PUNTA GORDA — Whatever happens to the 2024 Charlotte High School football team, nobody will be able to say they didn’t work hard.
Even on the second day of shells-only practices, everyone was powering through wind sprints, with some newbies shocked by the amount of work it takes.
Charlotte coach Cory Mentzer has his team working with the same high intensity at every practice, from beginning to end in hopes of improving on its 4-7 record from last season, even though the Tarpons did win the district.
Mentzer said his team is going to be ready, especially seeing how they’ve performed during the first few days of spring practice.
“I couldn’t be more excited. There are a lot of great young men coming out here every day, working hard,” Mentzer said. “Every day we try to finish as we started with high intensity and it will get us better.”
The Tarpons will spend the rest of this week in half pads before taking on full pads next week in preparation for the Blue/Gold Scrimmage on Tuesday, May 14 and their spring game at Barron Collier on Tuesday, May 21 at 6 p.m.
Last season the team was compromised by injuries. This season already has seen several of its best players transfer to other schools.
The two big transfers out are rising sophomore quarterback Logan Flaherty and rising senior receiver Dior James, who both left to play at Port Charlotte. Mentzer said if they got better opportunities elsewhere, great.
“I can’t focus on them. There are a lot of great guys here. There’s a lot of talent and everything we want to accomplish this season is right in front of us,” Mentzer said.
The Tarpons are figuring out what they have at quarterback. Three are vying for the job, with junior Teagan Lipke leading the pack.
The injury bug, which took 18 starters out of the lineup at some point last season (with 10 being season-ending), did prove to be a blessing for this year’s team, as it allowed them to get experience they wouldn’t have gotten otherwise, especially along the offensive line.
Last season, some players got two days of practice on the line before being thrown to the wolves. While it wasn’t fun for anybody, it should be a strength this season.
“We have guys stepping up with great leadership. Beeno Saintilaire, Jaxon Newton and James Kessler, who didn’t play a single down last season with a blood clot, returns,” Mentzer said. “We’re still looking to fill in a piece or two, but we have the guys competing.”
Saintilaire, a center, said he likes the direction the team is headed after just a few days on the field.
“We have a new system happening that’s better and more different than last year. We’re more versatile and all around better,” Saintilaire said. “Last year I had to step up and play all around the line because everybody got hurt all at once. It really opened my eyes though on different blocking perspectives.”
Newton, a rising junior, will be in one of the tackle positions in 2024. He was hyped to get on the field after the growing pains of last year.
“Last year I wasn’t mentally ready at first, but I got a lot of help and leadership from the seniors,” Newton said. “It progressed my learning curve on how to be tough on the O-line.”
New offensive coordinator Barry Bowman, who won three state championships as a coach in Texas, will attempt to put the team in the best position to succeed. The Tarpons bring back the entire defensive coaching unit.
Charlotte has pretty much gone old school with its schedule, with Lemon Bay (in the kickoff classic) and North Port being on the slate for the first time in years, along with its usual game with Port Charlotte. The Tarpons will play their first three at home, with no trips beyond Lee County.
“The kids know the expectation. They know the standards. Old school Tarpon football. We have a lot of hard-working kids and that’s how we’re going to win. Outworking and outcoaching our opponent,” Mentzer said. “The kids are buying in, and I’m excited.”
Most Popular
Comments / 0