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October 31, 2009
This was a seesaw battle of two very good teams, with Venice seeming to be in charge and then all of a sudden looking up and being down 29-28 at 4:52 of the third quarter. They got themselves back together again enough to score twice late, and held off several Manatee charges to win it. "We will have to be better in four weeks", said Peacock after the game. "They had several opportunities that didn't work out for them, but we have got to improve". He probably was referring to the two long passes that were there to be had, but went just off the fingers of first Quentin Brundage at the Venice 5 yard line just before the half, then in the third, QB Brion Carnes led WR Ace Sanders about three inches too far, and the deep pass behind all Venice defenders was incomplete. Those were two chances, and Manatee had others. This could have very easily been a Manatee victory tonight, it just did not happen. Of course, Venice had something to do with it. QB Trey Burton was terrific, completing crucial passes to keep drives alive all night long, and running for over 150 yards himself, and scoring with three short TD runs, while WR Bo Ceravolo kept making key short yardage catches to move the chains, and RB Josh Boyles running hard as always. TE Beckett Wales had another big game, and scored two TDs. But it was Burton, continually escaping pressure, getting away when there seemed no way out, buying time, and keeping plays alive, that was really the difference. During the first Venice TD drive, on a 3rd-and-5 Burton was hit at the line of scrimmage, and straightened up by Marquis Dawsey, but ended up six yards downfield with a First Down. On the third TD drive, he broke loose from a certain sack with three Manatee defenders all over him, made a First Down, then six plays later, he escaped from the pocket again, and found Wales in the end zone for a 21-7 Venice lead. Manatee's Brion Carnes nearly matched him, though, hitting Ace Sanders all night with slants and posts, and gaining more than 50 yards with 2 TDs himself. Sanders impresses more every time I see him. Tonight he had 7 catches and nearly 200 yards with the bulk of that after the catch yards. He almost brought that District Title home to Bradenton with two great touchdown runs after catches, but it just was not to be. Defensively, Manatee's Drakkar Wilson, Chris Pompey, and Quinton Pompey had huge games up front, and made Burton earn every single yard. LBs Taylor Shipley, and Darius White earned a good night's sleep chasing Burton all over. Deonte Huggins and Dante Hornes made key tackles and plays all night. It still was not quite enough. For Venice, Manatee ran and passed like nobody else has all year. Manatee's undersized offensive line did a great job run blocking and trying to keep Venice's Brandon Wilkinson and Clay Burton off of Carnes. I thought they did a good job and hung in there tough. The game started off with a bang, as Carnes hit Sanders on a slant from the left WR spot on the 6th play from scrimmage , and Sanders raced 55 yards and put Manatee up, 7-0 after only two minutes. Venice marched right back. Josh Boyle took the first play handoff, found a little seam and raced 55 yards to the Manatee 30. Six plays later, Burton cashed it in with a short run, and it was 7-7. The next drive by Manatee produced the game's first turnover. Sensational Mike Blakely ran once for 35, and caught a pass for 15 more to get a first down at the Venice 32. However, another tipped pass, at least the eighth of the last two weeks for Venice, gave up yet another Mike Herndon interception, and the drive ended. Venice took over, Burton carried 4 times for 40 yards, then escaped pressure, drifted left and found Beckett Wales for a 26 yard TD pass, and it was 14-7, and looked as if neither team could stop each other. Yet another Dino Fanti tipped pass on the next Manatee drive stalled it at the Manatee 29, and produced the first punt. Venice took over after the punt at the Venice 24, and Burton went right to work. He passed to Bo Ceravolo three times in the drive, kept it himself three times, and then escaped pressure again to find trusty Beckett Wales again for the third touchdown, making it 21-7. Sanders returned the kickoff to the 50, but the possession fizzled when Carnes deep pass to Sanders was intercepted by James Lawson at the Venice 5. The Manatee defense finally got a stop and Kye Rodgers punted to midfield. Brion Carnes took eight plays, and overcame a bad pitchout to lead the Hurricanes to the end zone with 2:07 of the second quarter left. It was 21-13. Too much time for Burton. He hit Ceravolo twice more, hit Evan Boone with the old "lonely end' play for 12 and then calmly handed off to Danny Dillard for the 3 yard plunge to make it 28-13, with only 25 seconds left. Carnes tried to hit Brundage deep after scrambling out of trouble, and the ball was there, but bounced off Brundage's hands at the 5 incomplete as time ran out. The half ended 28-13 Venice. The trick play had to be paid back, and at the start of the second half, the Hurricanes did so. A beautifully executed onsides kick by Colby Lengel was recovered, and the Hurricanes were in business at the Venice 49. Three Mike Blakely runs, two more Sanders catches, and Carnes dove in himself from a yard out to narrow it to 28-20. Manatee got another defensive stop on the next series and forced a Kye Rodgers punt. They took over at their own 34. A couple more Blakely runs, a couple of completed Carnes passes, one to Sanders and one to Chase Sandberg got the 'Canes to a 1st-and-10 at the Venice 11. An inside pitch to Blakely was mishandled, however and Venice had their third turnover, and this one was very big. Even though Wilson tackled Boyle in the end zone two plays later, for a safety, it was 2 points, not six, and Venice had survived at 28-22. Or so they thought. After Manatee got the ball at the Venice 48 thanks to a Blakely kick return after the safety, Head Coach Kinnan went for broke. Carnes dropped back, found Sanders wide open at the 30, he broke one tackle at the 15, and went the distance, and in about 30 seconds, Manatee had grabbed the lead, 29-28. A four minute, 13-play drive from their own 20 brought Venice back to life. Three Ceravolo catches, a couple of Josh Boyle runs, and Burton found himself with a first-and-goal at the 3. He took it in himself, and Danny Dillard scored the two-point conversion on a direct snap to the tailback, and Venice had the lead it would not give up again, at 34-29. When Venice got another defensive stop on the next Manatee series, they put this one away. They went on a 6-minute, 16-play drive culminating in the last Burton TD, and this one was about over at 43-29. Manatee did not fold, they drove 70 yards to the Venice 13, when the officials got into some soup. Chase Sandberg appeared to catch a simple 5-yard out, but refused to go down and ended up in the end zone amidst a wild Manatee celebration. But wait, the call was " illegal helping of the runner", and the TD came off the board. They failed to convert two passes to Sanders, and at 1:56, the faithful started filing out of Hawkins Stadium. Venice took over at the 13. Three Burton victory formations and it was done. Final 43-29, Venice. Unless something very unforeseen happens these two will meet again. I want to be there. These two are very evenly matched, and even though Venice won tonight, don't tell me Manatee cannot win the rematch. They most certainly can. Best wishes to both these fine football teams.
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