‘East’ had record setting game for Skyhawks

Greene County News

TIPP CITY — Brandon Easterling sat slumped on a folding chair in the Tippecanoe High School visitors’ locker room. Covered in dirt, sweat, grass stains, and physically exhausted, the senior athlete required the help of coaches to remove his shoulder pads.

Moments earlier, the Fairborn wide receiver and defensive back had felt the wind from the football passing inches beneath him in a valiant, but failed, attempt to block Tippecanoe’s last-second winning field goal. He and his beloved Skyhawks had lost a heartbreaking 45-44 football game to the host Red Devils.

It was a great high school football game with outstanding performances from players of both schools, but none was more impressive on this Friday night than that of Easterling.

Tippecanoe coach Joel Dirge contacted Easterling days later to graciously compliment him on his efforts and play.

Brandon Easterling, a National Honor Society student with a class leading 4.4 grade-point average, broke long-held Fairborn football records, both offensively and defensively, in Friday’s game.

By the time the Red Devils’ winning kick had passed inches beneath his chest, “East” (as his teammates call him) had accumulated 15 pass receptions for 181 yards and two touchdowns’s, breaking a 31-year-old school pass receptions record. He had sprinted for 34 yards for another TD as the quarterback out of the Wildcat formation.

He had returned punts and, as the team’s long snapper, was the first player down field to make tackles on punt returns.

In addition to his record breaking offensive performance, Easterling also made a Fairborn-record 28 tackles on defense. His performance elevated him statistically in the Greater Western Ohio Conference to the top defensively in tackles and assists, with a total of 78 for five games, and he’s now second offensively in the 20-team conference for pass receptions with 35.

Friday night at Tippecanoe, Easterling demonstrated what it really means to leave everything on the field.

Fairborn senior Brandon Easterling catches one of his three touchdown catches in Friday’s 45-44 loss at Tipp City Tippecanoe.
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2016/09/web1_EastDark_PS.jpgFairborn senior Brandon Easterling catches one of his three touchdown catches in Friday’s 45-44 loss at Tipp City Tippecanoe. Photo by Dan & Sharon Young

Story provided by Dan Byrd.