Hawks Drop Class, Drop Manchester
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
NORTH MANCHESTER -ÊHarding went into the Class 2A football sectional in North Manchester with a 3-6 record, but many of those losses came to bigger schools in Fort Wayne.
That experience against bigger schools and Manchester's inability to capitalize on the kicking game led to Harding's 7-6 win Friday night.
Harding's 1998 season ended with a Class 3A regional loss at NorthWood. The Hawks dropped a class in 1999.
Harding monopolized the clock in the first quarter as the Hawks' first drive ate nearly eight minutes off the clock. The Hawks moved down to Manchester's 15-yard line, but they were unable to gain a first down, and Manchester took over.
However, the Squires were unable to capitalize on the opportunity and gave the ball over on downs at the Harding 30-yard line.
Harding scored the first touchdown of the evening with 7:24 left in the second quarter. David Tubbs did the bulk of the work for Harding as he rushed for 55 yards in the 70-yard drive. Quarterback Kelvin Norfleet ran the ball one yard on a broken play to score the touchdown. When Leslie Noel split the uprights with his extra point, Harding held a 7-0 lead.
Manchester received the ball on its 30-yard line on the kickoff, but Harding was offside, so the Squires sent them back to kick it again. On the second kick, Manchester moved the ball to the Harding 47-yard line. The Squires were unable to gain a first down, though, as three penalties sent them back 25 yards. Manchester was forced to punt from the 50-yard line.
Harding had the ball for just four plays before Manchester's Annon Gaerte intercepted a Norfleet pass and returned it 42 yards. Manchester took over on the Harding 48-yard line, and after one incomplete pass, Klay Bechtold connected with Gaerte for a 57-yard pass to give Manchester its first and only touchdown of the game. But the extra point sailed wide right, and Harding held a slim 7-6 lead.
At the half, the score was 7-6, and the game remained scoreless through the third and fourth quarters.
With 2:05 left in the fourth quarter, Manchester's Josh Bradley got a hand on a Harding Continued from Page 1B
punt, and the Squires took possession of the ball on the Hawk 35-yard line. The Squires moved the ball to the 5-yard line with first and goal, but a penalty moved them back to the 10-yard line. Manchester was unable to move the ball any further and attempted a 15-yard field goal on fourth down with 1:33 left in the game. The kick was short and Harding took over on its own 20.
Manchester got one last chance at scoring when its defense forced Harding to go four and out. After a 41-yard Harding punt, Bechtold completed a 10-yard pass to Gaerte for a first down. However, Manchester's last two passes were incomplete, and the Squires watched their season end with a tough 7-6 loss.
"We gave it our best shot," said Manchester coach Al Bailey. "All you can ask for is a shot at the end, and we had it. Harding is a strong, physical team, and they played a good football game."
"I'm just happy to be able to play next week" said Harding coach Steve Cooley. "We made a lot of mistakes, had several turnovers. All that matters right now is that we live to play another week."
Manchester finishes the season 6-4 while Harding, now 4-6, will host Fort Wayne Luers next week.
HARDING 7, MANCHESTER 6
Manchester 0 6 0 0 - 6
Harding 0 7 0 0 - 7
H M
First downs 14 8
Rushes-yards 53-254 23-69
Passing 30 144
Comp.-Att.-Int. 2-11-2 8-23-3
Total offense 284 203
Fumbles-lost 4-3 0-0
Punts-ave. 3-29.0 3-29.0
Penalties-yards 6-48 6-40
Second Quarter
7:24 -ÊKelvin Norfleet 1 run (Leslie Noel kick), 7-0 H
3:26 -ÊAnnon Gaerte 57 pass from Klay Bechtold (kick failed), 7-6 H
Fourth Quarter
1:33 -ÊFalk Borchert missed 27 yard field goal.
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
Rushing -ÊManchester: Josh Peden 14-55, Jon Sommer 5-14; Harding: David Tubbs 35-162, Tywan Cole 8-65, Brandon Lyons 6-13.
Receiving - Manchester: Annon Gaerte 2-67, Kedric Miller 3-37, Tom Hardy 2-22; Harding: Tubbs 2-30.
Passing - Manchester: Klay Bechtold 8-23-144, 3 INT, 1 TD; Harding: Kelvin Norfleet 2-11-30, 2 INT, 0 TD. [[In-content Ad]]
NORTH MANCHESTER -ÊHarding went into the Class 2A football sectional in North Manchester with a 3-6 record, but many of those losses came to bigger schools in Fort Wayne.
That experience against bigger schools and Manchester's inability to capitalize on the kicking game led to Harding's 7-6 win Friday night.
Harding's 1998 season ended with a Class 3A regional loss at NorthWood. The Hawks dropped a class in 1999.
Harding monopolized the clock in the first quarter as the Hawks' first drive ate nearly eight minutes off the clock. The Hawks moved down to Manchester's 15-yard line, but they were unable to gain a first down, and Manchester took over.
However, the Squires were unable to capitalize on the opportunity and gave the ball over on downs at the Harding 30-yard line.
Harding scored the first touchdown of the evening with 7:24 left in the second quarter. David Tubbs did the bulk of the work for Harding as he rushed for 55 yards in the 70-yard drive. Quarterback Kelvin Norfleet ran the ball one yard on a broken play to score the touchdown. When Leslie Noel split the uprights with his extra point, Harding held a 7-0 lead.
Manchester received the ball on its 30-yard line on the kickoff, but Harding was offside, so the Squires sent them back to kick it again. On the second kick, Manchester moved the ball to the Harding 47-yard line. The Squires were unable to gain a first down, though, as three penalties sent them back 25 yards. Manchester was forced to punt from the 50-yard line.
Harding had the ball for just four plays before Manchester's Annon Gaerte intercepted a Norfleet pass and returned it 42 yards. Manchester took over on the Harding 48-yard line, and after one incomplete pass, Klay Bechtold connected with Gaerte for a 57-yard pass to give Manchester its first and only touchdown of the game. But the extra point sailed wide right, and Harding held a slim 7-6 lead.
At the half, the score was 7-6, and the game remained scoreless through the third and fourth quarters.
With 2:05 left in the fourth quarter, Manchester's Josh Bradley got a hand on a Harding Continued from Page 1B
punt, and the Squires took possession of the ball on the Hawk 35-yard line. The Squires moved the ball to the 5-yard line with first and goal, but a penalty moved them back to the 10-yard line. Manchester was unable to move the ball any further and attempted a 15-yard field goal on fourth down with 1:33 left in the game. The kick was short and Harding took over on its own 20.
Manchester got one last chance at scoring when its defense forced Harding to go four and out. After a 41-yard Harding punt, Bechtold completed a 10-yard pass to Gaerte for a first down. However, Manchester's last two passes were incomplete, and the Squires watched their season end with a tough 7-6 loss.
"We gave it our best shot," said Manchester coach Al Bailey. "All you can ask for is a shot at the end, and we had it. Harding is a strong, physical team, and they played a good football game."
"I'm just happy to be able to play next week" said Harding coach Steve Cooley. "We made a lot of mistakes, had several turnovers. All that matters right now is that we live to play another week."
Manchester finishes the season 6-4 while Harding, now 4-6, will host Fort Wayne Luers next week.
HARDING 7, MANCHESTER 6
Manchester 0 6 0 0 - 6
Harding 0 7 0 0 - 7
H M
First downs 14 8
Rushes-yards 53-254 23-69
Passing 30 144
Comp.-Att.-Int. 2-11-2 8-23-3
Total offense 284 203
Fumbles-lost 4-3 0-0
Punts-ave. 3-29.0 3-29.0
Penalties-yards 6-48 6-40
Second Quarter
7:24 -ÊKelvin Norfleet 1 run (Leslie Noel kick), 7-0 H
3:26 -ÊAnnon Gaerte 57 pass from Klay Bechtold (kick failed), 7-6 H
Fourth Quarter
1:33 -ÊFalk Borchert missed 27 yard field goal.
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
Rushing -ÊManchester: Josh Peden 14-55, Jon Sommer 5-14; Harding: David Tubbs 35-162, Tywan Cole 8-65, Brandon Lyons 6-13.
Receiving - Manchester: Annon Gaerte 2-67, Kedric Miller 3-37, Tom Hardy 2-22; Harding: Tubbs 2-30.
Passing - Manchester: Klay Bechtold 8-23-144, 3 INT, 1 TD; Harding: Kelvin Norfleet 2-11-30, 2 INT, 0 TD. [[In-content Ad]]