- September 11, 2024
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After 12 seasons of sustained success under Head Coach Curt Bradley, the Braden River High football program will have a new voice leading the program.
Bradley left the school in January to take the head coaching position at Bradenton's Southeast High. Eric Sanders, Bradley's longtime offensive coordinator, was then named the Braden River head coach and shepherded the program through the spring before himself leaving to take the same job at Palmetto High.
Over the summer, the program found what it hopes will be a permanent replacement in Jason Grain, the former head coach at Oasis High who played college football at the University of Southern California from 1995 to 1999. Grain took over the Oasis program in a time of rebuilding. He finished with a 10-17 record over three seasons, but led the Sharks to a 6-4 record in 2023, the team's first winning record since 2018.
Grain said his first priority was to connect with his players face-to-face and start establishing relationships with them and their families. As important as football is, those personal relationships are even more important to Grain. Once those were established, Grain turned his attention to the gridiron.
At Braden River, Grain will face a similar task as he did at Oasis. Though the Pirates have not had a losing season since 2012, the program has finished 5-5 in back to back seasons and lost impact players to graduation and to transfers after Bradley left. Junior linebacker Ronan Dangler (94 tackles, 19 tackles for loss) is now at Manatee High, while junior running back/receiver Yashua Edwards (1,471 all-purpose yards, 19 touchdowns) is now at Riverview High. Braden River will have to replace that production with inexperienced players.
Grain believes his players are primed to compete.
"These kids are resilient," Grain said. "They have been through some changes, and change is never easy. They are mentally and physically tough, and we have some top level players, too. So I expect us to look good and for their competitive nature to shine."
In Grain's mind, success starts at the line of scrimmage. Grain said he is proud of the way his offensive line has been working during preseason practices and expects the starting group of junior Trevor Dutting-Morrell, senior Josh Brown, senior Garrett Busch, sophomore Darrious Pompey and senior Darius Fields to punish less physical teams.
They will be tasked with protecting senior quarterback Lucas Despot, a returning starter who elected to finish his high school career with the Pirates despite the coaching changes. The 6-foot-2 Despot threw for 1,619 yards, 18 touchdowns and five interceptions in 2023. The team's top-five receiving yard leaders from 2023 are gone in 2024, so Despot will have to create a rapport with a new group of athletes. Regardless, Grain said he is happy to have stability at such an important position.
"That stability is what you can build other pieces around," Grain said. "He's played a lot of football and played well."
Junior running back Julian Brown, a transfer from Saint Stephen's Episcopal, could be a factor in the rushing game. Stuck behind more established players a season ago, Brown had 26 touches for 144 yards and a touchdown as a sophomore.
On defense, the team will get a boost from senior defensive back Jaron Fields, who came to Braden River from Lakewood Ranch High. Fields, who is 5-foot-11, had two interceptions in the Pirates' spring game win over Boca Ciega High. Fields also has experience at wide receiver, so it is possible that the Pirates use him in both capacities this season.
In the middle of the defense, junior linebacker Storm Hense (46 tackles, six tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks) is the Pirates' returning tackles leader. He will be joined by senior Carmelo Shelley (31 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss).
Grain said he's happy with his 11 defensive starters and is now looking to build depth, something that will occur as inexperienced players get to see the field.
The team's schedule could allow the Pirates to build some momentum. An opening road game against Gainesville High (1-9 in 2023) on Aug. 23 leads into a home game against Sarasota (1-10) on Aug. 30 before a road matchup with local rival Lakewood Ranch High (6-4) on Sept. 6.
Grain is ready to get started.
"A lot of people have written us off," Grain said. "We're excited to go prove people wrong."
