- April 25, 2024
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Sarasota quarterback Alexander Diaz hands off to running back Joe Ziegler on the first offensive play of the game. (Photos by Ryan Kohn.)
Sarasota wideout Tyler Pack gets taken down by Braden River's Jevon Moore after a short gain.
Sarasota wideout Caleb Bradley (3) follows his blockers and takes a catch to the end zone on the Sailors' first possession against Braden River.
Braden River quarterback Nick Trier (8) gets taken down by three Sailors defenders.
Braden River safety Connor Kisiah (2) lays a hit on Sailors running back Jaden Judge.
Sarasota wideout Tyler Pack (2) avoids a tackle from Braden River's Jevon Moore.
Former Sarasota High quarterback Alexander Diaz will play for Booker High in 2023.
File photoBraden River running back Trayvon Pinder gets upfield against the Sarasota defense.
Sailors defensive back Joshua DeCrapio holds up the ball as proof of an interception.
Sailors running back Takurian Smith celebrates a touchdown run against Braden River with one fist in the air.
Braden River quarterback Nick Trier (8) throws a pass to Craivontae Koonce (1).
Braden River kicker Bruno Reus (25) and holder Jackson Wilson (26) celebrate after Reus hit a 38 yard field goal against Sarasota.
Sarasota then-juniors Jackson Mullet (9) and Kyser Bordones (24) celebrate a Bordones pick six against Braden River in 2022. Both players should contribute as seniors in 2023.
File photoSarasota running back Joe Ziegler cuts upfield against Braden River.
Braden River's Torry Holloman (4) gets thrown out of bounds by Sarasota's Vershawn Charles (58).
Braden River wideout Matt Schefer gets taken down after a first down.
Friday night was not the first sign of the progress the Sarasota High football program (4-3) has made in 2022, but it might be the most obvious.
The Sailors beat Braden River High (4-3), and they did so in dominant fashion, scoring on the game's first possession and never letting up until the clock hit zero for a 28-3 final score.
It started when Sailors sophomore quarterback Alexander Diaz found senior wideout Caleb Bradley on a crossing pattern, which Bradley took 56 yards for a score. In the second quarter, Sarasota junior defensive back Joshua DeCrapio picked off Braden River junior quarterback Nick Trier on the Sailors 21 yard line. A few plays later, Sailors sophomore running back Takurian Smith ran in a score from five yards out. The Pirates would get on the board before halfitme when sophomore kicker Bruno Reus hit a 38 yard field goal.
Pirates Head Coach Curt Bradley said postgame that he hoped the field goal would give his offense momentum coming out of the half. It didn't. In the third quarter, Trier was intercepted by Sailors junior defensive back Kyser Bordones, who took it in for six, making the score 21-3. Trier would then be intercepted by Sailors junior safety Nick Wasowicz, which led to an 11-yard touchdown run from junior running back Joe Ziegler.
The Pirates threatened to score on their final two possessions of the game, but fumbled on both.
"This one was tough," Bradley said. "We're not exactly built to come back from a multiple possession deficit.
"Sarasota outplayed us tonight. They're a good football team, much improved. The coaches have done a good job over there."
Sailors Head Coach Brody Wiseman said he has a lot of respect for Bradley and how he runs the Braden River program — which is why this win means a lot to the Sailors.
"I consider them (the Pirates) to be a playoff team," Wiseman said. "To win in dominant fashion, that makes me proud of our kids and everything we have been doing in our program. It has been a long, long grind. I think we're starting to show the signs of turning the corner."
The Sailors had lost seven straight games to the Pirates before Friday's game.
