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Pirates on brink of major turnaround

Boca Ciega can secure a rare playoff berth after 0-3 start.

By BOB PUTNAM, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published October 9, 2002

ST. PETERSBURG -- After narrowly beating Boca Ciega in a preseason game, Clearwater Central Catholic coach Mike Jalazo heaped praise on his opponent.

"They're a good football team, and they're going to make the playoffs," Jalazo said.

Say what?

In the past decade, the Pirates had one winning record (6-4 in 1995) and no postseason appearances.

Nevertheless, Jalazo's presumptuous prediction might come true.

Since starting 0-3, Boca Ciega has beaten playoff teams from last year, Largo and Northeast, in consecutive weeks and is on the cusp of achieving the implausible.

A 33-14 victory over Northeast was huge toward making the postseason a reality. Not only was it the first time the Pirates had beaten the Vikings since 1985, it put them in the thick of the race.

Boca Ciega controls its destiny and would make the playoffs as the Class 5A, District 8 runner-up with victories over St. Petersburg and Gibbs.

"Our goal at the beginning of the year was to win the district and make the playoffs," Pirates coach Jean Gordon said.

The maturation process has been slow.

Last season, Boca Ciega had just three seniors and finished 2-8 for the second straight year. But the players learned from their experience and showed signs of improvement, scoring 22 points in the spring against Sarasota and losing by a field goal to CCC's Marauders in an August kickoff classic. "Those two games gave us something to build on," Gordon said.

Whatever the Pirates were building appeared to crumble after they were outscored 87-23 in their first three games. Still, Gordon kept faith and the team practiced everything he preached the past two weeks.

Boca Ciega started running well, the defense created turnovers, and special teams came up with big plays.

"Even though we were continually getting pummelled, the kids kept working" Gordon said. "It's all about making plays. The past two weeks we've had kids just come up with some tremendous plays."

Against Largo, it was Mike Harrington, who had two touchdown runs. Against Northeast, it was Darryl Williams, who produced a 75-yard touchdown run, and Terrell Skinner, who had three interceptions.

"The way we've been winning is nice, but we're trying to keep everything in perspective," Gordon said. "We haven't won anything yet."

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