Prep football: How Manatee dealt with its short week

photo by John Lembo

Joe Kinnan needed one word to sum up Manatee’s week.

“Short,” Manatee’s head coach said following Thursday’s practice inside Hawkins Stadium.

That it was. The Hurricanes opened the regular season Sunday with a 41-6 win over Miramar on national television, a win that helped Manatee vault to the No.1 ranking in USA Today’s Super 25.

Four days later, they return to action when the Canes head to the Ram Bowl tonight to face Riverview.

“(Thursday) was day 10, where we either practiced or played, in a row,” KInnan said. “(Today) will be day 11.”

Manatee went without pads during Monday’s 45-minute practice, and didn’t go in full pads Tuesday or Wednesday.

“We went less than two hours both days,” said Kinnan, adding Thursday’s practice went a little over an hour.

Most importantly, Kinnan said, Manatee heads to Sarasota tonight healthy.

The Hurricanes return home next week to host Miami Central, last year’s state runner-up in Class 6A that was ranked No.1 by USA Today before losing 35-3 to Grayson (Ga.) last week. Then they have a bye before heading to rival Southeast on Sept. 28.

“We had a Kickoff Classic then we had three games,” Kinnan said. “That’s a fine time to have a break.

“We did a good job, and we just need to continue on and play with great intensity and play like we’re capable of playing.”