Hurricanes feel the love on Pa. trip

TAMPA — As he made his way up an airport escalator Friday morning, the man in the black shirt with a bag slung over his shoulder caught the attention of the Manatee Hurricanes.

“Where you guys going?” he asked.

“Pittsburgh,” a few answered.

“Sweet!” he responded. “Kick some butt!”

Meanwhile, a security guard wanted to catch a glimpse of Mike Blakely, Manatee’s senior running back whose electrifying performance on ESPN during last week’s Kickoff Classic has made him famous beyond the limits of Manatee County.

“Where’s No. 7?” he asked.

“He was asking about me and Quinton (Pompey), too,” senior defensive lineman Drakkar Wilson said. “This is cool.”

In its storied history, Manatee’s football program has never quite had back-to-back weeks such as this.

Last week, ESPN came to Hawkins Stadium.

And Friday morning, roughly 70 players, coaches and administrators, clad in the team’s colors of red and white, made their way into Tampa International Airport to board a plane bound for Pittsburgh and tonight’s 8 p.m. season-opener against Woodland Hills, Pa.

The game is the finale of the daylong Rally at Wolvarena, which will be played in a 12,000-seat stadium in Turtle Creek, Pa.

They arrived in Tampa just after 9 a.m., and after collecting their tickets and checking their bags, the players and coaches lounged in the Southwest Airlines lobby before making their way to the gate.

Some, such as Blakely, listened to music. Others posed for photos, including a massive group shot that also included defensive coordinator Jim Phelan.

“There are way too many people in there to tag on Facebook,” senior offensive lineman Jared Shaw said while glancing at his camera.

After going through security, the team made its way toward Gate C31, where they munched on Cuban sandwiches, apples and chips while waiting for their flight.

The terminal’s public address announcer wished the Hurricanes good luck on their trip, imploring them to “make Bradenton proud,” a declaration that drew cheers from the patrons of a nearby Chili’s.

The good vibes didn’t stop there. A stewardess on the flight also sent best wishes toward the Canes, and after the applause died down, she wished a happy 18th birthday to senior strong safety Colby Lengel from his sister, Alyssa.

She then grabbed the sides of the plane’s walkway and did two backflips.

“That’s how happy I am that you decided to fly with us,” she said, just before the rest of the Hurricanes started singing “Happy Birthday.”

Moments such as this were proof that the trip, Manatee’s first out of state to play an opponent, stretched way beyond football.

It was also special to guys such as senior receiver Quenton Bundrage, who had never flown on a plane before.

“It was a good experience for the team,” he said. “At first I was nervous, but once I got in the air ...”

Until the ending ...

“The landing was a little shaky,” Bundrage said with a smile.

After landing, the Canes made their way to Turtle Creek, about 40 miles from Pittsburgh, and checked into their hotel before heading to the Wolvarena for a 30-minute walkthrough.

Then it was off to dinner. And today’s itinerary includes a team breakfast, a trip to check out some of the Rally’s early action and then, of course, the game.

“We’ve got to finish the job, guys,” Manatee coach Joe Kinnan told his team after Friday’s practice wrapped.

Friday, it got off to a solid start.