Manhattan High Varsity soccer won their first home match against Wichita South on Tuesday, mercy ruling them 10-0 before the end of the first half.

“They played well, I think they had a good time and just came out pretty relaxed,” head coach Mike Sanchez said. “We just have to try to get ready for Saturday [against Blue Valley West] now.”

The boys came out slow for the first ten minutes, but picked up the pace with four goals scored in succession, then six more after a lull in the match to make it ten-a-minute before halftime. Senior Ibrahim Ciftci scored his first Varsity hat trick, sophomores Jimmy Hendricks and Gedrick Comiso both scored braces and sophomore Alex Lee, senior Grant Snowden and senior Alex Boyle all scored. 

“I think we’re just really organized as a team, altogether,” Ciftci said. “Once we started scoring more and more, our confidence just went up along with that my confidence went up along with it.”

Wichita South wasn’t a difficult opponent for Manhattan in their first home game of the season. The Titans’ squad was too small for a J.V. and Varsity team, so there was only a Varsity game. 

“We expected them to be small,” Hendricks said, “but we always have to try our best and work hard as a team.”

Manhattan will play against Blue Valley West, one of their most difficult opponents, away this Saturday.

“They’re a really good team,” Ciftci said. “Really physical, they’re really technical and we’re just going to prepare for them this week … We know it’s going to be a tough game, but we’re going to come out strong and just play like we always do.”