PALM BEACH GARDENS – Heading into this week, Dwyer head coach Al Shipman believed a “black cloud” loomed over the team. 

After all, Dwyer was heading into a must-win game off the heels of a 21-point loss to Atlantic and held a 2-6 record on the season.

The good news for Dwyer?

They had sunshine. 

Last season, junior quarterback Koden Brown was sometimes called “sunshine” by his teammates because of his long blonde hair that draws a resemblance to Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence.

And while his teammates now call him “KB,” Brown kept Dwyer’s season alive.

In a must-win game against District 9-3M foe Seminole Ridge, Brown took over the game and helped lead Dwyer to a 34-14 victory.

“It just seemed like there was a black cloud over the team,” Shipman said. “For us to get this victory, it just felt good.”

Brown was the driving force for Dwyer’s offensive outbreak, making play after play to keep the Panthers ahead of Seminole Ridge.

Brown finished the night with five total touchdowns, but his three in the first half gave Dwyer a 13-point cushion heading into the break.

“It felt great,” Brown said about his performance. “I got to give the credit to my o-line, my receivers. It’s not all me.”

Although Brown spread the ball around to each of his receivers, his connection with Rodney Green, Jr. appeared to be the difference. Brown connected with Green for the team’s first touchdown, and he would later find the lengthy wide receiver for a few key plays.

“[Green] gives them an opportunity. He’s also a deep threat, he’s a great route runner,” Shipman said of Green. “At the end of the day, he’s a kid that even on the 50-50 balls, I like him 70-30.”

Following the game, Brown also praised Green.

“He’s one of the better receivers I’ve ever thrown to,” Brown said. “He’s always open. I can trust him with anything.”

The real surprise of Brown’s game was his ability to run the football. Although he might not be the fastest quarterback in the county, Brown made plenty of plays with his feet, finishing with three touchdowns on the ground and a drove of out-of-structure throws, which kept the offense alive.

“It puts the defense on notice. They can’t just blitz because if they miss, he can hurt you,” Shipman said. “He might not take it 80 [yards], but he can get us 25, 30 yards and get a first down.”

Brown’s feet were directly responsible for the most important of Dwyer’s touchdowns. On the first drive out of halftime, Dwyer got the ball and drove down the field, taking close to seven minutes off the clock. Brown finished the drive by riding a pile of white Seminole Ridge jerseys into the end zone.

“I think it was a huge momentum booster for us, and I think it kind of helped deflate our opponents,” Shipman said. “To take that much time off the clock and then punch it in, how often do you see that?”

Although Brown may have not always been the ‘QB1’ for Dwyer, he’s now the starting quarterback at the most important part of the season.

Early in the season, Dwyer went through a quarterback carousel. As Shipman explains it, they had a quarterback drop out, another one had some issues, and they finally had to bring one up from junior varsity. 

But through it all, Shipman said that Brown “never stopped believing in himself.”

“He always prepared as if he was the starter. “He always had a great attitude,” Shipman continued. “Even when he wasn’t starting, he was doing his best to help whoever was playing. And I got to commend him for that.”

Now, Brown and his long hair will lead Dwyer out for a must-win game next week against Palm Beach Lakes. 

“Next game, we got to [beat] Lakes to make it to playoffs,” Green said. “But this week, we’ve been through a lot of stuff. We trying to keep the road going to the playoffs.”

PHOTO CREDIT: Christian Proscia