After Breakout Opener, Brady Brennan Ready for Aliquippa

Leading into last Friday night’s season opener, Brady Brennan had caught plenty of passes from Colin Yurisinec over the summer.

But how many exactly?

“Oh, uh, jeez,” Brennan, a junior Mars receiver, said when asked over the phone, trying to pull a number out of the air. “Maybe like 1,000? A lot.”

The summer work paid off in Mars’ opener. Brennan caught four passes for 90 yards and two touchdowns in a 27-14 loss to Seneca Valley, emerging as one of the Planets’ biggest offensive threats heading into Friday night’s matchup with defending WPIAL Class 4A champion Aliquippa.

Brennan and Yurisinec connected throughout 7-on-7 competition over the summer, building a rapport as Mars looked to replace some of the production lost with the graduation of Gabe Hein.

Brennan described Yurisinec, a second-year starter, as a “wide receiver friendly” quarterback who places his throws well and gives his receivers opportunities to make plays.

That chemistry showed in the second quarter against Seneca Valley.

Brennan ran a post route and pulled down Yurisinec’s throw coming out of his break. Raiders linebacker Trent Popp dove to try to break up the pass a split second before safety Josiah Edwards lowered his shoulder into Brennan’s waist.

“That one’s a little different,” Brennan said. “Because we needed a big play. But he put it right where it needed to be. … I really just caught the ball and then I saw him in the corner of my eye and I put my shoulder into him and then he just fell off me. It was really quick.”

Brennan absorbed Edwards’ hit, leaving Edwards and Popp on the ground. He hurdled the pair and raced toward the end zone, outrunning Albany commit and Seneca Valley cornerback Julian Hunt. Senior Mars receiver Gus Coffield threw a block that helped slow Hunt.

“I was like, ‘Oh, shoot, I gotta score this ball now,’” Brennan said. “I was a little in shock.”

Brennan describes himself as an undersized receiver who can make plays after the catch and prides himself on sure hands. He is open to playing at the next level and considers himself and senior Smyth Dunaway a “1A and 1B” combination in the Mars receiving corps.

After his performance against Seneca Valley, Brennan has raised his goals for the season. He is aiming for 700 receiving yards and seven touchdown catches.

His next opportunity comes against one of the most recognizable programs in Pennsylvania high school football.

Aliquippa enters Friday night as the defending WPIAL Class 4A champion. The Quips have won four of the past five district championships in the classification.

For Brennan, however, the challenge is less about Aliquippa’s reputation and more about the players Mars will face Friday night.

“A win would do so much for us,” Brennan said. “The community would definitely rally around that. And about Aliquippa being a ‘bogeyman program,’ every year you hear, ‘Aliquippa! Aliquippa!’ You’re not playing against the name. You’re playing against the 11 guys on the other side of the field.”