Greenbrier senior running back Brennan Bjorkman knew that it was only a matter of time. After a junior season where he played behind one of the better running backs in the region in then-senior Beau Polcha, Bjorkman understood that he’d be next up to be RB1 for the Wolfpack.
In arguably the biggest game of his life versus an Evans squad that has beaten Greenbrier in every matchup going back to 2012, Bjorkman had the best game of his life. The senior finished with a career-high five rushing touchdowns to go along with multiple 20+ yard runs on the day to help the Wolfpack beat the Knights 42-35 on Friday, Aug. 28.
“Coming in, I was thinking that I need to score, I need to lead my team tonight,” Bjorkman said. “So that’s what I did. So I was glad
I was able to do it.”
Bjorkman put that plan into motion early as the senior had a 41-yard run for his first touchdown of the night on only the second play of the game. His second and third touchdowns were shorter, only two and three-yard runs respectively, but they still counted all the same.
By the end of the first half, Bjorkman already had three scores to his name. He continued his offensive assault with a 27-yard run to the end zone to open the third quarter. And when his team needed it most with the score tied with two minutes left in the game, he scored from three yards out for his fifth and final touchdown on the night.
“Absolutely phenomenal,” Wolfpack head coach Sean Tiernan said of Bjorkman’s performance. “He’s been like that, but he’s gotta go both ways. If he was straight offense, he might’ve had six or seven touchdowns. But he goes over there and plays defense [and] he does a great job.”
To Tiernan’s point, had Bjorkman not started cramping throughout the game due to him playing so many snaps, he may just have scored even more. And in the third quarter, he found the end zone for a second time in the period before it got turned back by a holding call.
Bjorkman’s hard work and talent is finally being put on display in his senior year. He’s currently up to six total touchdowns through two weeks of the high school football season. Him continuing to be a major contributor at the running back spot will only help Greenbrier’s chances of making the postseason for the first time in Bjorkman’s career.
This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Greenbrier football's Brennan Bjorkman scores five touchdowns in win over Evans
