Starting the season 0-2 could be a death sentence for most teams. With confidence and morale low, a group could easily spiral before even reaching the stretch run. Manchester Valley chose a different approach.
The Mavericks had no choice but to shake off their slow start. County play had arrived, and losses now carried even more weight. They couldn’t — and haven’t — accept any more defeats.
They’ve since responded by making adjustments, refocusing and turning their season around. That turnaround continued Friday as Manchester Valley defeated Liberty, 10-0, for its third straight win.
“We’ve tried to stress to them the importance of putting in the work and doing the little things, whether it’s the film or being attentive at practice,” Manchester Valley coach and athletic director Bernie Koontz said. “The attention to detail and going the extra mile to pay attention to stuff with us at practice and being coachable has been a big difference over the last three weeks.”
The surging Mavericks faced not just the Lions, but a raucous homecoming crowd. The Lions Den was blacked out to match the team’s new black jerseys, ready for the reveal of homecoming queen and ready cheer on their squad. But the crowd fell silent every time the Mavericks’ defense took the field, thanks in large part to Walter Sallee.
On just the Lions’ second drive, quarterback Sean Case was hit hard by a Mavericks defensive lineman. The ball popped into the air and landed in the waiting arms of Sallee. The senior returned the interception more than 60 yards for the game’s lone touchdown.
“It was a blitz call and I was coming off the edge,” said Sallee, who had two interceptions on the night. “I saw the ball pop up in the air, caught it, almost stumbled a little bit, but still took it to the house.”
Known mostly for his offensive prowess at wide receiver, Sallee was one of several Mavericks locked in on defense. The group forced five turnovers and held the Lions to just 3-for-11 on third and fourth down.
No matter who the Lions tried to run the ball with, the Mavericks were stout up front, often dominating the line of scrimmage and limiting big plays.
“Great defensive effort,” Koontz said. “To keep a good team like that and hold them to zero points on their homecoming, the defensive staff came up with a great game plan to keep them in check.”
Early on, it was the Lions’ defense that struck first. Kevin Kern registered a tackle for loss on the game’s opening play, and on the next snap, Stephen Puckett intercepted Manchester Valley quarterback Beau Snell, setting the Lions up inside the 10-yard line. But the Mavericks held strong, forcing a turnover on downs and setting the tone for a dominant night.
“We had the mindset that if defense holds them to nothing, then we win the game,” Sallee said. “The intensity was high, the energy was high, and we came to play.”
Although he didn’t eclipse the 150-yard mark like he did last week against Winters Mill, Connor Stack and the offense complemented their defense with a ball-control approach.
The unit picked up several timely first downs and, most importantly, protected the football in critical moments. Stack was joined in the backfield by John Day and, at times, wide receiver Nick Furano.
Even special teams contributed, with a field goal from Ryder Fenner and a punt from Snell that pinned the Lions at their own 2-yard line.
Needing one final stop, the Mavericks turned to a player Koontz calls his “unsung hero”: Ethan Atkinson, a coaching staff favorite for his relentless play and selfless spirit.
After the Lions completed their first long pass of the game, Atkinson picked off Case for the team’s third interception, sealing the win with just 55 seconds left.
“Well, on the last drive, I just prayed to Jesus and gave it to him, honestly,” he said. “Our team did our job, and then the ball just came my way and I got it.”
Still unbeaten in county play, the Mavericks have quickly gone from 0-2 and on the brink of a lost season to 3-2, undefeated in the county and a serious threat for the county crown.
Regardless of how they are viewed now, the Mavericks remain confident and committed to keeping things simple as they look ahead to what could be a special year.
“Starting 0-2, it was kind of like a reality check,” Sallee said. “Our mindset now is just we got to win games and put things together. However we need to get the job done, we get it done.”
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