Time flies for Ace

[Mama_Bull]

"Ace" Sanders is being recruited by his cousin and teammate USF verbal Brion Carnes. 

Thursday, May. 07, 2009

Time flies for Ace

Former freshman Canes starter has just one year left

By JOHN LEMBO - jlembo@bradenton.com 

BRADENTON — Ace Sanders has been a fixture at Manatee High football practice since he was in elementary school.

That’s the kid Chuck Sandberg remembers — the little dynamo who used to pal around with Sandberg’s son, Chase, while their dads helped coach the Hurricanes.

“Next thing you know,†Sandberg said, “he’s here as a ninth-grader.â€

And now it’s almost over. Consider this spring the beginning of the end to Sanders’ career as a Hurricane, a passage of time that surprises even the senior-to-be wide receiver.

“I can’t believe it,†he said. “I’m looking forward to it, but I can’t believe it. All of it went by so fast.â€

Sanders has played on the varsity squad since his freshman year — the same time Brion Carnes cracked the starting lineup. The two were pressed into duty when Ryan Rubino, set to enter the fall of 2006 as Manatee’s man under center, suffered a season-ending shoulder injury over the summer and his backup, Aaron Reese, moved out of the state.

Carnes was named the starting quarterback and Sanders, orginally slated as Carnes’ backup, slid over to wide receiver two games into the season. The two played a pivotal role in leading Manatee to the Class 5A final four. It was the first time Manatee head coach Joe Kinnan started two freshmen.

Now Carnes has verbally committed to South Florida, and Sanders is set to enter his senior year with scholarship offers from Iowa, West Virginia, Purdue, Michigan, USF and Syracuse.

Sanders was never a stranger to football — his father, Tracy, is a Manatee assistant who quarterbacked the Canes to the 1983 state championship and spent a season with the Buffalo Bills.

A year before Ace put on Manatee colors, he helped the Manatee Mustangs win a Pop Warner national championship.

Sanders has worked to make himself better with each passing year. He grabbed a career-best 31 catches for seven touchdowns last year, returned a kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown and has become more effective as a blocker.

“When you’re young, you just want to go on your ability. And the last couple of years, he’s realized you can only go so far on your ability,†Sandberg said. “He’s in the weight room getting stronger. He’s realized that if our best players are our hardest workers, then we can be successful.â€

Sanders and Carnes will be looked upon to lead an offense that also includes the versatile Mike Blakely and a more experienced offensive line.

“It’s going to be way more hard work and a lot of dedication, and pushing the other guys,†Sanders said, “because we need them to step up as much as they need us to step up and play.â€

Eric Williams, Manatee’s long threat last year who formed a mighty 1-2 team with Sanders, is expected to take his game to Purdue in the fall. But Sandberg is confident guys such as Quenton Bundrage, Brandon Green, Roger Clinton, Chris Freeman, Malic King, David Sheehan and Sandberg’s son, Chase, will provide Carnes with plenty of viable options while taking some of the heat off Sanders.

“We’re not going to ask him to carry the whole team,†Sandberg said, “but he’s definitely going to touch the ball a lot.â€

That’s fine with Sanders, who has helped Manatee to 26 wins, a regional and district title and two playoff appearances in three years.

“I’ve enjoyed all my years here. I’ve had no disappointments at all — except for last year, when we didn’t make it to the playoffs. But I love everything out here,†Sanders said.

“Ever since that first game, it seemed like it just flew by. I looked up the other day and I was like, ‘I’m going to be gone next year.’

“I’ve just got to put it all on the line now.â€

http://www.bradenton.com/sports/high_school/story/1421965.html