#3 Manual defeated #1 Male in Old Rivalry

The Manual High School football team put a decade of misery behind them Friday night, ending a 10-game losing streak against arch-rival Male.

Now the Crimsons can take on the task of ending a much longer drought.

Kaden Mack threw two touchdown passes and the defense dominated, leading Manual to a 21-0 win at Male in the regular-season finale for both teams.

Manual hadn't won an Old Rivalry meet since a 32-29 victory in 2013. Male leads 90-46-6 in the series that began in 1893.

“I've heard about it since I've had this job and it's been a goal of ours,” Crimsons first-year coach Keith Eckloff said of ending the streak. “This is a great football team and a great coaching staff. Our children did their best tonight. We feel great.”

Manual (9-1) is ranked No. 3 in Class 6A and hosts Campbell County next Friday in the first round of the playoffs.

The Crimsons haven't won a state championship since capturing the Class 3A title in 1966, but stamped themselves as legitimate contenders this year by defeating the No. 1 men's team (8-2).

“If we play the way we are, no one can beat us,” senior wide receiver Willis Nofsinger said. “We are the best team in the country.”

Coach Chris Wolfe also praised the Crimsons.

“Manual is the best team I’ve ever seen on film,” Wolfe said. “They are a complete team, offensive and defensive. There are no weaknesses in their defense.”

Mack threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to Nofsinger in the first quarter and a 7-yard scoring pass to Noah Price in the final seconds of the second quarter.

Nofsinger's 61-yard touchdown pass to Cameron Jessee on a trick play gave Manual a 21-0 lead at 9:56 of the third quarter. Nofsinger took a handoff from Mack with a jet sweep, stood in the backfield and hit Jessee with a pass over the middle.

“I knew he was going to catch it, but I didn’t think he was going to get a touchdown,” Nofsinger said. “Holy crap. He’s a damn tank.”

Meanwhile, one male offensive lineman, junior running back Chayce Burton, and three starters struggled throughout the night. The Bulldogs managed just four first downs and were shut out for the first time since a 28-0 loss to Trinity in the 2020 Class 6A state final.

The Bulldogs host Eastern next Friday in a first-round playoff game.

“You can’t have all (of these injuries) and think you’re going to perform at a high level,” Wolfe said. “I knew it would happen. … I could see the freight train coming down the track. We have to get better quickly.”

Eckloff credited defensive coordinator Marcellus English, who was tasked with developing several plans to counteract the personnel Male may have had at his disposal.

If this defense — which allows just 14.3 points per game — continues to dominate, Manual's blip against Male may not be the only one that ends this season.

“I think we have as good a chance as anyone,” Eckloff said of the Class 6A playoff picture. “We try not to fall into the trap of looking three or four weeks ahead. We’ll take a breather tonight and prepare for next week.”

MANUAL 7 7 7 0 – 21

MALE 0 0 0 0 – 0

First quarter

MAN – Willis Nofsinger 4 pass from Kaden Mack (Parker Friedman kick)

Second quarter

MAN – Noah Price 7 pass from Mack (Friedman kick)

Third quarter

MAN – Cameron Jessee 61. Pass from Nofsinger (Friedman kick)

Jason Frakes: 502-582-4046; [email protected]; Follow X @kyhighs.

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