Port Charlotte three-star QB Logan Flaherty prepared for test vs. Venice

When Port Charlotte three-star quarterback Logan Flaherty faced off against the eventual 2024 Class 7A state champion Venice Indians last season, the eight points (49-41 loss) that separated the two schools in the meeting built confidence with the Pirates.

Flaherty, now a veteran junior signal caller at Port Charlotte (3-0), has seemingly now seen it all through his first three seasons playing behind center in Charlotte County.

Heading into arguably the biggest high school football regular season game, Flaherty has a chance to rewrite the book on how area football is viewed down on the South Suncoast as of late. Against the four-time defending state champions, an opportunity to do so versus the Indians (1-1), who are looked at as perennial title contenders, is a chance Flaherty relishes in.

“I feel like honestly we just need to execute our game plan,” Flaherty said about facing Venice. “I feel like there’s always obviously always a lot of respect to Venice and they always run a very good program and they’re a very good team, but I think we’ve worked just as hard as anyone in the state. We have as much skill talent as anyone in the state. I’m confident, not cocky.”

A couple things that has changed about Flaherty’s role on the team is his handle of the offense in Year 2 under head coach Jordan Ingman. The former Auburn University assistant spoke highly about Flaherty’s abilities now to change plays at the line of scrimmage if he doesn’t like what he sees.

Another attribute that Ingman sees in his junior signal caller is his maturity in becoming the undisputed leader of the team. Last season’s Port Charlotte squad had over 20 seniors that have now graduated, bringing on a slew of new faces on this current version of the Pirates. Leading the team on and off the field has been a major difference in Flaherty’s development not only as a player, but as a person.

“He’s a very talented young man, but he also works very hard,” Ingman said about Flaherty. “Logan’s (Flaherty) obviously made a tremendous jump forward. I think the biggest thing is under the hood. His understanding of the offense and his ability to audible plays has been the biggest game changer. His ability to basically take advantage of matchups and get us out of bad place put us in a better situations. That’s the biggest change from last year this year’s confidence and understanding the offense in the defense has been pretty remarkable to watch how he operates it.

“We were a senior heavy team last season and this year we’re a younger team. We had really strong senior leadership last year and this year, even though it’s only a junior, he’s definitely the leader of the organization and he’s embraced that role.”

The progression within the scope of the offense isn’t a notion that folks have to take Ingman’s word on as the proof is in the proverbial pudding for Flaherty so far through three games this season. Flaherty has thrown for 479 yards, 12 touchdowns to just one interception in wins over Island Coast, North Fort Myers and Lehigh.

The Pirates’ dual-threat quarterback last season totaled 2,245 all-purpose yards and 33 total touchdowns as a freshman when he played at Charlotte in 2023 threw for 563 through the air and five scores.

When Flaherty spoke to Rivals back at Suncoast Gridiron Media Day in Venice before the 2025 season, the quarterback was asked which team on the schedule was he most looking forward to facing and he responded it was Venice. On Friday night at Powell Davis Stadium, the Pirates’ signal caller will get his shot to pull off one of the bigger regular season victories for Port Charlotte in quite some time.

Flaherty’s expects a big game atmosphere between two communities separated 40-some odd minutes apart from each other.

“I definitely expect that. Venice is always packed,” Flaherty said of expecting a big game environment on the road. “It’ll be solidly packed and I know our community has just as much confidence as we do. (The Port Charlotte fans) fully believe that we have the capability for this game. I know for a fact that they’ll be out there and we’ll have all the Bandit Pop Warner kids running around and they’ll be out there cheering us on, being just as loud as anyone in the state for this game.”

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