Started in 1974, The Manatee Hurricanes vs. the Southeast Seminoles is a crosstown rivalry that usually declares county supremacy. The game is part of the “Great American Rivalry Series” sponsored by the Air Force. The two teams have clashed 30 times, with Manatee holding a slight edge (16-14). The game is one that the whole community looks forward to in the beginning of November.

MVP

A.J. Colagiavanni

Manatee

SCHOLAR ATHLETES

Jonathan Locke

Southeast

Jonathan is a 3-year letter winner in football, as a 4-year member of our wrestling team and a 2-year member of the track program. He was a 1st team All-State selection in football his junior year and was named Defensive MVP last year as well. Jonathan also qualified for state wrestling tournament as a junior and hopes to return his senior year as well. He is an International Baccalaureate student who plans to study business beginning in the fall.

Zach Reeves

Manatee

Zach is the highest GPA senior on the team with a GPA 3.661 and a weighted GPA of 4.303. He has played football all 4 years at Manatee, and 2 years on varsity. He played offensive guard and is part of the football team’s leadership council. He plans on study safety administration after he graduates and then would like to attend fire fighter school. His ultimate goal is to one day become fire fighter chief.

GAME SUMMARY

It has been a banner regular season for area high school football teams, but mostly Manatee High School as they are going to the playoffs for the eighth straight year after winning the game against Southeast High School. On Friday night when the game started Manatee High School was quick to score the first touchdown within minutes of the start of the game. Manatee senior A.J. Colagiovanni’s quarterback who was our Most Valuable Player of the night ended up scoring majority of all the touchdowns from Manatee. Colagiovanni feasted on Southeast and secondary with six touchdown passes and was efficient, too, in tossing a touchdown on 40 percent of his completions. The victory now means Manatee can punch a playoff ticket with a win this week. The Hurricanes haven’t missed the postseason since 2008. They’ll need help — Sarasota Riverview must lose Friday against one-win Tampa Alonso — to claim the program’s seventh straight district championship.