A renewed spirit overtook the losing aura that has been roaming around the play of the Manhattan High boys soccer team, earning them two wins away from home — its first back-to-back to wins of the season. After a draw caused by weather delays in the Sept. 24 matchup against Great Bend, Manhattan fell to a 1-6-1 record.

With almost half of the season finalized, and a record that endangered their chances at a fourth straight regional championship, the season as well as a playoff run looked harder than in years past. It would have been strangely coincidental for a turnaround to arrive at the exact time that last year’s Indians began their record-breaking 10 game unbeaten streak.

Strangely enough, the halfway point of the season has given the Indians yet again another light, and another chance to perform and succeed.

Having already lost to Wichita North 5-0 and Wichita Northwest 4-1 earlier in the season, Manhattan’s hunt for their second win of the season took them once again south, this time for a battle against Wichita South. From the kick-off, the Indians controlled the game thanks to prolific individual performances from senior midfielder Ethan Englehorn and junior forward Elijah Jepsen, both who provided two goals to Manhattan’s score. Another goal scored by junior Nate Awbrey would round up the goal count to five, making this the Indians’ highest scoring game for the season.

“We’ve been working on our attack,” junior forward Nimrod Eshar said. “We’ve managed to get the ball more which has given us better results.”

The game would end with a 5-2 score in Manhattan’s favor.

Another away game would be next on the schedule for MHS and as soon as the hunt for their second win of the season ended the hunt for their first back-to-back wins started. With an improved 2-6-1 record, the opponent would now be Emporia. After a goal from each team would put them at a standoff at halftime, the winning goal would come from a penalty kick taken by Awbrey. The goal would put MHS up 2-1, a score that would hold until the end of the match.

“We showed character,” goalkeeper Zachary Bergeron said. “We showed the ability to get back into the game. We just kept fighting so I thought overall both game went pretty well.”

With a two-game winning streak in hand, the Indians will now face Hayden at Bishop Stadium, a setting where they have left the pitch without a win in two of their three games there.