Brentwood has one regular season game to play but the Eagles have already clinched the Alpha League football championship.
With a 28-14 victory at Maranatha Thursday, November 1, Brentwood earned at worst a share of first place and the league’s top seed in the CIF Northeast Division playoffs.
Even if Brentwood loses at Campbell Hall Friday, November 9 it will be the league champion based on wins over Maranatha and Whittier Christian, who are tied for second place and have a game remaining against each other.
Last season, the three teams tied for the championship. The year before Brentwood finished second and the year before that the Eagles finished first. “Ian Shaw and Andrew Boggs, our defensive stars, have been on three championship teams,” said Coach Patrick Brown.
In this league championship game Brentwood spread the field with five receivers throughout. And when Maranatha’s defense concentrated on stopping the pass the Eagles ran effectively, including a 70-yard scoring dash by quarterback Mason Moss in the second half.
Brentwood took the opening kickoff and drove to a touchdown on a run by Moss. Maranatha came back with a touchdown and the game was tied at halftime, 7-7.
With the running lanes open, Brown started junior Josh Amster at quarterback in the third quarter. Amster, who alternated with Moss at quarterback last season, has been playing slotback in 2007.
Amster’s running set up passing plays and Moss came in to throw scoring passes of 36 and 28 yards to junior tight end Charlie James.
A Maranatha scoring pass reduced Brentwood’s lead to 21-14, but Moss’ 70-yarder secured the outcome.
Brown lists Campbell Hall as a dangerous opponent because of its explosive offense. But Brentwood has mastered every opponent except Paraclete, a non-league opponent from a larger division.
