The Manning High School Monarchs’ perfect season hit a snag on Friday night with a loss to the Hanahan High School Hawks.
The team’s went back and forth over four quarters to bring the score to 34-28
“The players were a little down after the game,” said Coach Keith West. “Of course, anytime you have an undefeated season going, it’s disappointing to not keep that going.”
West said his guys bounced back in practice on Monday, however.
“They were ready to go in practice and they’re ready to face the next challenge,” West said.
It will be a daunting one. The team will have a bye this week before facing Timberland High School on Oct. 13 at home.
“Timberland is a powerhouse in 3A, but we have an extra week to get ready,” West said. “I think it’s been a long time since Manning beat Timberland.”
In 2016, the Wolves defeated the Monarchs by just one point.
“I don’t think our kids have forgotten that,” West said. “This game is at our place, their record is 3-3, and I think our kids will be ready to play.”
West said while the players were ready for Hanahan on Friday night, that team’s record going into what the Monarchs had hoped would be their seventh win of the season was deceiving.
“They were 2-4, but they had lost to three very tough teams,” said West.
Hanahan had lost by slim margins to Berkeley High School, Cane Bay High School and Wando High School.
“They lost barely to those three, and had a really tough game against Wando, which is a well-coached 5A school,” West said. “They’re a much better team than their record shows right now.”
West said in the coming days preceding the Monarchs’ matchup against Timberland that his team will work on defense and offense.
“We did have two fumbles Friday night and a couple of holding penalties that hurt us,” he said. “We’ve got to straighten that out on our offensive side. Defensively, Hanahan was more of a passing team with a really good running back, a really special kid there.”
Timberland, West noted, runs the ball more than passing it.
“Timberland just runs the ball for the most part,” he said. “So, it will be challenging for our players to go from one type to the other. We definitely have our work cut out for us against Timberland. They’ve won 11 out of the last 13 region championships.”
Three games remain for the Monarchs, including Timberland.
On Oct. 20, the Manning High School will face Bishop-England away from home.
“They are really good,” West said. “They have a dynamic quarterback. Last year when we played them, they were 8-0, and we knocked them off. We ended that perfect run.”
This year, the team’s record is 5-2, but that doesn’t make them any less of a threat, West said.
“We definitely have to worry about Bishop-England,” said West.
As for Lake Marion, West said the Orangeburg County school has been struggling.
“I don’t think they’ve put up a win yet,” he said of the school’s 0-7 season.
West said he feels good about the team’s chance at a playoff run. He wouldn’t look any further toward state finals.
“I think we have a good chance of making the playoffs,” he said. “That’s all we’re looking at right now. We won’t look any further than that for the moment.”
