Manhattan drops from rankings
MANHATTAN — The Indians have encountered a new problem this fall, and it's one that last year's Class 6A runner-up never had to face: staying healthy.
Manhattan's struggles with turnovers and injuries plagued the team through the first half of the season, leaving coach Joe Schartz searching for solutions in a Centennial League that offers no margin for error.
The problems reached a crescendo Friday when the Indians traveled to Wichita for a homecoming matchup against second-ranked Wichita Northwest. Manhattan's roster of players in street clothes included Kansas commit JJ Dunnigan and senior defensive back Nisbyc Johnson alongside nine other starters sidelined the previous week against Emporia.
On the field, the situation worsened. The Indians committed four turnovers in a 40-13 loss to the Grizzlies, continuing a season-long trend that Schartz identified as critical to the team's success.
"We just have to protect the ball a lot better, especially in big games," Schartz said after the loss. "That's been the recipe for our demise in both losses. But it goes all the way around. Defensively, we had our opportunities to make some stops, and we're going to need to tackle better."
Manhattan's turnover woes were particularly costly against a Northwest team that capitalized on nearly every mistake. Senior linebacker Ja'Mari Bland recorded two interceptions and a fumble recovery, while junior Cordale Johnson added a 45-yard interception return for a touchdown. The Grizzlies' defense scored two touchdowns, exploiting Manhattan's miscues and dominating the line of scrimmage.
The defensive lapses continued a troubling pattern for the Indians. Earlier in the season, Manhattan surrendered six turnovers in a 28-14 loss to Junction City, a setback that demonstrated the vulnerability that has haunted them since the preseason.
Despite the injuries, Manhattan managed to keep the game within reach momentarily. Junior running back Joe Mortenson broke loose for a 58-yard touchdown run in the second quarter that briefly tied the score at 7-7. Senior kicker Prescott Balderson added two field goals to keep the Indians' deficit manageable through the first half, with Manhattan trailing just 14-10 at the break.
The momentum shifted dramatically after intermission. Bland's 17-yard interception return for a touchdown early in the third quarter proved pivotal, extending Northwest's lead to 21-10. From that point, Wichita Northwest's running back Augie Fast — a second-year transfer who ran for 209 yards and three touchdowns — imposed his will on the game, with the Grizzlies' offense running just 39 plays to Manhattan's 66.
Fast was particularly effective on early carries, breaking free for 36 yards on his first attempt. That explosive play set the tone for Northwest's dominant performance, with Fast scoring on runs of 29, 49 and 40 yards as the Grizzlies pulled away. A year earlier, Fast had managed only 40 yards on 15 carries in Manhattan's 38-17 regular-season victory, but Northwest coach Steve Martin made a point to get him into rhythm on Friday.
"He was extremely hungry," Martin said. "After watching that film from last year, I felt like I did a bad job of not getting him the ball in rhythm. Tonight, we were going to make sure we got Augie into a rhythm and we were going to supplement that with Johnmichael and our freshman Zy'Air (Burton)."
Manhattan's loss dropped the Indians to 4-2 overall and 1-1 in Centennial League play, knocking them out of the KSHSAA Covered Top 5 rankings for Class 6A. The Indians are receiving votes for the rankings after appearing in the top five earlier in the season.
According to the latest Class 6A rankings, Maize leads the state with an undefeated 6-0 record, followed by second-ranked Wichita Northwest at 5-1 and third-ranked Junction City at 4-2. Free State rounds out the fourth spot at 5-1, with Olathe West entering the top five at 5-1. Manhattan sits on the bubble among other receiving votes alongside Derby, Gardner-Edgerton, Olathe Northwest, Shawnee Mission East and Washburn Rural, all fighting for relevance in what has become a crowded Class 6A landscape.
The Indians' next opponent figures to be equally formidable. Washburn Rural, also receiving votes in the rankings at 5-1, rounds out its regular season against top Centennial League competition. Both teams loom as threats in the league's playoff picture, with Junction City currently ranked No. 3 despite its losses to Hays and Manhattan's injury-plagued squad.
For Manhattan to salvage its season and make the postseason as a legitimate threat, Schartz emphasized that turnovers and tackling form the foundation of any successful football team. With key players potentially returning from injury as the season progresses, the Indians have time to right the ship.
"That's been the recipe for our demise," Schartz said, "so we've got to address those things immediately."