EMPORIA — For most of the season, Manhattan High’s offense didn’t need to be perfect. It only needed to grow.
By the time the Indians took the field Saturday afternoon in the Class 6A title game, the unit that once faced uncertainty had transformed into a confident, explosive and balanced group that delivered its best performance when the lights were brightest.
The journey centered on senior quarterback Finn Watson, a first-year starter who faced a difficult task from the beginning. Manhattan opened the season using a two-quarterback system with Watson and sophomore Mclain Aslin as the offense searched for consistency. Turnovers surfaced, drives stalled and Manhattan’s 4–2 start raised questions about whether the defending 6A West power could mount another deep run.
Watson stayed steady through it all.
“I just try to be calm and confident,” Watson said. “Just not let my nerves get to me.”
That approach would eventually define Manhattan’s late-season surge.
The offense changed the moment senior JJ Dunnigan returned to full health. The Miami commit’s presence reshaped everything, especially Manhattan’s ability to hit explosive plays.
“He’s a difference-maker,” head coach Joe Schartz said. “We’re a lot different team with him than without him. He’s a heck of a young man and a very good football player.”
With Dunnigan stretching defenses vertically and horizontally, Manhattan could finally operate as the offense was expected. That boost came at the exact moment the defense began playing at its peak — a pairing that would ultimately carry the Indians through November.
Still, Manhattan’s offensive turnaround wasn’t just about star power. When Aslin suffered an injury midseason, junior Joseph Mortensen stepped into the Wildcat quarterback role and changed Manhattan’s identity in short-yardage situations.
His fast and physical style helped settle the offense during its most vulnerable stretch. Mortensen finished the season with 360 rushing yards and a team-high 11 touchdowns, nearly all of them in red-zone carries during Manhattan’s seven-game winning streak.
Even though he wasn’t featured in the end zone in the championship game, Mortensen’s emergence was one of the turning points of the year. He was the stabilizer that allowed Manhattan to control games long enough for its defense to dominate them.
Manhattan’s offensive line also played its best football down the stretch. After missing pieces early, the unit slowly started to controlled the line of scrimmage, open lanes and allowed the offense to rely on quarterback run when the postseason demanded it.
Schartz saw the shift clearly after Manhattan’s 45–6 win over Wichita Southeast in regionals.
“We finally put together a full game — offense, defense, special teams,” he said. “They were a seven-win team and we were very dominant. I knew we were hitting our stride then.”
On Saturday in Emporia, Watson delivered the best game of his career. He rushed 17 times for 132 yards and two touchdowns while completing a pair of passes for 118 yards — both completions going to Dunnigan for touchdowns of 68 and 50 yards.
His first rushing touchdown, a weaving 31-yard keeper in the second quarter, came off a clean read.
“It was a read option,” Watson said. “If the backer comes down, I throw it to Evan Middleton. He stayed back, so I ran it. My O-line did a great job opening the gaps.”
His second scoring pass to Dunnigan in the third quarter showed his development as a decision-maker.
“JJ is a great athlete and a great player,” Watson said. “On that one, I just had to read the safety. He came down, so I knew it would be one-on-one. I just had to give JJ a chance.”
Senior running back Kha’Mario Davis, who rushed for 69 yards in the title game and finished with more than 1,000 yards on the season, said Watson’s emergence came exactly when Manhattan needed it.
“We needed him this game, and he delivered,” Davis said. “I’m glad he had the success he did.”
By November, Manhattan’s offense no longer resembled the one that struggled early. Watson protected the football and became more dangerous as a runner. Dunnigan turned touches into back-breaking plays. Davis remained a steady presence. Mortensen provided the muscle in the red zone. And the offensive line powered everything behind it.
All of those pieces came together at the perfect time.
“It felt great,” Watson said. “We’ve had a lot of ups and downs, especially for me. It just felt great to come out here, play how we play and get the job done.”
In the end, Manhattan didn’t just win the state championship because of its elite defense. It won because its offense grew into the ideal partner: steady, explosive when needed, and at its absolute best when the season demanded it.
And it was Watson, the once-uncertain first-year starter, who carried the final touchdown into the end zone in his last game as a Manhattan Indian.