Loyalsock coach Justin Van Fleet clearly remembers the play.
Ellen Stoner clearly remembers the moment.
Van Fleet recalls watching Smith intercept a swing pass near Loyalsock's backfield last year. He is still trying to figure out how Brandon Smith did it. Stoner remembers her son Clay facing a potentially season-ending back injury and Smith driving from Lewisburg to Montoursville to pray with and for him.
Those two situations represent who Lewisburg star Brandon Smith really is. He is the kind of player who makes the near impossible look routine. Smith also is a player who is as good off the field as he is on it.
"I'm proud to say I coached against Brandon Smith the last couple years because he is a heck of a player and a heck of a person," Montoursville coach J.C. Keefer said. "Whether he wins or lose, Brandon Smith is a kid who is going to hold his head high and have faith in God and respect everyone around him."
"When I got the job people kept reiterating what a great player Brandon is, but I can tell you that with all the accolades he's gotten as a football player, he's an even better person," first-year Lewisburg coach Jeremy Winn said. "Some people are rah-rah type guys, but he is a leader by example. He goes about his business and makes everyone better.
And he has made himself the area's best football player.
Smith was a unanimous selection as the 2012 Sun-Gazette Player of the Year. Smith is Player of the Year for a second straight season after sharing the honor with North Penn's Skye Stiner last year. The four-year starter recently earned first team all-state honors at linebacker for a third consecutive year and also ran for 1,094 yards and 19 touchdowns while leading Lewisburg in receiving.
More importantly, Smith helped Lewisburg go 8-3 and reach the postseason for a fifth straight year. A program that had barely any history before Smith's arrival has won 42 games, along with a district and league championship, the last four seasons.
"He was great in terms of practice. He keeps guys loose, but he also keeps them focused. There's nothing bad to say about him," Winn said. "When I talk to recruiters they are looking for more information but I just say he's a super kid. There are no glaring weaknesses, he's just one of those players."
Smith earned all-state honors the past two seasons and helped Lewisburg win 22 games while reaching the 2010 Class AA state semifinals. A strong core of players graduated this offseason, though, and it was unclear whether Lewisburg could continue going strong. Smith made sure it did, averaging 12.3 tackles per game, making 122 solo tackles and adding eight sacks, three interceptions and three forced fumbles.
It was quite a season by a player who was still battling a back injury that nearly wiped out his 2011 campaign. And as Smith began feeling better, his offensive role increased and Lewisburg really took off, winning seven of its last eight games. Smith topped 100 yards in five of Lewisburg's last seven games and scored 11 touchdowns in his final three games, routinely running over defenders while gaining several yards after contact.
Whatever Lewisburg needed, wherever it needed him, Smith delivered. He was an elite tight end in 2010, wide receiver last year and fullback this season. And in District 4, there was no better linebacker. There has not been the past three seasons.
Smith has the perfect blend of athletic ability, speed, intelligence and inner drive. His instincts are remarkable and his fundamentals flawless. Search the highlights for tackles he missed or running backs who slipped out of his grasp and one likely will come up empty.
"It's not a surprise he does what he does. He's a great young man and he's just a heck of a good player," Van Fleet said. "He can run, he can tackle and he can cover. He can do it all."
Van Fleet is still in awe of that play Smith made against Loyalsock last season.
"We were on our 30 and he intercepted a swing pass to a tailback. I don't know how he did it, he just did it," Van Fleet said. "He jumped up in the air, caught the ball on a blitz and instead of batting it down he caught it with one hand. It was unbelievable. That's just the kind of special athlete he is."
Those who know Smith best are even more impressed with his character. One of Lewisburg's top students, Smith also is a drummer in the band and a Prayer Group leader. He plays the game all out, but he plays clean and cares as much about his rivals as he does his teammates.
"Brandon is the greatest kid," Ellen Stoner said. "To have him be a friend and mentor to Clay is just amazing."
Smith is now focusing his attention on the wrestling season. He was a state medalist last year and was so in track, too. A big football decision, however, still waits. Smith is receiving serious Division I interest from Ivy League schools, Patriot League schools and Penn State. He still has some visits to make and is taking his time with the decision.
Wherever Smith goes, that school likely will benefit and not just on the football field. The best player in Lewisburg history is also the type of person the community's youth strive to be.
That is what people will remember about Smith the most.
"I tell everyone he's going to college and he's going to be a captain somewhere," Winn said. "He's just that type of special kid."
