Two dominant backs in KeiShawn Smith and Zahmir Mcneil are getting ready to go toe-to-toe. The Manatee Hurricanes will look to defend their home field on Friday against the Pinellas Park Patriots at 7:30 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Last Friday, Manatee blew past IMG Academy White, posting a 44-7 victory at home. Given the Hurricanes' advantage in MaxPreps' Florida football rankings (they are ranked 27th, while the Ascenders are ranked 102nd), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Smith continued his habit of posting crazy stat lines, picking up 87 receiving yards and two touchdowns, while also rushing for 51 yards and two touchdowns. Andrew Heidel was another key player, throwing for 253 yards and two touchdowns on only 16 passes.
Manatee's defense was in the mix too, especially the secondary: they snagged two passes before it was all said and done. The picks came courtesy of Jamari Parker and Jermiah Patterson. Manatee got some further help from Alvoid Kennon Jr.: he picked up a sack, forced a fumble, and forced a fumble.
Meanwhile, Pinellas Park waltzed into their matchup on Friday with three straight wins... but they left with four. They took their match on the road with ease, bagging a 41-10 win over the Gladiators.
Mcneil was his usual excellent self, rushing for 148 yards and three touchdowns on only 15 carries. His rushing production has been exceptional recently as that marked his third straight game with at least 146 rushing yards dating back to last season. Another player making a difference was Kaiden Nobles, who gained 32 total yards and two touchdowns.
Manatee's victory was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 4-1. As for Pinellas Park, their win bumped their record up to an identical 4-1.
Everything came up roses for Manatee against Pinellas Park in their previous matchup back in November of 2019, as the squad secured a 35-7 victory. Will Manatee repeat their success, or does Pinellas Park have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
