Football Focuses on Team Chemistry
Brenden Damron
It’s September and football season is officially upon us. That’s right, it’s time to watch the Manchester University Spartans suit up for another year on the gridiron. Though they are only a few games in, the boys are already making progress.
The season opener was against Trine University at MU’s Carl W. Burt Memorial Field. This was not an easy game, considering Trine University football is ranked in the top 30 in Midwestern universities. Still, this didn’t stop the Spartans from getting on the board first with a field goal. When the opposing team answered with a touchdown of their own, the Spartans answered back, but failed in their extra-point attempt. After the back and forth action, the White Tigers pulled away, resulting in an ending score of 23–9. “We competed the whole game,” said head coach Nate Jensen.
The second game played by the Spartans was also on their own turf. This time, it was against MU’s Michigan rival, Alma College. During a rough, rainy first quarter, Manchester had a hard time even getting a first down. Alma, on the other hand, had no problem scoring a couple of touchdowns. After the first quarter ended, the MU Spartans came back with three touchdowns in a 15-minute period. After leaving the half with a three-point lead, things were looking up for the Spartans. During the second half, however, was a different story, any attempt by the Black and Gold was rejected. Alma ended up taking the game with a 31-point lead over Manchester’s 20 points.
As MU enters the end of a bye week, the Spartans prepare to hit the road to Cincinnati on Saturday, September 24, to face the Mount Saint Joseph Lions, who should prove to be a worthy opponent. Will the team have implemented any changes during its week “off”? “More often than not, the chemistry of a team is more important than X’s and O’s,” said Daniel Heim, senior defensive lineman. “We’ve had a grasp on X’s and O’s, and now that we’ve focused on chemistry, the team is progressing much more smoothly.”
Box scores, a recap and photos of this opening game for the HCAC conference play will be available on MU’s Athletics website.