Rays Bullied by Bradenton

Sometimes you’re the windshield and sometimes you’re the bug. Two weeks ago the Marco Island Academy (MIA) football team and their supporters were celebrating their first win after 36 straight losses by storming the field in victory. After Friday’s 74-0 loss to Bradenton Christian, all of the celebrating was on the other sideline. In spite of the lopsided loss, MIA head coach Lew Montgomery found some solace along the Rays sideline after the game.

“If you look on our sideline,” Lew Montgomery said, "you know, they didn't quit. And the people behind the sideline didn't quit either. A lot of people stuck around for the full game to support us, stuck around after the game to tell us that they've got our backs and that they see what we're doing. We still believe in what we're capable of. And we understand where we're at. We understand that we're a young team."

Bradenton Christian (5-1) is a well-oiled machine, the kind of program Montgomery aspires to for MIA.

"I spoke to their coach,” Montgomery said, "and he said he's got a really good core of seniors that have just been sticking together for years and they really are a brotherhood over there. I knew what I was facing because I knew what that means. And that's what I see for our young guys. It starts with Miles Massie, Gavin Wall and Jack Cartwright being juniors and taking those younger kids under their wings. Those guys hang together as a group. I was speaking to a father today and I said, you know, one of the best things about it is when I walk into school in the mornings and I see a whole group of them standing together in the lobby and just they all feel part of one another and they all feel like they've found that niche. We're doing the right things and they're responding to it.”

Montgomery was happy when he ran into some of his players Saturday morning at the cross-country meet at Mackle Park.

“After the game,” Montgomery said, "we spoke quickly. I was pleased to see a lot of the young men this morning at the cross-country meet. It was interesting because some of them, especially the younger kids, got a lot of playing time. They said they had fun. And the innocence in it and the truth in it felt good. Yeah, they're resilient and we're going to get better.”

There were bright spots for the Rays Friday night. One standout was 5’8” sophomore running back/linebacker Noah Smith. With quarterback Gavin Wall and running back/receiver Ryan Winterick sidelined Smith became the workhorse for the MIA offense. He was also active on defense.

"Noah Smith just did a great job,” Montgomery said. "you know he really in a lot of ways stepped up, not just with his play, but with guiding a lot of the kids that were out there around him. Noah is just a special young man.”

Freshman Carter Good also stepped up, filling in at quarterback with very little experience.

"He's been a great backup all year,” Montgomery said. "You know, he's a quiet kid. He came to me like probably the second week of August and he goes, 'Coach can I go in at quarterback?' I'm like, ‘Yes, I need someone, grab that ball.' And he's just always standing right there whenever I'm talking to Gavin and he throws warm-ups. But he's just always waited his turn. And last night, I'm like, 'Carter, I need you.' And he did great. Carter did awesome. In fact, under the pressure and the way he doesn't always get the reps, he did a great job.”

Montgomery was also proud of Cartwright, who had to switch uniforms so he could go in at fullback.

 "I had to throw him into that jersey,” Montgomery said, "I ran out of fullbacks. And I know that he's a smart kid and he's a fast kid, and he just likes contact. And he did a great job for me, too. I just love him to death. He's just a great player."

The Rays (1-4) have a bye week this Friday, then return home next Friday for their homecoming game against Bradenton Bayshore (3-3).