Derby high school football playoff run spurred by ‘miracle’ return of team’s quarterback
All Braxton Clark felt was numbness in a hospital bed, hearing a doctor tell him his high school football career was finished.
A nasty hit in a game at Hutchinson on Sept. 22 had hospitalized the Derby senior quarterback, who discovered he had a lacerated kidney that was severe enough that surgery was being considered.
Brandon Clark, his father and head coach of the Derby football team, stayed by Braxton’s bedside that first night in the hospital when he was delivered what the father and son both described as devastating news.
“That was a tough pill to swallow,” Brandon Clark said. “Gosh, when I was playing, I know how that feels and I’ve seen kids go through it over the years. Football is a big part of their life and kids learn how to do things in life through football. When somebody tells you that’s over, you just have to try to stay positive and hope for a miracle.”
That miracle was answered, the Clark family is convinced, as Braxton’s recovery was faster than any doctor could have predicted. He was cleared just in time for the Class 6A playoffs, returning under center to help Derby’s push to win its first state championship since 2020.
Less than two months after being told his senior season was over, Braxton Clark threw for 288 yards, scored two touchdowns and led the game-winning drive this past Friday to lift the Panthers to a dramatic 23-21 win at Manhattan to eliminate the defending state champions and end Derby’s 3-game losing streak in the budding rivalry.
When Derby (10-1) takes on No. 1-ranked Washburn Rural (11-0) in the Class 6A semifinals of the Kansas high school football playoffs this Friday, Braxton Clark will look to add another memorable chapter to his improbable senior year.
“It was definitely devastating to think my season was done,” Braxton Clark said, “but it’s just a miracle I was able to come back.”
In Braxton Clark’s absence, Derby’s offense kept rolling with the play of junior Easton Splane, who also played defensive back, but coach Brandon Clark was uneasy about a key player playing both ways when the stakes (and physicality) rose during the playoffs.
The Panthers have struck a good balance between their rushing attack, which features senior Derek Hubbard and freshman Arieus Finley, and their passing game with Braxton Clark, as his favorite targets this season have been star junior tight end Da’Saahn Brame and senior wide receiver Colton Reudy. In seven games, Clark has 1,246 passing yards with 14 touchdowns and two interceptions to go along with seven rushing touchdowns.
But it is the play of his offensive line, which includes four seniors in Landon Renberger, Austin Ediger, Gabe Henriques and Mario Salazar and a star sophomore in Max Robinson, that gives Braxton Clark comfort in his return from injury.
“I play with no worries,” Braxton Clark said. “I always trust my guys on the O-line and they trust me. That gives me so much more confidence. Those guys don’t get to score any of the touchdowns, but they’re the ones that help us make the plays.”
On last week’s game-winning drive, Clark connected on a constant stream of hitch routes to lead Derby down the field and set up a go-ahead, 26-yard field goal converted by senior Grady Jesseph.
After losing 33-19 at Manhattan in the season-opener, plus two losses last season, including a season-ending loss in the semifinals, it was an emotional victory for Derby.
But the win wasn’t fueled by revenge. The Panthers have bigger goals than beating Manhattan, like winning their seventh state title in the last 11 seasons.
“Last Monday, we talked to the kids and said, ‘This is not about revenge,’” Brandon Clark said. “The focus was on executing our game plan and that’s what those kids did. We practiced hard every day to become the best team we could be on Friday. So I was really proud of our group for the way they practiced and then it took a total team effort to get the win. I’m proud of them.”
This story was originally published November 16, 2023 at 6:00 AM.
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