Prep football: Former Manatee RB Mike Blakely leaving Auburn

photo by Grant Jefferies

Mike Blakely is on the move.
Again.
Manatee's former standout running back is no longer enrolled at Auburn, according to the Ledger-Enquirer of Columbus, Ga.
The paper was told of Blakely's departure Wednesday night by Kirk Sampson, Auburn's associate athletic director.
Blakely ran for 153 yards on 33 carries for the Tigers, but in November, tweeted "up bored spending my last days in AU wisely! change is coming in my life", according to the Ledger-Enquirer. Blakely  said he was referring to getting a break from school, but was never again made available to reporters.
Blakely was a four-year starter for the Hurricanes and rushed for 1,323 yards and 16 touchdowns while helping Manatee reach the Class 5A state title game in 2009. He committed to Florida in the fall of 2010, graduated early from Manatee was enrolled and taking classes in Gainesville by January 2011.
But Blakely decided to transfer to Auburn in May of that year. Auburn was the only school Blakely visited officially during the recruiting process.
While it is unclear where Blakely will wind up, he did visit USF before deciding on Auburn.
The Bulls are coached by former Manatee standout Willie Taggart.

Read more here: http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/2013/01/30/2364410/running-back-mike-blakely-leaves.html#storylink=cpy

Prep basketball: Boys district pairings

photo by Tiffany Tompkins-Condie

Antonio Blakeney and the Cardinal Mooney Cougars are the only team to take a No.1 seed into next week's boys district basketball tournaments.
Listed below are the area pairings, with each team's seed in parentheses.
CLASS 6A-DISTRICT 12
MONDAY, FEB. 4 - Quarterfinals
(5) Lakewood Ranch at (4) St. Petersburg Dixie Hollins, 7 p.m.
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 6 - Semifinals
(3) Palmetto at (2) Seminole Osceola, 7 p.m.
Lakewood Ranch/Dixie Hollins at (1) Largo, 7 p.m.
FRIDAY, FEB. 8 - Championship
7 p.m. at highest remaining seed

CLASS 7A-DISTRICT 11
MONDAY, FEB. 4 - Quarterfinals
(6) Manatee at (3) Braden River, 7 p.m.
(5) Sarasota at (4) Venice, 7 p.m.
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 6 - Semifinals
Manatee/Braden River at (2) Charlotte, 7 p.m.
Sarasota/Venice at (1) Port Charlotte, 7 p.m.
FRIDAY, FEB. 8 - Championship
7 p.m. at highest remaining seed

CLASS 5A-DISTRICT 12
TUESDAY, FEB. 5 - Quarterfinals
(5) Bayshore at (4) Southeast, 7 p.m.
(6) Dunedin at (3) St. Petersburg Lakewood, 7 p.m.
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 6 - Semifinals
Bayshore/Southeast at (1) St. Petersburg Gibbs, 7 p.m.
Lakewood/Dunedin at (2) Gulfport Boca Ciega, 7 p.m.
FRIDAY, FEB. 8 - Championship
7 p.m. at Pinellas County school unless both finalists are from Manatee County

CLASS 3A-DISTRICT 10 at SAINT STEPHEN'S
TUESDAY, FEB. 5 - Semifinals
(4) Saint Stephen's vs. (1) Cardinal Mooney, 5 p.m.
(3) Out-of-Door Academy vs. (2) Bradenton Christian, 7 p.m.
FRIDAY, FEB. 8 - Championship
7 p.m.

Prep football: Manatee's Thor Miller added to list of commitments

photo by Grant Jefferies

Manatee offensive lineman Thor Miller, above, has committed to McNeese State University, a Louisiana school that competes in the Football Championship Subdivision, previously known as Division I-AA.
Hurricanes assistant coach Chris Conboy said Miller committed to the school over the weekend.
Miller was a two-year starter for Manatee and was the only senior lineman this year. He was selected to the FACA All-Star game.
Listed below is a list of area football players who have made their college choices heading into National Signing Day, scheduled for Feb. 6.
If you know of any other commits, feel free to email me at jlembo @bradenton.com.

MANATEE
Derrick Calloway, DL, USF
Blake Keller, DL, UCF
Anthony Lauro, WR/RB, Akron
Thor Miller, OL, McNeese State
Cord Sandberg, QB, Mississippi State
Willie Smith, DB, FIU

PALMETTO
Cory Crawford, WR/RB, Temple
Shaq Harris, WR, University of Massachusettes

SOUTHEAST
Eric Thompson, DB, Youngstown State

Boys soccer: Regional pairings

photo by Tiffany Tompkins-Condie

Ian Nolan's Lakewood Ranch Mustangs and Carlos Reyes' Manatee Hurricanes will be in action Wednesday when the regional boys soccer playoffs get underway.
Listed below are the pairings for area teams.
Games are at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted, and winners advance to Saturday's semifinal round.

CLASS 4A-REGION 3
Naples Gulf Coast at Lakewood Ranch
Manatee at Naples Barron Collier
CLASS 3A-REGION 3
Tampa King at Palmetto
CLASS 1A-REGION 2
Largo Indian Rocks Christian at Saint Stephen's, 3:30 p.m.

Prep wrestling: Manatee wins county tourmanent

photo by Tiffany Tompkins-Condie

Jesse Fulk and the Manatee Hurricanes are again county wrestling champions.
Thanks to a tense 25-23 win over Palmetto, the Canes clinched their third straight title and 16th in 17 years.
Listed below are the county champions in each weight class.
Check out Friday's edition of The Bradenton Herald to read more about it.

106 pounds — Anthony Slack, Bayshore; Justin Robertson, Manatee
113 — Caleb Rudisill, Manatee
120 — Robert Collier, Lakewood Ranch
126 — Ben Cocroft, Bayshore
132 — Chase Washington, Palmetto
138 — Jared Dipsiner, Lakewood Ranch
145 — Jesse Fulk, Manatee
152 — Nathan Callihan, Palmetto
160 — Tyler Williford, Palmetto
172 — John Baldwin, Manatee
182 — Daniel Hauser, Palmetto
195 — Robert McLachlan, Palmetto
220 — Petro Marin, Bayshore
285 — Tylor Cosby, Bayshore

Mike Kelly Most Outstanding Wrestler — Caleb Rudisill, Manatee

Prep football: Manatee's season awards

photo by Grant Jefferies

Listed below were the awards handed out at Manatee's football banquet:


CHARLES BROWN SR. 110% EFFORT AWARD - John McElfresh
LU FILES 12TH MAN AWARD - Jon Carter
BIG PLAY AWARD, OFFENSE - Ja Juan Pollock
BIG PLAY AWARD, DEFENSE - Willie Smith
MOST IMPROVED - Malik Brooks
COMEBACK PLAYER - Kyle Mauk
HAMMER AWARD - Darrian Mabrey
IRON CANE STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING AWARD - Brodrick Yancy
COACHES AWARD, OFFENSE - Michael Galati
COACHES AWARD, DEFENSE - Blake Keller
CO-OUTSTANDING SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYERS - Jonathan Hernandez, Gregory Moss
OUTSTANDING OFFENSIVE BACK - Trevon Walters
OUTSTANDING DEFENSIVE BACK - Darin Ardis
OUTSTANDING RECEIVER - Marquel Hines
OUTSTANDING OFFENSIVE LINEMAN - Thor Miller
OUTSTANDING DEFENSIVE LINEMAN - Derrick Calloway
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER, OFFENSE - Cord Sandberg
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER, DEFENSE - Marquis Dawsey

Girls basketball: District pairings





photo by Paul Videla

Breanna Nice and the Southeast Seminoles earned a first-round bye and the No.2 seed for the Class 5A-District 12 district tournament, which gets underway next week.
Listed below are the tournaments involving area schools. Seeds are in parentheses.


CLASS 7A-DISTRICT 11
MONDAY, JAN. 28 - QUARTERFINALS
(6) Manatee at (3) Braden River, 7 p.m.
(5) Venice at (4) Charlotte, 7 p.m.
(1) Sarasota, bye
(2) Port Charlotte, bye
WEDNESDAY, JAN 30 - SEMIFINALS
Manatee/Braden River at Port Charlotte, 7 p.m.
Venice/Charlotte at Sarasota, 7 p.m.
FRIDAY, FEB. 1 - CHAMPIONSHIP
7 p.m. at highest remaining seed

CLASS 6A-DISTRICT 12
MONDAY, JAN. 28 - QUARTERFINAL
(5) Largo at (4) Palmetto, 7 p.m.
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 30 - SEMIFINAL
Palmetto/Largo at (1) Seminole Osceola, 7 p.m.
(3) St. Petersburg Dixie Hollins at (2) Lakewood Ranch, 7 p.m.
FRIDAY, FEB. 1 - CHAMPIONSHIP
7 p.m. at highest remaining seed

CLASS 5A-DISTRICT 12
TUESDAY, JAN. 29 - QUARTERFINALS
(5) St. Petersburg Gibbs at (4) Bayshore, 7 p.m.
(6) Dunedin at (3) Gulfport Boca Ciega, 7 p.m.
(1) St. Petersburg Lakewood, bye
(2) Southeast, bye
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 30 - SEMIFINALS
Gibbs/Bayshore at St. Petersburg Lakewood, 7 p.m.
Boca Ciega/Dunedin at Southeast, 7 p.m.
FRIDAY, FEB. 1 - CHAMPIONSHIP
7 p.m. at Manatee County school unless both teams are from Pinellas

CLASS 3A-DISTRICT 10 AT OUT-OF-DOOR ACADEMY
TUESDAY, JAN. 29 - SEMIFINALS
(4) Saint Stephen's vs. (1) Cardinal Mooney, 5 p.m.
(3) Out-of-Door Academy vs. (2) Bradenton Christian, 7 p.m.
FRIDAY, FEB. 1 - CHAMPIONSHIP
7 p.m. at Out-of-Door Academy