First Baptist has sights set on Class 2A regional title, 100th win in program history
In 2009, Billy Sparacio was faced with a tall order.
After leaving Barron Collier in 2007, Sparacio joined First Baptist, a school that was looking for an athletic director to build the school's athletic department from scratch.
One of those programs is on the doorstep of a milestone, with a lot more than just a Class 2A state semifinal berth on the line.
Should the Lions (9-1) defeat Northside Christian (7-2) Friday night, that would give the FBA football team its 100th win in program history.
"It's very humbling," Sparacio said. "It's a blessing. It's been a lot of fun, and it's been a lot of hard work. It's been tough. We've battled, but I do it with great guys. We've got a great staff that I've been blessed with.
"I think the continuity of the coaches — the kids change, you get new kids every three or four years — but the coaches have been very, very consistent. The support we get from the school is great. FBA is a special place. It's a family atmosphere."
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Three Nuggets
1. FBA leads the all-time series with Northside Christian, 2-1
2. Northside Christian eighth-grader Will Griffin and FBA junior Ty Keller are both over the 2,000 yard mark this year, throwing for 2,232 and 2,197 yards, respectively
3. FBA's Olsen Patt Henry needs 85 yards receiving to eclipse 1,000 yards in a single season
First Baptist has morphed into a small school power in Southwest Florida, posting 99 wins to just 41 losses, winning over 70 percent of its games since its inception. This season, the Lions are averaging 39.6 points per game — the second most in program history, behind the 2012 team that made the state semifinals that year.
"The coaches work really hard to help us prepare for the game," junior Rich Mellien said. "It would be really special if we took this one home, and won the game. We're all in. We'll do it."
"It definitely would be awesome to be a regional champ and get win No. 100 for us," senior linebacker Jimmy Ridinger added.
Making it back to the final four is a real possibility for the Lions. After being stuck in a region with Champagnat Catholic, winners of three state championships over the past five years, the region shifted north, stretching along I-75 and the Gulf Coast all the way up to the Tampa Bay area.
First Baptist year-by-year record
2009: 3-5
2010: 4-6
2011: 8-3
2012: 12-1
2013: 9-2
2014: 8-5
2015: 11-2
2016: 8-4
2017: 6-3
2018: 4-6
2019: 10-1
2020: 7-2
2021: 9-1
Sparacio and the Lions will have to beat Northside Christian first, though. The Mustangs, who are from St. Petersburg, are coached by former Tampa Bay Buccaneer and NFL fullback Mike Alstott, who was a six-time Pro Bowler and a three-time NFL All-Pro First Team selection over an 11-year career in the league.
"I think we just do what we do," Sparacio said. "We've played Coach Alstott a few times over the years, and had some battles back in the day. We've played them quite a few times and had some great games against them. The kids make the plays. We just put them in spots to be successful and then they produce.
"I'm glad (Alstott) is not going to be running the ball. He's got a really good team, and he coaches them well. We feel good about our squad, so it'll be a lot of fun with our kids stepping up to the challenge."
Seffner Christian (7-2) at First Baptist (9-1)
Time: 7:30 p.m.
What to watch for — Seffner Christian: This is a game for a spot in the Class 2A State Final Four. The Mustangs, coached by former NFL fullback and Tampa Bay Buccaneer Mike Alstott, came back from a 21-0 deficit to beat CSN, 32-27 at home. For comparison, the Lions beat CSN, 57-28. Eighth-grade quarterback Will Griffin has shown poise and is impressive for a middle schooler, throwing for 2,232 yards with 27 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. Zuri Watson and Justin Stephens lead the Mustangs on the ground, combining for 1,233 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns. Northside enters this game on a five-game win streak. First Baptist: The Lions rolled through Seffner Christian last week after coming off a two-week layoff, winning 43-0 and posting their third shutout of the season in the process. Ty Keller threw for 263 yards and five touchdowns, while Rich Mellien caught six passes for 108 yards with three scores. FBA has allowed seven points or fewer in six games this season, with Michael Votta, Jose Cintron, and Jimmy Ridinger all within two tackles of one another for the team lead. Over 80% of FBA's takeaways have come on fumble recoveries, with just five interceptions all season. Nine defenders have a fumble recovery this year.
Our pick: First Baptist 38, Northside Christian 20
This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: First Baptist one win away from Class 2A State Semi, 100th program win
