- December 4, 2025
Homecoming has come early for Matanzas High School graduate Sean McManus.
McManus has been named the Pirates’ new head baseball coach. He succeeds Jim Perry, who stepped down in June after leading the Matanzas program for 11 years.
“This is a homecoming for me,” said McManus, who graduated from Matanzas in 2010. “I love coming back and helping out my alma mater.”
McManus pitched for four years for the Bellevue University (Nebraska) baseball team and remained at the school earning his bachelor’s and master’s degrees and then serving as an academic advisor for the past eight years.
He coached youth travel ball for Ultimate Baseball Academy in Omaha, Nebraska, for a few years and worked with Bellevue pitchers on the side unofficially last season.
This will be his first experience coaching high school players.
“It’s a happy medium,” he said. “I’m excited for the new experience and new challenges. I’m ready to get going with fall ball — weight room and conditioning and on-the-field work as well.”
The Pirates have not had a winning season since 2018. They struggled last season with just four seniors on the team, finishing with just two wins.
McManus said he met three returning players as of Monday, Aug. 25.
“It will be a clean slate,” he said. “I want to see what their goals and aspirations are. If any have goals and aspirations to play at the next level, then we’ll get them exposure and help them make the transition, not just athletically, but academically as well.”
Tommy Ascone will return as an assistant coach, Matanzas athletic director Zach Rigney said. He hopes to bring in two other assistant coaches.
“We understand it will be a process,” Rigney said. “We’re looking to build the program. And I’m very excited to bring Sean aboard. Anytime you have alumni coming back, you know they want to see the school have success. Sean’s passion is not only for baseball but for Matanzas High School in general.”
Seabreeze’s volleyball team has opened the season with two victories heading into its home match against Father Lopez on Aug. 27. The Sandcrabs defeated Atlantic 3-2 and Deltona 3-0.
Seabreeze visits Menendez on Thursday, Aug. 28, and hosts Pine Ridge on Tuesday, Sept. 2.
After two matches, Haven Price led the Sandcrabs with 11 kills. Alexandria Dingman had nine kills, 21 digs and 16 serve receptions and Carley Bandell had 16 total blocks.
Flagler Palm Coast began its season with a 1-1 record heading into the Nike Tournament of Champions in Gainesville Aug. 29-30. The Bulldogs return home Sept. 3-4 against Deltona and Seabreeze, respectively.
Matanzas was scheduled to open its season on Wednesday, Aug. 27, against Mainland.
Flagler Palm Coast High School girls soccer goalie Natalie Neal has committed to play soccer next year at Daytona State College. Neal had 99 saves, seven clean sheets and a 1.795 goals against average last season.
FPC's weightlifters have won boys and girls 2025 AAU state championships. "I’m so proud of these kids," coach Duane Hagstrom said in a Facebook post. "These amazing athletes gave their all, every early morning, every tough drill, every moment when they could’ve stopped, and they didn’t. They pushed. They grew. They believed."
