Manatee High School Football Game of the Week: Manatee Hurricanes vs. Southeast Seminoles

Southeast receiver Boe Brand Photo by Page & Moore

BRADENTON -- A rivalry matchup of unbeaten teams highlight’s Friday’s schedule of high school football in Manatee County. The Manatee Hurricanes, ranked 4th in the nation by USA Today, come into Kiker Stadium to take on its cross town rival Southeast Seminoles at 7:30 PM.

The Hurricanes (2-0) come off a 56-36 win last week against Palmetto. Joe Kinnan’s team has already been on national television this season with an impressive win over current district 5A champion Plant (Tampa) which aired on ESPN and a 39-16 blowout over Woodland Hills in Pennsylvania two weeks ago.

Manatee is now ranked 2nd in the U.S. in the ESPN Powerade Top 50 poll, after fellow Florida team Cocoa High traveled to Texas last week and upset previous No. 2 Abilene. 

Manatee is lead by senior running back Mike Blakely who ran for 188 yards on 18 carries against Palmetto and is averaging 8.74 yards per carry. Sophomore quarterback Cord Sandberg runs a potent Hurricane offense and has racked up 582 yards passing in two games completing 29 of 41 with 6 touchdowns. The Hurricanes have scored 95 points and allowed 52 so far this season. Quenton Bundrage caught six passes for 180 yards and two touchdowns in last week's game.

The Southeast Seminoles (2-0) defeated the Lakewood Ranch Mustangs 28-0 at home last Friday after a season opening 28-13 win over Palmetto. Paul Maechtle’s team is ranked 34th in the state, jumping 32 spots this week. Senior quarterback Dyron Speight fronts a high powered Seminole passing offense.

Photo by Page & Moore

Speight has completed 80 percent of his passes this year to a corps of receivers including Boe Brand, Antonio Ray and Adrian Richard. Running back Brian Poole ran for two scores last week against Lakewood Ranch.

The game will be broadcast online and can be heard by clicking here.

Other Manatee County schools in action this week: Braden River hosts Sarasota, East Lee County H.S. at Lakewood Ranch, Hardee at Palmetto, Cardinal Mooney at Bayshore, Bradenton Christian at Cambridge Christian. Manatee rival and defending 5A Florida state champs Plant High will travel to Texas and face Abilene on ESPNU tonight.