NORTON SHORES – When you think about Mona Shores running backs, you automatically think about Dahmir Farnum.
When you think about other dangerous offensive players on the Sailor roster, names like Jaylen Vinton, Ke’Waun Farnum, Johnathon Pittman and Eric Cotner come to mind.
On defense, Mona Shores’ statistical leaders are Hayden Terpstra, Brayton Conrad, Andrew Baker and Dahmir Farnum.
With all of those talented guys to worry about, opponents probably spend little or no time figuring out how to stop Brandon Bankard – and the under-the-radar senior has taken full advantage.
[1]Bankard, the “other running back” in the Sailor lineup and a starting strong safety, has quietly done more than his share of damage this season.
The latest example came on Friday night in the Sailors’ playoff opener against Traverse City Central.
He intercepted a TC Central pass on the fourth play of the game, setting Mona Shores up with the ball at the Trojan 43. The Sailors scored on the very next play on a touchdown pass from Pittman to Vinton.
“The ball went up, it was way overthrown, and I went for it and caught it,” Bankard said. “When I was tackled, it was just that feeling, we’re on offense now, we’re rolling.”
Later in the first half Bankard broke loose for a 64-yard touchdown run, his longest of the season, helping the Sailors nail down a 48-20 victory to keep their season alive.
[2]“I’m usually more of a power back, but this time I made a couple cuts and found a lot of green on the left side of the field and just turned on the jets,” he said.
Bankard said Friday’s victory was huge for the Sailors, obviously because it was a playoff matchup, but also because it came a week after Mona Shores’ loss to rival Muskegon.
It also gave them momentum heading into Friday’s district championship showdown on the road against undefeated Forest Hills Central.
“We went into the game super focused,” Bankard said. “We knew we had to make plays that counted, especially after giving up 55 points to Muskegon.”
The numbers certainly don’t tell the whole story when it comes to Bankard.
He rushed for 297 yards in the regular season, which is a very nice total, but nowhere near Dahmir Farnum’s total of 1,124 yards.
[3]The thing about Bankard is that he makes big plays at key times – on offense and defense – and he almost always contributes something important in every game.
One good example came in Week 8 against Reeths-Puffer, when the usually high-flying Mona Shores offense was stalled.
Bankard picked up a blocked punt and ran it in for a touchdown in the second half, giving the Sailors crucial points. He also had a crucial interception in the game and tied for the team lead with seven tackles in Mona Shores’ 15-0 victory.
Bankard also had a 15-yard touchdown run and was among the leading tacklers in a big win over Grand Rapids Union.
He had a 13-yard touchdown run in the first quarter against Rockford, then added a 15-yard scoring burst in the second. He had a 16-yard touchdown run against Muskegon.
[4]Mona Shores head coach Matt Koziak says it’s a luxury to have another talented running back working beside Farnum and giving the Sailors another option.
“It’s a really good 1-2 punch,” Koziak said. “There’s not much of a dropoff from one to the other. Brandon would probably be the featured back at a lot of schools. Arguably these guys are the best combo in the state of Michigan.”
Bankard says he works closely with Farnum and doesn’t mind being the “other back.” He’s very much a team player who’s willing to do whatever he can, on either side of the ball, to help Mona Shores win.
“Me and Dahmir make each other better and push each other,” he said. “I don’t care about touches or stats. I will do anything to make our team better.”
Bankard has been a little bit underestimated throughout his years of football.
In the seventh grade he wasn’t even a starter, and in the eighth grade he was mostly a linebacker.
[5]He didn’t get many chances to be a running back until he reached high school, when some other backs were injured and his opportunity came along.
“I knew the basics of the position, and my teammates knew I had some speed and said, ‘Let’s put this kid back there and see what he can do,’” Bankard said.
Bankard’s opportunities have come along because he’s always worked hard and played whatever role he was assigned to play, without complaint.
“He’s just one of those kids you want other guys to see, so they know that’s how you do it,” Koziak said. “He’s worked his butt off for everything. You wish you had 30 players like him.”
The Sailors are pushing hard for a return to the Division 3 state finals after winning state titles in 2019 and 2020.
Bankard is extra eager for a return trip, because he was called up to varsity for the playoffs as a freshman and sophomore those years and got to be part of the championship celebration at Ford Field.
“It was awesome,” he said. “Words can’t describe the energy on the sideline and all the emotion.”
Bankard is convinced the Sailors have the talent to win it all again – “we have weapons all over the field,” he said – but he’s also smart enough to know that it’s far too early to be thinking about the state finals.
“We can’t look ahead to Ford Field,” he said. “We have to take it one step at a time.” 
[6]