MANCOS – For their home opener, the Mancos school colors transformed to purple, blue and white. A tunnel of motorcycle engines revved as the Jays took the field, and a sea of purple accompanied the outpouring of tears, embraces and commemorative banners that adorned Bluejay Field on Friday night.
The football game offered a distraction from an emotional week for the Mancos community, still in the throes of grief after sophomore Bayne Nantz lost his life earlier in the week. The motorsports enthusiast passed away doing what he loved – racing his heart out – and the MHS football team played their part to honor his memory.
Trailing 24-12 late in the third quarter against Arizona 8-man power St. David, Mancos found two late scores to force an extra session, then stuffed the visiting Tigers on their game-tying attempt on a two-point conversion in overtime to provide the Bluejays and the entire community a chance to smile at the end of their emotional week.
“Getting to do this for Bayne is one of the biggest blessings that we could have,” said senior quarterback Michael Resner, “I know that every one of us would go out and fight for one of our classmates.”
St. David provided one of the most formidable front lines that the Jays have seen in recent years, headlined by 6’5” senior tight end Keston Richardson, and after Mancos scored first on a senior James Potts 11-yard run, St. David seized the momentum – with Richardson’s receiving threat making life hard on the Mancos secondary.
Still, the Jays persevered, answering back after St. David (2-1) scored twice to jump in front 16-6 midway through the third. A 60-yard connection from Resner to Potts positioned the hosts in the red zone, where Resner went to the air to find a diving Traycer White for an 18-yard scoring strike to cut the margin to 16-12.
St. David responded quickly, and Richardson made another big grab from 22 yards out to cap the drive to give the Tigers their largest lead of the game with 2:50 left in the third.
“Having a big tight end like that – it’s hard to guard,” said Resner, “so we had to get a hand in there before he could touch it.”
MHS struck back less than two minutes later, however, and Resner plunged in from a yard to close out a 59-yard drive, headlined by another fantastic catch by the standout junior wide receiver White, hauling in a ball near the goal line.
Needing a stop, the Bluejays ‘D’ answered the bell, with Resner and senior Gavin Smith helping break up passes while junior linebacker Levi Gardner wreaked havoc in the backfield to force a Tiger punt. Facing a long drive needed to tie the score, Mancos methodically worked their way downfield – another toe-tapping sideline catch from White pushing the ball into St. David territory, before Mancos closed out the 84-yard drive with a seven-yard connection between Resner and White to knot the score at 24.
“We wanted to play fast,” said Resner, knowing that finding the edges would be where the speedy Jays would have an advantage, “and we were finally able to get the passes on target.”
Mancos (2-0) turned away St. David’s final regulation drive to force overtime, where Mancos got the ball first and scored on a swing pass from Resner to Potts, who made a defender miss before running in from nine yards out. The Jays added the two-point conversion as Resner kept his balance long enough to break the plane of the goal line to put Mancos up 32-24.
St. David then needed a touchdown and two-pointer to force a second OT – and they got the first part of the equation after three runs from bruising tailback Tot Pacheco. However, on the two-point attempt, Mancos’ defensive front walled off Pacheco just inches short of the end zone, and the Jays celebrations – a mix of jubilant shouts and tears – poured out onto the field.
“We gave everything we had,” said Resner, who finished with over 200 yards passing and 140 yards on the ground. White collected his second 100-plus yard receiving day and a second straight week with two receiving scores.
For Mancos, the win offered a tribute to their fallen classmate, as the community and football team carry on Nantz’ legacy throughout the rest of the season and beyond. Mancos looks to stay unbeaten as they face yet another tough nonleague opponent at 1 p.m. Sept. 12, when the team meets up with a ranked Simla squad. Local radio station 98.7 and 106.3 FM KRTZ will have the broadcast of the battle between the Bluejays and Cubs, beginning at 12:30 p.m.
