Hurricanes sink Pirates

BRADENTON — Tradition isn’t built overnight.

It requires years of hard work and dedication from its players. And there comes a point when the players must set forth a precedent with the hope that it will continually be carried out in the years to come.

Under second-year head coach Don Purvis, the Braden River High football team has aspirations of becoming a state championship contender. But Oct. 7, the Pirates learned they still have a long way to go before they can be considered one of the state’s elite programs, as Manatee blanked the visiting Pirates 63-0 in the Class 7A-District 10 opener for both teams.

The Pirates knew it wasn’t going to be easy. After all, they were competing against the nationally-ranked Hurricanes in arguably the state’s toughest district.

Braden River (1-5) dressed fewer than 30 players for the game, because a handful of players, including starting quarterback Steven Ross and Josh Weirich, who left the game in the first quarter with a dislocated shoulder, were out due to injury and illness.

The Pirates had hoped to come up with some big plays early on to counter Manatee’s speed and talent, but Braden River’s game plan didn’t pan out.

After going three and out on their opening possession, the Pirates attempted a punt, which was blocked and sailed into the end zone, resulting in a safety. The Hurricanes scored three touchdowns in the first quarter to extend their lead and put the game all but out of reach.

“We knew what we were up against,” Purvis said. “We knew we needed some things to go our way to be able to overcome a lot of adversity. We talked about it and tried to prepare for it all week, and some things went bad really early and I don’t think we were able to get out of that. When the ball started rolling, it was pretty hard to stop it.”

Manatee (3-2) scored on all but two of its possessions, while Braden River struggled to move the ball, failing to get into Manatee territory at any point in the game.

Trailing 49-0 at halftime, the Pirates knew the game was out of reach. There would be no comeback, and Braden River wouldn’t be one district win away from a playoff berth.

But rather than getting down on themselves or placing blame on one another, the players rallied together. They continued to cheer on one another. They refused to come out of the game, even with the clock running throughout the second half.

“What we focused on was what we could control and that was coming out here and having a great attitude and playing every play the best we can; and that’s what I kept looking around to see,” Purvis said. “I’m very pleased with how hard they fought. They never quit.”

And as the final seconds ticked off the clock, the Pirates never stopped smiling.

“Way to play your heart out,” quarterback Ryan Fischer told his teammates as they walked off the field. “We’ve got a lot of work to do before next week.”

It was by no means the outcome the Pirates had hoped for, but it gave Braden River something on which to build. It showed them what tradition means and what it takes to get there.

It may not happen overnight, but eventually Braden River will have a storied tradition of its own.

“I think we realized it’s a long road,” Purvis said. “They didn’t get where they are overnight. All we’re really focused on is what we can do today and hope that these guys continue to improve. And the younger guys see their attitude and effort, and that builds.

“I think that’s where tradition builds on attitude,” Purvis said. “You don’t build tradition just on talent, because that talent leaves and another group comes in. That’s not where it starts. It’s where people set the precedent that this is how hard we work and this is how we’re going to do things. These guys are showing that. If we’re going to compete, we’re going to have to do it inside out.”

Contact Jen Blanco at [email protected].