Manchester 55, Earlham 7
At the time I made my visit to Manchester University in 2014, its football program had wallowed in mediocrity for several years (and would continue to do so in the years afterward). Despite that, given Earlham's recent abyss in football, I expected Manchester would do well in this encounter, but I just wasn't expecting the Spartans to do this well.
This game at North Manchester, Ind., was the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference opener for both schools in 2014. My major photographic challenge that day was dealing with some stiff winds that also played tricks on players on the gridiron, especially on punts and kickoffs.
OK, I did have one other “challenge” of sorts – photographing Spartacus, the newly renamed school mascot, which before that season had been referred to as Sami Spartan. I'll include a few of my images from that endeavor. Interestingly, there was a gentleman dressed up as a spartan warrior at the game as well. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get a very good shot of him, but I did get him seated in the stands.
That season, the Spartans enjoyed a quirk in their schedule that enabled them to start with three consecutive home games, and this HCAC opener against Earlham was the third in that streak. They opened against two non-conference foes – beating usual football power Trine University 29-28 on Sept. 7 then losing to Buffalo State, 60-32, the following week.
This game at North Manchester, Ind., was the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference opener for both schools in 2014. My major photographic challenge that day was dealing with some stiff winds that also played tricks on players on the gridiron, especially on punts and kickoffs.
OK, I did have one other “challenge” of sorts – photographing Spartacus, the newly renamed school mascot, which before that season had been referred to as Sami Spartan. I'll include a few of my images from that endeavor. Interestingly, there was a gentleman dressed up as a spartan warrior at the game as well. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get a very good shot of him, but I did get him seated in the stands.
That season, the Spartans enjoyed a quirk in their schedule that enabled them to start with three consecutive home games, and this HCAC opener against Earlham was the third in that streak. They opened against two non-conference foes – beating usual football power Trine University 29-28 on Sept. 7 then losing to Buffalo State, 60-32, the following week.
Given the final score, it should not be surprising to learn that the host Spartans' offense had 512 total yards, led by junior quarterback Logan Haston's completion of 14 of 20 passes for 276 yards and four touchdowns. It was Haston's fourth consecutive game of passing for 240 or more yards, the first Manchester quarterback to do so since 2005. Haston also was the team's leading rusher, gaining 81 yards on nine carries.
The Spartans scored once in the first quarter on a 9-yard Haston pass to Evan Rice and three times in the second quarter, two on Haston aerials to Matt Wirick and once on a 12-yard Haston keeper. The TD passes to Wirick covered 80 and 33 yards, respectively.
Earlham interrupted the Manchester run by scoring first in the third quarter on a 52-yard pass from Brennan Laird to Wesley Hundley, bringing the score to 28-7. But that was the last gasp for the Quakers. Dakota Nelson returned a punt 85 yards for a third-quarter score, sandwiched between two Andrew Cole field goals, making the score 41-7 entering the fourth quarter.
Nelson hauled in Haston's final TD pass, covering 25 yards, at 10:04 of the fourth quarter, and defensive back Taylor Anglemyer intercepted a pass by Earlham's Matt Couch and returned it 33 yards for a touchdown less than a minute later to bring the curtain down on scoring.
Because of the runaway score, there really wasn't one play I could single out for display as a lead-off photograph to highlight the shoot. Instead, I decided to pick the point of my favorite sequence from a photographer’s perspective, which is when Anglemyer (30) stepped in front of Earlham wide receiver Will Davis and successfully fought for possession of the ball for an interception then ran it back for a touchdown. A few other images from the sequence appear with the rest of the shots below.
Because of the runaway score, there really wasn't one play I could single out for display as a lead-off photograph to highlight the shoot. Instead, I decided to pick the point of my favorite sequence from a photographer’s perspective, which is when Anglemyer (30) stepped in front of Earlham wide receiver Will Davis and successfully fought for possession of the ball for an interception then ran it back for a touchdown. A few other images from the sequence appear with the rest of the shots below.
After the Earlham game, the Spartans would travel to Mount St. Joseph the following week then come home for two more games. They finished 4-6 for the season.
As always, to view a bigger, sharper version of a photo, simply click on the image. To view a full gallery of game images from this game, follow the link in this sentence.
Above: The focus in this motion-tracking pan image is on the ball, rendering the players into a blur or out of focus, but I really liked the ball-tracking captured in the eyes of Earlham defensive lineman Allen Eugene (44) as a Manchester pass zipped past him.
Above and next two below: A lot of the images you'll see in this post are part of play sequences, such as this one, in which Manchester quarterback Logan Haston (10) fires a pass to Evan Rice for a modest gain on the Spartans' first possession of the game.
Above and next three below: Moments after the Haston-to-Rice pass completion on the same drive, Manchester running back Austin Adams (7) reaches a point where he has to try and put a move on Earlham's James Johnson (11). He succeeded in getting past Johnson, but Quakers linebacker Mason Davis (29) quickly steps in to put a halt to the gain.
Above and next three below: Haston (10) caps the Spartans' drive with a 9-yard touchdown pass to Rice (4), who extends the ball as far as he can to make sure it crosses the plane of the goal line.
Above and below: On a subsequent possession in the game, Austin is brought down by Earlham defenders Davis (facing camera) and David Dyer (29).
Above and below: Manchester's defense had Earlham quarterback Brennan Laird (12) under pressure or on the run on quite a few pass plays. On the toss below, he overthrew intended receiver Jalen Kenner (10).
Above: Forced out of the pocket to run the ball, Laird couldn't get past defensive back Nathan Birk (26).
Above: This time, despite pressure from Manchester's Daniel Heim (39) and the obstacle of a Spartan lineman's waving hand, Laird got off a pass to Kenner (10), who is poised to make the reception.
Above: On special teams, Taylor Anglemyer made the tackle on kick returner Kenner.
A Laird pass to Kenner (above) on the first drive of the second quarter is well out of the reach of lineman Chandler Miller (90). The Quakers gained 5 yards on the play. Several plays later (below), linebacker Tyler Katschke (22) brought down Laird after a short gain.
Manchester receiver Matt Wirick (1) is off to the races (above), nearing the end of an 80-yard pass play that put the Spartans' up 14-0 in the second quarter.
Above: Manchester's Austin Adams is wrapped up by David Dyer (29) and Lajar Kelly (33) after a short gain.
Above: Haston took off on a 12-yard scamper for a score that increased the Spartans' lead to 21-0.
Above: Earlham receiver Marcaus Cooper was brought down by Manchester's Nathan Birk (26) and Tyler Katschke.
Above and below: Adding to quarterback Laird's long, difficult day on the gridiron was this sack by Manchester defenders Jordan Kleber (84) and Stephen Coble (91). It was one of five sacks by the Manchester defense.
Above: Matt Wirick punctuated a 33-yard pass play with this leap into the end zone for a touchdown with 1:34 left in the second quarter, giving the Spartans a 28-0 lead at halftime.
Laird felt pressure from Manchester defenders Daniel Heim (39), Jon Scribner (93) and Michael Hanmer (far right) on this off-balance throw (above) in the second half. The pass was complete, however, to Marcaus Cooper for 10 yards. On the next play (below), Laird eluded pressure from the rush and scampered right for a 15-yard gain before being forced out of bounds. Shortly after that, Laird would connect (second below) with receiver Wesley Hundley (6) for a 52-scoring pass, Earlham's only points of the game.
Above and next two below: Kick returner Dakota Nelson (5) escaped several tackles while navigating an 85-yard return of an Earlham punt for a touchdown halfway through the third quarter.
Manchester defensive coordinator Brad Higginson (above) conveys signals to his defensive squad on the field. It must have worked; moments later, Earlham quarterback Brennan Laird (below) is under pressure again by Scribner (93) and Coble (91).
Laird did complete a pass to Wesley Hundley (above) before Taylor Anglemyer brought him down, but another Laird pass shortly thereafter sinks to the ground quickly before intended receiver, running back Levi Hansen (below), can get under it.
Back on offense and with a 42-14 lead, Austin Adams (above) is brought down by Marcus Villareal (39) after a rushing gain. In the three frames below, Dakota Nelson (5) is tripped up and brought down after catching a 19-yard pass from Logan Haston. On the very next play, Haston would connect again with Nelson, this time for 25 yards and a touchdown to boost the Spartans' lead to 49-7.
The picture above and the following seven images complete the series of photos showing Taylor Anglemyer's interception of a Matt Couch pass to Will Davis (85). The photo series starts with the image leading off the post. Anglemyer got a hand between the ball and Davis and snatched the loose ball before Davis, whose momentum was in the wrong direction, could turn around and make a play. Anglemyer's momentum, meanwhile, carried him toward the Spartan goal line, and as soon as he had the ball secure in his grasp, he took off for the right sideline to begin a 33-yard scamper for a touchdown. The photo series concludes with Anglemyer falling into the end zone, but not before Couch goes eye-to-eye with his interceptor in an attempt to stop a score. Couch was pushed out of Anglemyer's path by Spartan defensive lineman Chandler Miller.
With a 55-7 lead and victory secure, the Spartans and head coach Shannon Griffith (above, far right) relax while the offense runs out the clock (next two below) by having Tyler Smith (37) and Tijuan Johnson (20) run the ball.
Next up: Chapter 26, Manchester University campus
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