Brandon Vazquez, a 5-foot-9, 170-pound junior for La Habra, took the handoff on Thursday night against Upland and knew immediately what was about to happen when he saw the linebacker wearing No. 10 in the spot he was headed for. And it wasn’t just any linebacker — it was Justin Flowe, who has made a reputation for tackles that end up on social media.

“I felt like a rag doll,” Vazquez said in describing how Flowe lifted him up as if he were making a pro wrestling move before dropping him to the ground as the crowd at Upland gave off a sound of astonishment as to what they had just seen.

“I didn’t have anywhere to go,” Vazquez said. “I saw him do it to other people. I got hand cleaned and push pressed.”

OOHHH MY !!!! 5 STAR Justin 'BabyMan' Flowe

| Upland High (CA) @justin_flowe pic.twitter.com/lxIv3xq1xn — UnderTheRadar (@_UnderTheRadar_) August 23, 2019

Flowe was given a 15-yard penalty for unnecessary roughness, and Upland was given another 15-yard penalty on the play. They helped La Habra escape bad field position and enabled La Habra to come away with a 21-14 win.


Vazquez caught two touchdown passes but immediately knew what he was going to be remembered for in that game.

“I let gravity do its thing,” he said of his fall after Flowe released him.

Flowe said, “Good game” to him afterward.

“He’s a freak of nature,” Vazquez said.