10.25.08 - HANOVER RALLIES IN FOURTH QUARTER FOR A 35-34 WIN
Hanover College scored a touchdown with 56 seconds remaining to pick up their first win of the year, 35-34 over Manchester.

Manchester tied the game at 7-7 following a Brandon Wells 17-yard touchdown run. DeRon Jenkins scored on a one-yard surge into the endzone to give MC a 14-7 lead at the end of the first quarter. Jared Yoder's 17-yard touchdown reception from Caleb Grimes closed out the second quarter with Manchester clinging to a 21-7 lead.

Hanover scored once in the third and and again in the fourth to tie the game at 21-21. Grimes found Yoder on a 30-yard touchdown pass to go up 28-21, but Hanover tied the game on the next possession. Wells scored his second touchdown of the game with 7:02 remaining to go ahead 34-28, but the Panthers scored with 56 seconds remaining to take the 35-34 win.

Wells rushed for 149 yards and two touchdowns on 32 carries. Grimes added 91 yards rushing and ended the game 22-33 passing with 246 yards and a pair of touchdown passes. Yoder had 11 catches for 109 yards.

Mike DePoy led the defense with 11 tackles. Tyler Smith added eight tackles while Josh Kapla recorded six.

Manchester drops to 5-2 on the year, 2-2 in the HCAC. They return to action Saturday at Mount St. Joseph.

10.18.08 - MANCHESTER MOVES TO 4-2 FOLLOWING 17-7 WIN OVER BLUFFTON
Manchester posted a 17-7 win over Bluffton to improve to 4-2 on the year, 2-1 in the HCAC.
Brandon Wells capped off a nine play, 58 yard drive with a one-yard touchdown run to give Manchester a 7-0 lead with two minutes remaining in the first quarter. Bluffton scored on a one-yard TD run with five minutes remaining to tie the game for a 7-7 halftime score.

MC's Ian Fry connected on a 23-yard field goal in the third quarter to give MC a 10-7 lead. Trent Weisser's 44-yard interception return set up Wells' second touchdown of the day, this time on a six-yard run with seven minutes left in the game as MC picked up the 17-7 win.

Wells ended the game with 92 yards rushing on 23 carries. Quarterback Caleb Grimes was 17-20 passing for 140 yards and one interception.

Mike DePoy led the Spartan defense with 13 tackles, including nine unassisted tackles. Beau Bradtmiller added five tackles while Wes Atkins and Tyler Pedersen added four tackles each.

Manchester returns to action next Saturday at home as they host Hanover College starting at 1:30 p.m.

10.11.08 - SPARTANS PICK UP 20-7 WIN OVER DEFIANCE FOR FIRST HCAC WIN OF THE SEASON
Brandon Wells rushed for a one-yard TD while quarterback Caleb Grimes found Jordan Cork on a 29-yard TD pass and Jared Yoder on a 14-yard score in the first half to give Manchester a 20-7 win over Defiance in HCAC action.

Wells rushed for 158 of Manchester's 209 yards on the afternoon. Wells had 34 carries and a touchdown for the Spartans and added 35 yards on five receptions. Grimes finished the afternoon 19-31 passing with two interceptions and 152 yards passing with two touchdowns. Jordan Cork had 48 yards receiving while Jared Yoder added 45 yards on four catches each.

Mike DePoy led the way defensively with eight tackles and a forced fumble. Jemiah Jones added six tackles while Beau Bradtmiller, Ben Rogowski and Beau Fulk each recovered fumbles for MC.

Manchester improves to 3-2 on the year, 1-1 in the HCAC. They travel to Bluffton on Saturday for a 1:30 p.m. start.

10.4.08 - ROSE-HULMAN OVERCOMES FOURTH QUARTER DEFICIT FOR A 35-31 WIN
Rose-Hulman overcame a 31-21 deficit in the fourth quarter by scoring a pair of touchdowns to hand the Spartans a 35-31 loss on Saturday, part of Rose-Hulman's Homecoming weekend.

The Engineers jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter before MC's Brandon Wells scored on a 20-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Caleb Grimes. Grimes tied the game on a one-yard scamper into the endzone early in the second period. A Rose-Hulman touchdown and an Ian Fry 22-yard field goal gave the Engineers a 21-17 halftime lead.

MC opened the third quarter with two touchdowns, one on a four-yard Brandon Wells run and an Adam Schell six yard run to take a 31-21 lead with 3:09 remaining in the third. Rose scored twice in the fourth on a pair of touchdown passes to pick up the 35-31 win.

Brandon Wells ended the game with 95 yards rushing and a touchdown and had two catches for 42 yards and a score. Adam Schell had 55 yards rushing and a TD, while Grimes went 15-26 passing for 217 yards, two interceptions and a touchdown. Jared Yoder led MC with five catches for 58 yards.

Defensively, Beau Bradtmiller led Manchester with eight tackles. Mike DePoy added seven while Dan Jones and Tyler Pedersen tallied six tackles each. Jeff McDonald had an interception late in the second quarter for MC.

The Spartans fall to 2-2 overall, 0-1 in the HCAC. They return home Saturday as they host Defiance starting at 1:30 p.m., part of Manchester's Homecoming Weekend.

9.20.08 - SPARTANS POST SECOND STRAIGHT WIN, 42-21 OVER KALAMAZOO, GRIMES TALLIES 356 YARDS OF TOTAL OFFENSE
Junior quarterback Caleb Grimes accounted for 356 of Manchester's 523 yards of total offense Saturday as Manchester defeated Kalamazoo 42-21.

Manchester's Brandon Wells scored on a three-yard run midway in the first quarter to take a quick 7-0 lead following an Ian Fry kick. Kalamazoo returned the score on the following drive for a 7-7 tie, but MC responded with a score to end the first quarter as Grimes found Chris Cecil on a 21-yard pass to go up 14-7.Manchester scored again ealry in the second quarter as Adam Schell broke open for a 39-yard pass from Grimes. K'zoo scored on the next possession to pull within seven, 21-14 with 10:30 left in the half.

Grimes scored his first of two touchdowns on the day as he rushed for an eight-yard TD score. The missed extra point gave MC a 27-14 lead at the half.

The Hornets scored early in the third, but Grimes found his way to the endzone on a 30-yard run to score. He then passed to Dante Dinkins for the two-point conversion for a 35-21 lead with nine minutes remaining in the third period. Wells scored the final touchdown of the day early in the fourth quarter on a four-yard run for the 42-21 final.

Grimes ended the day with 150 yards rushing and two touchdowns, and threw for 206 yards on 18-26 passing and two touchdowns. Brandon Wells added 91 yards rushing w38 yards and a score. ith two touchdowns on 20 carries. Jordan Cork had six receptions for 41 yards, Jared Yoder had 53 yards on four catches while Chris Cecil had four catches and a touchdown.

The Spartan defense held Kalamazoo to just nine yards rushing, while giving up 274 yards passing. Mike DePoy led MC with six tackles. Wes Atkins and Jermiah Jones recorded five tackles each, with Jones collecting an interception.

Manchester improves to 2-1 on the year. They have a bye this coming Saturday but return to action Saturday, Oct. 4 at Rose-Hulman for a 2 p.m. start.

9.13.08 - MANCHESTER POSTS 40-7 WIN OVER EARLHAM IN HOME OPENER
The Manchester College football team picked up a 40-7 win over Earlham in the Spartans' season home opener on Saturday.

Manchester scored early in the second quarter as Chris Cecil scored on a 58-yard reception from Caleb Grimes to take a 7-0 lead. Earlham scored with nine minutes remaining in the half to tie the game at 7-7 before the Spartans engineered two scoring drives in the last five minutes of the half. Joel Hawkins scored in an 8 yard run while Brandon Wells worked his way into the endzone on a 1-yard run to give MC a 20-7 lead at the half.

Manchester scored twice in the third period as Jared Yoder connected on a 58-yard pass reception from Grimes and Brandon Wells scored his second TD of the game with 5:36 remaining on a 3-yard run for a 33-7 lead. Adam Schell scored from 10-yards out late in the fourth quarter to give the Spartans the 40-7 lead.

Wells ended the game with 105 yards rushing and a pair of touchdowns. Grimes was 11-18 passing for 229 yards and two TDs. Jared Yoder netted 150 yards receiving on seven catches to lead the Spartan offense.

Defensively, Mike DePoy had 10 tackles, while Dan Jones added nine. Zach Washington recorded eight tackles with a sack and Beau Bradtmiller tallied eight tackles.

Manchester improves to 1-1 on the year, and returns to action Saturday at Kalamazoo.

9.6.08 - MANCHESTER FALLS IN SEASON OPENER 41-13 TO TRINE
Manchester fell in their season opener 41-13 to Trine University on Saturday.  Trine scored on a opening play of the game on a 61-yard quarterback keeper to take a quick 7-0 lead.  Trine scored again in the second quarter on a five-yard run to go up 14-0.

Manchester's Jared Yoder scored on a 36-yard touchdown pass from Caleb Grimes for the Spartans first score of the game.  The blocked extra point attempt and another touchdown from Trine gave the Thunder a 21-6 lead at the half. 

In the third quarter Trine scored with a blocked PAT attempt to go ahead 27-6, and scored their fifth rushing touchdown of the game early in the fourth quarter to take a 34-6 lead.  Ten seconds later a Joel Hawkins fumble was recovered by TU for a 20-yard return touchdown for a 41-6 lead.  Hawkins scored MC's second TD of the dya on a 3-yard run and Ian Fry connected on the extra point to end the game 41-13.

Hawkins led the team in rushing with 81 yards and TD on 13 carries. Yoder had 128 yards receiving with a touchdown on four catches while Grimes ended the game 15-30 for 213 yards and a touchdown pass.

Defensively, Mike DePoy led the team with seven tackles.  Beau Bradtmiller, Tyler Petersen and Zach Washington had six tackles each. 

Manchester drops to 0-1 on the year and returns home Saturday, Sept. 13 to face Earlham on Manchester College's Community Day.   

8.26.08 - SPARTAN FOOTBALL SET TO HOST 8TH ANNUAL COMMUNITY DAY FOOTBALL GAME
Manchester College football coach Shannon Griffith has set the Spartans' home opener against Earlham College as this year's annual Community Day game. In its eighth year, Community Day was established to help build relations with the North Manchester community and encourage residents to get involved and support Spartan athletics. 

Free ice cream treats, courtesy of the North Manchester Dairy Queen, will be available while supplies last, and prizes will be given away every time the Spartans score. The grand prize this year will be an 8GB iTouch.  Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for senior citizens, with college students and employees admitted free with an ID.

11.10.07-ANDERSON RALLIES TO DEFEAT MANCHESTER 19-14
Anderson University retains possession of the Bronze Ball Trophy following a 19-14 come from behind win over Manchester.  The trophy win is the seventh straight for the Ravens, who scored a touchdown with 34 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter to pull off the 19-14 win. 

Brandon Wells scored the game's opening touchdown near the end of the first quarter as he broke loose on a Caleb Grimes pass for an 83-yard reception. His extra point attempt gave the Spartans a 7-0 lead, until Anderson scored on a Tristan Cork 45-yard field with 13 minutes remaining in the second half. Denny Kimmel punched his way into the endzone for a five-yard score to give the Ravens a 10-7 lead at the half. Anderson's Cork scored on a 37-yard field goal to make it 13-7 AU seconds into the fourth quarter. MC's Brent Ash scored his second TD of the season on a one-yard run to give MC a 14-13 lead with 6:07 remaining. The Ravens marched 69 yards on five plays capped off by a Matthew Thompson 34-yard TD pass from Chase Thurston to take a 19-14 lead after a failed two-point conversion. 

Wells ended the game with 72 yards rushing and 85 yards receiving. Joel Hawkins added 37 yards rushing and Caleb Grimes was 11-19 passing for 154 yards. 

Defensively, Mike DePoy and Mitch Harnish had 11 tackles each. John Sames and Ben Rogowski added eight tackles apiece, with Sams recording an interception to halt an AU potential score in the fourth quarter. 

Manchester ends the year 3-7 overall, 1-6 in the HCAC.

11.3.07-ROSE-HULMAN EDGES MANCHESTER 31-28
Despite surrending 200 more offensive yards to Rose-Hulman, Manchester fell by a three point margin on Saturday 31-28.

A Joel Hawkins inteception pass set up a three-yard touchdown run by the Engineers to take a quick 7-0 lead in the first quarter.  Manchester responded following a Mitch Harnish interception with a scoring drive capped off by a Brandon Wells one-yard run into the endzone.  Less than 60 seconds later Manchester's Wes Atkins picked off a Rose-Hulman pass for a 53-yard touchdown score.  A missed PAT attempt gave MC a 13-7 lead.  In the second quarter Rose responded with Bryan Wong's second TD of the day after a three yard run to give RHIT a 14-13 lead. MC bounced back with four minutes remaining in the quarter as Caleb Grimes found Jared Yoder on a nine yard touchdown pass.  Grimes found Billy Cardwell for the two-point conversion to give MC a 21-14 lead, but the Engineers constructed a scoring drive with 19 seconds remaining to take a 21-21 tie into the half. 

In the second half, Rose-Hulman scored on a 74 yard touchdown pass on the first play of their drive, then connected on a 30-yard field goal to go ahead 31-21 with 11 minutes remaining in the fourth.  Michael Maciejewski scored for Manchester as Grimes found him on a seven yard touchdown pass with nine minutes left with Rose leading 31-28. 

Wells had 55 yards rushing on 20 carries for MC.  Grimes was 16-26 passing for 192 yards and a pair of touchdowns.  Yoder ended the game with eight catches for 144 yards and a score. 

Defensively, Atkins had seven solo tackles and the interception TD.  John Sams, Jeff McDonald, Mike DePoy and Beau Bradtmiller recorded six tackles apiece for the defense. 

Manchester falls to 3-6 on the year, 1-5 in the conference.  They host Anderson on Saturday for the seventh annual Bronze Ball Trophy game starting at 1 p.m.
9.29.07-DEFIANCE SNAPS MC'S TWO-GAME WIN STREAK IN A 27-8 LOSS
Despite three turnovers by Defiance in the first half, Manchester trailed 7-3 heading into the break, and fell victim in a 27-8 win over Defiance to snap Manchester's two-game win streak and giving the Spartans their first conference loss of the year. 

Defiance scored on their first possession of the game on a 63-yard drive to take a quick 7-0 lead, but the Spartan defense stepped and forced three first half turnovers by Defiance.  Jermiah Jones had an interception and a forced fumble with a recovery that resulted in a 22-yard Brandon Wells field goal on two of DC's possessions and Jeff McDonald had a pick for the Spartans late in the second quarter. 

In the third period, Adam VanZile recorded a safety for MC three minutes into the third period to give Defiance a 7-5 lead, but the Yellow Jackets responded with a 65-yard touchdown run to take a 13-5 lead.  Wells hit a 24-yard field goal to make it 13-8 Defiance with 2:02 remaining in the third, but DC scored two unanswered touchdowns for the 27-8 win. 

Quarterback Joel Hawkins led MC with 93 yards rushing on 25 carries.   He was 14-32 passing for 137 yards and an interception.  Defensively, it was Jeff McDonald leading the way with 11 tackles and an interception.  Jones had six tackles with a pick, forced fumble and recovery.  Mike DePoy and Beau Bradtmiller added seven tackles each.

Manchester drops to 2-2, 0-1 in the HCAC and hosts Bluffton next Saturday all part of MC's Homecoming Week festivities.