Bryant leads Braden River past Riverview

SARASOTA — There were a couple firsts for the Braden River football team Thursday in the annual spring game. It was the Pirates’ first game since reaching the Class 3A-Region 3 semifinals last November, and it was Braden River’s first game with interim coach Ed Voles.

The Pirates are adjusting well, thanks in large part to the running of Tevin Bryant.

Bryant rushed for 185 yards on 26 carries and two touchdowns to guide the visiting Braden River past Riverview 35-20 at the Ram Bowl.

“Tevin is a horse,” Voles said. “He is going to make a lot of mistakes positive. He’s a big, physical back. He’s a piece to a big puzzle.”

The plan was simple on Thursday: Give the ball to Bryant often and play solid defense. The Pirates did both.

Bryant’s 1-yard run gave Braden River a 7-0 lead with 4:33 remaining in the first half. Two minutes later, quarterback Stephen Fischer connected with Sharrod Neasman for a 38-yard touchdown to arm the Pirates with a 14-0 advantage.

Thursday marked Braden River’s first game since a truck driven by former Pirates coach Josh Hunter crashed in March, claiming the life of assistant coach Douglas Garrity. Hunter resigned a day before the start of spring football.

“It was a little different coming out here not seeing them,” Bryant said. “But we came out here and executed. That’s what they would want us to do any way.”

That’s what Braden River did in the second half.

With the opening possession of the half, the Pirates marched 70 yards in nine plays, and Bryant capped the drive with a nine-yard trot in the end zone, giving the Braden River a 21-6 lead. Fischer’s 29-yard touchdown strike to Neasman with eight minutes left in the third put the game away.

“The offense did exceptionally well,” Bryant said. “And the offensive line blocked really well. We all did a good job.”

Braden River’s defense held the Rams to 145 yards of total offense.

“They got to late touchdowns on our second-team defense, and we don’t like that,” linebacker Trevor Barnes said. “We don’t like giving up anything. I like how everybody was swarming and flying around. We had a lot of energy, and that’s what we are about.”

Braden River 35, Riverview 20

Braden River 0 14 21 0 — 35

Riverview 0 6 0 14 — 20

@z-BR Agate Bold Centered:Second Quarter

B — Tevin Bryant 1 run (Kadin Kerns kick), 4:33.

B — Sharrod Neasman 38 pass from Stephen Fischer (Kerns kick), 2:26.

R — Jeremay Jones 60 pass from Travis Tristchler (kick failed), 0:04.

@z-BR Agate Bold Centered:Third Quarter

B — Bryant 1 run (Kerns kick), 8:23.

B — Neasman 29 pass from Fischer (Kerns kick), 8:02.

B — Jarrod Pate 3 run (Kerns kick), 1:44.

@z-BR Agate Bold Centered:Fourth Quarter

R — D.J. Edwards 2 pass from Tristchler (two-point conversion), 9:03.

R — Jon Evans 13 run ( kick no good), 4:27.