Stansell relishes role as leader
Rowland's Brandon Stansell on facing childhood friends from Charter Oak...
"It's going to be good to see them; I haven't seen them in a long time," said Stansell, a key reason why Rowland is making its first appearance in the divisional final four since 1966. "It's going to be fun seeing them. I'll love them before and after the game, but when the game (starts), they have to be my enemy. "They're my friends, but they are going to be in a different jersey, and I'm with my family on this team."
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By Steve Ramirez
There will be a reunion when the Rowland High School football team hosts top- seeded Charter Oak in a CIF- Southern Section Southeast Division semifinal on Friday night.
But don't expect Raiders running back Brandon Stansell - who went to Royal Oak Middle School with some of the Chargers players, including quarterback Chris Allen, and was coached by Charter Oak offensive coordinator Dominic Farrar - to say "hi" once this area showdown kicks off at 7 p.m.
"It's going to be good to see them; I haven't seen them in a long time," said Stansell, a key reason why Rowland is making its first appearance in the divisional final four since 1966.
"It's going to be fun seeing them. I'll love them before and after the game, but when the game (starts), they have to be my enemy. "They're my friends, but they are going to be in a different jersey, and I'm with my family on this team."
Stansell, who went to Royal Oak because his mother worked in the area and it was more convenient before coming back to his home high school, has showed his loyalty to the Raiders all season. He's rushed for 1,203 yards and 13 touchdowns in helping Rowland to a 10-2 record and a share of the San Antonio League title.
But his impact goes beyond what you can find on a stat sheet.
"He can make some big plays for you," Rowland coach Craig Snyder said of his senior running back.
"He's an outstanding runner who can catch the ball out of the backfield. He runs back punts, he runs back kicks. We ask him to do a lot. "The biggest role he's had, though, is that he's a leader. That's what we felt last year was one of our problems. We didn't have great leadership. "He and our other two captains have done a great job of molding this team, in getting this team to play for each other and as a team. It's a big reason we've had success."
It's a role Stansell gladly accepts, and he believes it's more important than his yards and touchdowns. "My role is to be a leader, on the field, off the field," Stansell said. "Coach Snyder has given great responsibility that I don't take lightly. These are my boys, my family."
Stansell has also been a key reason for the Raiders turnaround campaign, which saw Rowland go from just 3-8 last season to its second final-four appearance this season.
But although the Raiders scored victories over playoff teams Northview, California and Covina during the nonleague schedule, Stansell didn't believe they had arrived until a 16-7 victory over West Covina on Oct. 24.
It's a victory that eventually allowed Rowland to earn a share of its second league title in the past three seasons. "That was a big turnaround for us," said Stansell, who rushed for 177 yards and a TD in the victory. "It was a very big win at their place, and that's when we knew that this could be our chance."
The Raiders followed with a 45-38 loss to South Hills the next week, but rebounded with a victory over Walnut before scoring back-to-back wins over Burbank Burroughs (22-21) and La Serna (54-38) in the first two rounds of the playoffs.
But Stansell knows it will take a monster effort Friday.
"We are just going to have to play hard," Stansell said. "It's going to take a lot of heart, lot of heart. This is a great team we're playing against."
Stansell also knows the importance of this game for Rowland, which made its only championship game appearance in 1966, when the Raiders lost to Neff 32-13.
"It's a real big opportunity for us," Stansell said. "We're fortunate to be here. We don't want our road to end. We just have to play hard against a great team."
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ok SGV Football, is it really necessary to bring his family into this? lets keep this clean.
Brandon Stansell is one of the most coachable boys I have ever coached. I had him as a first and second grader. This young man will go far. This will be posted late but, Good luck Brandon. Take your team to the finals. Mr. Davis
Hey RN, Stansell did play at Kare (not K.A.R.E.) prior to Covina Vikings. Yarber played with him there too.
All 8 year old boys get mad? Sure, but most don't have a major chip on their shoulder like he did continually. Maybe it was a reflection of his father. He had a chip on his shoulders all the time as well.
He did cuss at the refs. He was kicked out of games versus CO (Jr Midget)and Glendora (Pee Wee) for language and fighting. It was Evan Williams that slammed him to the turf in JAA...and he'll do it again tonight.
Here's irony for you. On the same page as the Stansell story was a story about Glendora basketball. It featured Kosmond Russell (another Kare alum). He and Stansell were pretty good friends.
Breaking News:
Adam Muema is out tonight!
lets go raiders, tonight is the night we will see who will be the better team tonight, david vs goliath matchup, GO RAIDERS!
CO Nation, learn how to count, if RR Nation is an 07 grad, he was on the 06-07 team, which was an 8-2 team, not 3-7 retard. and raiderblood, don't forget that CO is the sorry school that had to break into the Coach's office to mess up tapes on CO.
WOW! ALL THE TRASH TALKERS BELITTLE AS YOU MAY> MUST NOT HAVE BEEN PLAYERS> TRASH TALK IS EASY AND ANNOMOUS.
IM SURE CHARGERS ARE NOT INSULTED BY SUCH CHILDLIKE BEHAVIOR> REMEMBER ITS A GAME PLAYED UNDER RULES BY YOUNG MEN THE LAST OF GAME OF THEIR LIVES FOR MANY ,DO YOU REALLY THINK CO WAS FILMING A PRACTICE?
THIS IS NOT JAA. NO NEED TO HYPE THIS GAME > ITS GOING TO BE A LOT OF FUN TO WATCH> ENJOY????
SGV, 8yrs old?? RU kidding me?? Tell me what 8yr old "child" doesn't get mad?? As one of his former coaches in JAA you must be talking about another player. Brandon never "cursed" at officals. Did he yell? Yeah, but it was at his team to encourage not to put down. CO players never got to him because they could never catch him!! But the fact is, Brandon didn't start to play JAA until he was 10yrs old (Covina Vikings with players Wayne Gross(SH )Elisha Henley & Brandon Taylor both from DR, Kegan Yarber (NV)& Steven Bethley (Don Lugo) ) He started playing football with K.A.R.E. youth football in Covina at 6yrs old and played there for 5 yrs. Just setting the record straight. He's a good kid with skills. Good Luck to both teams and remember, "It's a game" It's not LIFE !!!!
great job raider nation im sure u were a big part of that 3-7 team LMAO
every one who wants to trash on the raiders, go right ahead. we shut everyone up when we waxed northview, and west covina. there are no excuses, and we play hard every second of the game.
were gonna get destroyed? whos the sorry school that sent someone over to our practice field to spy on our practice? they drove away so fast when one of the coaches went to confront him it wasnt even funny.
wanna talk smack its fine with me, well see whos talking tomorrow night. charter oak is way over rated and trust me, just look at the schools they played. and im just sick of hearing about charter oak this charter oak that.
we kicked their butts in the 80's when they were in our league, but they left our league.
were gonna get those chargers, you best believe it.
Im an 07 grad.
ROWLAND RAIDER NATION JUST PLEASE TELL US YOUR NUMBER SO WE CAN WATCH YOU GET BROKE TOMOROW
Muemas Out for tommorow nite brandon golden # is starting
In less than 24 hours everyone will be talking about a new sheriff in town. The lawmakers are going to regulate the lawbreakers and your season is going to be over very soon my little pretties. The Chargers bark but us Dawgs we are going to take a bite out of crime and when we sink our teeth in you put the women and children to bed because this neighborhood watch means we take no prisoners. By the time we get done with you there is going to be nothing left but skin and bones. And while were on the subject I seriously do not know why everyone is so impressed and intimidated by you guys because seriously your offensive and defensive line really is fat and slow and your skilled players are sorry and weak. Yeah I;m calling you out. WE ARE NOT SCARED OF YOU! I feel the need for speed and serious collisions. Crash lights out boys! Nighty night tomorrow you may run but you can't hide and were going to catch you. Game over!
#24 like everyone else on the raiders is over rated. He has less yards than the junior ricky johnson. He will be lucky if he plays for a D3 school. #10 was shut down by the west co secondar, he had 0 catches. He is 6'4", but he couldnt block his mother. The O-line is small and can't block. the QB is going to get broken in half by the charger D-line. the raiders defense cant stop the run, and they have a weak secondary. chris allen is going to pick them apart. I cant believe they made it this far, they should have lost last week but la serna was missing key players.
It's Tilted kilt in San Diego, get it right.
go to media.myfoxla/foxhilites and vote for the raiders game to be televised.
im selling copies rowlands practice ill give you monday-wednesday for 50$
shoot me an e mail ill meet you by my white truck on colima ave
also i still have game film available
I've been watching Rowland all week and let me tell you this, #24 is a stud. You cannot teach some of the moves I've seen this kid make, the QB is very impressive and I can't believe he is only a soph.
Rowland Represent
I no longer blog because of the stupid, immature things people blog. I still read them and was really angry that someone used my name to vent some ugly things about Rowland. I resigned from blogging a few weeks ago in a blog. These are fifteen to eighteen year old boys playing the game and having the time of their lives. Here's to a safe, great, competative game on Friday.
Former blogger CoJo
Rowland Represent,
r u fricking kidding me! Rowland is going to get the crap kicked out of them. "The Heights" is where you come for can of whoop ass! LMAO! There will be a can of WHOOP ASS opened up, but the Chargers are holding the can opener!
RAIDERS...A Commitment To Excrement!
E-MAN,
There is no hype! Rowland may shock the world but not our own people. You know as well as I do that we are like you said the better team. Rest easy everyone the mighty chargers have seen their best day and their party is over. We Raiders are ready to rock our house! Can you say big play after big play? Over here in "The Heights" is where you come for a good old fashioned can of whoop ...!
2 things stand out about Brandon.
1. Even at 8 years old he had great instincts and good "runner's hips" that enabled him to elude tacklers.
2. He had a major 'tude and was easily taken out of his game if he got emotional. In JAA, these same CO kids hit him hard and early causing Brandon to lose his cool and curse at the ref. He got tossed! Maybe they will remember and use it against him.
He is a very good football and basketball player!
to all the SENIORS that been in the program for the past 4 YEARS but does not exclude juniors and sophomores i watch you play GREAT football games. from the get go i knew if you guys stood together ROWLAND would be in the playoffs. NOW is the time to step it a notch. every single one of you has grown to become GREAT athletes. NOW is the time to show what GREAT FOOTBALL PLAYERS YOU ARE. just do what you been doing for the past 4 YEARS. and that is to work as a TEAM. this RAIDERS team has the pontential to compete with the BEST. DONT BELIEVE THE HYPE. any givin friday ITS YOUR TIME!!
settle down
hes not that tight like...
PEDOLARAFOO!!!!
man ioneven like him