Game Leaders
Team Stats
Passing Yards
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Time of Poss.
HANOVER, IND. – A strong balance of timely offense and hard-nosed defense guided Manchester University to a Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference road win Saturday, Nov. 7.
On the offensive end, senior quarterback Logan Haston (Avon, Ind.) and sophomore running back Hunter Hardee (Fishers, Ind.) proved again why they are household names for MU's football program.
Haston, who has indelibly carved his name in the Black and Gold's annals as the all-time (5,333) and single-season (2,725) yardage passing leader, added another school record to his large cadre, firing two touchdown passes to move to 40 in his career and surpass Josh Crick, who totaled 38 from 1995-98, as part of an 18-for-26, 201-yard day which saw him register his sixth 200-yard-plus total of the season. Hardee was just as sparkling. Carrying the ball 31 times for 204 yards, the sophomore rushed for the fifth-most single-game yardage and became MU's fourth 1,000-yard single-season ground carrier. His 200-plus yards were the most in a game for the program since 1995, and he became the first quadruple digit carrier for the Spartans since 1996.
The Spartans' defense picked up impressive numbers to go along with its offense.
Junior linebacker Nathan Birk (Indianapolis, Ind.), turned in his fifth successive double-digit tackle effort, recording 15, four of which were solo, to go along with an interception. Freshman defensive back Dillon Nelson (Fairland, Ind.) compiled six solo and six assisted tackles for his first double-figure effort (12), and junior defensive lineman Peter Myers (Greensburg, Ind.) recovered a fumble. Birk, senior defensive lineman Michael Hammer (Remington, Ind.) and junior defensive lineman Dan Heim (Goshen, Ind.) each registered a sack of Panthers' signal caller Zachary Donan, too.
Even with those superlatives aiding the Black and Gold in route to a 21-0 halftime lead, the host Panthers (2-7 overall, 2-5 HCAC) staged a second half comeback to make it close in the waning moments. Trailing 24-7 late in the third period, Hanover pieced together a pair of fourth period scoring marches to close within three points, but an onside kick attempt with a minute remaining in regulation was sent out-bounds to close the contest.
MU aims for its second winning campaign in the last four seasons when they host Anderson University Saturday, Nov. 14, in a renewal of the Bronze Ball Series. Kickoff is 1:30 p.m. at Carl W. Burt Memorial Field in North Manchester.
NOTES: The Spartans' 421 yards of total offense marked the sixth time in eight games that they've registered 300-or-more this season … The defense's three sacks denoted the fourth time in 2015 they've had two-or-more and were the most in a game since the 2014 squad dragged down Anderson University's quarterback six times in the season finale … Manchester University's victory was its first at Alumni Stadium since 2009.