North Manchester, Ind. – Junior Jimmie Clark ran for a career-high 110 yards, classmate Steven Moses added 88 on the ground and junior defensive lineman DeAndre Jennings notched his first career touchdown to highlight a 41-10 Adrian rout over host Manchester in a non-conference football game on Saturday.
The Bulldogs scored on their first three possessions to take a 12-0 lead with 14 minutes and 48 seconds remaining in the first half. Junior Cooper West sandwiched field goals of 35 and 29 yards around a 19-yard TD run from Moses at the 5:42 mark of the first quarter.
Adrian rolled up 356 yards of total offense, including 251 via the ground, while holding Manchester to just 197 yards through the air and 63 yards rushing.
Manchester got on the scoreboard to close the first-half scoring on a 19-yard field goal by Andrew Kibler with 3 seconds left to make it 12-3 at halftime. That capped a scoring drive of 16 plays in 89 yards in 7:17.
Sophomore tight end Luke Heide scored his first career touchdown on a 19-yard reception that gave Adrian a 19-3 lead with 12:01 left in the third quarter.
The scoring in the third quarter continued for the Bulldogs who built their advantage to 34-3 after Jennings picked up a strip-sack forced fumble by Stokes and returned it 60 yards into the end zone at 3:48 and Clark ran for a 25-yard score at 1:34.
At 7:59 of the fourth quarter, Manchester scored its lone TD when Dylan Paul found Lesure for a 5-yard TD pass. The score made it 34-10 AC.
The Bulldogs wrapped up the scoring 6:50 later as sophomore Jerome Neal had a 5-yard TD plunge. Sophomore Mitchell Mallek recorded his second interception in as many starts to set up the Adrian offense at the MU13 after the 47-yard return.
Manchester held a significant time of possession (35:53 to 24:07), but was stymied by a 26.0-yard punting average and four turnovers.
Adrian now leads the all-time series, 9-3, including a four-game winning streak over the Spartans. Today was the first meeting since 1981 when the Bulldogs were victorious 44-0.
In nine wins against Manchester, the average combined score in Adrian’s favor has been 28-5.
Junior quarterback Jack Wurzer’s career passing ranking on Adrian’s all-time charts include third in yards (4,787), third in touchdowns (43), fifth in completions (329) and sixth in attempts (573).
Records: Adrian Bulldogs 1-1 overall (0-0 MIAA); Manchester Spartans, 0-2 overall (0-0 HCAC)
Adrian is scheduled to play non-conference opponent Bluffton University in Bluffton, Ohio, next Saturday at 1:30 p.m.
*Media courtesy of the Adrian College Sports Information Department*