Cardinal Mooney’s Drew Lascari withdraws from Manatee High football coaching consideration

Manatee High School’s next head football coach still hasn’t been announced.

One name, though, is out of the running.

Cardinal Mooney head coach Drew Lascari told the Herald on Wednesday that he’s staying with the Cougars for the 2017 fall season. Lascari interviewed for the Manatee job and was among the 127 applicants obtained through a public records request.

Manatee’s national search began a few weeks before spring football practice started. Head coach John Booth, along with his twin brother and offensive coordinator James, announced their resignations in early April.

While James took the head coaching position at Plant City High, John resigned to take a financial adviser position with Edward Jones.

John Booth cited financial stability as his wife gave birth to their fourth child last December.

The Hurricanes qualified for the playoffs in all three of Booth’s seasons in charge but were bounced in the first round last fall for the first time since 2008.

Despite stepping down, Booth stayed on through the spring game. Manatee lost that game to last year’s Class 6A state runner-up Lakeland Lake Gibson, 23-21, on the road to wrap up its spring.

This story was originally published May 24, 2017 at 7:20 PM with the headline "Cardinal Mooney’s Drew Lascari withdraws from Manatee High football coaching consideration."