They wanted to play more, but they were younger and backing up talented seniors.
So Jayson and Jonathan Branson did their work through the years, improving their skills, preparing for their time to shine on varsity.
Twin brothers for Columbia River, this was their football season to shine. Senior year. Starting backfield. Jonathan, the quarterback. Jayson, the running back.
Together, they helped the Chieftains to a 7-1 record through eight weeks, playing for a league championship in Week 9.
By then, they had clinched a playoff spot. They would play in a win-or-go home game, together.
Jonathan, though, got injured in that final game of the regular season, the loss to Mountain View for the Class 3A Greater St. Helens League championship.
He was ruled out for the Week 10 playoff game, with the hope of getting back on the field for Week 11 — provided the Chieftains could win without their starting quarterback.
They did win, and the Branson brothers understand one of the reasons is a younger player did this season exactly what they did last season.
Junior quarterback Gabe Evenson worked throughout the season, improved his skills, and prepared for his time to shine when his name was called.
Evenson threw two touchdown passes in Seattle last week, including the game-winner to Marcus Gaylor in a 22-15 victory over Cleveland.
On Saturday, the Chieftains will be in Kennewick for the opening round of the 3A state playoffs, a game against Kamiakin. Jonathan, who has been practicing all week and cleared to play, expects to start.
The Chieftains did not plan it this way. But it all happened — the success in the regular season and then the playoff win — because of preparation.
“I was waiting my turn, really,” Jonathan said of last year, when an all-senior lineup led the Chieftains to a league title. “I was just waiting. I knew we’d make a good run at it once we got the chance.”
Jayson was the back-up running back a year ago.
“Of course I wanted to play more, but I understood my role,” Jayson said. “Whenever I got the chance, I tried to make the most of it.”
As their senior year approached, they knew they would be the first and second options in River’s read-option offense.
There’s Jonathan with the football, putting it in his brother’s arms, then deciding whether to take it back and keep it to run one way or release the ball for his brother to run another way.
“We don’t have to worry about mistakes,” Jonathan said of the exchange, noting the chemistry they have. “It’s going to be perfect. If I don’t know what to do, give it to him and he’ll make the play.”
Jayson jokes that his brother should give him the ball more, but honestly, he realizes the quarterback has a quick decision to make.
“All the choices he makes are probably the best choices,” Jayson said.
Through nine weeks, the two combined for 11 touchdowns and more than 1,100 yards rushing. Jonathan also had thrown for 13 touchdowns.
It was Jonathan’s attempt at one more rushing touchdown that got him injured in Week 9. Stopped a yard short on a third-and-goal play, he came off the field with an injured right shoulder.
Trailing 27-7, Evenson entered the game and threw a touchdown pass on his first play.
He said it was a bad way to get in the game, with Jonathan injured, but it probably was best that he just had to get in there and make a play right away.
“I wasn’t really thinking. I didn’t have time,” Evenson said. “It was fourth-and-1, and we had to score.”
Evenson would add an 8-yard touchdown run to make it 27-21. Mountain View ended up scoring again, but so, too, did the Chieftains. This time, Evenson found Nathan Hawthorne on a fourth-down play for a 43-yard touchdown pass to pull within six points.
Columbia River would lose, but the Chieftains knew they had a quality back-up plan should Jonathan’s injury keep him off the field for a week or two.
In the week leading up to the state preliminary round playoff, it was becoming more apparent Jonathan would not be able to play.
He got official word on game day. Evenson had practiced all week with the expectation that he would have to be the quarterback.
“I had a lot of faith in Gabe,” Jonathan said. “I knew he could get the job done.”
Jayson said it was tough to see Jonathan go down.
“That’s my brother. It was a little upsetting. That’s how football works, though. One play can change the game.”
Or the lineup.
“I wasn’t worried,” Jayson said. “I just knew Gabe would make the right reads.”
Evenson said he made a point to focus on his mistakes from that quarter of action in Week 9, not the success.
“I knew I couldn’t ride out those two touchdown passes. I knew I had to improve,” he said.
Evenson added that the seniors took control of practice, reminding everyone that with or without Jonathan, the Chieftains could win.
“It was good to see the leadership really step up,” Evenson said.
With all the practice, the repetitions, the back-up plans in place, the Columbia River Chieftains are among the 16 teams left in Class 3A football.
The Branson brothers have been waiting a long time to start a playoff game together. To get here, they got an assist from someone who did what they did all last year. Gabe Evenson kept working, and was ready when needed.
That, too, is how football works.
