The Branham Bruins will face off against the Lincoln Lions at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty point totals in their previous games.
On Friday, Branham earned a 56-45 win over Half Moon Bay. The victory made it back-to-back wins for the Bruins.
Michael Murphy
| 11/21/25 vs Half Moon Bay | 179 |
| 11/14/25 vs Christopher | 140 |
| 11/07/25 @ Leigh | 178 |
| 10/31/25 @ Santa Teresa | 260 |
| 10/23/25 vs Live Oak | 230 |
| + 5 more games |
Multiple players turned in solid performances to lead Branham to victory, but perhaps none more so than Michael Murphy, who rushed for 179 yards and three TDs on only 12 carries. Murphy's rushing production has been exceptional for a while as that marked his tenth straight game with at least 109 rushing yards. Andrew Ho was another key passer, throwing for 180 yards and four touchdowns while completing 77.8% of his passes.
Branham didn't let much get past them through the air: they limited Half Moon Bay to a completion percentage of just 50%. The Bruins have been improving in that area: they had allowed a completion percentage of 0.63 earlier this season, but they've only allowed one of 0.63 in their last three games.
Meanwhile, Lincoln extended their postseason success on Friday against Willow Glen. They really took it to the Rams for the full four quarters, racking up a 49-14 victory. The result was nothing new for the Lions, who have now won five matchups by 21 points or more so far this season.
Lincoln didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off four passes before the game was over. Urian Ramirez led the group effort, picking up two of those interceptions all by himself. Ryan Bernwanger got in on the action too, converting a pick into a touchdown.
Branham's record now sits at 7-5. As for Lincoln, their record is now 9-3.
Saturday's game might be decided on the ground. Branham has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 232.6 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Lincoln struggles in that department as they've been averaging 210.9 rushing yards. There's a good chance Saturday's contest turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Branham couldn't quite get it done against Lincoln when the teams last played back in October as they fell 35-25. A big factor in that loss was the dominant performance of the Lions' Jonathan Medina, who rushed for 179 yards and a pair of scores while picking up 10.5 yards per carry. Now that the Bruins know the damage he can cause, will they be able to stop him this time? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.
