Sarasota football Amped after first 2024 win

It would not earn many style points, but the Sarasota High football team's Aug. 30 road victory over Braden River High counted all the same. 

It was a 10-6 slugfest, all points coming in the first half. In the second half, defenses dominated. Neither team moved the ball efficiently on the ground, and while the two passing games flashed, the flashes were too inconsistent to sustain long drives. 

But none of that mattered after the final whistle. 

As Braden River players hung their heads, Sailors players erupted in cheers, some literally hopping off the field in joy. It was the first regular season win under first-year Head Coach Anthony "Amp" Campbell, and the program's second such win since the end of the 2022 season, when the Sailors finished 5-5 and won a playoff game over Manatee High. Campbell, the former Riverview High star defensive back, played under legendary college football coach Nick Saban at Michigan State University and has had past stops as a position coach at Kent State University and Western Michigan University, among other places. 

Campbell said his focus has been on building a foundational culture within the program, just like Saban had at Michigan State and his other stops. Saban would preach about creating strong relationships with players, Campbell said: Nobody cares how much you know, until they know how much you care.

Photo by Ryan Kohn

With a roster largely consisting of freshmen and sophomores, Campbell, 49, now has his team believing it can do a lot more winning. After the game, Campbell dodged one attempt at a Gatorade bath, but the Sailors eventually chased him down, dousing him at midfield. 

"It was a great feeling, and great to see the kids enjoy that moment," Campbell said. "It was an unbelievable experience. It took these guys 10 weeks to get that first win last year, so this was special." 

The Sailors' lone offensive touchdown came on a five-yard pass from freshman quarterback Hudson West to sophomore tight end Chase Fritz. West, in his second varsity start, completed 21 of 31 passes for 200 yards and the touchdown to Fritz. He was also intercepted by Braden River senior Jaron Fields off of a deflection. More impressive than West's stats was his presence: he rarely felt compelled to scramble out of the pocket, instead going through his progressions and finding an open target.

Campbell said the West of today is at the beginning of his journey as a quarterback, but his arm strength and innate leadership already stand out. If West continues on his current trajectory as a player, Campbell said, he will end his high school career as a national-level recruit — the type of quarterback Sarasota's program has not seen in a long time. 

Defensively, the Sailors recovered from allowing 41 points to Cardinal Mooney High in week one to completely shut down the Braden River offense, which put up zero points — the Pirates' lone touchdown came from its defense, on a scoop-and-score fumble recovery. The Sailors' front seven pushed around the Pirates' offensive line, holding Braden River to 156 yards of offense and six first downs gained. Campbell said a stout rush defense was a hallmark of a Nick Saban team, and seeing it perform like it did against Braden River (85 rushing yards allowed) was a step in the right direction after the Mooney game, where the team was "a bit overmatched." 

Photo by Ryan Kohn

Campbell made a note to praise senior Brian Klingel, a defensive end who, despite being undersized for the position at 6-foot-2 and 195 pounds, has the speed to cause havoc off the edge. Campbell said he expects Klingel to make a name for himself the rest of the season.

As Campbell gets more time to coach his team, he expects the Sailors to get tougher and to build deeper bonds. Though the team's next game is a difficult one — a road contest against Booker High (1-1) at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 6 — winnable games follow, with matchups against Gibbs High (1-1) and Ida Baker High (0-2). Campbell said his his team will be ready for whomever it faces. 

"We have improved dramatically (since Campbell was hired)," Campbell said. "Our weight room process is better. We have to continue to be a disciplined football team and we have to improve in making (less) mental mistakes. But we are getting better."