BRADFORD – Even though they had never seen it accomplished in their lives, the Bradford football players never doubted that they could make the playoffs.

The 2012 Railroaders became just the second football team in school history to qualify for the Ohio High School Athletic Association playoffs. The only other time Bradford made the postseason was in 1982, more than a decade before any of the current players were born.

“This is what I’ve always dreamed of since I was in pee wee. It’s what I expected it to be when I came into my senior year,” senior tight end and linebacker Luke Hafer said. “It feels good to be that team. Like I said, I always knew we’d be in this spot.”

The current Railroaders have helped transform football at Bradford. Prior to this season, the last time Bradford even had a winning record was in 1994 when just a handful of the current players were born.

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