Another winless week closed the first half of the season for the Manhattan High boys soccer team, and although it’s 1-6-1 record represents the results, it couldn’t possibly represent the sheer commotion that took place in the final moments of both its matches.

After a 2-0 Seaman loss dropped the Indians to five losses in the year, the challenge ahead would be rivals Washburn Rural. Rivalry is the only word that could represent the Washburn-Manhattan feud over the past years. For MHS, Washburn is the same team that knocked them out of the playoffs for two straight seasons; the same team that ended careers and post-season runs without the glory of a state title.The game would also be in the Junior Blues’ pitch, the same scenery of last year’s’ 1-0 loss that cut short MHS’ record-breaking season.

Washburn Rural

Throughout the first half, the game remained scoreless, building suspense to a decisive second half where goals would be almost sure to come. 20 minutes into the second half, Washburn player Russ Boyd broke the tension and scored to put the Junior Blues ahead 1-0. With the clock counting down and about five minutes to go in the game, a cross from junior midfielder Ben Choi connected with the head of senior captain Angel Fraire, negating the return of last year’s haunting sub-state loss, and equalizing the game at 1-1.

After the clock struck zero, the game would head to a golden-goal overtime game where, early into the first period, both a handball and a foul would be called against Manhattan, the latter which would cost them the game after a second goal by Boyd

“We played better than we have all year,” Fraire said. “We had the game in our hands but bad [referee] calls screwed us. Scoring against them was one of the best feelings I could ever experience.”

The game would end 2-1, giving Washburn their fourth straight win against Manhattan.

Great Bend

Next on the schedule would be Great Bend. Regardless of last year’s 10-1 decisive victory of the Indians over the Panthers, Great Bend sported a 5-1 record on their way to Bishop Stadium, preparing to stand in the way of Manhattan’s second win of the season.  

The game took a flat tone with both teams having very limited on-target shots resulting in a scoreless halftime. Kicking off the second half, Manhattan would be awarded a penalty kick which would miss the Great Bend goal completely at the feet of junior forward Modou Faburay.

“We needed confidence,” senior captain Conall Root said. “Especially on the penalty.”

The second half would deliver a faster, more dynamic tone as the minutes ran down on the scoreboard. With less than a minute to go a Great Bend counter attack would make it’s way to the Indians 18-yard box and after a string of desperate passes the ball would end up past junior goalkeeper Zachary Bergeron and into the net. Seconds later after a brief celebration by Great Bend players, the referee called the goal invalid claiming the ball had entered the goal after the clock had stricken zero.

“I knew they would have one last push,” Bergeron said. “I’m really glad the time ran out. I didn’t have a good angle at it.”  

Manhattan would head to overtime for the second straight match, but after multiple weather delays the game was cancelled, ending with a draw for both teams.

“Compared to Thursday’s game at Washburn, we played terrible,” Root said. “People need to work harder.”  

After the draw, Manhattan’s win percentage reached a .188%, a certain low for the reigning Regional champions. Still with the first half of the season finalized for MHS, an eight game block that only included one win, the Indians hope to capitalize on victories in the second half of the season. A feat that, if achieved, would be similar to last year’s run of ten straight wins after a 5-3 start.

“The will to work isn’t there and the pressure to compete and do well isn’t there either,” Root said. “We want intensity. We want the hard work. If we don’t give it our all then the second half is going to be the same as the first half,”

Manhattan will keep on hunting for its second win of the season when they face Wichita South on Tuesday.