Led by perhaps the nation's best defensive front, Manatee is the nation's top-ranked team in the preseason and is returning back to its glory days from decades ago.
Photo by Marc Estrada
This
Manatee (Bradenton, Fla.) team is on the cusp of greatness.
In 2009, it stunned national No. 1 St. Thomas Aquinas in the Class 5A playoffs, only to lose to Plant in the state finals.
After a 13-1 season in 2010, Manatee went the distance in 2011, capturing a Class 7A state title. Its only two losses came in hard-fought contests against out-of-state teams.
With many athletes possessing two or three seasons of varsity experience, Manatee is poised for a historical season in 2012.
Back on offense for Manatee is an offensive line that features
Thor Miller,
Jake Stickler,
Kyle Mauk and
Michael Galati. They’ll block for versatile running back/receiver
Anthony Lauro, who accounted for roughly 600 yards rushing and 600 yards receiving last year.
Anthony Lauro gives defenses multiple problems with his rushing and receiving capabilities.
Photo/Illustration by Marc Estrada
The team’s biggest playmaker is Class 7A Player of the Year and
MaxPreps Top 100 recruit
Cord Sandberg, the team’s dual-threat quarterback. He threw for 2,187 yards and rushed for 813, having a hand in 29 total touchdowns.
For as dynamic as the offense is, the defense could be even better.
With a front four of
Demarcus Christmas and
Derrick Calloway bookended by
Marquis Dawsey and
Blake Keller, Manatee’s defensive line is simply the class of the country. It was a dominant unit in 2011 and will wreak even more havoc this fall.
That will allow a set of new linebackers to mature. With
Willie Smith and
Daren Ardis back, the secondary should be just fine.
Local outlook: “It's pretty exciting around here. It's exciting for the students at Manatee because they weren't born during Manatee's golden age of the 1980s and 90s, and it's exciting for the people who remember those years because they've watched this program rise up again. I still say the fortunes for this program all changed when Manatee beat Aquinas in the 2009 Class 5A state semifinal. That was the night Manatee got some of its swagger back, so to speak, and the 'Canes have been rolling ever since.”
- John Lembo, Bradenton Herald
