- April 23, 2024
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Atlantic quarterback Rio Goodwin grips his mouth piece after a missed throw. Photo by Ray Boone
The Sharks' Joel Smith attempts to avoid a tackle by Central Catholic. Photo by Ray Boone
Atlantic quarterback Rio Goodwin drops back for a pass against the Hustlers. Photo by Ray Boone
A Sharks player is brought down by a Central Catholic defender. Photo by Ray Boone
A pair of Sharks defenders attempt to bring down Central Catholic's running back. Photo by Ray Boone
Atlantic's Zaquan Davis returns a kickoff against Central Catholic. Photo by Ray Boone
Photo by Ray Boone
When the Atlantic football team took the field at the start of the season on Aug. 25, 65 players stood on the Sharks’ sideline. Now, with one game left on the schedule, there's just 34.
This season has been a tough one for the Sharks: They haven’t come close to winning a game and have been outscored 493-74 in the process.
But before Atlantic took the field against Melbourne Central Catholic on the Sharks’ senior night, there was a glimmer of hope, another chance to win a game.
Then, nearly 1 1/2 minutes into the game, that hope vanished. Central Catholic scored on a third-and-long on the 30-yard line. A minute later, the Hustlers scored again. And again. And again. Before the 9:00 mark in the second quarter, the Hustlers had reeled off 63-straight points. The Sharks had zero.
And although Atlantic (0-9) was able to scrape a couple of scores together before the game clock expired, the outcome was never in doubt, as Central Catholic defeated the Sharks 63-12 on the night of Thursday, Oct. 26, at Spruce Creek High School.
“I know a lot of coaches say this, but this was literally my fault,” Atlantic coach Kendall Bradley said. “It was just a bad week, and I knew about 2 1/2 days ago that we were not ready to play a football game, so I take responsibility.”
However, Bradley said his team never gave up.
Despite the defense’s inability to stop the Hustlers’ dynamic passing and rushing attacks, despite the penalties and miscommunications, and despite the six turnovers — three of which were returned for touchdowns — the Sharks continued to battle.
Their first score came on a 41-yard bomb from quarterback Rio Goodwin with 39 seconds left in the first half. The second, a 10-yard pass to receiver Joel Smith halfway through the third quarter. In addition, the Sharks’ defense held the Hustlers scoreless in the final 34 minutes of the game.
“I appreciated that they came out and competed,” Bradley said. “Not a single guy quit.”
As frustrated players began to disappear throughout the season, others remained, not ready to abandon their team or their teammates — something Bradley has been grateful for.
“I feel like the group that’s here are the ones who wanted to be here the whole time,” he said. “They want to be here, and they want to be good. Obviously, we’re not really good at this point. But, this group wants to be good. So I feel like at some point, that will come for us. I don’t know when that will be, but we’re just going to keep working. Some point it’ll pay off.”
The Sharks have one game left to play before the season’s over. When they suit up against Father Lopez at 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 3., at Father Lopez High School, it’ll be their last chance at a win.
“I don’t have to say anything to them. They know that they don’t want to be the team that didn’t win a game,” Bradley said. “The only thing I want to ingrain in them this week is that it doesn’t matter what’s happened to this point, we’ve just got to focus on this one. We’ll find a way.”
