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NORTH MANCHESTER, IND. – A Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference battle between Manchester University and Hanover College gave fans in attendance at Carl W. Burt Memorial Field a little bit of everything Saturday, Nov. 8.
A small sample of what the crowd of better than 2,500 fans at MU's Senior Day game included a combined 101 points, 54 first downs, 384 yards rushing, 785 yards passing and over 1,000 yards of total offense. At the end of the wild and woolly league tussle, the visiting Panthers held on for a 52-49 decision.
Junior quarterback Logan Haston (Avon, Ind.), setting his third single-season record over the course of the past two weekends, spearheaded the offensive attack. He threw for 320 yards and four scores, putting him at 21 touchdown strikes for a new school best, with sophomore wide receiver Dakota Nelson (Fairland, Ind.) being his favorite target. Nelson hauled in 12 catches for 200 yards, moving him into first on the program's single-season receiving chart and into four-digit territory (1,047 yards). Nelson's single-game totals made him just the third Manchester University receiver to register 200-yards-or-more receiving in a game. Hunter Hardee joined the underclassman highlights for the offense, as the freshman from Fishers, Ind., turned in his first 100-yard rushing effort with 15 carries for 102 yards and two touchdowns.
The two sides went up and down the natural grass surface throughout the afternoon. Hanover moved out to a 38-27 halftime advantage and increased it to 18 twice in the final two frames (45-27/52-34) before the host Spartans (3-6 overall, 3-5 HCAC) followed the script of the past two Saturdays with a second half comeback. Three touchdown passes from the arm of Haston, helped along by a Hanover College fumble, aided the Spartans in closing the deficit to three points much to the delight of the home crowd. Coach Shannon Griffith's squad nearly completed the rally having two more chances in the final moments but a pair of interceptions by the visitors closed the contest.
Manchester University wraps up the 2014 season Saturday, Nov. 15, with the annual Bronze Ball contest against league rival Anderson University. Kickoff at AU's Macholtz Stadium is 1:30 p.m.
NOTES: The Black and Gold's defense received a pair of fumble recoveries, a sack apiece from senior defensive linemen Stephen Coble (Edwardsburg, Mich.) and Jon Scribner (Fort Wayne, Ind.), and seven tackles each from sophomore defensive back Nathan Birk (Indianapolis, Ind.), junior defensive back Brayden Troxel (Wakarusa, Ind.) and freshman linebacker Tyler Katschke (Winamac, Ind.) … Thirteen players, two student coaches, four cheerleaders and five student athletic trainers were recognized prior to kickoff as Spartan football program members of the Class of 2015.