Canes pass another big test

TURTLE CREEK, Pa. — Distractions were staring Manatee in the face all week.

There was the afterglow of last week’s convincing win over Tampa Plant on national television that shot the Hurricanes up a bevy of national polls.

Then they had to deal with the first major road trip in program history — a 1,064-mile trip to western Pennsylvania to play in a cavernous stadium.

Turns out they weren’t phased one bit.

Powered by a dominant second half, the Hurricanes throttled host Woodland Hills, Pa., 39-16 in the finale of Saturday’s Rally at The Wolvarena in their regular-season opener.

It was the first out-of-state game ever for Manatee (1-0), and after falling behind 10-9 early in the third quarter, the Hurricanes dominated.

Their defense was the catalyst. Yancy Butler and Chase Sandberg picked off Woodland Hills’ quarterback Jevonte’ Pitts and the Hurricanes turned both plays into points.

Chase’s younger brother, Cord, hooked up with Quenton Bundrage for a 52-yard touchdown with 5:39 to go in the third quarter after Butler’s pick. On the ensuing two-point attempt, Bundrage stayed with a batted pass and hauled in the conversion, arming the Canes with a 17-10 lead.

They never looked back.

Moments after Chase returned his pick 32 yards to Woodland Hills’ 32, Mike Blakely took a direct snap out of the shotgun and sprinted 13 yards into the end zone, thrusting his right arm forward as he sliced ahead.

It was 24-10 with 2:47 to go in the third quarter, a lead padded by Hershel Caywood, who sacked Pitts in the end zone for a safety with 10:01 left in the game.

It didn’t hurt that Lafayette Pitts, Woodland Hills’ running back who is headed to Pitt, bruised his knee late in the first half and never came returned.

“If their running back didn’t get hurt, it would have been a lot closer,” said Manatee coach Joe Kinnan, gripping a wooden trophy of a football each winner received Saturday. “We were in a dogfight.”

Manatee made some adjustments. After the Wolverines recorded three first-half sacks, Cord Sandberg did more of a catch-and-release instead of dropping back.

It worked. He hooked up with Bundrage three times in the final two quarters, throwing for 329 yards and four touchdowns in his first regular-season varsity start.

Blakely finished with 86 rushing yards and 30 receiving yards.

“Defensively, the just pinned their ears back and came at us,” Blakely said. “I think we pulled it together. ... We just had to bulk up and get tough, and show we had a little more toughness in us, and on top of that, we had the speed.”

Anthony Lauro pulled in a touchdown pass for Manatee, which heads back to Bradenton today and hosts Palmetto on Friday.

Thanks to Saturday’s win, the plane ride should be pleasant.

“This was a great weekend for our kids,” Kinnan said.