Graphic by Nate Hamilton
Nick Umansky
Sports Reporter
The beloved Manatees… a team with so much potential, yet so many setbacks. In this article, I will explain to you how and why this RMAFL super team never reached its final form.
Starting off with the team captain, playing in a position that has been widely debated as the most challenging position in any sport, Dylan Zukowski. Dylan “Zuko” Zukowski has been on the MVP rankings for eight weeks in a row, and his quarterback skills are among the league’s best. He is, without a doubt, the most committed Manatee, not missing a single game this year.
Now, let’s move on to the receiving core. Zach Gabriel, Luke Beckett, Nick Umansky, and Charlie Jin have allowed the Manatees to have the deepest roster in the league. Their athleticism and natural football instincts on both sides of the ball lead to championship football.
All players compete in different sports, and so each brings a different aspect to the team. Zach, a running back in football; Nick and Luke, defender and attacker in soccer respectively; Charlie, an attacker in hockey, and finally, Zuko, a goalie in hockey.
You might be asking yourself: with all this versatility, why are the Manatees still struggling? How have they only finished with a 4-4-5 record?
In short, this so-called “superteam” has only played for a few weeks together. Luke has been dealing with an ankle injury since Week 6 and is doubtful for the playoffs, and Zach Gabriel dealt with a lingering ankle injury as well that he hasn’t fully recovered from.
The absences of these start players week to week have harmed the chemistry of the receiving core, as well as the team’s morale. Looking at this squad and what they could have been, some forget that the season is far from over and that the Manatees can get over the hump.
