St. Ed’s varsity football team walloped Master’s Academy of Oviedo 49-8 to conclude 2015 on a high note, although the final verdict on the season included parts that were both bitter and sweet.
The overall record was 5-5, and the .500 mark was achieved thanks to a burst at the end of the season that saw the Pirates win four of five games – if the Preseason Classic is included.
Ever the optimist, Head Coach Bill Motta emphasized the positives while recognizing the factors beyond his control that prevented what could have been a much better outcome.
“This was definitely a year of growth for the boys,” Motta said. “They were a splintered group that managed to get better every week. They united to overcome some adversity that could have caused them to disband, but they didn’t.
“Every week, even these last few when we had no hopes of making the playoffs, they were still working hard to become better fundamental football players.”
So exactly what was the extent of the adversity that befell this splintered group?
“The biggest example that sticks out is the Brian Carter incident,” Motta explained, referring to the senior’s four-week suspension for a fracas on the field. “That was in my opinion a gross abuse of power (by the governing body). There was no logic to it. Brian is a dominating player in all three phases of the game. He changes the game even when he is not touching the ball. Carter missed only two games (due to a bye week and a weather cancellation), but both of those games were district games that we lost. And that put us out of the playoffs.”
Two defeats in the four-team Coral Gulf Atlantic Division eliminated St. Ed’s from the Sunshine State Athletic Conference championship playoffs. St. Ed’s won the SSAC championship in 2010 and returned this year for a second season in the conference. As a consolation, third place guaranteed two more games against also-rans from other divisions, and the Pirates won those games handily.
“Those games were fun in the sense that we were able to get a lot of players involved,” Motta said. “But we also would prefer to be challenged.”
The most talked-about game of the year was a crushing 48-38 loss at undefeated Orlando Christian Prep. “That game was very competitive,” Motta said. “We were ahead by two touchdowns but we stepped off the gas and let them crawl back into it.”
The bend-but-don’t-break defensive philosophy espoused by Motta was betrayed by big plays from the outset.
“We were exposed with our open field tackling. So we concentrated on that and the boys got better. I think that had a big effect on the way we performed in the last five games.”
Special teams performed well with the exception of a kickoff return and two blocked punts against Orlando Christian Prep. Placekicker/punter Jordan Quaile’s proficiency was an asset during the season.
The offense was productive, scoring at least 20 points in every game. The Pirates’ strength was at running back with a stable that featured Minella, Danny Walsh, Desmond Haigler, Dalton Stolze and Willie Mosley. Mosley’s season ended when he collided with a teammate and tore his ACL.
Despite the controversy and devastating injuries to key players, Motta always preaches the value of a strong finish. “To me it is critical . . .”
