End of the road

BRADEN RIVER — Two years ago, as sophomores, 18 Braden River football players lost their first nine games before celebrating their first victory the final week of the regular season.

This year, those same 18 players, now seniors, led their team to 10 consecutive victories.

It wasn’t until the second round of the regional playoffs that the Pirates suffered their first loss of the season, bringing their record-setting season to a close.

After falling behind early, Braden River, who was hosting its second-consecutive playoff game, was unable to bounce back, as the Pirates fell to Tarpon Springs East Lake 37-21 in the Class 7A-Region 3 semifinals.

“You get to the playoffs and only one team gets to end the season on a win and, unfortunately, it wasn’t this group,” Braden River coach Curt Bradley says. “But that doesn’t take away from anything they’ve done this year.”

Sophomore running back Raymond Thomas scored all three of Braden River’s touchdowns — two on runs of 1 yard and one on 2 yards. Senior running back Carlos Crawford added a 2-point conversion. Senior wide receiver Justin Ross caught five passes for 87 yards.

With the loss, Braden River finished the season 10-1. It was the final game for Braden River’s 18 seniors, who helped the Pirates capture their first district title and advance to the playoffs for the first time since 2010.

“First and foremost, I thank our seniors for accepting us as a coaching staff,” Bradley says. “They never wavered. That kind of turnaround doesn’t happen without kids buying in and working hard. They are the first district champions, and that’s something that no one can ever take away from them.”

Contact Jen Blanco at [email protected].