Game Balls: Brookwood Defeats Dacula in 4 OT

It was the big matchup in the 2020 Corky Kell on Friday night and it was an absolute thriller. It was a defensive battle for 3+ quarters, but then the game turned into an epic back and forth battle that had as many twists and turns as you could imagine. In the end it was the talented Brookwood Broncos who prevailed on the road against a tough, proud Dacula team. Here are a few standout player’s from Friday night’s game.   De’Nylon Morrissette - Brookwood - Wide Receiver. The transfer from Maryland had a life-changing game Friday night where he caught 12 passes for over 200 yards and three touchdowns. The 6-foot-2 180-pounder got the game started early on with a quick slant that he took for 77 yards for the Bronco’s first score. He didn’t make a ton of grabs down the field, but he got open on a consistent basis and took lots of short receptions for medium gains. He showed great hands, body control, and big-play ability. After the biggest game of his life, Morrissette earned offers from Georgia, Minnesota, Georgia Tech, and Oregon. Look for Morrissette to continue to have a big 2020 season.   [player_tooltip player_id="33715" first="Kaleb" last="Edwards"] - Dacula - Athlete Before Morrissette went off in the 2nd half, it was Edwards who looked like the game’s best player. Dacula’s "do-it-all" athlete scored a rushing touchdown in the first half, intercepted a pass in the 2nd half, rushed for 79 yards, and caught three passes for 20 yards. He was constantly around the football at safety, and that’s where he’ll play at Georgia Tech on the next level. He’s a kid with good size and athleticism. He played both ways throughout the game and may have been the game MVP if Dacula would have found a way to win the game. He was excellent in a losing effort to start the season.   [player_tooltip player_id="34009" first="Dylan" last="Lonergan"] - Broodwood - Quarterback It wasn’t pretty for Brookwood’s sophomore quarterback early on, but once he decided to get it to his two best receivers a little more often, he started finding lots of success. He struggles early on, missing long on a few deep passes and then throwing an interception off his back foot, but he really turned it on in the second half and in overtime, throwing for 432 yards and 4 touchdowns. His arm strength is impressive, and for a young quarterback, he did a great job of putting his bad throws behind him and moving on. He fought back to win the game, and that has to be the most exciting part for the Brookwood staff. He’s one of the nation’s best QB prospects in the 2023 class and he proved why in the season opener.   Sam Mbake - Brookwood- Wide Receiver It may have been Morrissette’s coming out party, but Mbake also had himself a big game, catching 9 passes for 116 yards. He took one quick pass and almost took it for a score, breaking multiple passes and showing off his strength down the field for about 40 yards before fumbling the ball away at the end of the play. While he did turn it over, it was easy to see why he’s earned major Power 5 offers. He’s another big-bodied receiver at 6-foot-3 205-pounds with strong hands who knows how to make a tough catch. He’s got quickness for his size, but he’ll need to continue working on his route running and creating separation on a more consistent level. That being said, catching 9 balls for over 100 yards in the season opener is a fantastic start to the 2020 season.