North Manatee Storm 14U Earns Statement Shutout!

    On a sun-baked Saturday in Manatee County, the North Manatee Storms 14U looked every bit like a team on a mission. In the first round of the D1 Playoff bracket on 4/11, the Storms methodically dismantled the Dem Boyz, delivering a clinical shutout that punched their ticket to the Final Four in Orlando on 4/25–4/26.

    From the opening whistle the ground game set the tone. William Roseboro Jr. bullied through seams and past would‑be tacklers for two powerful rushing touchdowns, each drive a study in physicality and discipline that forced the Dem Boyz to defend the box and respect the Storms’ downhill mentality. Those early scores were the backbone of the team’s control — wearing down defenders and flipping field position at every opportunity.

    When the Dem Boyz dared to back off, quarterback Steven LeBlanc (#3) seized the moment. On a drive that stretched the field and the opponent’s resolve, LeBlanc launched a towering touchdown bomb that found Dion Donkor (#9) in stride — a single, explosive play that felt like the exclamation point on an already dominant performance. The throw was equal parts arm strength and timing; the catch, a practiced finish.

    Defense turned flair into finality. Midway through the second half, Seth Rivera (#1) exploded through the line on a textbook strip-sack, ripping possession away and extinguishing any spark the Dem Boyz might have had. That play encapsulated the defensive identity of the Storms: relentless pressure from the trenches courtesy of Christian Johnson (#00), calculated aggression from linebacker Brody Mullins (#0), and assignment-sound football that refused to yield.

    Shifty route-running from Braylon Epps (#12) kept the offense balanced and the opposing secondary honest, while the front four set a punishing physical tone from snap one. Together the units produced a complete performance — efficient scoring, timely big plays, and a defense that refused to relent. The result was an impressive shutout and a team now heading to Orlando not just as participants but as contenders, hungry to see how far this Storm can roll.

Stephen LeBlanc

Pillars And Promise 

Legacy Media