If you didn’t know about Bishop Gorman sophomore Braylon Ivory, you likely have now after his stellar performance Friday against St. John Bosco.
Ivory was consistently in the backfield, recording three sacks and also three tackles for loss in helping Gorman defeat previously No. 1-ranked St. John Bosco (California) 38-28.
“He’s just basically scratching the surface,” Gorman coach Brent Browner said of Ivory.
Ivory is one of the younger players on an experienced Gorman defense, as the 6-foot-4, 215-pound outside linebacker has made an immediate impact for the Gaels.
“He’s just going to get better and better and better,” Browner said. “That was basically his second-ever varsity football game. There’s a lot of stuff he can work on and he’s going to work. He’s a good kid. He’s a hard worker.
“He’s a pretty good football player with the combination of hard work, discipline and being in the system.”
Gorman is the new No. 1 team in the nation by MaxPreps. The Gaels (2-0) continue their challenging out-of-state schedule with a matchup against Columbus (Florida) at 11 a.m. PT Saturday at St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale.
The game will be broadcast nationally on ESPN2 and is a part of the Broward County National Football Showcase.
It’s only two games into the new season, but Gorman’s defense is showing it is one of the best in the country, and its play will be a major deciding factor if the Gaels can win a fifth mythical national championship. The Gaels defense posted a total of 18 tackles for loss, eight sacks and two interceptions in the win over St. John Bosco.
“We just don’t get complacent, honestly,” said Cal commit and Gorman defensive back Kamil Loud, who had a key tackle for loss and interception in the fourth quarter in the win against St. John Bosco.
“We beat Bosco, but we got to move forward and we just got to keep being ourselves, knowing our assignments. With the D-line and (linebackers), they make the (defensive backs’) job easier.”
‘All-around player’
Ivory played on Gorman’s freshman team last year and joined the varsity team in the postseason, recording a sack in the Open Division state semifinals against Foothill.
He showed flashes against Losee – recording a sack and a tackle for loss in a 41-0 Gaels win that was stopped for more than 90 minutes in the first half due to lightning and called at halftime – but Ivory showed he fit right in to the Gaels defense. His first-quarter strip sack of St. John Bosco quarterback Koa Malau’ulu was recovered in the end zone by Caleb Lea’Ea to give Gorman a 14-0 lead.
“We see what he did in the past few games, but he still has a lot of room to grow and he’s going to get better,” Loud said. “He’s been an amazing addition to our defense, sacking the QB. He’s been guarding the running back, so he’s been in coverage.
“He’s an all-around player and with how young he is, he has a lot of potential and he has nowhere near touched the surface.”
Ivory added several college offers – Arizona, Kansas State, UCLA and San Diego State – after the win. Ivory plays with a handful of seniors on the starting defense with linebackers Tamatoa Gaoteote and Jordan Lutu, and defensive line with seniors Tayaun Lawrence and twins Caleb and Calvin Lea’Ea.
“He’s playing a lot more and managing those emotions that come with a big game like that,” Browner said. “Those are the kids that are probably going to have the hardest next jump as they go through everything. We’re working on his mentality and keeping him grounded and stay humble. Do what got you here.”
Stellar defensive backs
Loud is one of a trio of FBS commits in Gorman’s secondary with four-star and Oregon commit Hayden Stepp and UNLV commit Azavier McDaniel, and junior Pesi Silva Jr. at safety.
The Gaels are also showcasing the future of the room with four-star sophomore Brayley Manning, who had an interception against St. John Bosco and is rated as 247Sports’ 11th overall class of 2029 prospect in the nation.
“We take pride in being the best DB group in the nation,” Loud said. “A lot of work is put in behind the scenes, whether it’s training on the weekends, training after practice, film study, going over plays and hanging out. We take pride in being together throughout the game, off the field and being the best.”
Contact Alex Wright at awright@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlexWright1028 on X.
Up next
Who: Bishop Gorman vs. Columbus (Florida)
When: 11 a.m. Saturday
Where: St. Thomas Aquinas HS in Fort Lauderdale, Florida
TV: ESPN2
