Clifton coach Chuck Caniford knew he had something special at quarterback in Mason Brandenberger when the then-sophomore quarterback stepped in for the team’s injured starter early last year and made enough of an impact to split time at the position for the rest of the season. 

After finishing last year with 859 total yards and seven touchdowns, Brandenberger took over the job full-time this season and has thrived while leading the Cubs offense to an average of more than 45 points per game.