Prep football | Thunder show poise, lose tight game to Shorecrest
Source/Author: David Gaulman, Bradenton Herald
August 31, 2015
Out-of-Door Academy first year head coach Ken Sommers knew this season was going to have its growing pains, but Friday night, his team proved they aren't far from where they want to be.
The Thunder missed a few opportunities and made ill-advised decisions as they fell at home to Shorecrest Prep, 18-6, but that's expected from a team that's had less than two months to learn a new system.
"I was pleased by the way we played in the second half -- we got down by 18 but didn't give up," coach Sommers said. "To see our kids take that step in the right direction is exciting."
Chargers freshman quarterback Austin G connected with Patrick F for a 32-yard touchdown, giving his team a 12-0 lead late in the first half.
Patrick F finished the night with two touchdowns thorough the air and one on the ground.
"We've got big-play potential, our offense isn't easy to grasp because we run a lot of motion and it's a learning process for a young quarterback," Shorecrest coach Steve Dudley said.
That big-play potential was showcased in the third quarter, when Cooper W caught a 37-yard touchdown from Patrick, pushing the lead to 18 while only running three offensive plays the entire quarter.
However, Shorecrest prep had its own set of hurdles to overcome. The team went 1-9 last season, losing 13 seniors and not having much film to study coming into their first game.
"We knew they could run power-I, empty backfield and one-back sets so we just had to adjust as the game went on," Dudley added. "I'm just so happy for my guys, they haven't won many games over the past few seasons so it's great to see them pull this one out."
Gus Mahler displayed his capability for ODA with a strong arm and ability to throw while scrambling out of the pocket.
Mahler hit Trenton Radigan for a 13-yard touchdown as the two got the offense moving in the second half. The duo combined for 41 of the team's 42 yards passing yards, while Radigan also adding 19 rushing yards on three carries.
"Trenton is coming back from injury this week, so I'm hoping he will continue to be our playmaker moving forward," Sommers said. "Once those two get more reps under their belt, they can be very special for us as we continue to build toward our goals."
