Quarterback Brayden Merwin powered No. 9 Mountain View to a 48-34 upset win over No. 8 Phoenix Brophy Prep during Friday night’s opening round of the Open state football playoffs, according to Yahoo Sports.
The victory at Phoenix Central secured a quarterfinal berth for the Toros against top-seeded Peoria Liberty on Nov. 20.
Mountain View never trailed in the contest, utilizing a power read scheme to exploit the Brophy defense.
The scoring opened with a 64-yard run by tailback Coy Bodily, but Merwin soon took center stage with three rushing touchdowns of 28, 41 and 79 yards.
Merwin also connected with tight end R.J. Guarneri for a 46-yard touchdown pass, as noted by social media reporting.
The Toros built a commanding 26-3 lead before halftime following a 63-yard interception return by Kash Skousen.
Head coach Andy Litten praised his team’s execution and physical play at the line of scrimmage.
“We always feel we want to win the battle up front with our offensive line and tight ends,” Litten said according to Yahoo Sports.
Lineman Tye Kennedy, a Washington commit, anchored the blocking unit that opened lanes for the backfield.
“Being able to have an elusive quarterback and an elusive running back, having two threats in the backfield, it’s a blessing to block for them,” Kennedy said as reported by Yahoo Sports.
Merwin explained that Brophy defenders focused heavily on containing Bodily, which created opportunities for the quarterback to run up the middle.
“The D-ends were crashing on Coy,” Merwin noted per Yahoo Sports.
The win allowed Mountain View to avenge an earlier 31-28 loss to the same opponent.
Brophy Prep will now shift its focus to the 6A quarterfinals scheduled for next Friday.
Litten emphasized that the performance was the most complete effort from his squad throughout the entire season.