Hit or Miss: Jen Blanco

Spring football is an opportunity for teams to build for the future. 

It’s the first step in a long journey that, if all goes according to plan, will span the next six months. 

There’s only so much work that can be done during the three-week spring season, but it gives area coaches a glimpse at how this year’s team responds and sets the tone for summer. 

With nine players, including leading rusher Josh Booker and leading wide receiver Talik Keaton, leaving the program for various reasons, coach Brian Ryals wasn’t sure what to expect when his Sailors suited up for their spring game versus Naples Gulf Coast May 19. 

There were bound to be some question marks. 

As I stood on the sidelines snapping photos of the first half and listening to assistant coaches weigh in on Sarasota’s productivity on the field, it was clear there was still work to be done.

“Back up!” one coach yelled. 

“What are you doing?” another added in frustration. “Where are you going?” 

Having covered high school football for nearly a decade, I’ve come to realize the sidelines are a sounding board for area coaches, and this past week proved no different. 

With each play, Sarasota coaches and players displayed everything from exuberance to frustration, but one thing remained clear. The Sailors were moving forward. 

Facing an opponent projected to win its district this season, Sarasota held Gulf Coast to 12 yards rushing and one touchdown in a 7-0 loss. 

“I think we all left that game feeling pretty good,” Ryals said. “We weren’t expecting this to be a finished product but rather a work in progress moving toward our goal. I felt like we did that, and we’re definitely moving in the right direction.” 

With the spring season behind them, area teams will return to the weight room in preparation for the fall. Leaders will emerge and workouts will be established. 

Players won’t strap on their helmets and shoulder pads for another three months, but the work is far from over. 

This summer will determine each team’s fate come fall; and if all goes according to plan, the phrase “Good job, boy!” will be echoing across area sidelines in the coming months. 

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