2A DII State Championship: Bremond 35, Albany 20

History repeated itself, as Bremond and quarterback Roshauud Paul were too much for Albany. Albany jumped out to a 7-0 lead after the first quarter, but Paul rushed for three second-quarter touchdowns to give Bremond enough cushion in the second half. Paul finished the game with five total touchdowns (and offensive MVP honors) in the 35-20 victory. Albany worked over Bremond in the first quarter, moving the ball on offense and keeping quarterback Roshauud Paul in check for the first 12 minutes of action. Albany forced a three-and-out on the first two possessions and took a 7-0 lead after a touchdown pass from Drew Neece to Roman Fuentes. It would be the only lead for Albany on the day. Bremond’s offense needed a few possessions to adapt its blocking scheme to control Albany’s 5-2-4 look on defense. Eventually, Paul found running room and two yard gains turned into first down runs. That opened up the passing game, which let wide receiver Rayandre Browning become a big part of the game. Browning had 98 of Paul’s 99 first-half passing yards and added a 60-yard touchdown catch in the third quarter. Paul, a former TCU commit who led Bremond to his second championship as just a junior, was excellent after the first quarter. He had a highlight-reel touchdown run in the second half that forced audible noises to bellow through the press box and the crowd. He ended the first half with three rushing touchdowns and controlled the second half by mixing both to perfection. Albany cut the lead to 28-14 with 9:19 left in the game when Drew Neece broke a 72-yard touchdown run after a Bremond fumble. An interception by Bremond’s Joe Williams, his second of the game, iced it late in the fourth quarter. Game BallsRoshauud Paul – The junior quarterback was the best player on the field for the second state championship game appearance in two years. The first quarter was a struggle, but he found a way to make plays with his legs and that opened up the passing game. Bremond’s offense is nearly impossible to stop when it is balanced and Paul used his legs to create mismatches for his best receiver. Rayandre Browning – Paul’s success through the air was due in large part to Browning, who ended up with over 100 yards and a touchdown catch. Browning couldn’t be guarded 1-on-1, but Albany needed as many bodies in the box to stop the running game as possible. A good receiver wins 1-on-1 matchup and Browning did that all game. Joe Williams – The Bremond defense gets the job done as a team, but junior defensive back Joe Williams sealed the victory with his second interception of the game midway through the fourth quarter to stop an Albany drive that would’ve cut Bremond’s lead to 28-21. He’s one of many playmakers that Bremond will return in 2016.