If history counts for anything, one can expect a close game when the Manhattan Indians and Junction City Blue Jays take the field for this week’s edition of Friday Night Live.
Each of the past five meetings in the silver trophy series between the two rival Class 6A squads has been decided by eight points or fewer.
“There will be a huge crowd and an exciting atmosphere,” Manhattan coach Joe Schartz said. “The past five games have come down to the last play of the game. It’s always close. It’s always a good football game and a battle until the end.”
The Manhattan Indians (5-0) will travel to face the Junction City Blue Jays (4-1) at 7 p.m. Friday. The Centennial League matchup will be televised statewide on Cox Channel Kansas. The game will be re-televised at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 12 and at 7 p.m. Oct. 14.
Both teams sit just outside the top five in the Kpreps.com Class 6A rankings.
Junction City has won the past two matchups by scores of 16-10 in 2013 and 34-33 in 2012. Manhattan defeated the Blue Jays 28-20 in 2011, 21-14 in 2010 and 9-7 in 2009.
“This is the silver trophy game,” Schartz said. “This is a rivalry. Everyone looks forward to this game every year. It’s not difficult to get the kids excited or to get them motivated to play. Both teams know what this game is about.”
Manhattan opened the season by edging Shawnee Heights 28-25. Since then, the Indians have rattled off lopsided wins over Topeka Seaman, Topeka Highland Park and Topeka West, as well as a 23-20 win over Topeka Hayden in Week 3.
Chris Martin scored on a fourth-and-5 bootleg keeper with nine seconds left to beat Shawnee Heights. Manhattan senior Joe Trujillo connected on a 28-yard field goal with two seconds left to nip Hayden. The Indians trailed Hayden 14-0 at halftime.
Schartz said those close wins give his team confidence moving forward.
“We have a long history of pulling out close victories at the end,” he said. “This year is no different … the kids play hard and never hang their head. Every football game, there’s going to be adversity. You have to overcome it. If you keep believing and fighting, good things will happen.”
The Indians ran for 334 yards on 35 carries during last week’s 42-7 win against Topeka West. Quarterback Erik Prockish passed for 73 yards and two touchdowns.
Martin ran for 130 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries during the win against Hayden. Also spending some time at quarterback, Martin passed for a touchdown against the Wildcats. Martin also is used at cornerback, safety and punter.
Junction City has posted wins over Topeka Highland Park, Emporia, Topeka Seaman and Washburn Rural. The Blue Jays’ only loss came 41-33 to Shawnee Heights in Week 3.
During last week’s 20-13 win over Washburn Rural, Junction City quarterback Tanner Lueker completed 16 of 29 passes for 212 yards and two touchdowns. Lueker also ran for 43 yards.
“Lueker catches our attention on film,” Schartz said. “He makes them go. He’s able to do things with his arms and legs. We’ll have to be able to contain him.”
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