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Florida high school football: 3 takeaways from Gulf Coast-Manatee spring game

We bring you three takeaways from Wednesday night's spring contest on Joe Kinnan Field at Hawkins Stadium

Andy Villamarzo

Manatee running back Caedon White scores on this touchdown run in the Hurricanes' 35-22 win over Gulf Coast Wednesday night
Manatee running back Caedon White scores on this touchdown run in the Hurricanes' 35-22 win over Gulf Coast Wednesday night / Courtesy of Billy D. Photography

BRADENTON, FLORIDA- Coming off a season in which the Manatee came on the doorstep of reaching the Class 5A state championship game, the Hurricanes looked to put on a good performance heading into the summer when they welcomed Gulf Coast into town.

The Hurricanes had a solid showing as they defeated Gulf Coast, 35-22, Wednesday evening on Joe Kinnan Field at Hawkins Stadium.

It was the debut of quarterback Logan Rogers, who transferred in from Hillsborough High during the off-season, for Manatee. Along with some other names that stood out, the Hurricanes and Sharks displayed why they will both be a force in their respective regions.

High School On SI Florida was on hand for the game and we give you three takeaways from the battle over in Bradenton.

1. Manatee's offense remains solid after graduation hits

When you lose players like Andrew Heidel (Army signee), Keishawn Smith, Jalen Bryant and Torey Gilley on offense, you expect to take a little bit of a step back. For the Hurricanes, they looked fairly good despite losing the aforementioned names behind a new crop of players at quarterback, running back and wide receiver. Rogers made his Manatee debut and made some good throws on the evening, playing with the Hurricanes' pro-style offense. Behind Rogers was the running back tandem of 2028 Caedon White and Keith Smith, who is the younger brother of Keishawn. Out wide, J'Kwan Williams certainly stood out as the team's go-to-pass catcher and could be in line to be a 1,000-yard receiver come the fall. Expect this group to improve over the summer and into official practices.

2. Gulf Coast didn't back down one iota

If you think Gulf Coast was just expecting to waltz into Bradenton and lay down for Manatee, you got a totally different game than expected. The Shark, whom went 5-5 last fall, went in with a new starter under center and played well against the 2024 state semifinalists. Behind a solid evening from 6-foot-3 quarterback Michael Hope and seniors Julian Rodriguez, Jacob Nolan, the Sharks showcased why they could be a much different team out of Southwest Florida this upcoming fall campaign. Gulf Coast methodically moved the ball downfield against Manatee's defense, which was adjusting to life after defensive tackles Ean Johnson-Kelley and Alvoid Kennon Jr. both graduated. Though many thought this game might get out of hand, Gulf Coast made sure it didn't and even got to within 21-14 in the third quarter. This was a close contest regardless of the 13-point margin.

3. The Hurricanes have a little ways to go until Aug. 22 St. John Bosco tilt

Now following up on the previous take, this is not your 2024 Class 5A state semifinalist Manatee. This particular Hurricanes group is a work in progress and could certainly have the overall talent to get back in the Final Four in 5A. Talent wise, Manatee has an abundance of it up and down the sidelines. What the team lacks is more so game experience and chemistry all around, but the summer will determine how much better Manatee can get before a highly anticipated matchup against St. John Bosco (California) on Aug. 22nd. Jacquez Green's bunch has a little ways to go until then, but this Hurricanes team has potential and getting more experience under their belt will go a long way.

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-- Andy Villamarzo | villamarzo@scorebooklive.com | @highschoolonsi

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Andy Villamarzo
ANDY VILLAMARZO

Andy Villamarzo has been a sports writer in the Tampa Bay (FL) Area since 2007, writing for publications such as Tampa Bay Times, The Tampa Tribune, The Suncoast News, Tampa Beacon, Hernando Sun to name a few. Andy resides out of the Tarpon Springs, FL area and started as a writer with SB Live Sports in the summer of 2022 covering the Tampa Bay Area. He has quickly become one of Florida's foremost authorities on high school sports, appearing frequently on podcasts, radio programs and digital broadcasts as an expert on team rankings, recruiting and much more.

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