@BR Ednote:editor’s note: On Dec. 16, 1983, Manatee won the first state championship in school history. Richard Hubbard, who was the Herald Sports Editor at the time, wrote this story that appeared in The Herald on Dec. 17, 1983.

MIAMI — The dream has finally become a reality for the Manatee High Hurricanes.

After three-and-a-half months and 14 grueling games, the Hurricanes stand at the top of the Class 4A mountain after defeating the Southridge Spartans 27-21 here Friday night at Tamiami Stadium in the state championship contest, which was played before a crowd of nearly 9,000.

The victory enabled the Hurricanes to complete the season with a 14-0 record and the only unbeaten team among the state’s 105 Class 4A teams.

Southridge ended the year 13-1.

The state championship for Manatee came in coach Joe Kinnan’s third season, and his overall record is a stunning 32-4.

Manatee, which fell behind 7-0 after Southridge scored on its first possession of the drive, battled back and combined a potent offense with a tenacious defense to capture the title.

The Hurricanes’ defense, led by end Doug Andrews, withstood a late Southridge charge to preserve the six-point victory.

With just 3:46 to play in the game, Southridge, trailing 27-21, had the ball at its own 11 and needed a touchdown to take the lead.

The Spartans gained 25 yards in four plays and moved out to their 36. On a first-down play, quarterback Leon Brown, who threw for 229 yards on 13 of 17 passes during the game, hit Curtis Chappell with a 48-yard pass for a first down at the Manatee 16.

The Hurricanes’ defense had their backs to the wall and needed to come up with some big plays if they were going to stop Southridge.

Tailback Roman Nelson was dropped for a 3-yard loss on first down, but Harvey Reed, the Spartans’ No. 1 tailback, gained seven to the Manatee 12.

On third down, Brown, who was being pressured, tried to hit tight end Victor Hawkins in the end zone, but the Hurricanes’ Willie Wilson knocked the ball down at the goal line to bring up a 4th-and-6 situation.

At the 34-second mark, Brown dropped back and was looking for a receiver, but all he saw was the white jerseys belonging to Andrews and Van Yarn, who sacked the quarterback for a 9-yard loss to turn the ball over to the Hurricanes, who then ran out the clock.

“In the 4-3 defense, it tends to bend a little bit and not break, and that’s just what happened tonight,” defensive coordinator Mike Knowles said. “Those kids came up with the big play when we needed it and that’s what it takes.”

At the start of the game, it looked like Manatee’s defense was breaking a little too much as the Spartans went 74 yards in nine plays for a touchdown, which came on a 4-yard run by Reed with 8:04 to go in the first quarter. Sang Kim, who kicked a field goal in overtime to defeat Manatee 23-20 in 1982 when the two teams met in the Kiwanis Holiday Bowl on Thanksgiving Day in Bradenton, added the point after to make it 7-0.

Manatee didn’t get rattled by the Spartans touchdown as it came right back with a score itself.

The Hurricanes needed only six plays to go 60 yards as wide receiver Stanley Collins caught a 17-yard pass from quarterback Tracey Sanders with 5:38 showing on the clock. Andy Elton tied the game at 7-7 with his point-after kick.

Manatee’s scoring march lasted 2:26 and fullback Tracy Waiters was the workhorse as he gained 32 yards on three carries.

But Southridge would take the lead again on its next drive when Brown connected with Chappell, who outran the Manatee secondary for the 67-yard TD.

Manatee came right back with a touchdown of its own as Sanders climaxed a seven-play, 73-yard, 4:26 drive with a gutty 8-yard run with just under seven minutes to play before halftime. Elton’s kick was blocked by Anthony Ross, and Southridge led by one, 14-13.

The Hurricanes stopped the Spartans on downs and got the ball back at their 44.

Manatee marched 56 yards in seven plays and 3:31 and scored when Waiters bulled his way into the end zone from eight yards out with 2:56 to go in the half. A pass from Sanders to Waiters for the two-point conversion was incomplete and the Hurricanes took a 19-14 lead.

After falling behind 21-19 in the third quarter, Manatee kept its composure and answered with a touchdown of its own on its next possession.

Sanders scored on a 1-yard run with 8:08 to go in the game and Crayton’s run for the two-point conversion was good and the Hurricanes led 27-21. Manatee’s scoring drive was 75 yards in 10 plays and took 5:31.

On the ensuing kickoff, Lee Smith returned the ball 53 yards to the Manatee 40 and with the addition of a 15-yard personal foul against the Hurricanes, the Spartans had the ball at the 25.

Reed was stopped for no gain and then lost five on second down and also fumbled, with Andrews recovering.

Walters led Manatee’s running attack with 107 yards on 16 carries; Sanders had 82 on 15 attempts, and Crayton picked up 72 on 10 tries. The Hurricanes finished with 261 yards rushing and 36 passing.