Pirates try to halt three-game losing streak against Venice

If you want to see fire in the eyes of a Braden River football player, just utter the name.

"Venice High.”

Some players, like senior defensive back Tyrone Collins, will add a smile to their response. They are not just thinking about the three games in a row they have lost to the Indians. They are thinking about revenge.

In the past three games, the Pirates (9-1) have been able to score at will on the Indians, who enter the game with an 11-1 record with their lone loss coming to independent IMG Academy. But they have not been able to stop the high-powered Venice attack.

The constants between the two seasons are Venice senior quarterback Bryce Carpenter and senior wide receiver Jaivon Heiligh, both of whom will play Division 1 football at Coastal Carolina University next season. Bradley previously said Carpenter is the best quarterback he’s had to coach against at Braden River, and reiterated that sentiment following the Pirates’ 41-13 first-round win Nov. 10 against South Fort Myers High.

"We'll go back to the drawing board,” Bradley said, of how the Pirates plan to stop Carpenter this time. “There are some things we did well the first time around, some things we didn't do so well. We'll make some adjustments moving forward.

"We feel good. We're healthy and peaking at the right time. We're excited about the opportunity we have."

Though Bradley wouldn’t get into specific scheme adjustments, he did mention perhaps the biggest factor leaning in Braden River’s favor: The return of Collins, who is verbally committed to the University of Missouri. He tore his ACL during the offseason and missed the first game against Venice.

Since his return Oct. 13 against Sarasota High, the Pirates have not allowed more than 14 points in a game, with many of those points coming against the second-team defense. He worked his magic against South Fort Myers, returning a bouncing punt 75 yards for a touchdown and breaking up numerous passes intended for Jeshaun Jones, a wide receiver with offers from the universities of Tennessee and Georgia, among others.

“I'm ready to play,” Collins said. “Our team is ready to play. We want to get payback. We want to show them what Braden River is about. I can't wait.

“We need to have a great week of practice, let our momentum impact the game. Come out strong and we'll be good.”

For all the Pirates defensive struggles against Venice, they have managed to stay competitive. This season’s earlier matchup, a 41-35 Indians win Sept. 28, saw a potential Pirates Hail Mary fall incomplete, but Braden River had a chance to win, and that matters. Bradley said there’s no mental block with his team. Every player in that locker room believes the Pirates can win, even more so with Collins on the field.

Bradley doesn’t sugarcoat his own thoughts on the rivalry.

"Shoot, they've had our number,” he said. “We got them twice in 2015, they got us twice in 2016 and once in 2017. Obviously, this one would mean a little more with the playoffs on the line."

With a healthy defense and countless weapons on offense, the Pirates are confident they can end the Venice losing streak. If they do, there may not be another Class 7A team that can stop them.