Often times, the week before a team has a big game, they have what is called a trap game. A trap game is when the team might be thinking ahead to the big game, instead of focusing on the game at hand. These games usually don’t end well for the favorites.

While that could have been the case this week, Manhattan High (3-0) ensured it was not, as it beat Highland Park (0-3) 50-6 on Friday night.

Though the team won, the Indians seemed to get off to a sluggish start. Part of their problem was the field conditions. Topeka had gotten rain all day, leading to a muddy grass field.

“The field conditions were miserable,” head coach Joe Schartz said. “Anytime that you have the field conditions like that, it definitely affects the game. It affects what you can do, both offensively and defensively.”

Manhattan began the game with an 83-yard touchdown drive, capped by an 18-yard touchdown run from senior running back Iverson Robb. Robb would finish the game with 69 yards on 10 rushes.

Touchdowns would be the story for the Indians on the game, as only two Manhattan drives would finish without scores; the end of both halfs. On it’s third drive, Manhattan was forced to punt after a three plays, nearly stopping the touchdown streak. Highland Park sophomore Jacquez Barksdale fumbled the punt return and MHS senior Tanner Mann recovered the fumble at the Manhattan 49-yard-line to continue the drive.

Senior quarterback Ian Trapp credited the punt for firing up the team.

“We were angry that we had to punt,” Trapp said. “We knew we should never have to put on these guys, we should be scoring every single play. And so we kind of kicked it into gear.”

Trapp would go 3-6 passing, with 38 yards through the air. The Indians were not focusing on passing though, deciding to go with a primarily rushing attack against Highland Park.

“It’s easier to run,” Trapp said. “If we don’t need to pass it, I would rather not pass it, and I would rather just hand it off, hand it off, and run it down their throats every single time.”

This strategy worked for Manhattan, as the team rushed for 345 yards, and all seven touchdowns came on the ground.

The Indians were so productive, they were able to play backups such as junior quarterback Talon Claussen.

“[Playing Varsity quarterback] allows me to get reps,” Claussen said, “prepare for next year, [and] just get to know the offense better.”

Senior TreShawn Summers and sophomore Kevontae McDonald also got into the game as backups. Summers finished with 22 yards and one touchdown on three rushes, while McDonald had 64 yards and three touchdowns on five rushes.

“I always tell the guys to be ready for their opportunities,” Schartz said, “and everybody that went into the game tonight was ready for their opportunity, and they performed well.”

As with the weeks before, Manhattan was plagued with penalties. This week, it finished with 50 yards on eight penalties. Trapp said the teams had small things to fix to limit penalties.

“I think we were trying to compensate just for slipping and sliding,” Trapp said, “so we got a couple holds. We didn’t want our guys to slip off of us and make the tackle, so maybe a little bit of conditions, and then a couple false starts that were just mental, mental lapses, we can clean those up pretty easily. There really wasn’t any [personal foul penalties], and I was pretty proud of that.”

Highland Park’s only score of the day came on an 89-yard kickoff return for a touchdown from Barksdale.

On the ensuing extra point, the Scots went for a two-point conversion. Manhattan stopped them though, in a continuing story for the defense. The Indians forced three short drives, and made the Scots punt on six of their seven drives, forcing a turnover on the other drive.

Schartz attributed the defense’s success to people being in the right spot at the right time.

“[It was] people carrying out their assignments,” Schartz said, “and getting a lot of people to the football and tackling well.”

Manhattan returns to the homely confines of Bishop Stadium this Friday with a game against Topeka High. T-High’s only loss of the season came against Junction City, 26-21.

“It’s a big game,” Schartz said. “It’s a huge game. The kids are excited for it. What we have to do is make sure that we have a great week of preparation. It’s going to be an electric atmosphere.”

Trapp agreed the team is ready for the T-High game.

“We’re motivated,” Trapp said. “We’re ready, we just got to … clean up all the little details that maybe have slipped us up in the last couple of weeks, because this is the game that’s really going to matter. We just got to tighten everything up and just be ready to go.”