Greyhounds spoil West Union Homecoming

By Mark Carpenter

People’s Defender

After a victory over North Adams the previous week, Manchester football head coach Justin Schmitz commented that he and his team hoped to do their best to spoil Homecoming Night at West Union the following Friday. Mission accomplished. Behind a powerful running game led by Aaron Lucas, Kayden Butcher and Lucas Smith the Greyhounds broke open a close game at the half, outscoring the host Dragons 24-6 in the second half on their way to a 38-18 triumph. After five consecutive tough losses to open the season, the Hounds have now won back-to-back contests, sweeping the Adams County portion of their schedule with convincing wins over North Adams and West Union.

“That’s two in a row baby,” said an xxcited Manchester head coach Justin Schmitz after the big win. “We’ve all been pretty fired up here and we knew that we could attack the second half of our schedule and get on a roll. I’m looking forward to the rest of the games because they are going to be competitive games and our kids are ready.”

Friday’s game took place before a nice-sized crowd at Freedom Field in West Union and for a good portion of the first half, it looked as if the defenses were going to dominate the night. The first Manchester possession ended with a turnover on downs in West Union territory but the theme of the game was established as the Hounds ran the ball on nine of 11 snaps but the Dragon defense, but the home team’s offense went three-and-out and punted the ball away.

Starting at their own 32, the Hounds again went to the ground and drove the ball all the way to the West Union 13 where they were again stymied on a fourth down play, giving the ball back to the Dragons as action now rolled into the second quarter. This time the Dragons took advantage and moved the ball 87 yards in a sustained scoring drive. A 47-yard run by Domonic Webb moved the Dragons into Manchester territory. Another nice run by Jaden Cockrell moved the home team closer and then a pass from quarterback Colby Harover to Dylan Euton gave the Dragons a first and goal at the Greyhound 3. Two plays later, West Union was on the board on a two-yard scoring run by Webb. The extra point attempt was blocked but the home team had struck first for a 6-0 advantage.

That lead lasted the whole of 13 seconds. Manchester’s Kayden Butcher corralled a bouncing kickoff and ran it back 85 yards for the game-tying score, but within 28 seconds, the Dragons were back on top. On a second-and-3 play from midfield, Harover dropped back and threw deep for Webb. The ball was a bit underthrown which worked to the West Union advantage as the Manchester defender fell down and Webb was able to come back for the ball, haul it in and easily find the end zone for a 12-6 Dragon lead., the game’s third touchdown in less than a minute off the clock.

The Greyhounds answered right back, giving the Dragons a huge dose of senior Aaron Lucas, who carried the rock six time in a seven-play, 57-yard scoring drive, with Lucas going in from five yards out with 1:04 left in the half to tie the score again. Butcher took the two-point conversion across and the visiting Greyhounds went to the break with a 14-12 lead.

“We were going to run Aaron until they stopped him and they didn’t stop him all night,” said Coach Schmitz. “Aaron is a hard-nosed kid and not only one of the best football players you’ll ever meet but one of the best people you’ll ever meet.”

The Dragons came out of the break in a giving mood, as a Cockrell fumble was recovered by the Greyhounds at the West Union 40. The Hounds took advantage after a lengthy 13-play drive when Lucas Smith scored on a QB sneak from a yard out to make it 20-12 Manchester. The West Union problems continued when they fumbled the ensuing kickoff with Lucas recovering for the Hounds and the Manchester offense set up shop on the Dragon 44. Six running plays later the visitors found the end zone again, this time with Smith taking it in from four yards out and the Hounds were pulling away, leading 26-12 after three quarters. The visitors were dominant in the third period as the West Union offense only managed two snaps the entire frame.

Unbelievably, the Dragons muffed yet another kickoff and the Greyhounds took possession at the West Union 45. For the third consecutive possession that began in WU territory, the Greyhounds came away with points as this six-play drive resulted in a three-yard TD run by Lucas, who easily accumulated well over 100 yards on the ground in the contest. This score made it 32-12 as the outcome was no longer in doubt.

The next West Union offensive possession ended in yet another turnover, an interception by Manchester’s Ronnie Elam. Taking over at the Dragons’ 30, With 7:44 left in the game, a 25-yard scoring run by Butcher gave the Greyhounds a 38-12 lead. The Dragons finally broke through again when they got a 53-yard touchdown pass from Webb to Cockrell just 15 seconds later that ended up being the final points in a 38-18 Manchester victory.

“I thought our defense played well tonight, especially Leland (Horner),” said Coach Schmitz. “Leland is a kid that hasn’t played for the past couple of seasons and he has really bought into what we are doing here. Our defensive line manhandled West Union up front tonight and kept them from running the ball which was our plan going in.”

The win improved the Hounds to 2-5 on the season and will be on the road this coming Friday with a trip to the complex at Fortress Obetz near Columbus to face the Conotton Valley Rockets. The Dragons will visit unbeaten Peebles on Friday in Southern Ohio Independent League 7:30 p.m. match up.

Manchester

0 14 12 12 — 38

West Union

0 12 90 6 —18

Scoring Summary

Second Quarter

WU- Webb 2-yd. run (extra point failed)

MHS- Butcher 85-yd. kickoff return (conversion failed)

WU- Webb 50-yd. pass from Harover (conversion failed)

MHS- Lucas 5-yd. run (Butcher run)

Third Quarter

MHS- Smith 1-yd. run (conversion failed)

MHS- Smith 4-yd. run (conversion failed)

Fourth Quarter

MHS- Lucas 3-yd. run (conversion failed)

MHS- Butcher 16-yd. run (conversion failed)

WU- Cockrell 53-yd. pass from Webb (conversion failed)