St. Xavier and DuPont Manual Renew Rivalry Friday Night
The No. 9 St. Xavier Tigers (4-2) and No. 19 DuPont Manual Crimsons (5-1) will reignite their fierce rivalry when these two top-20 teams meet at historic DuPont Manual Field on Friday night.
With just four games remaining on the schedule for both teams, this matchup holds massive 6A Playoff implications. St. X enters Friday’s matchup with one 6A loss, while Manual has yet to lose to 6A competition. St. X’s lone loss to 6A competition came back on Sept. 29, when they fell 45-10 to Trinity. St. X will be Manual’s first real 6A challenge faced this season. Following their game against the Tigers, the Crimsons will face another massive test when close their season out against reigning 6A runner-up Male.
These teams have met on 34 separate occasions since 1998, with St. Xavier winning a staggering 33 of those matchups. Manual’s lone victory came back in 2019 when they knocked off the Tigers 20-19. From 1998-2018, St. Xavier won 28 consecutive games over the Crimsons. Since Manual’s lone victory in 2019, St. Xavier has won the last five matchups, three of which have come in the postseason.
Scouting St. Xavier
Senior quarterback Trevor Havill will be making his second career start against DuPont Manual on Friday night. Last season, Havill passed for 206 yards and a touchdown in St. Xavier’s 21-10 win over the Crimsons. Havill has been solid for the Tigers in 2023, having passed for 1,030 yards and eight touchdowns through six games. His best game of the 2023 campaign came back in Week 1 when he passed for 195 yards and four touchdowns in St. X’s 52-13 victory over Floyd Central (Floyds Knobs, IN).
The Tigers employ a two-headed monster at running back, as senior Davis Yates and junior Immanuel Gray have rushed for a combined 642 yards and five touchdowns this season. Sophomore wide receiver Marlon Harbin III, who has received scholarship offers from both Kentucky and Louisville, leads St. X in receiving with 368 yards and two touchdowns. Junior receiver Cameron Hollaway leads the team in receiving touchdowns with four.
After allowing just an average of 10 points per game through their first three games of the season, the St. X defense has taken a step back over their last three games. Against Elder (Cincinnati, OH), Trinity, and Ryle, the Tiger defense has allowed an average of 37 points and 420 opposing yards of offense per game. They have really been struggling as of late. Senior DE Tyler Neal leads the team in total tackles (41) and sacks (eight). Three of his eight sacks came in St. Xavier’s 20-10 victory over No. 3 Male earlier this season.
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The St. Xavier defense has allowed 30+ points to Manual just once since 1998 (Oct. 6, 2017).
Scouting Manual
The Crimsons have impressed in year one of the Josh Gillispie era, beginning their 2023 campaign 5-0 (with an average margin of victory of 20 points) before falling to Cole Hodge and No. 8 Christian Academy-Louisville 54-36 on Sept. 22 for their first loss of the season. Senior quarterback Elijah Creech has been extremely reliable, having passed for 1,050 yards and 13 touchdowns while throwing just two interceptions. Even in the loss to CAL, Creech impressed with 344 yards passing and four touchdowns.
Sophomore running back Gerian Traynor has mightily impressive for a sophomore, compiling 491 yards rushing and eight touchdowns in his first season as the lead back. He has had to pick up the slack in the absence of star running back Zeek Washburn, who hasn’t played since Manual’s week two victory over Central Hardin. Washburn rushed for 1,388 yards and 20 touchdowns in 2022 as a junior. The receiving core of seniors Coryon Alston and Charlie Flowers and junior Willis Nofsinger have combined for 630 yards and 10 touchdowns.
The Manual defense boasts four players with 30+ tackles in junior LB Braydon Underwood (40 tackles, one sack), senior DL Christopher Jones (37.5 tackles, 4.5 TFL, two sacks), junior DL Cameron Jessee (37 tackles, one TFL, four sacks), and junior LB Jaylen Hayes (36 tackles, one TFL). Just like St. X’s defense, the Manual defense has been shredded as of late. Their last two opponents, No. 22 South Warren and No. 8 CAL, combined for 875 yards of offense and 89 points. The Manual defense has been solid against St. Xavier as of late, however, as the Crimsons have allowed 30+ points just once in their last seven matchups.
With both defenses struggling as of late, look out for some Thunder over Louisville on Friday night. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. EST.
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