After an historic run through the football regionals, Booker looks for more playoff success

SARASOTA — Scottie Littles gathered his team in the east end zone Oct. 27 at Veterans Stadium after his Booker High football team lost the game to decide the district championship to Lemon Bay.

The players were scattered about. Some did not hear the message Littles delivered. Some did not want to hear the message Littles was delivering.

They were too distraught after dropping a 26-18 decision to the Manta Rays and putting their playoff fate in the hands of the Florida High School Athletic Association power rankings.

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“When we lost to Lemon Bay, it took a lot out of them,” Littles said. “It took a lot out of me, because you expect to do something and you don’t get it done. And then it’s time to regroup and figure it out.”

As part of Littles’ message, he asked if any player wanted to quit and move on from the team.

None did.

Just more than a month later, Booker’s football team made one of the most dramatic turnarounds in Florida high school football history.

At 7:30 p.m. Friday, the Tornadoes will head to Richard “Dick” Blake Stadium in Cocoa to take on the once-beaten and defending Class 2 Suburban state champion Tigers in the 2S State Semifinal. The Tigers are the No. 1 team in the state in all classifications, according to the Florida High School Athletic Association power rankings.

Ending the regular season on a high note

Overshadowed in Booker’s run to the 2S-Region 4 championship was the regular season finale against Lakewood Ranch.

Not only did the Tornadoes get back on the winning track, snapping a two-game losing streak with a 42-13 victory over the Mustangs, they earned power points to jump from eighth to seventh in the region.

While it was enough to avoid No. 1 seed Bishop Verot out of Fort Myers in the regional quarterfinals, it sent Booker to Fort Meade for a game against the No. 2 seed and undefeated Miners.

Throwing — and completing — one pass in the game, the Tornadoes ran the ball 44 times for 344 yards and five touchdowns in a 33-17 victory.

“We’re just going to put the ball in our best players’ hands and do what our strengths are,” Littles said. “

That earned Booker a return trip to Veterans Stadium, where they had come up just short three weeks earlier.

This time it was no contest. The Tornadoes recorded five sacks and pitched its second shutout of the season in a 14-0 whitewash of Lemon Bay that wiped out some bitter memories.

Then, it was time for a showdown with Bishop Verot for the regional championship. In not ideal conditions, the Tornadoes fought through the rain and the 11-1 Vikings and all-everything quarterback Carter Smith in posting a 38-32 decision.

Booker did it with defense, forcing seven turnovers: recovering four fumbles and picking off three passes.

“The style of football we are playing right now is our strength,” Littles said. I wouldn’t say we changed our philosophy. Our philosophy is to get the ball in the hands of our best players. As high school football coaches you don’t get to pick and choose what pieces you have. You have to figure it out. That’s what the staff is doing. Each week we are trying to put the best plan together to be successful.”

An historic run through the regionals

The Tornadoes went through the regionals knocking off the Nos. 2, 3 and 1 teams, sending state historians scouring through the record books to see if that had been done.

“I’ve got to credit our seniors,” Littles said. “Our seniors fought. They believed. They regrouped. They refocused. And on and on.”

Senior athlete Josiah Booker had three rushing touchdowns and threw the only pass, a 24-yard completion to senior Hunter Zirkle, an in-season transfer from DeSoto County High. Booker also had rushing touchdowns against Lemon Bay and Bishop Verot.

Ahmad “Tooda” Hunter also has done his part in carrying the load in the backfield. Noah Obaseki has been a jack-of-all-trades, playing multiple positions and excelling whether it is on offense or defense or special teams.

“People love Josiah. They love Ahmad,” Littles said. “But some of our best players are in 10th grade.”

And the 10th graders have come up big. Sophomore Kevontay Hugan had an interception and fumble recovery along with scoring two rushing touchdowns against Bishop Verot. Sophomore Jason Thomas picked off two passes against the Vikings. Sophomore Jaraijus Hayes had a “massive” hit in the first half against Bishop Verot.

“We have a lot of talented football players who are playing hard for their school,” Littles said.

The biggest challenge awaits

Booker knows it will be stepping up in class when it faces Cocoa.

“I can’t really fathom what we’ve accomplished so far, because I haven’t thought about it. I’m really just focused on what’s next, how to continue to move forward. It does not get easier. We don’t want it any other way.”

The Tigers, who captured the fifth state title in program history last season, are 12-1. That one loss was a 37-36 setback to St. Thomas Aquinas Sept. 8 in Fort Lauderdale.

Winners of 10 straight, Cocoa has outscored its opposition 472-126 this season with four shutouts.

“Cocoa is as advertised,” Littles said. “They’re disciplined. They’re talented. They’ve got players. Their coach is a great coach, a proven commodity. They’re defending state champs for a reason.”

And the Tigers have plenty of sophomores who contribute. Sophomore quarterback Brady Hart has thrown for 3,223 yards on 243-for-369 accuracy with 37 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Sophomore running back Latrison Lane leads the team with 906 yards on the ground and 11 touchdowns. Junior Layvan Boggs has 79 receptions for 1,304 yards and 21 scores through the air.

The Tigers’ defense is led by senior middle linebackers Samadraw Hawkins (87 solo tackles, 130 total tackles, 20 tackles for loss) and Daiveon Parham (79 solo tackles, 119 total tackles, 20 tackles for loss). Junior defensive end Javion Hilson has 14 sacks and 30 quarterback hurries. Sophomore defensive backs Duran Guilford (three interceptions) and CJ Hester (two interceptions) lead the defensive backfield.

“We’re just trying to put one foot in front of the other and focus on what it will take to get it done this week,” Littles said. “That’s the only thing that matters. We’re going to play as hard as we can for as long as we can.

“This is where you want to be. You want to be in the conversation. You want to be in the Final 4.”

Booker has reached the State Championship game once in program history, falling to St. Augustine, 31-15, in the Class 3A title game in 2005 at Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens.

Littles has Booker trending in the right direction

In his second season since returning to the program where he was an assistant, Littles certainly has Booker on the right track.

“I just think it’s a process,” he said. “Building a program and winning is a process. This is a byproduct of guys believing, guys working hard. It’s focusing on our process. It takes time to make something a habit. Our process is becoming a habit now. I’m excited for where we are at, but not satisfied.

“We don’t come this far to come this far.”

Littles will keep the focus on his team.

“I tell the kids all the time it’s Booker versus Booker,” he said. “It’s about us. The community thrives when the school is successful. Our kids are playing for so much more than just a championship or so much more than football. We’re playing for the community. We’re playing for the name across the front of our jersey. We’re playing for everything that Newtown stands for and what Newtown is about. It’s just bigger than football. We’re just trying to continue to play as hard as we can for as long as we can and let it go where it’s going to go.”

There will be a time when Littles looks back on what he and his Tornadoes accomplished during the 2023 football season.

That time is not now.

“We’re not concerned with what we have done,” he said. “I’m focused on what we need to do to give ourselves an opportunity to be one of, if not the best team in the state.”

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Booker High to face Cocoa in Florida football State Semifinals