Pine Tree entered the 2013 season and its first game in the brand new Pirate Stadium this past Friday without standout senior quarterback Caleb Chumley.

Dalvin Manns rose to the occasion.

Chumley's classmate stepped up in a bigger way than anyone could've imagined, taking over the quarterback spot in the Pirates' offense in the season-opener against Van. Manns completed 16 of 20 passes for 418 yards and five touchdowns to lead Pine Tree to a 42-38 victory over the Vandals that christened the new facility.

Chumley, who holds nine Division I FBS offers, has a foot injury that has sideline him indefinitely. That forced Manns into the starting role, but he was up to the task, accounting for almost 500 total yards as he rushed seven times for 65 yards directing the Pirates' spread offense.

Manns exorcised some injury demons of his own. Friday's game was his first since he tore the ACL in his right knee ... during warmups of last year's season opener at Van. That made Manns' performance even more impressive.

Pine Tree WR Mason Hays. (Christopher Vinn, ETSN.fm)
Pine Tree WR Mason Hays. (Christopher Vinn, ETSN.fm)
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Manns got a huge help from Pine Tree's leading receiver from a year ago, Mason Hays.

The playmaking junior started a promising 2013 campaign with a huge game, snagging six passes from Manns for 228 yards and four touchdowns, including a 94-yarder and a 64-yarder that saw the 6-foot-1, 180-pounder tip the ball to himself and away from a defender before he streaked in for the score. Hays also ran one for 21 yards.

Manns other touchdown throw was a 70-yarder to Tyler Smith to open the second half. Manns accounted for 483 of Pine Tree's 552 yards, or 87.2 percent.

Manns averaged 26.1 yards per completion and hit six difference receivers. In addition to Hays' big night, Smith caught three passes for 85 yards, while Douglas Morgan added four grabs for 66 yards. Quay Ward complemented Manns' rushing effort with six carries fro 42 yards and a touchdown.

ETSN.fm/Dairy Queen 2013 Offensive Players of the Week

  • Zero Week -- Dalvin Manns, Sr., QB, Pine Tree

 

 

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