Manchester Academy took an early lead and never looked back in a 36-8 home win over Carroll Academy.
The Mavericks scored on the opening drive.
Will Fouche scored on a 45-yard carry, and Reid Bain added the extra point kick for a 7-0 lead with 11:25 to go in the first.
“I was proud of how we came out with intensity and took control of the line,” said head coach Bryan Dendy. Our running backs and receivers also did a good job of setting the tone for the game early.”
On the following drive, Hunter Sadler and Bob Black made a tackle for loss on third down to force Carroll to punt.
A pass to Blayke Dendy and a first down run by Black set up Fouche’s second touchdown of the night. Bain tacked on the extra point for a 14-0 lead with 5:26 remaining in the first quarter.
Once again the Mavericks defense smothered Carroll’s effort to respond.
Tyler Reynolds had a sack, and then Reynolds and Jon Regan came through with a tackle for loss to force another punt.
Rainer Roberts returned the punt to Carroll’s 35 yard line.
Blayke Dendy scored a four-yard touchdown to cap the drive, and Rainer Roberts turned a bad snap on the extra point into two points with a pass to Christopher Guthrie for a 22-0 lead with 1:49 left in the first quarter.
Sophomore quarterback Upton Hitt, connected with Bob Black on a 13-yard touchdown pass with 5:01 to go before halftime. Bain added the extra point.
Hitt had an outstanding game, completing all six of his pass attempts for 117 yards and a touchdown. Hitt completed passes to five different receivers in the winning effort.
“He played a great game,” Dendy said.
Warner Griffin scored with just nine seconds to go before halftime, and Bain’s kick was on target once again, for a 35-0 lead.
Carroll would manage to score in the third quarter, but the outcome of the contest was never in doubt.
Fouche led the rushing attack with 137 yards and two touchdowns on just nine carries.
Griffin added 78 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries. He also had one reception for 12 yards.
Blayke Dendy had 26 yards and a touchdown on six carries and one reception for 25 yards.
Roberts had one reception for 38 yards, and Link Greenlee had two for 29 yards.
Cade Potter had five tackles to help lead another strong performance by the Mavericks defense.
Taylor Porter had two sacks, three tackles and one assist.
Reynolds had two sacks an assist. Roberts had four tackles.
Hunter Sadler had three tackles, and Nick Cohea, William Fuller, John Regan and Jon Riley Poe had two each.
Manchester (5-1) faces a bigger challenge this week as the Mavericks travel to Vicksburg to take on St. Aloysius (2-4).
St. Al defeated Park Place Christian Academy 27-14 last week.
Bryan Dendy said his team is spending this week preparing for a well-balanced opponent.
“They are a very talented team with lots of speed,” Dendy said. “They like to spread the field, and they have a couple of good receivers.They also have a strong defense.”
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.
