History of the Sarasota Sailfish

Origins

The Sarasota Sailfish are an expansion team to the ISFL. The team was founded in 2036, and played their first season in 2037.

2037 Season

Roster

As an expansion team, Sarasota was in an interesting position to acquire new talent for the team. Notable acquisitions are QB talent Rose Jenkins, Frost in the running back position, and their wide receiver, Banks.

Preseason

The Sarasota Sailfish had their ISFL debut in an away game against the San Jose Sabercats. They struggled to get any momentum whatsoever, only managing to score a field goal in the fourth period, and ultimately losing 19-3. Their luck quickly turned positive, and they finished the preseason with a record of 3-1.

Season Performance

The Sailfish were victorious in their first regular season game, which fans took as a good omen for the future of the organization. Having a middling season, Sarasota finished the regular season just shy of .500 with a record of 6-7-0. That record would earn them third place in the conference, tying with the Philadelphia Liberty. Going 4-2 at home and 2-5 on the road, the team seemed to draw energy from their young and excited fan base.

Postseason

The Sarasota Sailfish were eliminated from playoff contention in the quarterfinals by the Colorado Yeti. The final score was 36-14.

2038 Season

Roster

The off-season presented some interesting challenges that resulted in roster changes for this season. Their quarterback was released and the team moved Banks II from his position as a wide receiver into the starting quarterback slot. Banks II found his primary passing target in Gordon, who made 73 receptions for 11 touchdowns this season.

Preseason

Foreshadowing the future of the season, the first game of the preseason for the Sarasota Sailfish ended in an 18-18 tie against the Baltimore Hawks. They struggled offensively in the next two games, but were able to secure a win in the final game of the preseason against the New Orleans Second Line.

Season Performance

Sarasota finished the season totally even, a final record of 8-8-0. That record placed them fourth in the NSFC, tied with the Baltimore Hawks. They scored a total of 314 points through the season, and allowed 376.

Postseason

The Sarasota Sailfish did not qualify for the playoffs in 2038.

2039 Season

Roster

Banks II saw drastic improvement this season compared to the previous one. He completed 339 of 629 attempts, for 5033 yards and 32 touchdowns. The team relied on fullback Chan for their rushing yards. Chan made 169 carries and scored 5 touchdowns. Their other fullback, Angler, was a strong receiver for the team. Angler averaged 14.8 yards per reception and scored 8 TDs through the season. In week 10 of the season, the Sailfish traded Raphael d’Alcott to the Chicago Butchers in exchange for Eric Richards.

Preseason

The Sailfish had a so-so preseason, with a record of 2-2. Their games were especially contentious, with an average of only 6 points separating their scores from their opponents. They picked up wins in the first and last games of the preseason, and the final win of the preseason seemed to be a momentum builder for the team.

Season Performance

Sarasota had a phenomenal start to their regular season. They began with a streak of six wins, and had claimed 8 victories by week 9. The Sailfish finished the regular season with a record of 12-4-0, second in the NSFC. Their passing offense was statistically the best in the league.

Postseason

In thequarterfinals, the Sarasota Sailfish defeated the Chicago Butchers with a final score of 24-17. They fell in the semifinals to the Colorado Yeti, the final score of their game was 24-20.

2040 Season

Roster

Banks II continued to be a reliable quarterback in the 2040 season: the Sailfish once again were at the top of the league for passing offense. Their primary rusher, Chan, now officially a running back, scored 6 touchdowns and averaged 3.6 yards per carry in 2040. Witheblock, WR, led the team with 72 receptions, averaging 19.4 yards each. Witheblock scored 11 TDs through the season.

Preseason

Sarasota made a strong impression during the preseason, picking up three of four possible wins. Their only loss came from the Philadelphia Liberty, a team they’d lose to once more before getting revenge in week 10 of the regular season.

Season Performance

The Sailfish continued to find success in the NSFC this season, finishing second in the standings with a final record of 11-5-0. While the offense was thriving, the defensive side of the ball could not quite meet the same standard. They allowed 383 points against through the season, performing in line with the statistics of a mid-tier football team.

Postseason

The Sarasota Sailfish were eliminated from the playoffs in the quarterfinals by the Chicago Butchers. The final score of that game was 27-20.

2041 Season

Roster

Foremost among the roster changes in Sarasota this season was the release of quarterback Dexter Banks II and the signing of Mike Boss Jr. to play the position instead. Boss Jr threw 27 TDs and completed 366 passes for 4898 yards.

Preseason

Though they were able to score consistently, the Sailfish won only one game in the preseason. This drop in performance would not be limited to the preseason, unfortunately.

Season Performance

The Sarasota Sailfish finished the regular season dead even, with a record of 8-8-0. They shared that record in a tie with the Colorado Yeti, third place in the conference. The start of the season looked very promising, with a win streak from week 2 through week 6. This is a substantial step backward from the record of the previous season, but still a good enough showing to earn a postseason appearance.

Postseason

In the quarterfinals of the 2041 playoffs, the Sarasota Sailfish faced the Chicago Butchers. The team struggled early and played from behind the entire game. In an amazing rallying effort, Sarasota scored 21 points in the fourth quarter, winning over the Butchers with a final score of 24-23. In the semifinals, they faced the Yellowknife Wraiths, who defeated them by a very narrow two-point margin. The final score in that contest was 24-22.

2042 Season

Roster

The team performed very well in general this season, with the core offensive unit from the previous season delivering a stellar effort once again. Boss Jr. passed for 4112 yards and 32 touchdowns. Chan, RB, picked up their scoring pace, walking in 17 touchdowns and averaging 5 yards per carry. In terms of wide receivers, the Sailfish had Witheblock, who made 109 receptions averaging 12.9 yards.

Preseason

The Sailfish started the preseason with back to back away games which both ended in losses. For the second half of the preseason, they played in Sarasota. The team won both home games and ended the preseason with a 2-2 record.

Season Performance

Sarasota collected an impressive 12 wins through this season, a tie for first place in the conference. They were top of the conference in rushing offense and defense, but struggled with the passing game on both sides of the ball. Their longest win streak of the season lasted six weeks, starting in week 9 and lasting through week 14.

Postseason

In the 2042 postseason, the Sarasota Sailfish faced the Yellowknife Wraiths in the quarterfinals. They won the game by a three point margin, in a final score of 37-34.

Their opponent in the semifinals was the Colorado Yeti. Sarasota took a commanding 28-0 lead by the end of the first quarter, a lead which the Yeti would be unable to overcome. The final score of the semifinal game was 47-27, and placed Sarasota in the Ultimus Championship against the New Orleans Second Line.

In the Ultimus Championship game, the Sailfish showcased their offense in the first quarter to gain the early lead. This early momentum would carry them through the game to a commanding victory over the Second Line in a final score of 34-10.

The Sarasota Sailfish were the Ultimus Champions of the 2042 ISFL season.

2043 Season

Roster

For the previous few seasons, Sarasota had gained a reputation for their strong rush game, but also had a weakness in the passing game. The team picked up two wide receivers this season to try to address that weakness: Joseph Radetsky and Mario Messi.

Preseason

The Sailfish had a perfect preseason, going 4-0 and beating their opponents by 10 or more points in three of the four games.

Season Performance

Sarasota closed out the regular season with a record of 10-6-0. That record earned them third place in the conference behind the Fire Salamanders and Wraiths. The team scored a league-leading 518 points during the season. The Sailfish were on a pace to lead the league for the majority of the season, but suffered three consecutive upset losses at the end of the season.

Postseason

The Sarasota Sailfish faced the Yellowknife Wraiths in the quarterfinals of the 2043 playoffs. They played from behind for the majority of the game, gaining a narrow single-point lead in the third quarter. The Wraiths would prove to be the more effective unit in the fourth quarter, and the Sailfish were eliminated from the 2043 postseason with a final score of 23-14.

2044 Season

Roster

Boss Jr had an incredible season, passing for an incredible 40 touchdowns. He completed 409 of 620 passes for a total of 4884 yards. Running back Chizuru Ichinose carried for 1200 yards this season and scored 4 touchdowns; the team opted to utilize the rush less this season. Their wide receiver, Tre’Darius J’Vathon made 105 receptions averaging 14 yards each. J’Vathon put up 15 touchdowns in the season.

Preseason

Sarasota won half their preseason games. Wins against the Fire Salamanders and Hawks were bookended by losses to the Yeti and Wraiths.

Season Performance

The Sailfish landed in third place in the conference standings at the end of the regular season. Their record was 11-5-0. Performance on the field once again favored offense over defense. They led the league in Points For in this season with a total of 487.

Postseason

In the quarterfinal game, the Sailfish were matched against the Colorado Yeti. Sarasota won 33-13 and progressed to the semifinals. The Berlin Fire Salamanders eliminated the Sailfish from the playoffs in the semifinal round, with a final game score of 23-20.

2045 Season

Roster

In the preseason, Sarasota released their recently acquired WR, Joseph Radetzky, and signed Jackson Kingston, a wide receiver who led the team in receptions in 2045, with 99. Kingston averaged 12.6 yards per carry, and scored 9 TDs. Boss Jr, QB, completed 409/666 passes for 4937 yards and resulting in 34 touchdowns. In the rush game, Ichinose averaged 4.9 yards per carry and walked in 11 TDs.

Preseason

The Sailfish asserted themselves as a top contender in the preseason, winning 3 of the 4 games.

Season Performance

The team’s record at the end of the regular season was 11-5-0. While not their best record ever, it was solid enough to earn Sarasota the lone #1 position in the NSFC standings. Proving themselves to be consistent offensive threats, the Sailfish topped their conference in Points For, with only the Arizona Outlaws out scoring them in the entire league.

Postseason

In the 2045 quarterfinals, Sarasota met Colorado and won a narrow 32-29 victory over the Yeti thanks to a final 4th quarter offensive push.

The semifinal game featured the Sailfish against the Fire Salamanders. Sarasota applied heavy scoring pressure early on in the game, and Berlin was unable to mount a comeback. Final score: 30-24.

In the 2045 Ultimus Championship game, the Sarasota Sailfish squared off against the ASFC champion Arizona Outlaws. The Sailfish defense was able to hold the Outlaws to only 10 points, and Sarasota emerged victorious with a final score of 27-10.

For the second time in franchise history, the Sarasota Sailfish were named the ISFL Ultimus Champions.

2046 Season

Roster

In a notable change to their rushing unit, the Sailfish released Chizuru Ichinose. They instead relied on Tre’Darius J’Vathon as a primary RB. Boss Jr had a decent year for passing yardage with 4658, and he passed for 28 touchdowns. Jackson Kingston, WR, made 110 receptions and carried in 9 touchdowns.

Preseason

Sarasota lost their first preseason game in Colorado against the Yeti. They rallied afterward, winning each of the remaining 3 preseason games.

Season Performance

The Sailfish finished the regular season with a record of 10-6-0, and were tied for second place in the standings. The Chicago Butchers matched their record, and the Yeti were the only team in the conference to perform better.

Postseason

The Sarasota Sailfish were eliminated from the playoffs in the quarterfinals. They lost 23-13 to the Chicago Butchers.

2047 Season

Roster

Sarasota’s star QB, Mike Boss, Jr., passed for 4795 yards and 29 touchdowns this season. The team’s best rusher this season was John Hunstman, RB, who averaged 4 yards on 272 carries, earning the team 16 TDs. Jackson Kingston was the most productive wide receiver this season, averaging 15.5 yards per reception and putting up 9 touchdowns.

Preseason

The Sailfish started and ended the preseason with wins, but unfortunately dropped the middle two games.

Season Performance

Sarasota stumbled in the early season somewhat, winning only 4 of their first 10 games. Things took a positive turn in week 11, kicking off a five game win streak. The team finished the regular season with a record of 9-7-0. Their efforts would earn them third place in the NSFC and an opportunity at the playoffs.

Postseason

The Sarasota Sailfish were eliminated from the 2047 postseason in the quarterfinals in a 34-17 loss against the Berlin Fire Salamanders.