Manchester High School football coach Wes Gall wanted to keep his first-stringers sharp and get a lot of his guys playing time as the Flying Dutchmen kicked off homecoming weekend.

The team succeeded on both counts, even if the reserves let the score get a little too close for Gall’s comfort in the second half of a 32-17 win over Hanover-Horton.

“Homecoming is a time you’ve got aunts and uncles and grandparents and friends in town to watch these kids play,” Gall explained. “We tried to get a lot of guys experience out there today.”

That’s because the game was never really in doubt. Manchester managed to hang 32 points on the Comets, built largely on the throwing arm of sophomore quarterback Nate Bossory.

Bossory completed 12 of his 28 attempts for 245 yards, two of those passes going for touchdowns. He also ran for the game’s first touchdown. The only blemish on Bossory’s day was a late interception to Hanover's Ryan Wollpert, long after the game was in hand for the Flying Dutchmen.

Manchester (5-1, 4-1 Cascades Conference) was held scoreless in the second half, when the reserves were given playing time.