Another lopsided win for Manatee

Manatee came out with a different look at the start of Friday night’s homecoming game, starting backup quarterback Ryan O’Neill, who later alternated with Keyon Fordham, the starter for the previous two games.

That formula worked out just fine with O’Neill passing for two touchdowns and Fordham running for a score as the Hurricanes broke open a close game with 28 unanswered points in the second half to defeat Palm Harbor University 51-13 in a Class 8A-District 6 matchup.

After dropping its first game, Manatee (3-1, 3-0 in Class 8A-District 6) has produced three lopsided victories in a row, with running clocks implemented in the fourth quarter of each.

“You always want to get as many players ready as possible,” Manatee first-year coach Yusuf Shakir said.

Fordham, who had back-to-back 100-yard rushing games with nine touchdowns in the previous two games, had 112 rushing yards, including 64 on a touchdown run that gave the Hurricanes a 37-13 lead.

As for O’Neill, he completed 8 of 11 passes for 152 yards, including a 15-yard touchdown to Napoleon Harris that staked Manatee to a 14-6 lead and a screen pass to Josh Booker, who rumbled down the

right sideline for a 58-yard touchdown early in the third quarter.

Shakir is considering rotating his quarterbacks after Friday night’s result: “We’ll see,” he said. “We’ll evaluate the film and go from there.”

Booker led a powerful running game, gaining a game-high 130 yards on 11 carries. That included two 4-yard touchdown runs and a 13-yard scoring run.

While the Hurricanes stymied the Palm Harbor ground game, which mustered 16 rushing yards, they were not nearly as effective against quarterback Wyatt Beasey, who completed 22 of 41 for 300 yards and two touchdowns.

“Their quarterback was very accurate and very efficient,” Shakir said.

Manatee did, however, have two interceptions. Bryan Valadares returned an interception 29 yards for a touchdown to account for the final margin and Cole Pearson had a pick in the first half.

BRADENTON CHRISTIAN 32, CARROLLWOOD DAY 20: Zach Seagreaves threw two touchdown passes as the host Panthers (3-3) extended their winning streak to three to reach .500 after an 0-3 start.

Seagreaves connected with Winston Spencer and Bathie Thiam on scoring strikes.

Thiam threw a touchdown pass to Alec Lucas on a fake field goal, had an 80-yard kickoff return and kicked a 37-yard field goal.

This story was originally published October 6, 2017 at 11:37 PM with the headline "Another lopsided win for Manatee."