The Manhattan Indians Varsity Girls Soccer team wrapped up their regular season 10-5-1. MHS now sits at seventh place in the 6A West Regional standings. Despite steamrolling Great Bend (4-12) 10-0 on Senior Night last Wednesday to set up the teams first three-game win streak of the season so far, MHS dropped one on the road against Shawnee Heights last Thursday, moving them from fifth in the region to seventh. The team had come out of the senior night game on a high, with senior Emery Ruliffson, the only player of the night to have multiple goals, tying the all-time MHS goals-in-a-season record set by Cailey Perkins in 2018.

“It felt great to come out and do what I know how to do,” Ruliffson said.

Head Coach Mike Sanchez, who was also Perkins’ coach, ranks Ruliffson’s performance among the best he has seen.

“She’s up there with a lot of great players that have played here,” Sanchez said.

The game was a showcase of teamwork, with eight different players scoring for Manhattan High, including all five seniors; Grace Geisbrecht, Shaylee Lundsway, Chloe Porter, Emery Ruliffson and Maggie Dixon.

“That was a great senior night,” Sanchez said. “A good way for them to go out on their last regular season home game.”

The Indians theme for this year is “we over me,” a phrase that the squad has carried through their winning season.

“We are here to play for our family, for our friends, for our teammates,” Ruliffson said. “So I think just understanding that mindset, especially coming into the second half, was just a huge game changer.”

The Indians hosted their first playoff game against Liberal (8-6-2) at Bishop Stadium Tuesday.

For the coach, all players working as a team is more important than ever as playoffs begin this week.

“The way we are going to get back to State is if we all play and we all do our part,” Sanchez said.