Oh brothers: Roseville football leans on dynamic duo and stout defense to top Oakmont
Despite a tumultuous prologue to Friday’s season opener against Oakmont, Roseville football coach Adam Reinking felt good.
With good reason: No. 23 Roseville went to No. 24 Oakmont and took a convincing 42-6 win Friday. The Tigers quickly established a dominant lead with three touchdowns in the first quarter. Brandon Graydon ran for a pair of scores while brother Ryan Graydon passed for one and Roseville never looked back.
The game provided a dose of normalcy amid the chaos of COVID-19 and smoke-filled air that Roseville, like many other teams, dealt with.
“This week was crazy with this canceling of practices,” Reinking said. “And then last year, a lot of these kids only played four games. So, so it’s just great to have it’s great to have our kids.”
The Vikings also faced COVID-19 and smoke challenges. Their varsity roster lists under 20 players, with a few of them were out for the game because of COVID-19 protocols and concerns.
Reinking said Roseville’s defense gave his team an edge, though the Graydon brothers provided plenty of spark for the offense. Both brothers work on the offense, often at quarterback.
Ryan Graydon is the starting quarterback, but Brandon is a strong player who has a talent for playing both sides of the ball. Brandon also sees time at receiver, hauling in passes from his brother. Reinking said the competition for the starting gig is still neck and neck.
Over the summer, the two brothers “were pretty much even” when it came to throwing and completion percentages.
“Generally, when it’s that close you go with the junior,” Reinking said.
In Roseville’s case, the junior would be Brandon; Ryan is the senior. Brandon Graydon shined against Oakmont, delivered three rushing touchdowns and throwing for 144 yards. But the competition remains close: Ryan Graydon threw for a pair of his own touchdowns.
The brothers are fierce competitors but Reinking says the brothers take it all out on their opponents, never each other.
“They’re good brothers, they clearly love each other. And it’s just so it’s so nice to see them do for each other and pull for each other,” he said. “Most kids don’t play football after high school right? So have those memories with your little or big brothers, I think that’s pretty cool.“
The win over a ranked team will likely help Roseville move up in The Bee’s rankings. The Tigers have another chance to make a statement next week against No. 11 Placer, which lost Friday night to Casa Roble. While the Graydon brothers and the offense should rack up points, the focus might be on the defense. Placer put up 33 points against Casa Roble and should provide a stern test for Roseville.
This story was originally published August 21, 2021 at 9:00 AM.