Burnett, Earl Win All Gameday Big Awards
It has been a special year for Broad Run's Breon Earl and Michael Burnett. After taking home the 2008 Group AA State Championship in December, they each took home the All-Gameday Big Awards at the 2008 banquet.
Photo By: Marc Gold/Gameday Magazine | VIEW GALLERY
Broad Run's Michael Burnett led the Spartans to Glory in 2008 after taking over the program 3 years ago. In the past two seasons, Burnett compiled a record of 24-1.
Photo By: Marc Gold/Gameday Magazine | VIEW GALLERY
Broad Run's Breon Earl led the Spartans to their first ever state championship in school history in 2008. His dynamic play returning kicks and running the ball were key to the 14-0 finish.
Photo By: Marc Gold/Gameday Magazine | VIEW GALLERY
LEESBURG, VA - It has been a special year for Broad Run's Breon Earl and Michael Burnett. After taking home the 2008 Group AA State Championship in December, both were on hand on Saturday January 10th, 2008 at the 7th Annual All Gameday Banquet.
Earl was a candidate for the 2008 All Gameday Group AA Player of the Year, and after falling short in 2007 for the honor, the 5'7 electrifying tailback took home the hardware.
Earl was the best player in the region in Group AA football this past fall, scoring a touchdown every 6 times he touched the football. His play was a major factor in Broad Run's championship run, and first ever undefeated 14-0 record.
Like his player, Burnett was the area's finest on the sidelines in 2008, and that earned him Group AA All Gameday Coach of the Year honors at the banquet. Burnett and Earl's impact on the Broad Run program has been incredible.
Over the past two years, the two led Broad Run to a 24-1 record and guided the Spartans to two undefeated regular seasons, two straight district championships, a regional title, and a state championship.
Not too bad considering the program had only reached the playoffs twice in its history before both of them arrived on the scene.
While the accomplishments of both Earl and Burnett are deserving of praise, the story behind their rise to Glory is better.
When Burnett took over the program in 2006, Earl had just finished his freshman year at Dominion. Before he started his sophomore season, Earl transferred over to Broad Run, and football wasn't immediately in the cards. Just before school started, Earl met with Burnett's wife Kim, who was just starting her new job as the school's guidance counselor.
"I didn't meet Coach Burnett first, I met his wife first," said Earl. "She asked me if I played football, and I said I did, but not for the school. She asked me if I had met her husband yet, the new coach, and I told her no. So she brought me to him, and he asked me to come out for two-a-days"
Burnett chuckled when he reflected on the first time Breon showed up to practice.
"Breon came out to practice in jeans, and he hadn't put his paperwork in yet to play," Burnett said. "And then he disappeared for while. He showed up in my wife's office one day and my wife called me and told me that he really wanted to play football for us even though he hadn't done his paperwork in the first week or two of school. When I went down to the office, there was Breon sitting there with a smile, and I said "You huh?"
"That's how Breon joined our team."
Looking back, Burnett's patience and willingness to allow the 140 pound 10th grader a second chance was one of the best decisions he has made since taking over the Broad Run program.
"I always joke about how life takes its twists and turns," Burnett said. "If he had not shown up in my wife's office, or if I had turned him away a couple of those days, it would have changed both of our lives dramatically."
Earl burst onto the scene as a junior against Ballou, and he did so in a big way.
"The first time he touched the ball, he returned a punt for a touchdown," Burnett said. "I know that Breon is a special person, and I know that special people translate into special players. That was the first time that other people got to see what I think I always saw in him."
After winning the 2007 Dulles District championship, the Spartans were hungry for more in 2008. Earl became the centerpiece to Burnett's game plan, and Broad Run looked primed for a deeper run in the playoffs.
Earl dominated the competition locally, and when it came time for the playoffs, it became clear that the Spartans were going to ride their senior playmaker as far as he would carry them.
In the championship game against the Amherst Lancers, the Spartans jumped ahead 7-0, and held onto that lead late in the 4th quarter. With 1st and Goal from the 2 yard line, and under a minute to go in the game, Burnett's team was just 6 feet away from sealing their first title in school history.
"Whatever play I was going to call, #23 was going to get the ball," Burnett said.
The Lancers held on the first 3 plays to force a 4th down play, and Burnett called timeout to decide what play to call.
"I had asked Breon earlier in the week what play he wanted to run if the game was on the line, and he said "Bunch Toss Coach," Burnett said. "The minute I called the play, I walked down to the other end of the sideline and I thought, we are going to win a state championship, because every time we need a big play he comes through."
Earl took the toss from quarterback Chris Jessop and then proceeded to make one of the greatest runs you'll ever see in high school football. He lowered his shoulder and barreled into Amherst's star linebacker A.J Parish. Parish was much bigger than Earl, but it didn't matter. Earl defied the odds and bounced off of him, then did the same with two other tacklers before finding the end zone. The score gave Broad Run a 13-0 lead, and secured the state championship.
"I was probably the least surprised person," Burnett said. "It's the greatest run I've ever seen. Their best player couldn't have hit our best player any harder."
After the play, Earl ran back toward the sideline and his coach was right there to greet him.
"The first thing Coach said to me was I love you," Earl said. "I knew we had the thing sealed right then."
Earl will move on to the next phase in his life after graduating this spring, and Burnett will turn his focus toward winning another championship in 2009, but the bond that began in 2006 between the two of them will continue for a long time to come.
"We spend so much time together, and we are such a big part of each other's lives that I feel like we'll still be a part of each other's life as we move forward," Burnett said.
For Earl, he said is would always be grateful to his coach.
"He's been there for me ever since I moved back here to Virginia," Earl said. "He and his wife would do anything for me, and I'd do anything for them. They just inspire me to do the right thing, to get through high school and football, and to get through the rest of life. They just have been there for me."
If you believe in destiny and that people cross paths for a reason, then this story should validate your belief system. Without question, the Spartans wouldn't be celebrating their first state championship if Earl or Burnett hadn't arrived in Ashburn 3 years ago together.
While winning a ring on the football field is truly an incredible experience, the father-son relationship that has developed between the two of them is something that will be cherished far longer.
Of course for now, they can both stare at their All Gameday Trophies and state championship rings knowing they were clearly the best this area had to offer on the gridiron in 2008.
