Numbers Game | Braden River, Manatee High get familiar opposition in second playoff round
Familiar opponents loom in the second round of the playoffs for Manatee County's two surviving clubs. What started as a four-team affair was cut down in half after last Friday's slate. Braden River and Manatee, ranked Nos. 1 and 2, respectively, in the Herald's weekly Power Poll this season, were left standing.
In their way from reaching a region final are opponents they have recent history with. The Pirates get a rematch with Venice, who they defeated en route to this year's district title, while Manatee faces Orlando Dr. Phillips in the playoffs for a second straight year.
The Pirates have never reached a region final, while the Canes have won more than one playoff game in a season on 17 different times.
Both county schools earned wins against the foes they're playing this week, so will success be granted again?
We'll find out on Friday, but here are this week's important digits in another packed edition of Numbers Game to whet your appetite:
393
Total yards Venice piled up against Braden River last month. It's a season-high for a stingy Pirates' defense. allowing 156.8 total yards per game outside the game with Venice. The defensive unit will get a rematch with the Indians after both won playoff openers Friday. It's also at Braden River, where 2,166 paid fans made for an electric atmosphere in the regular-season meeting between the two top-five Class 7A ranked clubs. Venice quarterback Bryce Carpenter accounted for 66.4 percent of the offense (261 total yards), while Braden River running back Raymond Thomas chewed 202 of the Pirates' 213 rushing yards. He's out for the year with a knee injury, and Dexter Hodo has averaged 7.21 yards per carry since taking over the featured role in the backfield two weeks ago.
16
Consecutive home playoff games at Hawkins Stadium that has yielded a Manatee victory. The Hurricanes thwarted Orlando Oak Ridge last Friday behind Nick Null's career-best four field goals, which included a 52-yarder. That was one yard shy of the Manatee record set by Nick Tankersley in 2011.
The last time Manatee lost a home playoff game was in 2005, when the Canes fell to Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas in the state semifinals.
Now the Canes turn their attention to Orlando Dr. Phillips, where they'll travel to for a second straight year. Manatee defeated Dr. Phillips behind Null's game-winning field goal in the closing minutes of a Class 8A regional final in 2014. Unlike the 16-game home playoff winning streak, though, the Canes are just 7-6 in road playoff games since 2005.
9
Braden River's A.J. Moore became the ninth different Pirate to record an interception this season after the senior picked off Naples Gulf Coast quarterback Kaden Frost in Friday's Class 7A-Region 3 victory. Moore and Tyrone Collins added to Braden River's gaudy interception mark this season with picks against Gulf Coast. That means the Pirates now have 22 interceptions on the year.
8
Forced fumbles for Southeast's defense in a Class 5A-Region 3 quarterfinal at Fort Myers Dunbar last Friday. The Seminoles, though, couldn't benefit with five fumble recoveries in falling 16-2.
Kevin Johnson, who tallied an area-best 1,342 rushing yards, was limited to 35 yards on 25 carries. Counting the regular-season finale against Manatee, Johnson finished the last two games with an average of 1.72 yards per carry. Granted, he suffered a left shoulder injury against the Canes and played hurt against Dunbar.
.777
Manatee's winning percentage in the playoffs against Orange County programs. The Hurricanes are 7-2 all-time in the postseason against Orange County foes, only dropping games in 1981 to Orlando Evans and last season to Apopka. The Canes followed up that 1981 setback with the program's first state title in 1983. They didn't qualify for the playoffs in 1982. If Manatee is to repeat that history by claiming a state title in the first postseason following a playoff exit to an Orange County team, then the Canes will have to dust off Dr. Phillips for a second straight year. The Panthers are 13-6 all-time for on-field home playoff games. They had three home victories vacated later for using an ineligible player during the 2010 season that ended with a state title defeat by Miami Central.
6
Interceptions Saint Stephen's quarterback Fred Billy threw in the season against Lakeland Santa Fe Catholic. He tossed four of them in Saturday's Florida Bowl as the Falcons dropped the title game, 33-0, to Santa Fe. Billy threw 75 percent of his interceptions for the year (eight) against Santa Fe, which shut down the Falcons' high-octane offense. Saint Stephen's only two losses this season were against Santa Fe, the latest produced just 14 total yards of offense in the first half and 59 yards for the game. Billy, who entered the championship with 15.79 YPC in the postseason, was stymied into three rushing yards for the game. The Falcons, who averaged 39.9 points per game, were shut out for the first time this season.
Jason Dill, sports reporter, can be reached at 745-7017 or via email at jdill@bradenton.com. Follow him on Twitter @Jason__Dill and like his Facebook page at Jason Dill Bradenton Herald.
This story was originally published November 17, 2015 at 12:15 AM with the headline "Numbers Game | Braden River, Manatee High get familiar opposition in second playoff round ."