ENGLEWOOD — Once Tevin Bryant had his yards and touchdowns and Ryan Fischer threw his touchdown pass and Deon Taylor returned a fumble for a touchdown and Mick Olitsky returned a fumbled kickoff for another score and the Braden River Pirates had all the points they needed for an easy victory, that’s when the focus shifted to the backups, and that’s when Jaredd Pate showed what he could do with a football in his hands.
The junior running back had 10 carries in the Pirates’ 48-8 victory Friday night at Englewood Lemon Bay and gained 106 yards, including 64 on a third quarter touchdown sprint.
“They were just trying to see what I had,” Pate said. “I gave it my all.”
Braden River’s win coupled with Southeast’s victory against Bayshore clinched second place in Class 3A-District 10 for the Pirates (6-3, 3-1), who will face Winter Haven in the region quarterfinals on Nov. 20.
“We’re really excited,” Pirate coach Ed Volz said. “We really had a hellacious schedule if you look at the teams outside our district. We’re 6-3 and we earned the six.”
Non-district games against Manatee, Venice and DeSoto toughened the Pirates for the postseason, as did their district game against district champion Southeast.
Not that Volz was looking ahead to Winter Haven. He wasn’t Friday, focusing his attention on Lemon Bay (3-6, 0-4).
The Pirates entered the field by running through a banner that read: “No Mercy For The Manta Rays.”
The Pirates showed none, rolling to a 22-0 lead after the first quarter and a 42-0 advantage at halftime.
In addition to returning two fumbles for touchdowns, Joseph Meador also blocked a 53-yard field goal attempt in the second quarter.
“It’s all the stuff we work on,” Volz said. “Those things don’t happen by accident.”
Bryant scored on runs of 14, 87 and 33 yards. He finished the night with 226 yards on 18 carries.
Fischer completed three of six passes, including a 14-yard touchdown toss to Shawn Skinner just before the half.
With the game in hand, Volz sent his backups on to the field.
Pate replaced Bryant for the series that spanned the end of the first quarter and the start of the second than took over the tailback spot for good in the third quarter. It was the most action he had seen all season.
“He certainly has a shot to be that guy (next season),” Volz said. “We’ve been diligent getting him more work in the last couple of weeks.”
Pate should get some snaps this Friday when the Pirates close out the regular season against visiting Palmetto. But Volz said his first string will see plenty of action even though the outcome of the game will not effect the postseason.
“We’re playing to win,” Volz said. “We want as many wins as we can get. That’s important for a young program like ours.”
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