Hurricanes Likely to Hit Orlando Again This Fall

The 2012 Manatee Hurricanes will benefit from a strong group of veterans who return this season. Spring football opens with a lot of question marks but the Canes can rest assured that they will not have to scramble to fill many critical positions.

"We've got to fill some holes, that's evident here," said Hurricane head coach Joe Kinnan.

Kinnan graduated 21 players off of last year's roster. He will be searching for new running backs, linebackers and offensive linemen this spring and summer, and he admits it is not going to be easy. However, Kinnan has a core of returning veteran starters who will play an essential part of thier second state championship bid in as many years.

The quarterback and running back tandem of Cord Sandberg and Anthony Lauro remains intact, despite being off to a slow start.

"Anthony is out with a knee, we need him back; and Sandberg, this is the first day we've had him in pads," Kinnan said.

Sandberg is the center fielder on Manatee's baseball team. The baseball team went 20-10 and made the regional semifinals so Sandberg was committed late into the spring. Lauro injured his knee in training and is still not quite ready to suit up. That being said, the pair should prove an invaluable part of the Hurricane offense in 2012. Last year, they combined for just less than 73 percent of the Hurricane offense.

"We have great familiarity with each other," Sandberg said. "He knows what I'm capable of, I know what he's capable of, when he's going to make a cut, or when he's going to go up field."

The two have spent their high school careers together, even played against each other in youth league football.

Another factor in Manatee's 2012 campaign will be the return of their defensive line. All four starters across the front line return, including rising senior ends Blake Keller and Marquis Dawsey. Dawsey and Keller both had 14 sacks last year and will no doubt create all kinds of problems for opposing offenses in 2012.

The Hurricanes will not tiptoe into the playoffs in 2012 either. Aside from competing in a tough district, they will be battle tested after accepting their second offer to play a Miami-area team in the regular season. The Hurricanes are already scheduled to take on Class 6A runner up Miami Central on Sept.14. They recently accepted an offer to play Class 8A runner up Miami Miramar to open the season on Aug. 31.

"It helped us last year, playing some top teams like Don Bosco Prep and Our Lady of Good Counsel," said Kinnan.

The Canes host St.Petersburg Gibbs on May 25 for their spring game.