Prep football: Sandberg in the mix for MaxPreps' National Player of the Year

photo by Paul Videla

MaxPreps thinks a lot of Manatee's football team, ranking the Hurricanes No. 1 in its Xcellent Top 25 since before the season started.
MaxPreps thinks a lot of Manatee's quarterback, too.
Cord Sandberg is listed under the heading Moving Up Quickly in the site's recent National Football Player of the Year Watch, written by Kevin Askeland.
"(Sandberg) makes the list this week more for his leadership skills than his stats," Askeland wrote. "While not a fantasy football-type stat producer along the lines of a Drew Brees, Sandberg earns kudos from opposing coaches due to his poise and competitiveness."
Sandberg was named the Class 7A Player of the Year in 2011 and placed third in the balloting for Mr. Football.
He has thrown for 976 yards, 14 touchdowns and no interceptions this year for Manatee, which takes a 5-0 record into Friday's non-district game against Weston Cypress Bay.
The favorite to win the Player of the Year honor is Yulee's Derrick Henry, who has already rushed for 1,954 yards and 27 touchdowns this year, and he has totaled 9,818 rushing yards in his career.