Stucker voted Braves football MVP

BROWNSTOWN - It was an emotional night Tuesday at the Brownstown Central football awards program.

Not only was it a time to reflect on an 11-2 season that took the team all the way to semistate, it also was a time to reflect on the hardships of the year. First, the team lost a fellow player, Mason Branaman, in a car wreck in February. Seven months later, a former Braves football standout, Mason Watson, was fatally struck by a vehicle while performing his work as a packer driver.

"It was a tough year," Braves coach Reed May said. "It just makes me reflect on life in general."

May presented Watson's wife, Natalie, a football signed by the seniors and two of Mason's jerseys. Mason's brother, Jason, also shared some words before presenting the Mason Watson Memorial Award to senior Teddy Stucker.

"I really enjoyed these past 15 or 16 years watching the coaches build this football team to a premier powerhouse," Jason, a 1994 BCHS graduate, said. "I especially remember the five years of undefeated regular season streak, which my brother, Mason, played a strong role in.
"I remember reading Mason's player profile in his senior year in The Tribune, and he said that if he could change one thing, he wishes he could talk more. What Mason didn't realize, and I'm sure all of the coaches and everyone around him did, was that he didn't need to talk a lot to be a great leader. He led by his actions on and off the field. He led by his strong work ethic, discipline and commitment to make everyone around him better, all the while, never having a single complaint.
"That's what Mason was, and that's what this award is all about."

May said a special place would be created in the locker room displaying the names of those recieiving the Mason Watson Memorial Award.
 

"I just felt like Mason meant so much to our program, and he was a star player for us, and he worked hard," May said.

Stucker also received the most valuable player award and was co-recipient of the offensive back award, tying with Blaze Hurley. For the second straight year, Stucker received a black jersey for having the most big hits in the season.

"I was surprised," Stucker said after the program of winning MVP. "There were a lot of other people that had awesome years, Blaze, (Chris) Hinton and everybody else. I didn't think I'd get it. It takes everybody, not just one person. You ought to give MVP to the whole team. I just try to come in and work hard and do what was asked of me."

Of winning the Mason Watson award, Stucker said, "I really looked up to him whenever I was younger, and he was just a heck of a player."

Stucker said he hopes to go to Franklin College to play football after he graduates in the spring.

Hurley received the defensive points leader award, which is based on a computer point system of interceptions, tackles and sacks. He also broke the school record with most touchdowns receiving in a career (21) and most reception yards in a career (1,344).

Hinton received the most valuable offensive lineman and the most valuable defensive inside linebacker awards.

Senior quarterback Cam Cockerham was named most valuable defensive outside linebacker, and he broke five school records in 2008 as well. Sophomore kicker Steffen Lewis was most valuable special teams person.

"The key to our success (in 2008) was we had six or seven defensive linemen that could play," May said. "We had a lot of kids come through for us on the offensive and defensive line."

Casey Bowling received the scout team player of the year, and the final varsity award, mental attitude, was given to senior Ethan Martin. May said the mental attitude award goes to a senior who worked hard through his high school career.

"He's a great kid," May said of Martin. "He's a kid that, when he was a freshman, I really didn't think he'd play a lot for us. Even this season, I didn't know how much he would play. But he did an outstanding job for us at middle linebacker."

Receiving certificates for all-conference honors were Cockerham, Hinton, Hurley, Stucker, Christian Peters and Levi Caudill. Honorable mention went to Martin, Stuart Robison and Coley Brown.

For the junior varsity squad, the team voted Hank Deckard as most improved lineman and Dakota Holman as most improved back. Assistant coach Todd Brown spoke on behalf of the JV team, which he said went 4-2 on the season, defeating Mitchell, Seymour, Silver Creek and Charlestown.

Cheerleading coaches Angie Johnson, Becky Perry and Melissa Forrest also handed out certificates, and the mental attitude award went to Peyton Wischmeier.

Recapping the season, May said the team set and achieved five goals. The team had the school's 16th consecutive winning season, won the 15th conference title (in a three-way tie), defeated Seymour for the first time, won the eighth sectional title (and played in the sectional title game for the 10th straight year) and won the school's second regional title.
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The seniors, in their four years here, have won 38 games and lost 11," May said. "They won two conference titles, two sectional titles and one regional title. I think, more importantly, they've grown up as men. When they were freshmen, compared to how they are now, they have grown. Ten years from now, wherever you're going to be, you'll come back and talk about the 2008 football season.
"To be honest with you, coming into the season, I didn't know what to expect. We didn't win anything in 2007. (In 2008) we lost at Charlestown, so I had my doubts about this football team. But what they showed me, which I thought they were lacking, the reason Charlestown beat us is they had heart. At the end of the year, we had heart. That's probably the most proud I am of this football team."

Since the 2008 team hadn't lost anyone to graduation, May came up with the motto of "No excuses." For 2009, 12 seniors will be graduating, so May has a new motto for the team: Are you satisfied?

"Are you willing to pay the price to have another great year?" May asked the team. "We had everyone back (in 2008) so we had no excuses not to be good, but we were one step away. We made it to semistate, but we didn't make it all the way. Are you satisfied or are you willing to take the next step? Are you willing to turn up the heat?"