- April 19, 2024
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It’s always the whistles you hear first.
Then the murmur of the team talking amongst itself. You can’t make out words; it’s simply the sound of a crowd. Then — if it’s a week or more into the proceedings — you hear the intermittent crunch of shoulder pads, the grunts of players realizing “being in shape” and “being in football shape” are different things, the claps from assistant coaches trying to motivate said players, usually followed by a gruff “let’s go!”
Walking up to the field is an aural journey, one this sports reporter relishes each year. It means the best sport in the world is back. This year’s journey for area teams began July 29. In the coming weeks, we will have previews of each area high school team’s season, leading up to each team’s regular season opener on Aug. 23. Before then, I thought it would be fun to go back over my time in Sarasota — this is going to be my fourth high school sports season — and reminisce over each program’s top moment.
This one was an easy choice. Getting revenge against Dr. Phillips High in the regional final, 365 days after the Panthers knocked out the Rams in the same round, was the culmination of a strange journey. The Rams started 4-3 and were at risk of missing the playoffs entirely before winning their final three regular season games and going deeper in the postseason than any Rams team since 2004.
Senior running back Ali Boyce finished with 136 yards and two touchdowns. The defense created four turnovers. It was a perfect storm of destruction. While the Rams lost 45-31 to Mandarin High in the state semifinals the next week, the Dr. Phillips win made sure the 2018 would be remembered for a long time.
I considered games from years past for this one, but in terms of where Sailors are now, and where they are going, the most important game from the past three years has to be Coach Spencer Hodges’ first win with the program.
The Sailors were down 26-10 in the third quarter before scoring the game’s final 20 points. Junior running back Cameron Davis completed the comeback on a 10-yard touchdown run with 1:26 remaining.
Sarasota won one more game in 2018, 41-3 against Lakewood Ranch High, but Hodges’ team looked sharp in its 34-21 spring game win just weeks ago against Cardinal Mooney High. If the program continues its upward trajectory, the North Port win will be remembered as the start of it all.
Cardinal Mooney entered this game 6-1. Victory Christian was 6-0.
The Cougars went into the Storm’s house and proved they belonged among the Class 3A elite.
The game came down to special teams. Cardinal Mooney junior Ryan Blechta made all three PATs he attempted, while Victory Christian missed all three of its attempts. Outside of kicks, the game was as competitive as both sides could have hoped. Cougars junior running back Bryce Williams and senior quarterback Tristan Hillerich — now at the universities of Minnesota and Virginia, respectively — combined for 242 rushing yards and three touchdowns.
Mooney lost to Melbourne Central Catholic in the first round of the playoffs, but the Victory Christian win was the mark of a top team at full power.
The Tornadoes fell backwards into the playoffs in 2017, receiving a retroactive forfeit win against Southeast High to reach the postseason (after losing 41-7 to Braden River High in the regular season finale, though that game, ironically, would eventually also become a forfeit Tornadoes win).
There was no falling into the playoffs in 2018. With a spot once again on the line, Booker handled it on its own, getting a dominant road performance against Cardinal Mooney in the regular season finale to finish 6-4. The Tornadoes' defense allowed 58 yards and forced four turnovers. Booker senior running back Antrone Thomas finished with 190 yards and two touchdowns on 33 carries.
Booker lost 10-6 to Lakewood High in the playoffs, but the statement they made to get their was impressive.
