BRADENTON – The motivation to advance to this year’s postseason began moments after the curtain closed on last season’s playoffs.
Wins over Tampa Catholic and Lecanto High propelled the 2023 Braden River football team (14-3) to the regional championship game, where a berth in the state Final Four was on the line. The Pirates lost in the regional final against Tampa Robinson, who went on to win the state championship.
Despite losing eight starting starters from last year’s roster, the 2024 edition is 15-1 and is scheduled to host a regional semifinal against St. Petersburg Keswick Christian on Tuesday at 6 p.m.
High School Summary: Braden River beats Estero 41-0 in Class 1A Flag Football Region quarterfinals
“This is what we’ve been looking for since we lost last year,” Braden River senior Ameria Smith said. “We have been working hard to get further than last year.
“This is a revenge tour. We are knocking on the door.”
A team captain, Smith leads the Pirates with 21 touchdown receptions, ahead of fellow senior Aryana Spainhower with 13. Smith and Spainhower are tied for the team lead in interceptions with 10 each.
The Pirates have been dominant this season, outscoring their opponents by a huge margin of 484 to 76. Their only regular season loss was to St. Petersburg High by a slim margin of 19-14. Eight of the team’s 15 wins have been knockouts.
“Our kids really stepped up,” said coach Amanda Porco. “They understood what the task was. They knew what was needed for us to have the same success as last year.
“This is a special unit. They always work hard and are fun to be around. They are a great group.
Senior quarterback Cydnee Brooks has been the driving force for Braden River. She passed for 49 touchdowns and ran for 12 scores. She is also Braden River’s best rusher, averaging 41.7 yards per game.
Brooks even worked some time on defense, along with the responsibility of playing quarterback. She intercepted two passes in last Wednesday’s 41-0 win over Estero in a regional quarterfinal game, returning one of them 30 yards for a touchdown.
Brooks doesn’t mind double duty, using it in a positive way.
“It works well for me,” Brooks said. “Say I throw an interception or we have a bad offense on offense, that’s not on my mind anymore when I play defense.”
Aubrey Barak was one of the freshmen who stood out against all the graduating seniors last season. The junior wide receiver-linebacker is averaging 11.7 yards per reception.
“It really is a sense of accomplishment, especially when you consider all the seniors we lost last year,” Barak said. “It’s a great opportunity to be back in the playoffs.”
Estero coach Ryan O’Rourke led the Wildcats to a 5-5 record and a district championship in the team’s inaugural flag football season. He saw firsthand what the Pirates are capable of in last week’s region quarterfinals
“The quarterback is a fantastic player,” O’Rourke said. “She really made some big pitches.
“Congratulations to them. They are really rolling.
This article originally appeared in the Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Braden River flag football team ready to compete for state title
