Cincinnati, OH - Manchester fell 48–20 to Mt. St. Joseph on Saturday afternoon, as the Spartans showed offensive improvement and steady defensive effort despite the final margin.
The Spartans opened the game strong, responding to an early Lions touchdown with a scoring drive of their own when quarterback Kaleb Hall found James Lewis for a short touchdown pass to even the score at 7–7. Mt. St. Joseph's passing attack then took over, building a 35–7 lead by halftime behind several long touchdown completions.
Manchester continued to battle through the second half, adding two fourth-quarter touchdowns. DJ Plattner found the end zone on a short run early in the quarter, and Hall capped a long drive with a one-yard touchdown late in the game.
Hall led the Spartan offense, completing 21 of 40 passes for 272 yards and a touchdown while rushing for 59 yards and another score. Zalin Ingram paced the receivers with five catches for 100 yards, and Marquez Williams, Abdullah Abdulameer, and Ethan Skinner all contributed in the passing game. On the ground, Hall, Plattner, and Lewis combined for a pair of touchdowns.
Defensively, Manchester was led by Ziare Sullivan, who recorded six tackles, two sacks, and a fumble recovery. Talen Garner added a sack and a forced fumble, while Isaiah Hill and Kameron Landrum each tallied seven tackles. The Spartans forced two turnovers and generated consistent backfield pressure throughout the game.
Punter Angel Estrada provided stability on special teams with five punts averaging over 42 yards, including two inside the 20. Kicker Grant Ridgway added two extra points and handled kickoff duties effectively.
Manchester finished with 363 yards of total offense and 19 first downs, showing persistence and improvement in key areas despite the loss. The Spartans will look to carry that progress into their season finale.