AROUND THE STATE MEDIA INTERCEPTIONS

Manatee tops Maxpreps Preseason Top 25 high school football early contenders rankings

Strengths: No team has a better combination of success in 2011 and key returners than Manatee, Florida’s defending Class 7A state champion. Top 100 quarterback Cord Sandberg is in his third season at the helm of the offense. He’ll be protected by an offensive line that is nearly intact, which will allow Sandberg to connect with top target Anthony Lauro. Lauro will also be used in the backfield. The team’s biggest strength by far is its defensive line. It returns Marquis DawseyBlake KellerDerrick Calloway and Demarcus Christmas, a tremendous blend of pass rushers and run stoppers that wreaked havoc last year and will be noticeably better this fall.

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