Keeping the train rolling, the Manhattan Indians football team (8-2) advanced to Sectionals and will go toe-to-toe with Maize — the only undefeated team in 6A — on the road Friday.
Manhattan poached the Wichita Southeast Golden Buffaloes (7-3) 45-6 on Nov. 7 at Bishop Stadium, a high-energy performance from the get-go.
“I tried to get them fired up leaving the locker room, and I think I was successful,” head coach Joe Schartz said. “We have to play with energy. We got to be focused. And I challenged everybody on the team. It didn’t matter if you’re a starter or second team, third team or manager.”
The Indians defense held Southeast’s run-heavy flexbone offense to just 1.8 yards per carry and Southeast rushers notched -30 yards after contact in the game.
“[Our strategy was to] cause pressure off the first snap of the game,” senior Garrison Vikander said. “You can’t give up at all, or else they’re going to capitalize on it. So you just got to keep playing hard.”
Junior Joseph Mortenson contributed to all three of the Indian’s first quarter touchdowns. Mortenson ran in two short-yardage scores, and then found senior JJ Dunnigan wide open in stride for his first ever passing touchdown on Varsity, giving the Indians a 22-0 lead after one quarter.
“Not used to throwing the ball because I run the ball, but [I’m] having a lot of fun,” Mortenson said.
Mortenson, who played strictly defense during the beginning of the regular season, has emerged as one of the Indian’s biggest offensive weapons especially on short-yardage plays in the red zone, with six rushing touchdowns this season — all in the past five games — to show for it.
“Joe’s a good running back, and we utilize that,” Schartz said. “The blocking was great up front. The two kids that we bring in, along with JJ as our wideout are [junior] Max Evans-Pryor, and then [junior] Kadin Dibbini, and those guys are physical and good blockers.”
Senior running back Kha’Mario Davis added a touchdown on the ground. Soon after, Dunnigan, who committed to the University of Miami Sunday, followed it up with a 70-yard punt return to the crib, for yet another Indians score. Junior running back EJ Massenburg joined the club as well, giving the Indians their sixth and final touchdown of the game. Following the Massenburg TD, senior Prescott Balderson nailed the extra point, activating a running clock for the start of the second half, as the Indians held the lead 45-0 at the intermission.
“That was all because of our two-point conversions,” Schartz said. “We went after three two-point conversions to get the 45 and we’re successful on that …Everybody was happy, and we’re just trying to get the JV special teams and offense, defense, everything organized at half.”
Southeast scored just once in the second half, a touchdown in garbage time, sending MHS to the third round of the Kansas 6A playoffs.
“We started off slow at the beginning of the season, I feel like every week, we just got better and better and better,” Vikander said.
The Indians will have their hands full next week against Maize, a squad that has beat everyone they’ve faced this season by three or more touchdowns.
“I think our effort, it was great, and our focus, but everything just has to take one more step up,” senior quarterback Finn Watson said. “Maize is a great team, and we know that. So, [we] just got to prepare well.”
