With Anthony Lauro out of the lineup, the Manatee offense didn't skip a beat Friday night.
Lauro, who is out for the season with a torn ACL, was forced to watch from the sidelines, but his replacement did a fine job in his absence.
Marquel Hines scored three second-half touchdowns as No. 1 Manatee held off Cypress Bay, 42-20, to improve to 6-0 on the season.
After Cypress Bay pulled to within a touchdown in the third quarter, 14-7, Hines put the team on his back, or his legs rather. The junior scored back-to-back touchdowns, a 22-yard strike from Cord Sandberg and a 13-yard touchdown run off a pitch to put the 'Canes comfortably ahead, 28-7, with 1:55 left in the third quarter.
Sandberg, a Mississippi State commit, got the scoring binge started when he found Kelvin McKnight for a 15-yard TD pass, putting Manatee up 7-0 with 6:57 left in the first. After a fourth-down stop by the 'Canes defense, Marquis Dawsey punched it in from one yard out, his second TD of the year, giving Manatee a 14-0 right before the half.
During the break, Sandberg added to his already crowded trophy case, taking home the honor of homecoming king.
Uncharacteristically, the Manatee defense wasn't on its game. They allowed 322 rushing yards, with Marquese Dudley-Gordon getting the bulk of the work, as he brought the Lightning within a score off a 6-yard touchdown in the third quarter.
That's when the offense took over, as Sandberg and Hines teamed up to put the 'Canes ahead for good.
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