Senior support: First-year Seabreeze football coach Mike Klein praises seniors for setting foundation

Sandcrabs' defense shines in season-ending overtime loss to Deltona.

  • By Michele Meyers
  • | 2:46 p.m. November 10, 2024
  • Ormond Beach Observer
  • Sports
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Seabreeze head football coach Mike Klein hugged his seniors after the Sandrabs' 13-10 overtime loss to Deltona on Nov. 7 at Daytona Stadium.

The Sandcrabs wrapped up the year with a 2-7 record in Klein's first season.

“What a game to be part of,” Klein told his players after the game. “What hurts more is just knowing that this team will never get to play together, ever again. Wins, losses, didn’t make the season for me. What did matter to me was I hope you enjoyed it, I hope you learned something from your coaches — from one another, and I think you guys built a really special bond here. I know where the future is going to go with Seabreeze football, because I know the foundation that the seniors laid here this year.”

The teams battled to a 7-7 by the end of regulation. After Seabreeze's Drew McNerney kicked a field goal in the opening possession of overtime, Deltona quarterback Jeremiah Hancock ran in for a touchdown to clinch the victory for the Wolves (3-7).

Seabreeze quarterback Dylan Tocci rushed for 112 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries and added 62 yards passing. Zachary Voltaire had 43 yards combined rushing and receiving, four tackles, a pass deflection and a fumble recovery. Julian Perez rushed for 69 yards, sophomore Caiden Smith caught two passes for 38 yards and Brogan Kelly rushed for 20 yards and caught a 4-yard pass.

Klein said the seniors took on incredible leadership roles this season and set the foundation for the program moving forward. 

“Brogan Kelly gave everything he had on offense, on defense, on specials,” Klein said. “Tocci, who is not a quarterback, did a great job this year and stepped in to fill that role. Luke (Cloer) on the offensive line, also played defensive line tonight.”

Perez, a senior, was making his second start. This was his first year playing football, receivers coach Mark Lewis said. 

“The O-line really helped me push down the field,” Perez said. “Coaches taught me how to lower my shoulders, drive past those linebackers and be a great running back. I want my teammates to shoot for the stars. They’re going to do such great things. I love them. They really changed me for the better.”

Perez is a 110- and 400-meter hurdler on the track and field team. Lewis said he can’t imagine what Perez’s potential would have been if he had played football all four years.

What a game to be part of. What hurts more is just knowing that this team will never get to play together, ever again. ... I know where the future is going to go with Seabreeze football because I know the foundation that the seniors laid here this year.
— MIKE KLEIN, Seabreeze head football coach

Tocci bulldozed his way into the end zone less than four minutes into the second quarter to give the Sandcrabs a 7-0 lead.

Deltona tied the score when Damarion Phillips rushed for a quick touchdown early in the third quarter.

Both teams had key defensive plays to start the fourth quarter. Voltaire’s fourth-down tackle gave the ball back to the Sandcrabs. Deltona linebacker Ed Wiggins recovered a Seabreeze fumble, but Voltaire returned the favor with his own fumble recovery.

The Sandcrabs had a chance to take the lead on their final possession in regulation as Tocci led a drive to just inside the 10-yard line, but Desean Fludd blocked McNerney's field goal attempt to force overtime.

“They truly played to the final whistle,” Klein said. “Man, we make that field goal — we’re celebrating, we’re jumping around, we’re happy — but they ended up blocking and making a great play, got it into overtime and they got us.

“Incredible game,” Klein added. “Super proud of the guys. Only way it could have been better is if they finished on top tonight. They fought hard enough to win it. The ball just didn’t bounce our way a couple times.”   

The Seabreeze defense was instrumental in keeping Deltona at bay. Junior Cash Kurz had four solo tackles and three assists, fellow junior Logan Smith had 1 solo and 10 assists, sophomore Tristan Miller had 1 solo and 5 assists, senior Dylan Hayes had 3 assists and senior Jake Deising and junior Stephen Williams Jr. each had 1 solo and 1 assist.

Deising said he will probably study business finance in college and, more than likely, will not be playing football.

“I want to thank coach Klein,” Deising said. “He’s been the greatest coach I’ve ever had for any sport. He knows how to push us. He tried to get us to do everything we could to prepare for the games — get ready to win. I think I benefited so much from playing football this season. I got mentally tougher. I feel like I can do so many more things because I played football.”

 

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