Highland Springs completes the comeback 26-16 to defeat Manchester, in the “Battle of the defending State Champions” (10-11-19)

By: LaMonte Thomas

Headline Graphic By: Darrell Owens-LMS Network

The game was worth all the anticipation and the hype circulating the area. Friday night on October 11, 2019, two of the Richmond city’s most prominent high school programs gave the community the long awaited contest it desired. 

The Highland Springs Springers (6-0) came into this matchup going 65-3 since 2015, including their current 35-game winning streak. The football powerhouse, hailing from Henrico, Virginia has been called class 5 state champions for the past four seasons. Though they have held the number one spot in state rankings during this time period, they have been unable to measure themselves on the same meter as the Manchester Lancers (5-0, region 6). For the first time since 1978, both teams took the same field.

Manchester has won 21 straight games including 15 wins from last year without a loss, which crowned them as state champions in their respective class. The VHSL has rated them as the number one team in the power rankings, due to their reclassification from a higher region. Before the schedule was made this season, this matchup featuring the two highly successful programs had only been theoretical. All of the students, coaches and neighborhood support of both teams welcomed the opportunity of a head-to-head matchup to determine the undisputed football juggernaut in the Richmond Tri-Cities area.

The energy was through the roof-less LLoyd Swelnis Stadium as Manchester kicked off to Highland Springs. The Springers struggled early as they turned the ball over three times in the first half, which led to 10 Manchester points. The first Lancers touchdown came on a 3-yard run from Isaiah Todd after a Highland Springs fumble. Manchester would punch in another touchdown on a quarterback sneak to make the score 16-0 at halftime.

After the half, Highland Springs sprung into action. Quarterback Jamareeh Jones scored on a redzone scamper, and the defense forced Manchester to punt on their first possession. Both defenses held the offense to little gain before an electric punt return by senior Kerry King put the Springers back into the endzone near the end of the third quarter. Manchester led 16-12 at the beginning of the fourth quarter. After another fourth quarter touchdown run by Jones gave Highland Springs a 19-16 lead, an interception by Daytione Smith gave the ball back to Highland Springs. They would punch in another score to go up 26-16, which would result to be the final score. 

These two teams could possibly meet again a few weeks from now, with bigger stakes in the midst.