I'd like to add that the 4 most talented teams I have ever seen in the state of FL (not in any order) were 2008 STA, 2005 Lakeland, 2006 MNW and 1994 Bradenton Southeast.
In 1994 Southeast beat STA deep in the playoffs. I did some research and found some Articles about that game on the STA website.
http://www.aquinasfootball.com/files/Raider_Tradition/NewsArticles/1994/St_Thomas_loses.html
http://www.aquinasfootball.com/files/Raider_Tradition/NewsArticles/1994/Eyes_tell_story.html
http://www.aquinasfootball.com/files/Raider_Tradition/NewsArticles/1994/Outmanned_St_Thomas.html
In one of them, I saw this quote from the STA coach at the time.
“We were outmanned,” said St. Thomas coach Mike Spencer. “There wasn’t a single matchup outside of our receivers where we were more talented than they were. That’s the most talented team St. Thomas has played in my 12 years as coach there.”
The best of the Southeast bunch on Friday was quarterback Peter Warrick, a first-team All State selection last year who leads the Seminoles potent option attack.
Warrick scored Southeast’s first two touchdowns Friday on the ground, then hooked up with receiver Ted Bryant on a 19-yard pass near the end of the second quarter to give the Seminoles a 21-0 lead.
But as good as Warrick was, the Southeast defense was even better. Safety Alphonso Roundtree intercepted four passes thrown by St. Thomas quarterback Frank Marciante, including one which he returned 37 yards for a touchdown midway in the third quarter to give the Seminoles a 28-0 lead.
Marciante was forced to throw 36 times because Southeast was giving up virtually nothing to St. Thomas runners. Roger Harriott, the Raiders’ leading rusher, gained only 23 yards on 13 carries.
“We tried to start off with the running game, but they have to have the best front seven in the state, if not the country,” said Marciante, who was repeatedly hit and was sacked five times.
Neither did Warrick who opened the scoring with 3:49 remaining in the first quarter, keeping on the option and running 24 yards for a touchdown.
Warrick scored in similar fashion midway through the second quarter by going outside of St. Thomas’ containment, turning inside, then breaking a handful of tackles for a 32-yard touchdown.
Southeast scored a crucial touchdown with only 10 seconds remaining in the first half to take a 21-0 lead. After St. Thomas kicker Matt Baader missed a 42-yard field goal, Southeast went 90 yards on eight plays in just over one minute for the score. The capper came on Warrick’s 19-yard pass to Bryant, who caught the ball inside St. Thomas’ 5-yard line, then dove in for the touchdown.
Southeast dogged Marciante all night en route to its 28-14 Class 5A state semifinal victory over St. Thomas, and afterward, Marciante used the one word that youths always overuse -- but this time the overwhelmed Marciante used it properly.
“Awesome,” he said.
His bleary eyes reflected the awe he was still trying to digest. Marciante threw just one interception all season until Southeast forced him into four.
“It wasn’t just him -- all of our guys were struggling against the speed of that defense,” St. Thomas Coach Mike Spencer said. “Our O-line was running around all night trying to handle them.”
“Their defense was the quickest I’ve seen all year,” Marciante said. “There were everything everyone said they would be and more.”
Southeast was #1 in the country but Peter Warrick, their star went out for an injury prior to the Sarasota Riverview game which they lost by 7 points due to lack of offense. That team was abolsutely loaded and sick!
This post was edited on 9/4 1:54 PM by djtomr941