Miller, ‘cut from the same mold’ as injured brother, goes solo on tackles to lead Aurora Christian

He’s part of a matched set.

Aurora Christian junior Brayden Miller prefers having his wingman, identical twin brother Bryce, by his side — be it for occasional good-natured high jinks or working together on the football field.

Brayden, a linebacker/tight end, has had to fly solo since the fifth week of the season, however. Bryce, who also plays linebacker, suffered a broken fibula at Bishop McNamara in Kankakee.

“It’s been pretty tough, especially when he broke it during the game,” Brayden said. “It was hard for me to keep playing after that. I had a lot on my mind, wanting to see if he was OK.”

Ever since, with Bryce in a walking boot, their trading-places exercise went out the window.

“It’s just like a little prank we do sometimes,” Brayden said.

Junior middle linebacker Justin Douglas, who continues to play alongside Brayden for the Eagles on defense, smiled at the notion.

“I’ve known them since they moved here in the middle of sixth grade so I can tell them apart,” Douglas said of the twins, who are both listed at 5-foot-10 and 165 pounds. “The first time you see them side by side it can be difficult. They have a pretty good sibling rivalry, too.

“I’ve seen them go at it pretty good playing one-on-one in basketball, their other sport.”

That fifth game was a 42-22 loss to Bishop McNamara. The Eagles (10-1) have won six straight since, advancing to a 5 p.m. Saturday Class 2A state quarterfinal at El Paso-Gridley (11-0).

Along the way, Douglas and Brayden Miller have staged their own contest of sorts, going back and forth in a neck-and-neck race for the team lead in total tackles.

Douglas entered last week’s 27-6 second-round win over Maroa-Forsyth with a slim 96-95 lead and increased that 109-105 after the defense held the Trojans scoreless in the second half.

“Our defense really locked in in that second half,” Brayden Miller said. “Maroa-Forsyth was a pretty good team. We kinda looked at ourselves in the mirror at halftime and realized we had to have a strong second half.”

Miller did increase his solo tackles for the season to 49, setting a program single-season record. It tops the previous best of 48 established in 2012 by safety Brandon Mayes, who went on to play at Northern Illinois.

Where does Miller fit in best?

“It depends on the call or the formation,” Aurora Christian coach David Beebe said. “Brayden can move inside, too, but he’s on the outside most of the time.

“They’ve competed now all season. Justin asks me every week, ‘All right, who’s winning now?’”

Miller has also caught five passes for 51 yards in limited play at tight end since it’s all hands on deck for a team that usually has just 25-29 players available for any given game.

With warm weather this fall and so many two-way players, it has been a challenge limiting cramps late in games.

“Having a small team, we’re a lot closer,” Miller said. “The chemistry is better. But we drink a lot of pickle juice. I don’t know how much it helps, but I drink it if I have to.”

Miler does feel bad for his twin brother, who will soon be able to ditch the walking boot. Surgery to have his appendix removed right before last season set Bryce back and limited his playing time.

“It’s been hard for him,” Brayden said of Bryce, who had 14 tackles and one interception through four games. “He’s wanted to be on the field so bad. He really wants to prove himself.”

Likewise, Beebe would love to have Bryce back.

“Brayden just exploded last year and Bryce didn’t catch up, but early on this year, they were very similar,” Beebe said. “They’re cut from the same mold.”