By Mark Carpenter
People’s Defender
Coming off the most successful season in Manchester football history, Coach Justin Schmitz and his gridiron Greyhounds were looking for a fast start to try and repeat last year’s exploits. Unfortunately, the cards seem to be stacked against them early, beginning with a roster of just 14 players which will test the endurance of the entire roster.
That battle for endurance was on display last Friday night as the Greyhounds opened their season on the road, traveling to Fayetteville to tackle the Rockets in what Manchester Athletic Director Aaron Lockhart appropriately deemed the “SHAC Bowl”, matching up the only two teams in the conference to field varsity football teams. After a promising start and a scoreless fist quarter both ways, the fatigue began to show on the Greyhounds having to play both sides of the ball. The physical Rockets took full advantage with a punishing ground game led by four touchdown runs from senior Joey Padilla as they broke open that close game and cruised to a 36-0 victory.
“I thought we came out with a lot of energy and competed well early,” said Coach Schmitz. “But as the game went on, they were the more physical and disciplined football team. We got beat by a good football team and as a coaching staff we have to do a better job of preparing our guys for that kind of game.”
“The beauty of football season is that you get another opportunity every week. We will learn from this, get back to work, and find out what kind of team we’re going to be. I’m proud of our kids for continuing to compete and we’ll be better because of this.”
The Manchester defense was sturdy in the opening period, stopping the Rockets on downs on the first offensive possession for the home team. The Hounds’ first possession ended in quarterback Dylon Fite pressured into throwing an interception into the hand of Fayetteville’s Kayden Smith, the first of his three picks on the night. The Greyhound defense forced another turnover on downs and the ensuing Manchester offensive drive went deep into Rocket territory before penalties pushed them back and forced a punt as the game rolled into the second quarter at 0-0.
The second stanza began on a high note for the Hounds with Elijah Wallace falling on a Fayetteville fumble, but things quickly unraveled after that. The Manchester offense was forced into another turnover on downs and the Rockets took advantage driving 45 yards for the game’s first score, a two-yard touchdown run from senior Josiph Adams. With the two-point conversion run by Padilla, the Rockets led 8-0 with 2:50 left in the first half.
When the Hounds got the ball back they didn’t keep it long. A Fite pass was picked off by Fayetteville’s Smith, giving the Rockets the ball at the Manchester 37. A long completion from Adams to Logan Garrison put the ball inside the Greyhound 10 and A three-yard scamper to the end zone by Padilla made it 14-0 after the two-point try failed.
Bad plays snowballed for the Hounds on the ensuing kickoff as they fumbled it away and the Rockets recovered at the Hounds’ 38. A long pass completion set up the Rockets in the red zone and again it was Padilla taking it in from a yard out to make it 20-0 with just seconds left in the first half. The two-point run by Blake Jordan capped a 22-point Fayetteville explosion int he half’s final three minutes and sent the home side to the break with a commanding advantage.
A sack by Manchester’s Remington Hayslip stalled an early third quarter drive for the Rockets, but Fite’s third interception of the game, this time by Fayetteville’s Ethan Humphries, put the ball at the Manchester five and Padilla took it home from there to give his team a 28-0 advantage after three quarters of action.
The Hounds recovered a Fayetteville fumble early in the final period but the offense was again stymied after again driving deep into Rocket territory. After a couple negative plays backed them up, the Hounds were forced to punt and pinned the Rockets deep in their own territory. The Manchester defense produced a turnover on downs but their next offensive possession ended in disaster. Fayetteville’s Kayden Smith intercepted his third pass of the game, Fite’s fourth pick overall, and Smith made this one count big as he took it 80 yards to the house for the score with 4:45 left to play. A two-point run from Humphries was the final icing on a 36-0 season opening win for the host Rockets.
“We have some things we need to clean up and certainly our conditioning and ability to play with that same level of intensity for four quarters is part of it,” added Coach Schmitz. “Depth a attrition are going to be our biggest opponents this season.”
The 0-1 Greyhounds will now have a couple of weeks to heal and prepare as they will not see action again until Friday, September 4 when they will host the Green Bobcats in the Manchester home opener, which will also be Football Homecomingin Manchester. (The game set for August 28 with Jefferson Township was cancelled.)
Manchester
0 0 0 0 —0
Fayetteville
0 22 6 8 —36
Second Quarter
FV- Adams 2-yd. run (Padilla conversion run)
FV- Padilla 3-yd. run (conversion failed)
FV- Padilla 1-yd. run (Jordan conversion run)
Third Quarter
FV- Padilla 5-yd. run (conversion failed)
Fourth Quarter
FV- Smith 80-yd. interception return (Adams conversion run)