Heating Up: Coral Reef Barracudas

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Talk to Joe Petisco about last year's district championship at Miami Sunset, and he will smile and reflect back to how things fell into place.

After winning that improbable title and beating Pembroke Pines West Broward in the first game of the playoffs, Petisco and the Knights put a cap on the most successful season in school history.

In the weeks following the season, where his team lost to district rival Mater Academy, things started to happen for Petisco. He had gone from a coach doing his thing at Sunset and working there over a decade, to being looked at by a few schools. One of those programs was Coral Reef.

The Barracudas had lost head coach Javi Valdes to Killian and was looking for someone to come in and keep things going.

"It was kind of funny that I went from someone nobody had a clue about to a coach who was picking up opportunities," Petisco recalled. "After being at Sunset so long, it was really a tough decision."

The decision he made put himself in a position where he had a chance to get more prospects and compete with the larger schools.

After a productive spring, Petisco and the Barracudas head into the year as a program that has kids, but maybe not enough to contend this season. Still, the student-athletes he has are quality and are at the school because they are serious about education as well.

"The tough thing is really knowing from year to year which kids you are going to get because of this being a magnet school," Petisco explained. "But on the positive side, the young men that we have in here are committed to work in school and the football program as well."

A number of prospects, who had a strong spring and summer, will be the players that this program will be counting on. Senior defensive back Colvin Alford was one of those elite athletes who flew way beneath the radar screen last season. You can guarantee that Petisco and his staff will use him a lot this year.

In addition, seniors Keith Anderson (quarterback), Staphvon Johnson (receiver), Nick Jimenez (defensive end), Michael Martinez (defensive end) and Brandon Rojas (linebacker) will be players to keep an eye on.

Class of 2018 juniors Dwight Edwards (running back) and Jaylaan Williams (offensive lineman) will be athletes who will emerge this season.

OTHERS TO KEEP AN EYE ON
2017 – Jorian Jolley, WR
2019 – Tristan Lamb, RB
2019 – Ceasar Mackey, WR
2019 – Ruben Rodriguez, OL
2020 – Cahlil Silimon, LB
2019 – Johnny Simon, RB
2018 – Zachary Torres, WR