Dutchmen continue improvement in a tough schedule
Manchester fell 18-13 to the sixth-ranked Michigan Center Cardinals last Friday.
Friday night, the varsity Flying Dutchmen fell to the state-ranked Michigan Center Cardinals in what Coach Ben Pack called “defensively, our best showing of the year.”
“I am very proud of how our players have fought through a very difficult schedule and continue to improve weekly,” Pack said. “Our performance on Friday versus Michigan Center, a team ranked sixth in the state, in a classification above us, is evidence of their growth.”
The Dutch started off strong, matching the Cardinals’ early touchdown with one of its own near the end of the first quarter. With just :48 left in the quarter, Kannon Duffing completed a nine-yard pass to Andrew Campbell, which set up a 39-yard TD run by Wyatt Carson with just three seconds remaining. The PAT by Max Edwards was good, leaving the Dutchmen in the lead at the end of the first, 7-6.
A defensive standoff in the second quarter ended with Edwards making a successful 31-yard field goal attempt with 4:20 remaining. The Dutchmen went to the lockers at halftime with a 10-6 lead over the highly-ranked Cardinals.
The third quarter went scoreless with both Manchester and Michigan Center sustaining long drives that led to back-and-forth possession.
In the fourth, the Dutch led off the quarter with another Field Goal attempt by Edwards, with the Dutchmen up 13-6. But the Michigan Center offense brought in another touchdown at 5:05 left in the game; the extra point was blocked leaving the Dutchmen with just a one-point margin, 13-12. A 30-yard run by MC’s Kaydin Hiland with 2:54 remaining put the Cardinals in the lead for the first time in the game. But that was all they needed. Although their two-point conversion attempt was unsuccessful, the 18-13 score stood. Manchester battled through another possession in the game’s final moments, but were unsuccessful in making the score, and the Cardinals ultimately claimed their victory.
“Defensively it was our best showing of the year,” Pack said. “Cody Branner, Aiden Kelly, and Derek Huff turned in big plays for us.
“Our special teams also came up with big plays all night — kicker Max Edwards kicked two field goals, freshman punter Gunner Carson pinned the Michigan Center offense deep with every punt, and Garret Pope blocked a field goal kick and two point after touchdown attempts.”
Pack said he was also pleased with Duffing’s passing consistency, as he threw to six different receivers — Kelly, Campbell, Jaxon McGuigan, Pope, and Wyatt and Gunner Carson. “Spreading the ball around makes our offense more difficult to defend,” he added. Duffing completed 17 of 31 attempts, for 163 yards.
Wyatt Carson led the team in rushing with 76 yards and one touchdown.
The Flying Dutchmen will face Hanover-Horton for their Homecoming game at 7 pm on Friday, October 8. Go Dutch!
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