Manhattan High Varsity soccer lost their match 1-2 away at Dodge City on Tuesday, conceding the game on a questionable late penalty after going up in the first half.

Dodge was expected to be a difficult team. 2-0 before the game, they hadn’t conceded a goal yet this season. Usually a solely postseason opponent, MHS narrowly beat them in 2018 and never played them last season.

“They’re a very hard team, very aggressive,” senior Connor Turner said. “We knew it was going to be a really hard game to begin with, so we had to come out strong.”

The 30 mph wind was behind Manhattan for the first half, allowing them to dominate the possession. Turner put MHS in the lead midway through the first, with a header from senior Gabe Effiong’s quick corner.

“For September it really felt like late October, November time game weather wise,” head coach Mike Sanchez said. “In the first half, I think we could have taken more advantage of having the wind and I don’t think we did, we could have easily come out 2-0 that half, we just didn’t do our part.”

MHS conceded the equalizer halfway through the second, with a shot from the 30-yard line. 

“It was a great shot,” senior Danny Tamura said. “He hit just a banger and made it from all the way out there and our goalkeeper wasn’t expecting it.”

Then, with 15 minutes left in the match, junior Grant Snowden made a hard tackle and Dodge City was awarded a penalty that lost the game. 

“I absolutely did not [agree with that call],” Sanchez said. “The guy did a good job of selling it, but that’s part of the game.”

The match held the same scoreline as their first game of the season against Lawrence, with MHS going up only to give up two goals in the second half. 

“[They were] almost exactly the same, mentality wise,” Tamura said. “We got a goal, got comfortable and then they came back and won.”

MHS plays Dodge again this season on Sept. 29, a product of the Wichita teams being removed from the schedule this year.

“We’re playing them again, and we’ll try and get them back,” Turner said. 

Manhattan expected to play Derby away on Thursday, but the match was rained out. It has been rescheduled for Oct. 12. 

The boys play Trinity Academy away next Thursday. MHS won against Trinity 3-1 last year, and they are currently 2-1-2. 

“We’re expecting them to be very technical on the ball, and they have a very good forward who actually plays with one of our midfielders in club season. And he claims that he’s one of the best forwards he has ever played with,” Tamura said.  “But I believe we have the ability to beat anybody, we can contest with anybody.”