Braden River High senior defensive end Kelvin Albritton recovered three fumbles as the host Pirates came away with a 20-12 victory over Booker in the preseason kickoff classic Friday night.
Led by first-year head coach Curt Bradley, the Pirates took a 7-0 lead on 20-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Eric Schappacher to senior tight end Dylan Lee.
Booker responded in the second quarter on an 8-yard run by Marlon Mack, who transferred over from Sarasota. A blocked extra point left the Tornadoes trailing 7-6.
Braden River junior running back Darius Jones scored from 3 yards out to give the Pirates a 13-6 halftime lead.
After a scoreless third quarter, Mack ran in from 12 yards out to pull the Tornadoes within a point. Booker's two-point conversion attempt failed, leaving the Tornadoes trailing 13-12 with 10:12 remaining in regulation.
Schappacher scored from a yard out with 3:36 remaining to seal the victory for Braden River.
The Pirates will open the regular season Aug. 31 at rival Lakewood Ranch while the Tornadoes will travel to Sarasota. Kickoff for both games is set for 7:30 p.m.
