- September 23, 2024
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Matanzas wide receiver Ladarian Baker sprints for a first down before getting pushed out of bounds by Seabreeze linemen Zabidiah Martin (55) and Matthew Wells. Photo by Michele Meyers
Officials stand at attention as the national anthem is played before the Matanzas-Seabreeze football game at the Daytona Stadium. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze cheerleaders pose before the game against Matanzas at the Daytona Stadium. Photo by Michele Meyers
A Seabreeze cheerleader warms up before the game against Matanzas at the Daytona Stadium. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze cheerleaders get ready before cheering at the game against Matanzas at the Daytona Stadium. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze cheerleaders get ready before cheering at the game against Matanzas at the Daytona Stadium. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze head coach Mike Klein talks to captains Brogan Kelly (4), Zachary Voltaire (1) and Luke Cloer (75) before the game against Matanzas at the Daytona Stadium. Photo by Michele Meyers
Elizabeth McMillan (center) performs with the Matanzas' band during the hafltime show at the game against Seabreeze. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze and Matanzas captains shake hands before the game at the Daytona Stadium. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze linebacker Dylan Hayes and quarterback Zachary Voltaire. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze cheerleaders are ready to cheer the Sandcrabs on as they face the Matanzas Pirates at the Daytona Stadium. Photo by Michele Meyers
Matanzas gets ready to take the field to battle Seabreeze at the Daytona Stadium. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze defensive back Jake Deising (21) stops Matanzas quarterback Caden Burchfield (7) as Logan Smith (right) comes in to assist in the game at the Daytona Stadium. Photo by Michele Meyers
Matanzas' Jaden Dormevil (8) returns a kickoff return as Jeffrey Powell (17) blocks in the game against Seabreeze at the Daytona Stadium. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze and Matanzas face off at the Daytona Stadium. Photo by Michele Meyers
Pass incomplete to Matanzas wide receiver Jordan Schendorf (12) as Seabreeze defensive back Jake Deising (21) attempts the interception. Photo by Michele Meyers
Matanzas quarterback Caden Burchfield (7) grabs the snap as Asim Tariq (54) and Jaylon Owens (71) block the Seabreeze defensive line. Photo by Michele Meyers
Matanzas cheerleaders get the crowd going during the game against Seabreeze. The Pirates won 18-10 on Friday, Sept. 20 at the Daytona Stadium. Photo by Michele Meyers
Matanzas head coach Matt Forrest. Photo by Michele Meyers
Elizabeth McMillan (center) performs with the Matanzas' band during the halftime show at the game against Seabreeze. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze's Sebastion Tocco (33) and Matanzas' Jaden Dormevil (8) sprint down field as Matanzas punts during the game at the Daytona Stadium. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze's Jeremias George (11) faces Matanzas' Ladarian Baker (3) during the game at the Daytona Stadium. Photo by Michele Meyers
Matanzas quarterback Caden Burchfield (7) scrambles out of the pocket as Seabreeze linebacker Matthew Wells (45) puts the pressure on. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze principal Tucker Harris (left) stands with the Little Sandcrabs before they join the cheerleaders at the game against Matanzas. Photo by Michele Meyers
Sandcrab Cash Kurz defends a pass to Matanzas wide receiver Thomas Larywon. Photo by Michele Meyers
Matanzas quarterback Caden Burchfield (7). Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze player Cash Kurz (left) attempts to intercept the pass meant for Matanzas wide receiver Jordan Schendorf (center) as Dylan Tocci (right) runs in to assist. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze fans take over the stands at the game against Matanzas at the Daytona Stadium. Photo by Michele Meyers
Matanzas head football coach Matt Forrest said the Pirates' game against Seabreeze on Sept. 20 was a case of two young teams finding their identity.
The Pirates seem to be on the right track. With an 18-10 win over the Sandcrabs at Daytona Stadium, Matanzas improved to 3-2 on the season.
After 17 Matanzas seniors graduated last year, Forrest said the Pirates have been rebuilding with a young core.
“For a lot of our guys, this was only their fifth start of varsity football,” he said. “For a lot of their guys, it was only their third start of varsity football. You saw two teams that were playing hard, playing fast and trying to find a way to win a football game. Mistakes happen when you go full speed like that. (The Sandcrabs are) getting better every week. We have to keep doing that as well.”
Seabreeze, which fell to 0-3, took an early lead on quarterback Zachary Voltaire's 61-yard touchdown run.
Less than one minute later, Matanzas wide receiver Ladarian Baker caught a pass from quarterback Caden Burchfield and took it into the end zone for a 60-yard touchdown.
Baker is a junior and has been playing football since the eighth grade. He said he was thankful for his coach, a great offensive line and a quarterback who got the ball to him.
“Good team, man,” he said. “We executed and did what we were supposed to do. I love them. We just did our thing.”
In the second quarter, Burchfield orchestrated a scoring drive which sophomore Wiley Connor finished off with a 1-yard touchdown run to put the Pirates up 13-7.
You saw two teams that were playing hard, playing fast and trying to find a way to win a football game. Mistakes happen when you go full speed like that. (The Sandcrabs are) getting better every week. We have to keep doing that as well.
— MATT FORREST, Matanzas head football coach
Voltaire appeared to score another touchdown in the second quarter, but it was called back because of an illegal shift. With less than a minute before halftime, Drew McNerney kicked a 35-yard field goal to pull the Sandcrabs within three points at 13-10.
Forrest said the Pirates’ defense is playing well, but the offense has to tighten up. They were forced into a lot of second-and-longs and third-and-longs which, he said, is hard for an inexperienced football team to overcome.
“We have to tighten up with overall execution,” he said. “It seems like the last two weeks we’ve been plagued by one guy on the field not doing the job 100% correctly. When you do that on offense against sound defensive teams, it catches you.”
Seabreeze quarterback Jayce Gainer came in for Voltaire eight minutes into the third quarter. He was sacked in the end zone after a bad snap resulting in a Matanzas safety. A little over two minutes later, Alex Procek kicked a 34-yard field goal for the Pirates.
Seabreeze turned the ball over with less than one minute left in the game to end the Sandcrabs hopes of a comeback.
Seabreeze receivers coach Mark Lewis said he attributed the mistakes to the Sandcrabs being a very young team. Head coach Mike Klein told his players they probably had close to 100 yards in penalties.
“The mistakes put (us) in a hole,” Lewis said. “(The players) fought valiantly to rectify everything to get back in the game, but unfortunately the hole that they dug was too deep.”
Matanzas hosts Mainland on Friday, Sept. 27 in a game that will likely decide the District 4-5A championship and an automatic spot in the playoffs. Mainland is 0-5 for the first time in 31 years, but the Bucs have played an extremely tough schedule and are aiming to reach the playoffs for the 31st consecutive season. Belleview, the other team in the district, has lost 13 games in a row. They are 0-4 this season.
Seabreeze travels to New Smyrna Beach on Friday.
Lewis said the Sandcrabs will be going back to the drawing board and focusing on all aspects of the game with the exception of special teams which continues to be their “bright spot.”
“If the other two phases of the game can catch up to our special teams, I think we are going to be good,” he said. “It’s a process.”
He said the Sandcrabs match up really well with the Barracudas.
“It’s going to come down to the team who makes the fewest mistakes,” Lewis said. “We’ve got a good group of kids. They work hard. They’re just learning how to win. We don’t have enough football experience now, but I like the future of our team.”
