MHS football cruises through first round of playoffs
Senior Kevontae McDonald runs the balls into the endzone during the Oct. 26 Manhattan High School Varsity football game. The Indains defeated Wichita Southeast High School 73-20, adding another win to their current season.
October 29, 2018
Manhattan High Varsity football (8-1) defeated Wichita Southeast (2-7) in the first round of the playoffs last Friday night in dominating fashion 73-20. Manhattan will move on to the second round to face off with Wichita West, who beat Wichita East 47-0.
Head Coach Joe Schartz described the game as “awkward.”
“It’s the playoffs,” Schartz said. “The intensity is [going] to rise. Every team that comes in here, us or our opponents, they have seniors on their team. Potentially, it could be their last football game of their life. So, when you put that type of situation in there, you’re going to have some intensity and some emotions boiling, so the team that handles that the best is the team that has the best chance to win.”
Manhattan fans were a little nervous to start the game after Wichita Southeast opened up with a 52-yard passing touchdown to put them up early. That would not last long. MHS would go on to put up 44 unanswered points in the first half.
Senior Kevontae McDonald described Wichita Southeast’s touchdown as “It woke us up.”
In the first half alone, McDonald had three rushing touchdowns, senior Jaylynn Liggons had one receiving touchdown and senior Javon Peoples had a receiving touchdown and a punt return. Both went for more than 50 yards. Sophomore Dayne Aschenbrenner had two passing touchdowns for 17 yards and 54 yards.
In the second half, Sophomore Nate Harge would return a kickoff for 70 yards to the house to give MHS a big lead. Peoples would get in on the action once again with another rushing touchdown.Aschenbrenner would get another passing touchdown, this one to senior Chace McIlvaine for five yards.
On defense, junior B.J. Young would have himself a night. An interception in the first half and a 50-yard punt return. Junior Tyce Hoover had an interception as well that would end the game after MHS kneeled the ball to run out the clock.
“Special teams was big for us,” McDonald said.
Manhattan High Varsity football (8-1) will stay home next week to face off with Wichita West (6-3) in the second round of the playoffs.
“It starts tomorrow morning, watching film,” said Schartz. “It starts with more of a sense of urgency in practice.”
