After loss in regional championship, Manatee Hurricanes already looking toward 2020

Manatee High’s future didn’t look bright just 11 weeks ago.

The Hurricanes started 0-3, losing by a combined 63 points. A losing record in the regular season seemed like a distinct possibility, and a deep playoff run was very unlikely.

But the Hurricanes responded with a run that led them to Friday night’s Class 7A-Region 3 championship game, where their season ended with a 34-17 loss to Venice. Although they won’t advance to the state semifinals, the Hurricanes were happy with their rebound.

“We started off 0-3, a lot of people were down on us,” Hurricanes senior defensive lineman/tight end Ryan Ives said. “No one thought we’d even make it to the playoffs.”

Indians wide receiver Malachi Wideman, a Florida State football and basketball commit, caught three touchdowns, including an 82-yarder in the second quarter that broke open the game. The score extended the Indians’ lead to 21-10 with 1:04 left in the first half.

But the Hurricanes (8-5) were done in by the Indians’ rushing offense, which gained 269 yards on 59 carries. Quarterback Steffan Johnson led the Indians (8-4) with 137 yards on 32 carries. His ability to lead the Indians on extended drive kept the Hurricanes’ offense off the field.

“I think we lost the game because we couldn’t stop the run,” Ives said. “I just think if everyone had filled their spots, filled their gaps, then we’d be set. I think that wouldn’t have been a problem. But it is what it is. You can’t think about it now.”

Added Hurricanes coach Yusuf Shakir: “Basically, it came down to third downs. We didn’t convert on third downs, and they did, and we didn’t stop them.”

The Hurricanes lose a lot of talented players to graduation, including vital ones on both sides of the ball. But they return a lot of talent that can help them make another deep playoff run.

Junior wide receiver Jayden Corbett broke out this season with 13 touchdown catches, and junior Irone Jackson and sophomore Jaleel Duncan each added another four.

Sophomore running back Kyree Jones rushed for 648 yards as a freshman last year before suffering a knee injury that ended his season before he played a snap.

Those skill position players will be led by sophomore quarterback Jayce Berzowski, who entered Friday night with 1,546 passing yards and 24 touchdowns against six interceptions.

Defensively, several of the team’s top returning tacklers are coming back.

It’s the foundation of another team that can replicate the deep postseason run of the 2019 team. The future looks bright for the Hurricanes, much different than it did in the not-so-distant past.

“No one on this team had made it to the third round,” Ives said. “I think we have a young group coming back that I think is going to take it way further. I think they’re going to take it all the way to states next year. I think this is a really good thing to build on.”

This story was originally published November 23, 2019 at 7:19 AM.