McGuire gives the Matanzas football team an added dimension

Micah McGuire took a handoff in practice and mowed down teammates. It was a sight not recently seen on the Matanzas High practice field. Not from a full-time running back.

“I don’t think we’ve ever had a big back, a big punisher like that,” said Matt Forrest, the Pirates’ fourth-year head football coach.

In his first game as a Pirate on Aug. 25, the 5-foot-11, 215-pound McGuire ran for 98 yards on 18 carries and scored two touchdowns as Matanzas trounced Groveland South Lake 30-8 on the road.

“He’s a heavy runner,” said quarterback Dakwon Evans, who was practicing for the first time on Monday, Aug. 28, since suffering a wrist injury during summer weightlifting. “It’s exciting to have somebody like Micah.”

McGuire, a senior, moved to Florida from Danville, Illinois, during his sophomore year. He played for Mainland last season but carried the ball just 12 times for 51 yards as the Bucs had three players who rushed for more than 500 yards. His family moved to Palm Coast earlier this summer and joined the Pirates in preseason camp. He’s still learning the plays.

“We’re just trying to catch him up,” Forrest said. “Our offense is simply complex. Once you know it, you know it.”

McGuire said he’s almost there.

“Just give me a couple more weeks and I’ll have it down pat,” he said.

McGuire will try to build on his performance at South Lake when Matanzas (1-0) plays at Tocoi Creek (1-0) on Friday, Sept. 1, pending the weather.

“It was pretty cool to show what I can do,” he said. “I love it out here. I love the coaches. I love Coach Forrest. I just love the game of football.”

Forrest said McGuire and running back Zach Furey complement each other with Furey running outside of the tackle box and McGuire running between the tackles.

“Having two good running backs is not a luxury we’ve had,” Forrest said. “Micah gives us a different dimension. He’s just a steady presence, an every-down guy if he has to be. He gets us into a flow. We may run an air raid offense, but we still want to run the football.”

Although Evans is practicing this week, there is no guarantee he will suit up against the Toros, Forrest said.

“We’re not going to rush him,” Forrest said. “We’re not going to risk a kid’s long-term health. If there’s any question, we’ll start Jackson Lundahl. He’s had a lot of experience. He’s started eight games for us now.

Lundahl passed for 125 yards against South Lake, including a 27-yard touchdown pass to tight end Daniel DeFalco.