Braden River makes history, defeats Manatee for first time. It was an instant classic.

The banner on the press box along Braden River High’s home stands read, “KnowledgeStrong.”

It was the same message displayed on T-shirts of Knowledge McDaniel supporters at Thursday’s Section 3 appeal hearing to get the Braden River senior reinstated after he was ruled ineligible for the season last month.

And after he was announced as a team captain for Friday’s coin toss following the appeal hearing that resulted him being allowed to play three non-district games this year, the student body went bananas.

They got even louder after the game started and McDaniel had his first major involvement.

The eighth play of the opening drive to Friday’s showdown with Manatee saw McDaniel snag a 31-yard touchdown catch from Bryan Gagg. Later, McDaniel iced the Pirates’ 41-31 victory with a short yardage run to get a first down.

“It means a lot,” McDaniel said. “It shows that I have a lot of support behind me. It’s not just the parents. It’s the students, too. They love me. They care for me, too. So they wanted to see me play as well.”

The first half saw both teams clicking on offense in what turned the long-awaited game between the programs — they last played in 2012 — into an instant classic.

After his first touchdown, McDaniel scored a 26-yard touchdown where he broke a few tackles to cut Manatee’s early 14-6 lead down to one point.

The Hurricanes (1-2) built their lead through their own dynamic playmaker: Keyon Fordham. He had a 32-yard touchdown reception that included slipping through tackle attempts.

Fordham added a dizzying one-handed 36-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter to give Manatee its final lead of the night at 21-20. That’s because when McDaniel wasn’t pushing Braden River (2-1) ahead, it was running back Brian Battie breaking big runs.

“We knew Manatee is a great football team, they are extremely well-coached,” Braden River head coach Curt Bradley said. “We knew they were going to execute well and they did. We had to answer ... and overcome adversity. But that’s what this team has been about for the last five, six months. ... We’re dang dangerous when we’ve got everybody.”

Bradley added about Fordham: “He’s unbelievable. Great player. A fantastic player.”

A turning point in the second half happened with Braden River holding a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter. An offsides penalty took the Pirates from a third-and-10 to a third-and-Battie.

The Pirates tailback ran in a 43-yard touchdown to give Braden River a three-score lead, and they later iced it with McDaniel’s short yardage first down run.

“I know they can’t tackle me, so I’m just hitting it 1,000 miles an hour the first hole I see,” McDaniel said.

Braden River earned its first win in history over Manatee. But it was a victory that was even more special for McDaniel, considering his was ineligible to play when Thursday began.

Battie finished with 32 carries for 265 yards and four touchdowns. McDaniel played defense, offense and nearly capped the night with a touchdown run after he picked up a first down late to ice it. He was tackled at the 1, before Braden River took two knees to end the game.

“I wanted it so bad,” said McDaniel said, who finished with three catches for 81 yards and two touchdowns, and six carries for 50 yards. “... I was so mad when I fell at that (1).”