Nature Coast (Brooksville) Sharks (Class 5A-District 6)
2013 Record: 4-6
Head Coach: Justin Worden (1st year)
Key Players: Christian Pellage (OL, Sr.), Deshawn Smith (RB, Jr.), Dylan Miller (LB, Sr.), Le’Shaun Gray (LB, Sr.), Cameron Syblis (RB, Jr.), Lenny Beetz (TE, Sr.), Frankie Ritchie (DL, Sr.), Anthony Contegiacomo (DL, Jr.), Joseph Leonard (DB, Jr.), Ryan McCane (WR, Jr.), Richard Graham IV (RB, Sr.), Andrew Parker (DB, Sr.)
Outlook: The six-foot-seven, 290-pound Pellage is one of the top OL in the state with 26 offers (pre-spring ball). He will anchor a deep offensive line. They will have good depth at RB with Smith (717 yards, 14 TDs), Syblis (342 yards) and Graham, who transferred in from Hernando. Jamison Carnegie is the only quarterback with varsity experience and will compete for playing time with Billy Gregoire and Dominic Walker. The Sharks are deep at wide receiver as seven return with experience.
Defensively, Miller (111 tackles, 11 TFL), Gray (87 tackles, 9 TFL), and Ritchie (67 tackles, 7 TFL) will look to anchor a defense that should be stout against the run, while Leonard (45 tackles, 3 INT) and Parker will lead the secondary. Plus, Austin Lacy returns at kicker and they will have multiple returners on special teams.
Worden said that penalties and turnovers need improvement.
“Last fall there were multiple big plays negated by penalties,” noted the first-year coach. “If the offensive line can gel, and both the offense and the defense pick up the new systems installed, we have the makings of a solid football program.”
2014 Football Schedule
Friday, August 22 – vs. Citrus (Inverness), 7:30 p.m. (Preseason)
Friday, August 29 – at Bolles (Jacksonville), 7:30 p.m.
Friday, September 12 – at Springstead (Spring Hill), 7:30 p.m.
Friday, September 19 – at Central (Brooksville), 7:30 p.m.*
Friday, September 26 – vs. Pasco (Dade City), 7:30 p.m.*
Friday, October 3 – vs. Hernando (Brooksville), 7:30 p.m.*
Friday, October 10 – at Zephyrhills, 7:30 p.m.*
Friday, October 17 – at South Sumter (Bushnell), 7:30 p.m.*
Friday, October 24 – vs. Forest (Ocala), 7:30 p.m.
Friday, October 31 – vs. Weeki Wachee, 7:30 p.m.*
Friday, November 7 – at Lake Weir (Ocala), 7:30 p.m.
*District game
Nature Coast High School website
“The Prep Zone” will count down to kick-off with a daily preview of high school football teams in the North Central Florida area. Here are the future release dates:
CLASS 5A-DISTRICT 6
July 21 – South Sumter (Bushnell)
CLASS 6A-DISTRICT 3
July 22 – Columbia (Lake City)
CLASS 6A-DISTRICT 5
July 23 – Citrus (Inverness)
July 24 – Gainesville
July 25 – Lake Weir (Ocala)
July 26 – Vanguard (Ocala)
July 27 – Forest (Ocala)
CLASS 6A-DISTRICT 6
July 28 – Springstead (Spring Hill)
CLASS 7A-DISTRICT 3
July 29 – Buchholz (Gainesville)
CLASS 8A-DISTRICT 1
July 30 – West Port (Ocala)
