When Manhattan High football head coach Joe Schartz emerged from the locker room following his team’s season-opening 47-0 trouncing of Shawnee Heights in Topeka, he pulled out his iPhone and scanned his notifications.

“Twelve to zero!” he exclaimed. He was referencing the Kansas City Royals, who dropped a 12-1 decision to the Chicago White Sox Friday night. Stuffing the device back in his pocket, which had safeguarded playbooks just minutes earlier, he considered what may have went wrong for the division-leading team. “Medlen’s sinker ball just wasn’t sinking, I guess.”

The Manhattan High football team began its 2015 campaign in style, shutting out Shawnee Heights, a team they scraped out a win against a year ago, 28-25. Schartz said he wasn’t primarily concerned with the stark contrast on the scoreboard.

“Well, it’s a football game. And sometimes you’re fortunate to have a big margin, and sometimes you’ve got to play,” Schartz said. “But there’s benefits to both of them. We’re still going to have to see if we can battle through a tough game.”

The Indians found themselves ahead early. Junior quarterback Ian Trapp, who accounted for four total touchdowns on the night, got his first score in the first frame with a 22-yard sprint to the endzone, giving Manhattan a 7-0 lead after the first quarter.

Some time passed before either team scored, but the Indians struck again later in the second period. After converting on a 4th-and-8 in Thunderbird territory, MHS found paydirt when junior Keadrian McDonald punched it in from two yards out, giving his team a 14-0 advantage.

That’s when the visiting team found momentum.

On its very next possession, on the first play of the drive, Trapp connected with McDonald for 68 yards and a touchdown, pushing MHS’ lead to 20-0. Junior Andrew Scott missed on the extra point, his only miss of the contest.

Shawnee Heights didn’t have the ball long on its ensuing possession. Senior Sean Dewitt pounced on a fumble, setting up his team on Heights’ 21-yard line. Manhattan then scored when McDonald rushed in from five yards out, ballooning the Indians’ lead to 27-0 just before intermission. Schartz said he was pleased with the defense’s performance all around.

“The defense played really well. I think we ran well to the football; got a lot of people to the football,” Schartz said. “We need to see if we can’t force more turnovers.”

He also said it was important for his squad to squeeze in another touchdown before halftime.

“It was very important,” Schartz said. “I kind of got a feel for what they were doing defensively, and we got the ball back there with a couple minutes before [the] half. We took our shot, and it was open, and it paid off. I think that was a big play in the game.”

The second half proved much the same as the first, as the Indians scored on three of its six drives, including the first three.

Trapp was a part of two of them, neither of which covered less than 40 yards.

He opened the third frame by scoring from 46 yards out, and added to his night on the Indians’ next possession with a 60-yard touchdown run, the first play of the drive. Schartz said Trapp’s talent isn’t limited to that at the quarterback position, and hinted at playing him elsewhere.

“We played him at quarterback this week, but he can play a lot of different things,” Schartz said. “You may see him in other spots before the season’s over.”

Senior Jon Chen later got into the endzone from 24 yards out, scoring the team’s final touchdown of the game. MHS led 47-0 at the end of the frame.

The fourth quarter saw a few younger players take the field, including sophomores Connor Lierz, Hunter Christensen, Tavon Nash, Thomas Gevock, Reece Wewer and Cameron Vikander. Schartz said he was glad for the chance to play them.

“We were able to get a lot of people into the game tonight, and I think that’s good for a program,” Schartz said. “We were able to get our J.V. kids on Varsity games, and get them reps, and it pays dividends in years to come.”

Schartz also praised his defensive line.

“I was pleasantly surprised and pleased. They did a real nice job,” Schartz said. “Kids played well, and that’s all you can ask of them.”

Manhattan returns to action next Friday when the Indians host Seaman.