Manchester puts title hopes to test against Washington-Wilkes

After a first-round bye last week, the Manchester Blue Devils begin their playoff push Friday by hosting Washington-Wilkes.

Manchester head coach Evan Hochstetler explained the bye week was a nice reward for the Blue Devils’ 10-0 regular season. He said the team dedicated the time to improving its fundamentals, which is a focus that can get lost through the grind of a season. Because it had no opponent, Manchester could devote its attention entirely to Manchester, which could prove useful as the Blue Devils look for their second wind.

The Blue Devils’ first test comes against Washington-Wilkes, which beat Chattahoochee County 34-0 in the first round. Hochstetler explained the Tigers will spread a defense out and is capable of running the ball efficiently. Along with a pair of strong running backs, sophomore quarterback Donovan Anthony and junior wide receiver Deondre Lester have given many defenses issues this season.

Hochstetler spoke highly of both sides of the ball, especially the depth they utilize. It’s rare for a Class A school to not have players who play both ways, but that’s exactly what the Tigers were able to do one week ago.

“That stands out from the standpoint that we really got to punch them in the mouth and take advantage early on,” Hochstetler said. “We don’t want too close of a ballgame in the fourth quarter because we’ve got a lot of kids going both ways.”

Along with winning the turnover battle, Hochstetler said urgency on offense is the key Friday. He said it’s sometimes hard to read how a team reacts after a bye week; will they play full of energy, or will they sleepwalk to start the showdown?

If the Blue Devils want to draw closer to their first state title since 1997, they can’t afford to come out flat against the Tigers.

This story was originally published November 16, 2017 at 1:25 PM with the headline "Manchester puts title hopes to test against Washington-Wilkes."