Pirates pummel Mooney Cougars

The Braden River Pirates had waited all summer for the chance to redeem themselves after a spring loss to Riverview.

And after weeks of intense practice, they did just that.

Last spring, the Pirates suffered a tough 42-21 loss to the Riverview Rams. But during Braden River’s annual Kickoff Classic Aug. 27, the team posted an impressive 34-14 beat down over Cardinal Mooney. It was the perfect way to start the 2010 campaign under new coach Don Purvis.

The Pirates jumped out to an early 13-0 lead with two first-quarter touchdowns by seniors Jaredd Pate and Dipo Kolawole.

Pate rushed a total of 42 yards in the first half as well as a 4-yard touchdown. Last season, Pate’s skills weren’t shown as much, with powerhouse running back Tevin Bryant controlling most of the ball and field. Kolawole added to the Pirates’ potent rushing attack, scoring on a 20-yard run on the first drive of the game and gashing the Mooney defense for 50 yards.

However, despite the score, the Pirates left the Kickoff Classic with plenty to work on at the next practice. Braden River suffered seven penalties in the game — of which several nullified big plays on both sides of the ball.

“Those are the mistakes we can’t afford to make when we go through this season,” Purvis said. “Our schedule is really tough; most of our games are on the road. You can’t go on the road and make mistakes like that.

“But the good news is those are the things we can fix,” he said.

One of the biggest concerns for the Pirates was their defense. But by the end of the night, many concerns had been put to rest. Defensive tackles Chase Winkler and Dylan Lee stepped up and controlled the line of scrimmage, relieving much of the anxiety for Braden River.

“I think they’ve improved; they know where to line up now,” Purvis said. “I know that sounds silly, but they were getting caught out of position and just learning a new defense.”

With just under 10 minutes left in the first half, Winkler tackled a back and recovered a fumble in the end zone for a touchdown, giving the Pirates a 20-7 lead.

“All I did was hop on the ball,” Winkler said. “I’ve come a long way from starting on JV last year to starting on varsity this year. I improved a lot over the summer to get to where I am now.”

Lee had two sacks during the game, one of which included a 19-yard loss for the Cougars.

“I was happy with my performance but there’s always room for improvement,” he said. “I feel good about all the hard work I put in over the summer to start as a varsity tackle.”

The Pirates’ domination continued into the second half. A blocked punt by Keith Grafton resulted in a 49-yard touchdown run for Reshay McQueen, giving the Pirates a 27-7 lead in the third quarter.

“Offensively, I was really impressed with Lightning (McQueen),” Purvis said. “He had a great game. He got in and made the most out of the opportunities he had.”

Mooney quarterback Alex Nugent completed only five of the 24 passes he attempted, including a 18-yard touchdown pass to Rick Pecorelli.

On the Pirates final scoring drive, senior Javar Baity controlled the ball on a 53-yard drive that included a 4-yard touchdown with less than two minutes left in the game.

However, even after a commanding win, senior Caleb Bailey knows it’s a long road to the postseason.

“We did alright,” he said. “There are a lot of things we need to work on at practice, and we’re going to try to fix those things in order to win one of our most vital games of the season.”

Braden River will face East County rival Lakewood Ranch to begin the regular season at 7:30 p.m., Sept. 3, at Lakewood.