NORTH MANCHESTER — Coach Brandon Baker is facing a familiar dilemma with his Manchester football team — low numbers. “My first year here, we had 36 and this is my second lowest since then,” Baker said about the 44 players on his team’s roster. “We just don't have a lot of underclassmen coming out. It's a shame for them, because it's a great opportunity to get involved in something. Football's a definite test of manhood. I wish we could get some more guys. Obviously, because it would help us as a team, but just for their experience too. It's a great way to make a man.” Making the low turnout even worse for the Manchester Squires is the loss of running back Preston Penrod and quarterback Logan Brunn. During last year’s 3-8 campaign, Penrod led the Three Rivers Conference with 1,391 yards, while Brunn was ninth in the conference with 501 yards. Penrod also scored 15 touchdowns, meaning the graduation of the two is leaving a gaping hole. “We lost about 95 percent of our offense between Brunn and Penrod,” Baker said. “They left some big holes to fill. Those two also didn’t leave the field very much, so we really don't have a whole lot of experience coming back at their spots.” Penrod did miss some time last season with injuries, allowing junior Gunner Ream to get on the field, which should help when he becomes the starting tailback this year. Ream will be joined at the tailback position by sophomore Jacob Casper and senior Evan Olinger, while sophomore Evan Milam and junior Noah Johnson fill in at fullback. And if everything goes well, meaning the Squires dodge the injury bug, senior Jim Sainsbury will be the team’s new signal caller. However, if things go bad on the injury front, Sainsbury could be at fullback, if not on the offensive line. The Manchester offense will look similar to past years, as it goes with a wishbone-look. Last season, Brunn completed just 30 of 150 passes for 443 yards and two scores, meaning wide receivers don’t really flourish in the Manchester scheme. “We're going to get the best two blockers out there first,” Baker said about what he’s looking for from his receivers, which include junior Brodi Carter, senior Cody Harlan, junior Nick Eubank, junior Chris Eubank, senior Justin Hermann and sophomore Dan Griese. If Manchester does go to the air, Baker is pleased with what he’s been seeing from his new quarterback. “He's smart — very smart,” he said about Sainsbury. “Running the option, you have to read off the fly and he does a very nice job of that. He doesn't have the strongest arm, but he's worked a lot on his accuracy. That's what we need.” Opening holes for the running game and giving Sainsbury the time to throw will be returning starters senior Cole Sellers, senior Justin Lewis and senior Jurgin Cripe, as well as junior Jake Semler and freshman Thad Miller. Baker is confident his line can do the job, but things may become strained over the course of the game, with them also having to play on the defensive line. “I am worried about our depth up front (on the offensive line), because we already know we don't have a lot of guys,” he said. “With those five, who all worked hard in the summer, we'll be O.K. But, jokingly, we told them they aren't allowed to get hurt and they're not allowed to get tired.” A plus for Manchester is it’s 3-5 defensive scheme, meaning it plays with three defensive linemen and five linebackers. “That's why went to it, because we are short on linemen,” Baker said about the 3-5. “That gives us a chance to give those guys a break.” While the defensive linemen are subbing in and out, the linebackers will be Sainsbury, a three-year starter, Miller, Carter, sophomore Lucas Schilling, Milam and Chris Eubank. In the secondary are Casper, Ream, Olinger, Griese and junior Owen Johnson. A lot of the names on the defensive side of the ball are the same ones on the offensive side, meaning conditioning will be key when the Squires open the season at home against Mississinewa. “We have some good kids,” Baker said. “They worked hard this summer. It was probably the best summer we've had. They busted their butts in the weight room and they're a great group to be around. And it's a good thing they did work hard because most of them aren't going to come off the field.” Another under-the-radar loss for Manchester was the graduation of place kicker Derek Self. Self’s strong leg always made him a threat, and the Squires will once again be turning to the soccer team for a kicker. This time around, freshman Braydon Sewell will give it a try, although he doesn’t have much experience on the football field. “I'm hoping he'll stick with it and improve,” Baker said about Sewell. “(Aug. 6) was the first time he'd kicked a football. It was, obviously, not very pretty, but it's a lot different kicking a soccer ball.” Baker will be doing a lot of hoping this season, but also hopes some larger classes are around the corner. “We have to fill in the holes,” he said. “A lot of kids just don't want to work. It's tough. Football's a hard sport to play. It's physically and mentally taxing. Not everyone can handle it.” However, he feels the ones he does have can handle it, and may end up shocking some teams. “I think we can compete and we can compete with anybody we play,” he said. “They worked hard this summer and we've pushed them now to win the fourth quarter. We just need to stay in the game and just keep being tenacious.”
