Winthrop quarterback Braden Branagan prepares to throw a pass during practice Tuesday in Winthrop. Branagan and the Ramblers will play at Wells in the Class D South final at 6:30 p.m. Friday. Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal

WINTHROP — Braden Branagan is a ball distributor for the Winthrop basketball team, and he brings a similar mentality to the football team as the Ramblers’ quarterback.

The senior’s job is to make sound decisions and set up other for success.

“He plays point guard in basketball, too, so he reads the defense in that,” wide receiver Ben Porter said. “He commands the offense like he does in football.”

Winthrop/Monmouth/Hall-Dale/Kents Hill Coach Joel Stoneton said Branagan thinks football at a high level, which has been important this season for the second-seeded Ramblers (8-1), who face top-seeded Wells (9-0) in the Class D South final Friday night.

“The other thing that I think that gets overlooked with him is that, quite often, I would say almost 50% of the time, he’s coming to the sidelines telling us what we should be running because he’s seeing it better than we are,” Stoneton said. “So his football intelligence has grown exponentially this year. And he’s using that as a weapon for us as well as himself. And, you know, with the guys up front and the guys behind him in the backfield, it all just clicks together.”

The Ramblers’ strength on offense is clearly running the ball, with Carter Rivers (1,195 yards) and Cody Cobb (837 yards) picking up chunks of yards behind an experienced offensive line. Winthrop leans on that strength heavily, but that doesn’t mean the coaches don’t have confidence in Branagan.

Winthrop quarterback Braden Branagan throws a pass during football practice Tuesday. Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal

“A lot of people think that he can’t do much, because we run the ball so well. It’s the other way around; it’s just that we run the ball so well, we haven’t asked him to do much,” Stoneton said. “So, you know, we’re looking for him to have a big game this week, and we will go from there.”

Branagan has completed 39 of 75 passes for 454 yards, throwing five touchdowns and five interceptions. He has run the ball only 25 times but has four touchdowns.

“We’ve always been known as a running team, and we’ve actually graduated to more of a kind of balance – not as much balance as we want it to be, but we have really good running backs,” Branagan said. “Carter and Cody are experts. Our line’s really good at blocking – they’re really good.

“But I feel like our pass game could be just as good, no matter what happens. If we need to pass, we can pass. I feel like Friday, we’re going to have to pass a little bit more – balance it out a little bit more because Wells has a really tough up-front.”

In Winthrop’s 30-13 loss to Wells on Oct. 25, Rivers and Cobb were held to 76 yards rushing combined. Branagan had one of his best passing games of the season, completing 10 of 14 for 92 yards.

Porter said Branagan makes sure the offense doesn’t get rattled.

“He’s a good leader; he keeps us in check, he keeps us going,” Porter said. “He keeps our mind in it whenever we need it. He can throw the ball, makes a pass. If our running game is getting stopped, he will step up and deliver the ball.”

Winthrop quarterback Braden Branagan prepares to throw a pass during football practice Tuesday at Charlie’s Field in the Maxwell Athletic Complex in Winthrop. Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal

Branagan has come through for the Ramblers in big moments. Against Oak Hill/St. Dom’s on Sept. 28, his late rushing touchdown helped Winthrop win 22-21.

“I think when we do ask him to throw the ball or make a play for us, he really steps up and does it well,” Rivers said. “Whenever we do need him, he comes out and shows up for us.”

Branagan relishes opportunities to contribute to the offense.

“Yeah, it’s happened a couple of times this season, but, I mean, I feel like if I see something in the defense, if I don’t see any of my receivers open, I’ll have to make it with my feet,” Branagan said. “But, I mean, I haven’t really had to do much this season just because our line has held them really well and I’ve been able to get the ball out in time.”

Branagan also came through in the clutch against Oak Hill in the playoffs last year, throwing a touchdown pass to Porter in an obvious passing situation late in the fourth quarter to force overtime in Winthrop’s 17-14 semifinal victory.

“We were, like, fourth-and-goal, I think, and we really needed that play to win the game, or tie it, at least,” Branagan said. “And I just see Ben across the middle, and I see a little window, and I just get it in there for him.”

Stoneton said game plans always include a package for Branagan in the running and passing games. When a play is designed for him, the team rallies around their ball distributor.

“It’s awesome; we all, including the line, all 10 players on the team, will do the best we can, give 100 percent to get him in the end zone,” Rivers said.