Millbrook defensive duo racks up sacks and tackles — and college football offers

Football teams diligently seek the gridiron grail of complementary ball — offense, defense, special teams.

Millbrook High team captains Rashad Streets and Quinton Cypher take that quest to another level.

Streets and Cypher — sounds like a legal firm — combined on a game-breaking play last week in a pivotal Cap 8A Conference showdown.

Millbrook led 7-0 early in the second quarter as Rolesville quarterback Kaleb Williams rolled out. Streets, a 6-foot-4, 230-pound defensive end, ran right to left in pursuit. As Streets closed in, the junior extended his body for the sack and stripped the ball in one motion.

The oblong pigskin bounced crazily, but with Cypher also rushing the quarterback, the 6-2, 220-pound junior was on the spot. He scooped the ball and ran 15 yards untouched to end zone.

Football doesn’t get more poetic than that.

“They’re two guys who bring energy that is infectious,” said Millbrook coach Laymarr Marshall. “They bring intensity and discipline to practice every day. They’re big-time players.”

‘A coach on the field’

Millbrook (5-0, 2-0 Cap 8A) went on to a 28-7 victory over Rolesville (2-3, 1-1 Cap 8A), last year’s state runner-up in the 4A N.C. High School Athletic Association playoffs. For the Wildcats, it was a statement victory.

A year ago, Rolesville defeated Millbrook 35-0 for a third straight one-sided decision. The Rams outscored the Wildcats by a combined total of 123-36.

“Our focus is on ourselves,” Marshall said. “But it would be dishonest if we didn’t say defeating Rolesville was a hump we needed to get over. We were young last year with 12 sophomores playing prominent roles. We’ve got those same guys back a year bigger and stronger. It was a big deal for our team.”

So big that after the post-game handshake line, some Millbrook players aimlessly celebrated at midfield unaware the Wildcats were gathering in the end zone. They set up to pose for a photo with the scoreboard behind them.

Cypher, true to his middle linebacker role calling signals and aligning the front seven, spotted the stragglers. He waved to them to retreat to the end zone.

Streets said that was typical Cypher leadership.

“He integrates a lot of things our coaches say,” Streets said. “He’s like having a coach on the field.”

Complementary play

The victory bumped Millbrook up to No. 5 in this week’s state 8A poll. Rolesville, with its three losses to state-ranked opponents, has dropped out, but Millbrook was only able to enjoy the win for the weekend.

The Wildcats returned to practice on Monday to prepare for another Cap 8A member ranked in the 8A poll, Leesville Road (4-1, 2-0). The Pride, newly rated at No. 8, faces Millbrook at 7 p.m. Friday at Wildcat Stadium. Leesville’s only loss was its season opener to Jordan (6-0, 2-0 Quad City Seven 8A Conference), which is No. 7 in the state 8A poll.

Expect another standing-room-only crowd on both sides of the stadium like the Millbrook-Rolesville game. The fan bases at Rolesville, Millbrook and Leesville Road are known for turning out home and away.

“It’s tough week for us,” Cypher said. “We have to make sure we’re not overlooking a very well coached and talented Leesville team.”

See what Streets means about Cypher sounding like a coach?

Cypher, starting with Streets up front, further explained Millbrook’s complementary play.

“He’s a hard worker who helps the defensive line come together,” Cypher said. “That’s been big for us. If the defensive line is playing well, I’m clean (to make tackles) and defensive backs can break on the ball quicker.”

Both players hold a long list of scholarship offers that include all three Triangle schools — N.C. State, North Carolina and Duke. In all, Streets numbers 36 and Cypher 31. The offers from heavyweight programs they share encompass Notre Dame, Penn State, Georgia, Clemson, Ohio State, Miami and Tennessee.

But they traveled different routes to their 4-star prospect stature.

Building a bond

Cypher played football throughout youth leagues and at West Millbrook Middle School. He arrived at Millbrook with talent and presence so evident to the coaches, he’s been a starter since his freshman season.

Streets didn’t play organized football until eighth grade at Durant Middle School. He arrived at Millbrook as a freshman unknown among new classmates and unsure of this new place. But the coaches saw enough raw talent to play him in some varsity games. He began to fit in.

“It was an adjustment my freshman year getting to know everyone and being moved up to the varsity to play against guys bigger than me,” Streets said. “But my sophomore year I locked in on my goal to play at the next level. I wanted to be more of a leader than just a guy who made splash plays.”

Last year, he made enough splashes to drench anyone poolside — 26.5 sacks in 13 games. His total is down to 3.5 sacks this year but not from a lack of effort. Opponents game plan away from him and double-team him.

“I want to be more consistent this year on first and second down and not just make sacks on third down,” Streets said. “I don’t want to get moved on a block, and I know how to handle a double team. I’m known now, so teams don’t play me the same way.”

A college scholarship has always been a high school player’s next level goal, of course, but Cypher’s “coaching voice” can be heard in Streets’ recognition more than a scholarship awaits him.

“He made a big jump his sophomore year,” Cypher said. “He came to realize this could be his future if he took it seriously, especially in this new landscape of college football. They pay now. If you take it seriously, you can take a lot of big steps to your future.”

Passion for the game

A year ago, Cypher led the team with 13.5 tackles a game. He has bumped that up to 15.4 through five games while also playing a limited tight end role. Against Rolesville, he scored the game’s first touchdown on a 21-yard pass from junior quarterback Bryson Gray with 9:32 left in the second period.

Just 18 seconds later Streets and Cyphers complemented each other with their strip sack and scoop and score.

Later in the night, with the defense on the sideline, respect between them was apparent. Streets came up to Cypher, faced him and tapped both fists on Cypher’s shoulder pads. Whatever was said, they both flashed victory smiles.

So, what did Streets say?

He was asked that question as the pair sat together in a Millbrook conference room prior to Monday’s practice. Streets responded with humdrum words before Cypher interrupted.

“I’ll tell you what he said. He said, ‘I love you.’”

Streets sheepishly nodded his head in a manner typical of a teenager — especially a supposedly rough and tough football player ☼ when forced to admit admiration.

“Yeah, that’s just the passion for the game that came out,” Streets said. “We worked hard for that game. You get a little emotional.”

And offer a four-star compliment.