Manatee’s playoff hopes take big hit after its loss to Sarasota Riverview
Jay Turner spent last season as Lakewood Ranch High’s starting running back.
After transferring to Sarasota Riverview in the offseason, Turner needed to learn a new position with the Rams already set with a stable of quality running options.
The senior moved to defensive back and came up with the momentum-shifting play of a 42-14 victory over Manatee at the Ram Bowl on Friday night.
Turner’s interception was one of two turnovers that stunted Manatee’s offense in the first half.
“You can’t turn the ball over against a good team,” Manatee head coach Yusuf Shakir said. “You can’t turn the ball over and have missed assignments.”
Riverview (7-1 overall, 5-0 Class 8A-District 6) clinched the district title with the win as the Rams own the tiebreaker over the Hurricanes (3-2, 3-1) and Lithia Newsome, which had one district loss entering Friday, with wins against both programs. Manatee plays Newsome on Oct. 30 in a makeup game.
“We just stuck to the plan,” Riverview head coach Josh Smithers said. “... I think we just played Riverview Ram football and it worked out for us.”
Riverview football meant sticking to the running game, which saw quarterback Arthur Brantley throw just three passes in the first half.
Ali Boyce tallied 154 rushing yards, while Brantley (three rushing touchdowns) and Michael Hayes (113 rushing yards) rounded out Riverview’s main running game weapons.
The Rams, who jumped to a 14-0 lead, leaned on their defense after Manatee quarterback Keyon Fordham cut the early deficit in half with a 5-yard touchdown run.
Riverview extended the 14-7 lead to two scores with offensive precision prior to Turner’s interception, which put the game out of reach for the Canes.
The Rams turned that turnover and a Fordham fumble late in the second quarter into two touchdowns.
The latter enacted a running clock for the second half.
“That’s not acceptable for us,” Shakir said. “For this program, it’s not acceptable.”
Josh Booker led the Hurricanes with 42 rushing yards. Manatee was limited to 51 yards on the ground.
Fordham didn’t play in the second half as backup quarterback Ryan O’Neill produced a 17-yard touchdown pass to Mike Oliver for Manatee’s lone points after intermission.
Shakir said Fordham was banged up but didn’t specify the injury or indicate how much time – if any – he will miss.
From here, Manatee faces an uphill battle to secure a wild card into the playoffs. The Florida High School Athletic Association’s new playoff format that relies on a points system rather than awarding two berths from each district is a hindrance to a Canes program that lost out on potential big-point games with Lakeland and Braden River because of inclement weather earlier this season.
Shakir said Friday’s game is over and they’ll leave it in the past.
“You evaluate the film, coach your kids up and the kids have to take pride in what they do and how they do it,” Shakir said. “And then you just go forward into the next week.”
O’Neill finished 5 for 9 for 42 yards and an interception to go with his touchdown pass in place of Fordham, who completed six passes for 54 yards and an interception.
This story was originally published October 13, 2017 at 11:00 PM with the headline "Manatee’s playoff hopes take big hit after its loss to Sarasota Riverview."