BROWNSTOWN
In 2014, Gavin Bane was named the most improved player on the Brownstown Central junior varsity football team.
One year later, the junior has been nominated by his teammates and coaches as the varsity squad’s MVP at the Braves’ awards ceremony Monday.
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Bane had a breakout season for Brownstown Central with 23 total touchdowns, 1,306 rushing yards and 458 receiving yards in the Braves’ new hybrid shotgun, wing-T offense.
On the defensive side of the ball, Bane had a team second-best 64 tackles.
“Offensively, he had an outstanding year,” Brownstown Central coach Reed May said. “He had a lot of yards running and catching the ball. He finished with 158 points. We’ve had a junior get (MVP) before. The kids and coaches both vote on it, and he’s a good representative. He had a great year, and we didn’t know we would have that kind of player.”
Brownstown Central senior Jacob Brewer was presented the eighth Mason Watson Memorial Award, as the defensive points leader, and he also claimed the most outstanding defensive lineman/middle linebacker honor.
Brewer also set a school record of 19 tackles in a game.
The mental attitude award went to senior Clay Hauer, who missed the season due to injury.
Senior John McKinney took home the most outstanding offensive back award. McKinney amassed 829 rushing yards for the Braves.
The most outstanding offensive lineman was Clay Wilkerson and most outstanding defensive back went to Justin Donnells.
Wilkerson also was given a black jersey award for having the most big hits in the trenches.
Kyle Kramer, who played quarterback and punter this season, was named most outstanding on special teams.
Kramer set a school record for punt average, averaging 40.7 yards per punt on the season.
Senior Logan Callahan was given the scout team player of the year award.
Brewer, Donnells, McKinney and Bane were named to the All-Mid-Southern Conference team. Kramer and tight end Cam Shoemaker were All-MSC honorable mention.
It was announced Brewer made the Senior Class 3A All-State team as linebacker, and Wilkerson also joined the team as an offensive lineman.
Bane made the Junior Class 3A All-State team as a defensive back, and Kramer made the team as a punter.
Nine Braves earned their letter jackets.
The Braves finished their season 10-3, winning six of their final seven games before falling to Gibson Southern in regional play.
In the sectional championship, Brownstown Central shut out Southridge 37-0.
“I think, ever year, it’s the seniors,” May said. “The seven we had returning from last year’s team worked extremely hard. I also think they convinced the other five seniors to come out. They wanted to have a successful season and felt like they needed more people. You had a combination of the returning guys and new seniors.
“It’s a combination of a lot of things. Come tournament time, we were playing very well. We feel like it’s a really tough sectional, and we dominated it. We just ran into Gibson Southern — who was unbelievable.”
The Braves have finished with 23 straight winning seasons under May.
“As soon as you get beat, you’re already back lifting,” May said. “Their dedication between January and next August is when we’re going to develop a football team. There’s a lot of different things that go into a successful season.”
The Brownstown junior varsity team finished 5-1-1 under first-year coach Cam Cockerham.
Colton Ritz was the JV most improved back, and Julian Deaton was the most improved lineman. There was no freshman football team this season.
Varsity cheerleading coaches Charity Clodfelder and Lydia Maupin presented awards prior to the JV program.