Slow starts hurting Braden River High's football team

As the Sept. 22 football game between Braden River High (2-2) and Booker High (3-2) neared kick-off, players could be heard chatting on the Pirates sideline.

Murmurs from the crowd behind them served as background noise. When the Pirates' kick return unit took the field, a few variances of "let's go" were spoken. Otherwise, things were quiet. 

That low-key atmosphere continued throughout the first half. It was a problem for Braden River. The Pirates' offense could not establish a rhythm against the Tornadoes' defense, while the Braden River defense allowed Booker to score 10 points by early in the second quarter. By this point, the sideline was practically silent, other than coaches giving players instructions.

A field goal late in the quarter provided some hope, and the energy changed after halftime. Braden River came out motivated and ripped off 17-straight points to take a 20-10 lead. But it wouldn't last into the fourth quarter. Booker would score two touchdowns, and a late Pirates attempt to re-take the lead ended on a failed fourth-and-10 from the Tornadoes' 23-yard line. 

The Pirates lost 24-20. It was Braden River's first loss to Booker since 2013, having won the previous five games in the series. Tornadoes Head Coach Scottie Littles said the game served as a good measurement of how far his program has come since he took over prior to the 2022 season, while also acknowledging how Braden River and its fans view the matchup.

"This is a game Braden River schedules to get a win," Littles said. "Let's just be honest about it. At the end of the day, our kids fought hard and earned this win for our program."

After the loss, Pirates Head Coach Curt Bradley said he was concerned by his team's inability to start fast. The week prior, in a 28-20 road loss to Manatee High (5-0), the Pirates fell behind 14-0 and failed to convert on a fourth-and-goal opportunity in the first quarter that, in retrospect, would have given the team a chance to tie the game late. In the team's 41-23 win over Lakewood Ranch High (2-3) on Sept. 8, the Pirates scored first — but immediately gave up a kickoff return touchdown to the Mustangs, stalling whatever momentum it had generated. 

Bradley knows something has to change.

"We were not ready to play for a full quarter-and-a-half of football (against Booker)," Bradley said. "Obviously, we spotted Manatee some points last week. That's on me as a coach. I have to get these guys ready to play. We've put together some good third quarters, but we have to play four quarters.

"I have to do a better job of finding the right buttons to push to get these guys going. We could play harder, and we need to." 

Photo by Ryan Kohn

Any changes Bradley and his coaching staff make will need to happen in a hurry. Braden River next plays Port Charlotte High (3-2) at 7 p.m. Sept. 29 on the road. Braden River has only played Port Charlotte four times but has lost three of the matchups, including a 36-20 loss last season. Another loss would dip the Pirates' record below .500. 

To avoid that fate, Bradley and his staff are hoping their players who were inexperienced coming into the season have used their first four games to come up to speed. Bradley complimented the effort that linebacker Ronin Dangler and receiver/cornerback Isaac Heaven showed against Booker. Dangler, a sophomore, is the brother of former Pirates star linebackers Evan Dangler and Aidan Dangler and shares their ability to seek out ballcarriers. Heaven is a senior but only joined the football team this season after starring on the school's boys basketball team.

The 6-foot-3 Heaven, a senior, had an 83-yard touchdown reception from junior Lucas Despot against Booker and helped break up a late Booker deep ball down the sideline. Those are the types of plays the Pirates need more often in 2023, Bradley said. Even when Dangler and Heaven don't make the optimal decision on a given play, he said, they're always using their talent to the fullest. 

Photo by Ryan Kohn

Bradley said one way the team can generate an early spark is by getting its reliable playmakers involved in the game as quickly as possible. In 2023, the team's biggest playmaker has been junior receiver/running back Yahshua Edwards, who has 339 total yards (231 receiving yards and 108 rushing yards) and six touchdowns. He was kept off the score sheet against Booker and only had a handful of early touches, with the offense seemingly never finding a rhythm for him. 

Whether by using Edwards more, or getting the whole team to play at the effort level of Dangler and Heaven, Bradley said changes must be made. 

"I don't think Port Charlotte is going to feel sorry for us, so we better move on," Bradley said. "We have to turn the page and get ready to go."