Under Center, Sandberg Brings Instant Expectations

BRADENTON –2011 was supposed to be the year for the Manatee Hurricanes. After losing  a heart breaker to Tampa Plant in the 2010 state finals and then coming back to wipe the field with the Panthers in the preseason opener on ESPN, a 5th state title seemed written in the stars. The 'Canes were returning two of the top recruits in the nation – RB Mike Blakely and WR Quinton Bundrage. Even though star QB Brion Carnes had followed in his cousin Tommy Frazier's footsteps as a Nebraksa Cornhusker, Manatee was too deep and backed by a tenacious defense, anchored by a man-child named Quenton Pompey at tackle and his brother Chris at end.

Sandberg runs for a pivotal TD against Bradent River. PAGEMOOREPHOTO, 941-518-4600

Though Manatee showed hints of both early vulnerability and utter dominance, outside of a close call against rival Southeast (a game that could have gone the other way if not for a questionable call), their near-the-top national ranking (as high a #2 by ESPN Rivals.com) was more of a concern to most fans than a state tile, which seemed a foregone conclusion almost from the outset. 

But this is Florida football and no one coasts into the winner's circle. Plagued by nagging injuries (most notably to Blakely who was never 100 percent, playing the entire season on 1-2 bum ankles), Manatee nonetheless hobbled into the state semi-finals before losing to eventual champs, St. Thomas Aquinas, 37-10 in the semi finals.

Clearly, that was none to shabby, even for Coach Joe Kinnan and the boys. But what the 2011 season might well be best remembered for is the coming of age of Cord Sandberg, assuming the young quarterback fulfills even a modicum of the lofty expectations created by his sophomore success. Sandberg picked up the load when Blakely and Bunderage were banged up. Even amidst such a talented cast, it took only three games or so for the young signal caller to find his feet and establish himself as captain of the ship.

Sandberg's gaudy numbers earned him the Herald Tribune's Offensive Player of the Year award last season, and made area fans practically forget about Dyron Speight, the four-year starter at Southeast, who'd thoroughly confounded area defenses for years and had been drawing comparisons to former Seminole signal-caller and current CFL star, Adrian McPherson. 204 of 270 passes for 2,907 yards; 25 touchdowns with only six interceptions – a lot of which was with Blakely down and defenses keying on the pass.

Sandberg avoids pressure and scrambles for the gain. PAGEMOOREPHOTO, 941-518-4600

More impressively was the way Sandberg started getting better reads on the defense, looking off more and more receivers and tucking the ball to intelligently use his deceptive speed rather than forcing a bad throw. A high school quarterback with tremendous athleticism can often overcome a lack of such talents, successfully forcing the ball into coverage or taking off on the run when the first look isn't open.

To see a sophomore playing such heady ball was a sight that invited speculation – especially when he's 6'2“, nearly 200 pounds, runs a legit 4.56 40-yard dash and carries a 4.0 GPA. Oh and if I forgot to mention, Sandberg is also the star center fielder on the Hurricanes' baseball team – the same one that made it to the state finals last spring.

Still, Manatee has suffered some brutal losses. Blakely's gone on to play for the national champion Auburn Tigers, while Bunderage has shipped out to Iowa State where he'll be joined by Quenton Pompey, whose brother Chris will team up with the aforementioned Speight at Eastern Kentucky. Those are big shoes to fill, especially with a bruising schedule that includes a couple of top 25 national powerhouses. On Defense, the 'Canes return Division I prospect Darius White, a talented 6'1, 230 lb. linebacker who will have to have to prove his mettle without the help of one of the best defensive lines the area's ever seen fronting him.

That's the thing about a player like Sandberg. He makes you an instant contender, even in the face of such challenges. The most skeptical fans can imagine very big things each and every time number 24 lines up under center and drops back into the southpaw stance. By air or by land, Sandberg can shred even the best defenses and if a few key up and comers rise to their role the same way he did last season, the 'Canes may be in a position to bring back that state title even without an opening day roster as deep in raw talent and experience as the previous two.

Manatee opens their season at ESPN #20 Our Lady of Good Counsel (Washington, D.C.) on September 2. Their home opener is September 9, when they'll host Riverview.