- September 11, 2024
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Seabreeze quarterback Zachary Voltaire hands off to running back Jeremias George in one of the opening plays of the Kickoff Classic against Astronaut High School. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze head football coach Mike Klein (center) gives a pre-game pep talk to his starting players at his first Kickoff Classic with the Sandcrabs. Photo by Michele Meyers
Former Florida Atlantic University player and current Seabreeze offensive line coach Nello Faulk paces the sidelines at the Kickoff Classic against Astronaut High School. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze quarterback Zachary Voltaire recovers the ball in traffic in the Kickoff Classic pre-season win against Astronaut High School. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze players T.J. Sampson (left), Dylan Hayes (center) and Nasir Parham (right) celebrate following Hayes' fumble recovery during the Kickoff Classic against Astronaut High School. Photo by Michele Meyers
Key Seabreeze players (left to right) Matthew Wells, Dylan Hayes (0), Brogan Kelly, Edinson Para and Dean Hayes watch the action from the bench at the Kickoff Classic against Astronaut High School. Sandcrabs walk away with a 16-0 win. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze running back Jeremias George moves the ball up field in the Kickoff Classic against Astronaut High School. George rushes for 92 yards in the game. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze offensive coordinator Doug Pettit breaks down what needs to happen on the field at the Kickoff Classic against Astronaut High School. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze's offense lines up against Astronaut in the Kickoff Classic. The Sandcrabs win 16-0 in the pre-season game. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze fullback Dylan Hayes drags an Astronaut player in the Kickoff Classic at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze players Jayce Gainer and kicker Drew McNerney finally get the call that the 32-yard field goal is good. McNerney scored the first points of the Kickoff Classic against Astronaut. Photo by Michele Meyers
T.J. Sampson (5) blocks the kick in the Kickoff Classic pre-season game against Astronaut High School. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze scores a touchdown after T.J. Sampson (5) blocks the kick and Zebidiah Martin (55) recovers the ball at the Kickoff Classic pre-season game against Astronaut. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze scores a touchdown after T.J. Sampson blocks the kick and Zebidiah Martin (55) recovers the ball at the Kickoff Classic pre-season game against Astronaut. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze player Nasir Parham (left) talks to T.J. Sampson (right) during the Kickoff Classic pre-season game against Astronaut High School. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze fullback Dylan Hayes runs in for the final touchdown of the game in the Kickoff Classic at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze quarterback Zach Voltaire. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze Allied Health Academy Director Kelley Lemon (left) helps T.J. Sampson stay hydrated at the Kickoff Classic pre-season game. Photo by Michele Meyers
The Seabreeze cheerleaders get the crowd going during the Kickoff Classic against Astronaut High School. Photo by Michele Meyers
Things got pretty intense on the sidelines for the Seabreeze coaches at the Kickoff Classic against Astronaut High School. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze cheerleaders entertain the crowd at the Kickoff Classic against Astronaut High School. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze players Nasir Parham (8), T.J. Sampson (5) and Jake Deising (21). Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze head coach Mike Klein motivates his players before going back out on the field during the Kickoff Classic game against the Astronaut War Eagles. Photo by Michele Meyers
Astronaut's Che'vion Beachem tackles Jeremias George (11) during the Kickoff Classic held at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze players warmup during halftime at the Kickoff Classic pre-season game against Astronaut High School. Photo by Michele Meyers
The Seabreeze Sandcrabs get ready for the second half of the Kickoff Classic pre-season game against Astronaut High School. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze quarterback Zach Voltaire handed the football off to fullback Dylan Hayes in the last few minutes of the kickoff classic. Hayes ran it up the middle for a few yards and flew into the end zone for the last touchdown of the night.
Hayes ran toward the crowd of Seabreeze fans where his grandfather Bill Tomazin was watching the game. Hayes told Tomazin the touchdown was for him.
“My dad lives for it,” Hayes’ mother, Jennifer Craig, said. “He lives vicariously through the grandkids.”
The touchdown finished off the Sandcrabs' 16-0 victory against Astronaut High School of Titusville in the pre-season game on Friday, Aug. 16, at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex.
This was Seabreeze head coach Mike Klein’s first kickoff classic and second exhibition game in the books since taking over the position in April. The Sandcrabs had almost three months to turn things around following a 41-7 loss to Fleming Island in the spring game in May. He said the Sandcrabs put in the work. They had two months of hard summer training, two weeks grinding it out at camp and a great week of preparation prior to the classic.
I commend the guys for just believing. At first it was different. Now they see that this is good. The guys that we have, have 100% bought into this team and 100% love each other like family.
— MIKE KLEIN, Seabreeze head football coach
“It means a lot to come back out on this field,” he said. “We played the spring game out here on this field and things didn’t go our way. The guys battled and we knew where we wanted to go. These guys have bought in and they’ve worked hard and they get to see the result of that work. Proud of them because the work pays off and they get to see that tonight.”
Two minutes into the second quarter, Seabreeze senior Drew McNerney kicked a 32-yard field goal and lit up the scoreboard for the first time in the game. Voltaire and running back Jeremias George led the offense with a barrage of runs. George rushed for 92 yards while slot receiver Dylan Tocci rushed for 81 yards.
The Sandcrabs held the War Eagles scoreless. Senior Brogan Kelly played both defensive end and tight end. He led the defense with standouts Hayes and Logan Smith. Kelly said he was really looking forward to getting back and took advantage of that energy.
“I am so very proud of each and every one of them,” he said. “We have put in so much work over the summer and I’m very glad that it’s showing. Team leadership made the difference — a player-led team rather than a coach-led team.”
After halftime, McNerney’s opening punt resulted in a touchback. Seabreeze took control of the ball and maintained it with multiple runs by Tocci who opened up with a 45-yard run midway through the third quarter. T.J. Sampson blocked a kick by Astronaut which was recovered by Zebidiah Martin resulting in a 'Crabs touchdown.
Klein said he lost players after spring. He and his coaches decided to put together a brand new offense — one that would best suit the individuals. He said it has been a slow process.
“I commend the guys for just believing,” he said. “At first it was different. Now they see that this is good. The guys that we have, have 100% bought into this team and 100% love each other like family.”
Seabreeze opens the season against rival Spruce Creek on Thursday, Aug. 22, at Daytona Stadium. Klein said the Hawks are a good opponent and have a talented squad.
“We know we have our work cut out for us,” Klein said. “We are going to continue to do what we do — prepare during the week, have a great game plan, work our butts off during the week in practice to execute and then show up ready to go.”
