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By JOHN SCHWARB
© St. Petersburg Times, published February 24, 2001
Hovering around the .500 mark for much of the season with a young team struggling to find an identity, Boca Ciega failed to be a factor for the first time in several seasons. Unlike Clearwater, Lakewood, Largo and St. Petersburg Catholic, teams that spent much of the season ranked in the polls while preparing to play deep into February, Bogie plodded along, showing occasional signs of life but struggling mightily with the giants on its schedule.
So, want to take one guess on the only county team remaining for tonight's regional finals?
"Look where we're at now," Pirates sophomore guard Kelcey Roegiers-Jensen said. "We're the only team that wasn't supposed to go anywhere."
Yes, the same Boca Ciega team that appeared a month ago to be a one-and-out regional team at best now is on the verge of the final four, pending tonight's Class 5A, Region 3 final at Sarasota.
Now 17-11, Bogie was 10-10 just more than a month ago after a 74-29 pounding at home at the hands of Miami Edison, the No. 2 team in 6A. But the Pirates rebounded with four consecutive wins, capped by a watershed win Jan. 31 at Largo.
One more disappointing loss was to come, in the district final to Pinellas Park, but since then, the Pirates have become road warriors, pulling off two surprising victories, at Ridgewood and Wharton.
"We're just focused right now, and that's what we hadn't had in the earlier part of the season," first-year coach Nate Southern said. "We always had a good team, but we weren't jelled right. We're peaking at the best time, I guess."
Tonight, the Pirates will need another career night, but regardless of the outcome, they know a season was salvaged. And despite a season spent mostly off of the county radar screen, the Pirates can always say they were the last ones standing.
"Whatever turns out (tonight), I'll be completely happy with it," Roegiers-Jensen said. "We should all keep our heads up.
"We accomplished more than anybody thought we could."
WHO: Boca Ciega (17-11) at Sarasota (27-4).
WHEN: 7:30 tonight.
ADMISSION: $5.
GETTING THERE: Take Interstate 275 south to Exit 2 (Palmetto/Bradenton). Keep left at fork 6 six miles ahead. Remain on U.S. 41/U.S. 301 for 10 miles, which then becomes N. Washington Boulevard/U.S. 301. Stay left through downtown onto South Tamiami Trail, then left on Bahia Vista Street and left on South School Avenue. Gym and parking are one block ahead on the left. -- Compiled by John Schwarb.