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Student Heroes: Running Back Scores Championship Winning Touchdown Days After Mom Died

ORCHARD LAKE (WWJ) - Winning a championship in any sport is a moment that every player, coach and fan will remember for the rest of their lives. But for one local student athlete, winning a football championship is special for a different reason.

Orchard Lake St. Mary's running back Brandon Adams scored the only touchdown when the Eaglets defeated Muskegon in the Division 3 football title game at Ford Field -- which happened two days after his mother passed away from cancer.

"I immediately put my hand up, to God and my mom, because I knew that she was watching over me," he said. "After the game I was talking on the bus and I was just like 'Wow' you know? I scored the only touchdown and it was for my mom. But I don't really think it would have mattered if it was the game winning touchdown, I just did it for my mom."

Adams admitted he considered sitting the game out after his mom died on Thanksgiving night, but his teammates convinced him to play in her memory.

"She kept saying 'I'm going to watch you on TV and I wish that I could come,' you know, getting all upset," he said. "She passed away and I felt like it was only right that we would pull out there and win for her."

The team even planned a vigil for Adams' mom the night before the game, which really touched head coach George Porritt.

"This was done by his teammates and not me, and that made it that much more special and that much more real," he said.

Porritt said he was happy to see his team win the title because they not only rallied around Adams in his time of need, but they celebrated the life of his mom at the same time.

"That little extra that he was playing for, that was special and I was so happy that he was the young man that scored the touchdown," he said. "It was a tribute to the team winning the state championship, it was a tribute to Brandon and his mother, and it was just a great moment to celebrate her life."

Adams praised his team and coaches for helping him get through this hard time, and said he will always remember that he fulfilled the promise to his mom of winning a state championship.

"I'm not one to break promises but that one was probably one of the biggest, I mean I'm going to remember that one the rest of my life," he said.

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Do you know anyone who could be labeled a student hero by setting an example, excelling as a teammate in a unique way, overcoming a challenge, helping a friend or neighbor, giving back to others, or is otherwise an inspiration?

Send an email to WWJ at wwjnewsroom@cbsradio.com, including a detailed description of who they are and why the student(s) should be featured.

[MORE STUDENT HEROES]

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