Matanzas Pirates

Head coach: Rob Ripley (3rd, 10-9)

Last year: 8-2, 3rd in 6A, District 13

Last playoff appearance: None

Key Returners: QB Mackenzy Wagner (52/112, 757 yds, 5 TD, 2 INT; 54 car, 442 yds, 5 TD), DL Nick Kubiet, LB/TE Devin Mathews, DL Ramel Adams, WR Phillip Moultrie (19 rec, 235 yds, TD), DB Cory Steward.

The Scoop: Matanzas, which opened in 2005, is coming off its best season ever. The Pirates won a total of eight games from 2012-14 and had never finished above .500 before last year’s 8-2 mark. Matanzas returns 13 total starters (6 offense, 7 defense) and projects to have one of the top defensive lines in the area. That unit includes 6-foot-4, 225-pound senior Nick Kubiet, who is generating interest from Southern Miss, Cornell and Davidson. George Pardini and Ramel Adams combined for more than 40 tackles for loss last season. After a ground-and-pound philosophy on offense last season, the Pirates expect to be more versatile this year. Quarterback Mackenzy Wagner accounted for 10 total touchdowns last year and will have some talented but inexperienced youngsters at his disposal.  

Quotable: “Our mantra this year is ‘It takes what it takes’ whatever it takes. If that means we go 5-5 and make the playoffs, so be it. If that means we go 7-3 and make the playoffs so be it, but the final box needs to be checked.” -Ripley

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For Matanzas football, 2015 was a season of firsts.

“Beating FPC, being county champs to being conference champs to being undefeated at home,” Pirates coach Rob Ripley said.

And ending with a winning record.

Matanzas finished 8-2, by far the best mark in the 11-year history of the school.

“It was still just the first step for Matanzas, for us, for our team, for the program,” Pirates quarterback Mackenzy Wagner said.

The next step is reaching the playoffs.

The Pirates were close last season. Matanzas entered the final week of district play needing a win against Deltona to reach the postseason.

Matanzas fell into an early 21-0 hole and couldn’t recover, losing 21-16.

“We had no juice that game. We came out slow and they came out faster than us,” senior linebacker Devin Mathews said.

The pain of that defeat serves as motivation for 2016.

“We can’t go back but there are a lot of things that a lot of players on our team would have done differently,” Wagner said. “I feel like this is that year to make it all up.”

Last year’s success changed the perception of Matanzas football and instilled a belief in players that they can compete among the area’s more established programs.

“We know that we can come out here and play ball with almost anybody and I think other teams are starting to figure that out too,” Wagner said.

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2016 Schedule

8/26 vs. Flagler Palm Coast#

9/2 vs. Atlantic

9/9 vs. Mount Dora

9/16 at Seabreeze*

9/23 at Nease

9/30 vs. New Smyrna Beach*

10/14 vs. Mainland*

10/21 at Pine Ridge*

10/28 vs. Deltona*

11/4 vs. St. Augustine Menendez

*6A, District 13 game  #Game on BHSN