Forget inflammatory. Getting a member of the Detroit Lakes (Minn.) football community to make a statement that doesn't undersell Rory Manke is like pulling teeth -- except with less noise and more blood.
It's not that Lakers Nation doesn't adore Manke, The Forum's 2003 high school football player of the year. But that's not how things work there. The system is specific: veer offense, victory, modesty.
However, those whom have been humbled by the humble tell a different story, the real story.
"He throws well, runs the ball and plays defense," said Moorhead coach Steve Connelly, whose team reached the Class 5A semifinals this fall, but lost to Manke and the Lakers each of the past three seasons. "In my opinion if he's not the best quarterback in the state he's one of them."
The numbers support that.
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This season Manke ran for 1,011 yards with 16 touchdowns and threw for 1,160 yards and 10 scores in earning second-team all-state honors in his senior campaign. In two seasons as the starting quarterback, the 6-foot-1, 190-pounder had 373 carries for 1,856 yards and 33 touchdowns, while completing 147 of 301 passes for 23 scores. He played wide receiver as a sophomore, making 35 catches for 693 yards and six TDs. And he started four seasons in the defensive backfield, intercepting 12 balls.
But there's more.
The Lakers went 38-10 in Manke's varsity career, reaching the state semifinals three times and winning the Class 4A title in 2001.
Most vitamins aren't that complete.
"If there was a big play Manke was around," Fergus Falls coach Phil Link said. "He's a great contributor to the game of football, especially in high school. He's been a thorn in our side, but I wish him the best of luck."
That's a keepsake compliment coming from a consummately competitive coach. But Link has witnessed Manke's magic -- or black magic, perhaps, in the minds of Fergus Falls fans. On a brisk September evening, the Otters led archrival Detroit Lakes by seven points in the final 30 seconds of regulation only to see victory slip away as Manke sucked in two defenders with a rollout to the right, before flipping the ball to Tayler Fuhs for the game-winning two-point conversion.
"He does things you can't teach," Link said. "He has a lot of great intensity. ... He's a gentleman, too. He'll hit you, but he shows so much class." To recap: Manke is a winner who can run, pass and defend. He's athletic (starting point guard and standout hurdler), smart (honor roll student) and genetically gifted (two brothers play football at UND). How can any team stop that? "I don't think you're going to stop him," Lakers coach Flint Motschenbacher said. Finally, the truth comes out. "You've got to take it as a compliment to some extent, but you can't get too big of a head about it," said Manke, yet undecided about future plans, though he has made unofficial visits to Minnesota, North Dakota State and North Dakota. "Try and stay humble and gracious."
Readers can reach Forum reporter Terry Vandrovec at (701) 241-5548
