and Branham are at an even 3-3 over their past six head-to-heads. As for Independence, they will head out on the road to face off against Piedmont Hills at 7:15 p.m. on Friday. The matchup should be an exciting one, as these teams are ranked near one another in California (Piedmont Hills is ranked 740th, while Independence is ranked 715th).
