Brothers look to keep Sailors football afloat

When real-life sailors find a hole in their ship, there’s only one thing they can do, and that is to plug it with whatever is handy.

If it’s a large hole, maybe two or even three items will be needed. Whatever it takes to keep the ship afloat. That’s the most important thing, after all.

The Sarasota High Sailors have one of those holes, a quarterback-sized one, in their own ship. It’s metaphorical, but it will sink their season all the same if not patched. Peyton Jula, a transfer from Braden River High, was supposed to be their man under center, and started the Sailors’ spring game against Gulf Coast High. In mid-July, Jula transferred again, this time to Cardinal Mooney, and Sarasota was left scrambling.

The solution coach Brian Ryals picked, at least in part, was to play senior defensive back Tommie Battie IV at quarterback. Battie IV, who holds a scholarship offer from Eastern Michigan University, is a tremendous athlete, Ryals said, and the team will adjust its playbook to his strengths. That doesn’t mean he’ll solely be running the ball. Battie IV was 2-for-13 passing in the team’s preseason game against Palm Harbor University High. Those numbers alone don’t inspire confidence, but the number of passes thrown shows the team’s trust in his passing ability, and Ryals said those numbers aren’t indicative of Battie IV’s talent.

“He has to get used to it (playing quarterback), but we feel confident in him,” Ryals said.

Ryals likes opposing defenses having to account for the elusive Battie IV. It’s also likely that Battie IV will be one of a few players rotated in and out of the position, including sophomore Vincent Parisi, who took snaps at the end of practice with Battie IV at wide receiver, yet another look designed to throw off defenses.

Between them in that formation, at running back, stood the reason Sarasota’s offense should be able to gain yardage no matter who takes the snap. It’s sophomore Brian Battie, Battie IV’s brother.

This is the first time the Battie brothers have played football together. Last season, Brian spent the season on Braden River’s JV team, while Tommie played on the Pirates’ varsity team after two seasons with the Sailors. He decided to return for his senior season, to finish what he started.

“We want to come back after Friday nights and have the whole school love us,” Battie IV said.

Brian followed him. He didn’t think he’d get much playing time behind incumbent Braden River starter Deshaun Fenwick, a University of South Carolina commit. At Sarasota, he’ll get plenty of carries, and he’s already making them count, rushing for 118 yards and a touchdown against Palm Harbor University. Lining up next to his brother in the backfield is an experience he didn’t expect when he became a Sailor.

The Battie boys do everything together, but mostly eat and work out. Their favorite place is Wings N Things, where they were headed Aug. 21 after practice. On Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, they train together at Battie Fitness Training at Payne Park. It’s run by their father, Tommie Battie III.

The brothers hold a lot of responsibility on offense, but it’s the defense that will keep the Sailors in games until the offense clicks. Aside from Battie IV, who will retain his previous defensive back duties, Ryals is excited about junior cornerback Charles Ward, senior linebacker Mitch Nguyen and senior safety Avery Arnold, among others. The Sailors allowed a few big plays in the loss to Palm Harbor University, but Ryals knows they can be fixed through coaching.

Ultimately, Ryals said the Sailors will be successful if they “can become more consistent in everything we (the coaches) ask them to do,” and do those things with a winning attitude and passion.

Those last two can begin right away. The first one might take time. Until it happens, Sarasota has to hope it sealed that quarterback hole, and the Sailors can stay afloat in Class 7A-District 11.