Braden River's volleyball team is on track to win another district championship.
Following Tuesday night's win over Palmetto, the Pirates are 12-1 overall and most importantly, 4-0 in Class 4A-District 10.
They have two more district games remaining, against St. Petersburg Dixie Hollins and Seminole Osceola, and can clinch the coveted No.1 seed. That would ensure Braden River of not only a first-round bye, but a district semifinal game at home and the possibility of hosting the title game, as well.
Braden River clinched the tournament's top seed last season en route to winning the program's first district title. The Pirates were also home throughout the regional playoffs, as well.
"We started off very slow at the beginning of the season," said coach Steven Haugh, who said his team turned a corner when they swept Lakewood Ranch earlier this season. "I think it really changed their confidence."
The Pirates will be in action this weekend in the county tournament at Bayshore.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Rankings don't rattle Kinnan
Armed with a 3-0 start and a convincing win over Tampa Plant in a Kickoff Classic, Manatee finds itself on a number of national prep football polls.
It just doesn't find itself in the same place on any of them.
The Hurricanes are ranked second by ESPN Rise and fifth by USA Today - but 33rd by Rivals.com.
None of this means much to coach Joe Kinnan, however.
"I don't even know what we are," he said. "You just keep winning, and it just takes care of itself at the end."
Rankings mean little when it comes to what happens on a Friday night. Just ask the Canes, who were unranked heading into last year's Class 5A state final four and defeated Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas, ranked No.1 in the nation at the time.
"You go 15-0, and it will take care of itself. You don't, and you're not a top-10 team," Kinnan said. "If you can't win 15 games, you probably don't deserve to be in the top 10."
Manatee was idle last week and hosts Lakewood Ranch on Friday before beginning Class 5A-District 10 play Oct.8 against visiting Sarasota. The Hurricanes are still a bit banged up - defensive back Clinton Heaven (jaw) and wide receiver Anthony Lauro (knee) will not play Friday - but district play is what they are working toward, especially since Manatee hasn't won a district title since 2006.
"We broke this season down into a preseason, where we've got some really good people that we're going to play against," Kinnan said. "This is the district season. We've got to prepare ourselves."
It just doesn't find itself in the same place on any of them.
The Hurricanes are ranked second by ESPN Rise and fifth by USA Today - but 33rd by Rivals.com.
None of this means much to coach Joe Kinnan, however.
"I don't even know what we are," he said. "You just keep winning, and it just takes care of itself at the end."
Rankings mean little when it comes to what happens on a Friday night. Just ask the Canes, who were unranked heading into last year's Class 5A state final four and defeated Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas, ranked No.1 in the nation at the time.
"You go 15-0, and it will take care of itself. You don't, and you're not a top-10 team," Kinnan said. "If you can't win 15 games, you probably don't deserve to be in the top 10."
Manatee was idle last week and hosts Lakewood Ranch on Friday before beginning Class 5A-District 10 play Oct.8 against visiting Sarasota. The Hurricanes are still a bit banged up - defensive back Clinton Heaven (jaw) and wide receiver Anthony Lauro (knee) will not play Friday - but district play is what they are working toward, especially since Manatee hasn't won a district title since 2006.
"We broke this season down into a preseason, where we've got some really good people that we're going to play against," Kinnan said. "This is the district season. We've got to prepare ourselves."
County volleyball tourney this weekend
Bayshore will host the Manatee County volleyball tournament, which gets underway around 3:30 p.m. Friday and resumes 8 a.m. Saturday.
Pool A will consist of defending county champion Bradenton Christian, Bayshore, Manatee and Southeast.
Pool B features Saint Stephen's, Braden River, Lakewood Ranch and Palmetto.
The finals are scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday.
Pool A will consist of defending county champion Bradenton Christian, Bayshore, Manatee and Southeast.
Pool B features Saint Stephen's, Braden River, Lakewood Ranch and Palmetto.
The finals are scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Auburn earns rave reviews from Mike Blakely
Auburn didn't dent its chances of successfully courting Mike Blakely this weekend.
Blakley, Manatee's highly-touted running back, took an official visit to the school this weekend, and considers the Tigers his co-favorites - along with the Florida Gators.
"It was real fun," Blakely said Tuesday evening."Stayed at a nice hotel..I hung out with the players Friday and Saturday, and got to talk to the coaches in between that.
"It's (Auburn) and Florida at the top of my list."
Blakley also took in Auburn's 37-25 win over South Carolina, which improved the Tigers to 4-0 overall and 2-0 in the Southeastern Conference. Auburn is ranked 10th by Associated Press and 11th in USA Today.
Former Hurricane Ace Sanders is a freshman receiver for the Gamecocks.
"I got to see him," Blakely said, "but I didn't get to talk to him."
Blakley has rushed for 437 yards and nine touchdowns for 3-0 Manatee, which hosts Lakewood Ranch on Friday. He has earned around 40 Division I offers, but earlier this season said he is looking to play in the SEC.
Blakely said he hasn't scheduled any other official visits yet but may visit Gainesville on Oct. 9 when the Gators host LSU.
Blakley, Manatee's highly-touted running back, took an official visit to the school this weekend, and considers the Tigers his co-favorites - along with the Florida Gators.
"It was real fun," Blakely said Tuesday evening."Stayed at a nice hotel..I hung out with the players Friday and Saturday, and got to talk to the coaches in between that.
"It's (Auburn) and Florida at the top of my list."
Blakley also took in Auburn's 37-25 win over South Carolina, which improved the Tigers to 4-0 overall and 2-0 in the Southeastern Conference. Auburn is ranked 10th by Associated Press and 11th in USA Today.
Former Hurricane Ace Sanders is a freshman receiver for the Gamecocks.
"I got to see him," Blakely said, "but I didn't get to talk to him."
Blakley has rushed for 437 yards and nine touchdowns for 3-0 Manatee, which hosts Lakewood Ranch on Friday. He has earned around 40 Division I offers, but earlier this season said he is looking to play in the SEC.
Blakely said he hasn't scheduled any other official visits yet but may visit Gainesville on Oct. 9 when the Gators host LSU.
Hurricanes hold steady, fall a bit
The voters of ESPN RISE have kept Manatee entrenched in the No. 2 on the weekly poll.
The Hurricanes were idle last week and remain seven points behind Euless, Texas and one point ahead of Grant High from Sacramento, California.
Manatee is also second in the state in Class 5A, right behind Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas. The Raiders earned six first-place votes to the Canes' four.
Rivals, however, dropped Manatee three more slots to No. 33.
The Hurricanes (3-0) host Lakewood Ranch (3-1) on Friday.
The Hurricanes were idle last week and remain seven points behind Euless, Texas and one point ahead of Grant High from Sacramento, California.
Manatee is also second in the state in Class 5A, right behind Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas. The Raiders earned six first-place votes to the Canes' four.
Rivals, however, dropped Manatee three more slots to No. 33.
The Hurricanes (3-0) host Lakewood Ranch (3-1) on Friday.
Monday, September 20, 2010
Manatee tumbles in Rivals rankings
Despite a 3-0 record, Manatee isn't winning in an impressive enough fashion for the folks at rivals.com.
The Hurricanes fell 23 places in the latest RivalsHigh 100 rankings and are now 30th.
"Manatee has had two unspectacular performances in a row, dropping the Hurricanes in both Florida and national rankings," the website reads. "This week, the team trailed 24-7 at half before fighting back to win, 31-24, against Southeast. A rivalry game? Yes. A good performance? No."
The team Manatee knocked of in a Class 5A state semifinal last year, Fort Laurderdale St. Thomas Aquinas, is going the opposite direction, jumping from No. 32 to No. 6, making the Raiders the poll's top-ranked Florida team.
Not everyone shared Rivals' sentiment. ESPN RISE kept Manatee at No. 2, and Manatee fell just one spot to No.5 in USA Today's top 25.
The Hurricanes are the top-ranked team in Florida in both polls.
What does this all mean? Nothing, really. Manatee's important stretch of season doesn't begin until Oct. 8, when the Hurricanes host Sarasota in a 5A-District 10 opener.
The Hurricanes fell 23 places in the latest RivalsHigh 100 rankings and are now 30th.
"Manatee has had two unspectacular performances in a row, dropping the Hurricanes in both Florida and national rankings," the website reads. "This week, the team trailed 24-7 at half before fighting back to win, 31-24, against Southeast. A rivalry game? Yes. A good performance? No."
The team Manatee knocked of in a Class 5A state semifinal last year, Fort Laurderdale St. Thomas Aquinas, is going the opposite direction, jumping from No. 32 to No. 6, making the Raiders the poll's top-ranked Florida team.
Not everyone shared Rivals' sentiment. ESPN RISE kept Manatee at No. 2, and Manatee fell just one spot to No.5 in USA Today's top 25.
The Hurricanes are the top-ranked team in Florida in both polls.
What does this all mean? Nothing, really. Manatee's important stretch of season doesn't begin until Oct. 8, when the Hurricanes host Sarasota in a 5A-District 10 opener.
Saturday, September 18, 2010
A learning experience for Manatee
In an attempt to rectify his team's present, Joe Kinnan referred to the past.
The Hurricanes were down by 17 at the half to Southeast on Friday, and Kinnan, Manatee's head coach, dialed into last year's Class 5A state final against Tampa Plant.
The Hurricanes trailed 21-0 at halftime before falling 21-14 to the Panthers last December.
"This exactly what you did against Plant. But we're only down (17) instead of 21," Kinnan told his players at halftime Friday at Southeast. "So let's come back and let's play Manatee football."
The Hurricanes did, rallying for 24 unanswered points en route to a 31-24 win.
Manatee hadn't been pushed this season until the Seminoles marched into the half with a 24-7.
Heading into a bye week, Kinnan hopes Manatee can learn something from the win.
"You've got to come ready to play," he said.
The Hurricanes were down by 17 at the half to Southeast on Friday, and Kinnan, Manatee's head coach, dialed into last year's Class 5A state final against Tampa Plant.
The Hurricanes trailed 21-0 at halftime before falling 21-14 to the Panthers last December.
"This exactly what you did against Plant. But we're only down (17) instead of 21," Kinnan told his players at halftime Friday at Southeast. "So let's come back and let's play Manatee football."
The Hurricanes did, rallying for 24 unanswered points en route to a 31-24 win.
Manatee hadn't been pushed this season until the Seminoles marched into the half with a 24-7.
Heading into a bye week, Kinnan hopes Manatee can learn something from the win.
"You've got to come ready to play," he said.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
