- September 6, 2024
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With a young core of talented players and a handful of senior leaders to keep them on the right path, the Braden River football coaching staff and players are excited about the possibilities of the 2023 season.
As long as they can be consistent.
It's something the team did not do in 2022. The Pirates started 3-1, with the lone loss a 10-7 defeat against Manatee High, before Hurricane Ian hit the area and put a two-week pause on the season.
After the storm break, the Pirates were not the same team, playing inconsistently on both sides of the ball. The team finished the year 5-5, including a 42-6 loss to Naples High in the first round of the Florida High School Athletic Association playoffs.
Braden River has since lost many of its contributors, some to graduation, and others to transfers. Among the losses are former starting quarterback Nick Trier, who is now at Lakewood High (St. Petersburg) and former starting running back Trayvon Pinder is now at Manatee High.
Pirates Head Coach Curt Bradley said junior Lucas Despot will take over for Trier, who came to the Pirates as a sophomore after spending his freshman season in Lakewood Ranch High's program.
Bradley said Despot was impressive in limited action in 2022 as he started Braden River's game against Booker High because of a Trier injury. He finished that game six of 10 for 139 passing yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions.
"He (Despot) had a good summer," Bradley said. "He put on some weight. He's athletic. He learned the offense more in his second year with us. We're excited about what he can do with both his arm and his legs."
Running back, Bradley said, will take more of a committee approach. One player expected to get opportunities is Marcus Galloway.
The 5-foot-9 junior spent the 2022 season on the defensive side of the ball at cornerback, totaling 22 tackles and three passes defended, but will use his natural athletic ability on the offensive side in 2023.
Junior Yahshua Edwards is also expected to see action at both running back and wide receiver. He caught eight passes for 93 yards in limited action in 2022.
The offense will also see contributions from players like freshman wide receiver Nazir Pitchford, who is 6-foot-1 and can be a strong red zone target right away, a skill he showcased at the Pirates' Aug. 4 practice.
In other seasons, Bradley said, he would worry about having so many contributors at key offensive positions being inexperienced. If the right leaders aren't in place when that happens, he said, things quickly can go sideways. But Bradley is confident that leaders like senior tight end Cody Kawcak will keep things on the right path.
Kawcak agrees.
"It's still the first week (of practice), so nothing is perfect yet," Kawcak said. "The first game isn't going to be perfect either. We have to pick it up each week and continue to get better, so I'll get on guys if they make a mistake. But I'll build them back up, too."
On defense, senior linebacker Micah Fedd will serve a similar role. Fedd made 27 total tackles as a reserve in 2022, but knows he has more responsibility in 2023, as he'll be a starting middle linebacker and will call out the plays signaled in by Bradley to the rest of the defense.
"It's my fourth year," Fedd said. "I have to be a real leader now. I have to make sure everyone is lined up correctly in the right area. We've been in the film room all summer learning where we need to be on every play. I think people will see that improvement right away."
Other returning contributors on defense include sophomore Ronan Dangler, the brother of former Pirates stars Evan and Aidan Dangler. Like his brothers, Dangler is a linebacker. He had 17 tackles as a freshman, and he's strong. On June 25, Dangler finished second in the Age Group 14-15, 81 kilograms division of the 2023 USA Weightlifting National Youth Championships, held June 25 in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Dangler had a score of 191 kilograms (81 kilograms in the snatch and 110 kilograms in the clean and jerk).
The Pirates also have a special teams weapon in junior kicker Brunno Reus, who holds an NCAA Division I offer from the University of Louisiana-Monroe. He's useful not only on field goals but on kickoffs, as he can pin the opposition deep in its own zone with regularity, making things easier on the Braden River defense.
Kawcak and Fedd said the team is feeling confident in the program's talent level, even if some of it is unproven, and expects to compete for a district title in 2023. As for Bradley, who is entering his 12th season as the Pirates' coach, he's having as good a time coaching as ever, despite not getting much sleep. Bradley is the father of two kids — one of whom, daughter Olivia Bradley, is just 1 month old. But Bradley would not dream of missing preseason practices to catch up on rest.
"I love the coaches that we have and I love the young guys that we have," Bradley said. "We have a good relationship with our players. There's good chemistry here. We have fun out here. The alarm clock isn't always fun, but the football is."
