Dutchmen offense hits hard on Whitmore Lake

by Marsha Chartrand

Although Thursday night’s game against Whitmore Lake was cut short by lightning, there was no doubt about the outcome. A victory was declared for Manchester at 42–6, with 6 minutes remaining in the final quarter.

“Our players executed very well during the first game of the season,” said varsity head coach Ben Pack. “Offensively, we scored 35 points in the first half, while holding them to zero. This caused the mercy rule to be implemented at the start of the second half.”

Blake Sloan led the team on offense, turning in a spectacular performance rushing the ball 11 times for 218 yards and two touchdowns. The line and tight ends did a fabulous job opening the holes for Blake. His hard running and second effort resulted in multiple big plays.

Quarterback Kannon Duffing was 5 for 5 passing, for 107 yards and three touchdowns.

“Our running game was clicking so well we didn’t need to throw until the last minutes of the first half,” Pack commented. “Getting us to a 35-point spread was huge. Kannon executed our two-minute offense with precision! He is a great leader.”

Wide receiver Tommy Johnson had two receptions for touchdowns and Luke Blumenauer had one reception for a TD. “Both of these players made our few passes count,” Pack said.

Kicker Lydia Bennett was 3 for 3 on the first three PAT kicks, while junior kicker Jeff Sangster did a fantastic job kicking off deep, pinning Whitmore Lake back inside the 20.

“Field position is a critical factor in all football games,” Pack said. “Our kicking game forced them to start multiple times on or inside their 20-yard line. This was a huge boost to our attack. Additionally, Jeff was 2 for 2 on PAT kicks.”

Defensively, Phoenix Hulswitt did an outstanding job playing Free Safety. He had seven tackles and broke up two passes and also recovered their onside kick.

“It is a pleasure to see players execute what they have learned during the summer and preseason practices,” Pack concluded.

Next game is versus Homer, at home — 7pm on Thursday, August 31. Go, Dutch!

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by Marsha Chartrand

Marsha Johnson Chartrand, a founder, writer, and copy editor with the Manchester Mirror, is a 50-year resident of Manchester. She has a long history of volunteer and community involvement.