Pirates suffer first loss to mighty Indians

VENICE — The plan is never to fall into a three-touchdown hole before halftime. But when that happens, a team must fight its way back. On Friday, that team was Braden River.

Venice jumped out to a 21-0 advantage before the Pirates clawed their way back to within one point. But that’s as close as Braden River could get, falling 28-20.

Venice’s highly-touted quarterback, Trey Burton, was the difference. The bruising signal caller rushed for a game-high 196 yards and three touchdowns, and he passed for 180 yards and another score.

“They have a heck of a player there who’s a matchup nightmare, and that’s why he’s going to the University of Florida,” said Pirates coach Ed Volz. “He’s such a big framed kid, and once he gets going he’s a heck of a player. But they had to play 48 minutes to beat the Braden River Pirates.”

After allowing three touchdowns by the five-minute mark of the second quarter, in which Burton accounted for two of the scores on a 1- and a 58-yard touchdown runs, Braden River workhorse running back Tevin Bryant plunged into the end zone from the 2-yard line with a minute left in the first half.

Bryant also scored a 56-yard scamper three plays after halftime.

He finished the game with 118 yards on 29 carries.

The Pirates’ final touchdown came on Stephen Fischer’s 20-yard scoring run with five minutes left in the third period to cut Braden River’s deficit to a point.

“This is what we expect to be about,” Volz said of his team, which fell to 1-1 on the season. “Anything less would be unacceptable. From a moral victory, it demonstrates what we are all about. We showed that we going to show up on Friday nights and we are going to compete for four quarters, and we don’t care if you get up by 21 points.

“You are going to have to play us for four quarters every Friday night if you are going to earn a victory.”

The victory was Burton’s to have, though. With his team clinging to a one-point lead, Burton dropped back to pass, scrambled to his right and raced 96 yards to pay dirt with two minutes left in the third quarter.

“I’m happy that we didn’t give up and let them overcome us,” Burton said. “I knew that they were never going to give up.”

They are an awesome team and well-coached kids. Our coach wanted to get it over with, and we just wanted to get the game out of reach so we could win.”

“It was an ugly win for us, and hopefully we can get better.”