Focus returns to football during preseason practice

When the calendar turns to August, attention turns toward high school football. 

The regular season kicks off Aug. 24. Here is information on your favorite team, from coaching changes to scheme updates and breakout players to watch. 

Braden River High

Coach: Curt Bradley, 7th season

Last season: 9-1, reached second round of playoffs

Outlook: Not much is changing at Braden River in 2018, and for good reason. The Pirates were solid in 2017, only losing to rival Venice High 41-35, before beating South Fort Myers 41-13 in the first round of the playoffs. Braden River would lose again to Venice, the eventual Class 8A state champions, in the second round (41-32).

The Venice problem aside, Braden River is set up nicely in 2018. Offensive coordinator Eric Sanders isn’t pivoting from a scheme that averaged 37.3 points per game last season, and Bradley said he isn’t changing any defensive schemes, either.

Eight starters return on each side of the ball. Despite losing three NCAA Division 1-caliber players in running back DeShaun Fenwick (University of South Carolina), cornerback Tyrone Collins (University of Missouri) and defensive end Taylor Upshaw (University of Michigan), the Pirates have the most talent of anyone in the area.

Senior quarterback Bryan Gagg is an East Carolina University commit, and Bradley said he’s stepped into a leadership role now that’s he’s been with the program for a full year. Junior running back Brian Battie, a transfer from Sarasota High, holds offers from the University of Akron and will fill Fenwick’s shoes, and he will get help from senior returnee Camaron White. On the outside, senior wide receiver Knowledge McDaniel is arguably the most talented player in the area, holding offers from the universities of Georgia, Tennessee, Missouri and Ohio State, among others.

Defensively, senior linebacker Taylor Pawelkoski leads the charge in the middle, junior linebacker Noah Font adds an outside presence and senior cornerback Mark Davis locks down the outside.

Under-the-radar players:  Bradley was hesitant to name anyone specifically with camp being a week old, but he expects his young offensive and defensive lines to step up and perform well when it counts.

Key to the season: Beat Venice. If the Pirates can beat their rival for the first time since 2015, they can contend for a state title.

The Out-of-Door Academy

Coach: Chris Kempton, first season

Last season: 5-1, reached second round of playoffs

Outlook: After the best ODA football season in eight years, the program hit some turbulence with coach Ken Sommers’ resignation on June 26.

It was handled in the smoothest way possible, however, with defensive coordinator Chris Kempton taking the reins and Sommers staying on staff as the offensive line coach and special teams coordinator. Kempton said he isn’t going to change much defensively, but will add zone and power concepts to the team’s running game, as well as run-pass options, which have become increasingly popular at the college level.

The Thunder will have to fill in some gaps in the roster. Quarterback Gus Mahler is gone, as is running back Dakota Dickerson. Kempton said the QB battle, between sophomore Tyler Beasley and freshman Aidan Marino, is still undecided. Beasley threw for two touchdowns in ODA’s 16-8 spring game win against Evangelical Christian on May 17. While ODA will use multiple running backs, junior Jarred Flahive led the Thunder with 61 yards on eight carries in the spring game.

Defensively, ODA returns junior defensive lineman Ryan Ives, who had seven sacks and seven tackles for loss last season. Senior cornerback (and wide receiver) Jimmy Viard led the team with three interceptions. The Thunder allowed just 22 points per game last season, and if you exclude the team’s 61-0 loss to Saint Stephen’s Episcopal, that number drops to 16.4 per game. With Kempton’s scheme in-tact, expect the stinginess to continue.

Under-the-radar players:  Kempton said freshman offensive guard Nolan Lewellen and sophomore defender Tanner Fairchild have impressed in early workouts. 

Key to the season: Finding an offensive rhythm. When making schematic changes and replacing both a QB and a RB, that will be tough to do. Kempton admitted the team is “still finding its identity” right now. The sooner it does, the better. This team has the talent to make the Sunshine State Athletic Conference playoffs, but it has to prove it on the field.

Lakewood Ranch High

Coach: Chris Culton, first season

Last season: 3-5

Outlook: If Lakewood Ranch wanted to make a splash with its next football coaching hire, it succeeded when it snagged former Naval Academy offensive line coach Chris Culton, who was named an Offensive Line Coach of the Year finalist by FootballScoop in 2016. After a year away from football for personal reasons, Culton returns at the high school level to lead a Mustangs program yet to find consistent success.

That may change now, but Culton knows it’s not going to take time, especially since he is implementing Navy’s signature triple option attack. It’s a complicated system to master, so this season might see some struggles in that area, but should be effective in the long run. Senior Drake Theriot, a tight end last season, should be a big-time threat as a runner.  Defensively, senior Drew Mitts, winner of the team’s 315-pound deadlift challenge, is a punishing linebacker, and senior defensive back Caleb Browner anchors the defensive backfield.

Under-the-radar players: Culton said senior center John Riley and senior guard Stefano Lonardo will help form a solid offensive line.

Key to the season: Change the football culture. Culton said while other teams might have goals of reaching the playoffs or a certain number of wins, his goals are more modest. He believes piling up smaller goals, such as having a game with zero penalties, eventually will pay off. 

"When you take care of the little things, everything else will fall into place," he said.