Braden River football's season ends against Venice

In a rivalry known for chaos, the 7A regional semifinal between Braden River High and Venice High delivered, again. 

Unfortunately for the Pirates, the chaos resulted in another defeat, their fourth straight to the Indians, this time by a 41-32 score. 

The nine-point margin of victory does not illustrate how close this game was until its waning minutes. Braden River led Venice 17-12 at halftime, and was up as much as 24-12 in the third quarter.

The game's trajectory changed on a pass from Pirates junior quarterback Bryan Gagg to junior Knowledge McDaniel with the Pirates ahead 24-18. McDaniel, flanked by two Indians defensive backs, jumped for the ball at the goal line and got his hands on it. For a second, it looked like Braden River was about to regain its two-possession lead. 

Instead, the ball was ripped out of McDaniel's hands by Venice junior Noah Carr before McDaniel hit the ground. The play was ruled an interception. On the ensuing drive, Indians senior quarterback Bryce Carpenter, whom Pirates coach Curt Bradley previously called the best quarterback he's faced, found senior Jaivon Heiligh for an 80-yard touchdown. The Indians retook the lead, 25-24. Carpenter would throw three touchdown passes, all to Heiligh, and added 203 rushing yards and two touchdowns. 

Braden River lost its momentum, but like in previous match-ups with Venice, refused to quit. Gagg played well overall, going 26-34 for 392 yards and four touchdowns, and led his team in a comeback effort. 

With eight minutes to go, senior running back Deshaun Fenwick punched in a goal line run, and Gagg found senior Craivon Koonce for a two-point conversion, tying the game at 32. The Pirates would then stop Venice and gain possession inside their own 10 yard line, with five and a half minutes to go. It seemed to be the opportunity they needed, the one they never received in the previous three games.

It wasn't. 

A snap from senior center Brendan Bengtsson flew over Gagg's head and bounced out of the end zone for a safety, giving Venice a 34-32 lead and the ball. Faced with a fourth and three at midfield and three minutes to burn, Venice chose to eschew punting, instead putting its fate in the hands of its two superstars, Carpenter and Heiligh, the latter of whom was matched against University of Missouri verbal commit Tyrone Collins all night. Heiligh won that match-up overall and on the fourth-and-three play, snatching a Collins-deflected pass out of midair and taking it to the house. With little time remaining, the score effectively dashed the Pirates' hopes.

The 6-foot-3 Heiligh, verbally committed to Coastal Carolina University alongside Carpenter, finished with four catches, 176 yards and three touchdowns. 

After the game, all Bradley could do was shake his head. 

"It's the same type of stuff," he said. "They converted on third and fourth down and we weren't able to get off the field. We made some mistakes that you just can't make."

Bradley said that he believes the Braden River-Venice rivalry has made him and his staff better coaches, and hopes that they have challenged the Venice staff in the same way. Someone would be hard-pressed to find a series of six games better than the ones these team have played the last three years, he added. As fun as the rivalry's contests are, the Pirates are tired of losing them. Returnees will have a long time to prepare for the next one. Bradley said he'd give himself a Thanksgiving break, at least, before starting offseason prep. 

Seniors like Collins, Koonce, Fenwick and Bengtsson won't get another shot. 

"We're all brothers out here," Bengtsson said. "We sweat, we bleed, we cry. We do everything together. 

"If it wasn't for this team, I don't know where I'd be. I love these boys. I would die for these boys."