Preston High quarterback Slaton Manko excited for senior season after a breakout 2024 campaign
KINGWOOD – Preston High School quarterback Slaton Manko was one of the top breakout stars of the 2024 WV high school football season after an impressive campaign for the Knights.
The rising senior amassed 2,428 total yards and 27 touchdowns offensively under center for the Knights last season, while also playing a role on defense with 24 tackles.
His efforts earned him a spot on the Class AAA all-state second-team as a utility player, and Manko returns this season with renewed confidence and a clear mindset as he prepares to lead PHS in the fall.
'The experience I gained from my freshman and sophomore years playing varsity helped my confidence a ton going into last season,' Manko said. 'I've also had some great playmakers and a good offensive scheme and game plan from Coach Sims. I've always tried to lead by example, and being an upperclassman helped me take that to a new level.'
Manko led the Knights with 1,744 yards through the air at a 53% completion percentage and 18 touchdowns to only six interceptions. He was also the leading rusher on the team, with 684 yards and nine touchdowns on 154 carries.
His breakout game came against East Fairmont in the Buckwheat Bowl, a 48-20 victory, in which Manko totaled 487 yards of offense and six touchdowns. That came a week after he rushed for 100 yards and threw for 199 yards with three scores against Robert C. Byrd.
Heading into summer, Manko says there isn't an aspect of his game he isn't trying to improve continually.
'I just want to continue to get better,' he said. 'Whether it's faster, stronger, or more knowledgeable, the goal is for the team to put out a product on the field that we and Preston County can be proud of. There's nothing like playing on Friday night, and with this being my senior season, I'm excited to battle week in and week out with my brother and give my all for our team.'
The Knights competed in Class AAA in 2024, but will move back to Class AAAA with the newly implemented class realignment, which is strictly based on enrollment. PHS sits less than 10 students above the cutoff for Class AAA.
Still, Manko believes he and his team have what it takes to succeed at the highest level of high school football in the state, and their confidence remains unwavering despite the competition.
'We don't always have the same number of players the other team has on the roster, but we have the same amount of effort and drive to compete at the highest level,' Manko said. 'I just want to be able to get the most out of my teammates and coaches, and hopefully the results will take care of themselves with the work we put in. I think we have a lot of talent, but we will have some new starters on both sides of the ball. It's about giving our maximum effort every play. If we do that, I think we will be successful.'
Manko and the Knights will open the 2025 season by visiting Hampshire in Week 1.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
16 hours ago
- Yahoo
Reece Walsh in State of Origin twist after devastating blow for Kalyn Ponga
Reece Walsh will have a golden opportunity to impress Queensland coach Billy Slater on Saturday, with the Maroons likely to have to change their fullback for the State of Origin decider. Kalyn Ponga suffered a foot injury on Friday night and limped off with 20 minutes remaining in the Knights' loss to Canberra. The Newcastle and Queensland fullback was seen in a moon boot after the game, and Knights coach Adam O'Brien said he'd go for scans. Crucially, O'Brien said it wasn't the same foot that kept Ponga out for two months last year with a Lisfranc injury. However it remains to be seen whether he's suffered the same injury on the other foot. "Kalyn's tough. He doesn't come off for much. You have to drag him off the field with a tow truck normally, so it's probably not a good sign," O'Brien said. Ponga was spotted being consoled by his mum after the game. "Mum's there. So, that's probably not a good sign," Slater said on the Channel 9 coverage. Ponga has been playing through an ankle injury for weeks, and was also seen with heavy strapping on his knee on Friday night. With the State of Origin decider less than two weeks away, Slater might be forced to find a new fullback for game in Sydney. Earlier on Friday, Broncos coach Michael Maguire declared Walsh had already done enough to warrant a recall. The Broncos fullback misses six weeks with a knee injury, and has looked visibly hampered in the two games he's played since he returned. But he was back to his lively best against the Sharks last weekend, finishing with two try assists, three line-break assists, a line-break, five tackle busts and 178 run metres. He'll get one final audition against the Warriors on Saturday afternoon, but Maguire believes he's already done enough. "He's done that in the last couple of weeks," the coach said. "Last week he took a massive step where I think he's ready. It's just a matter of whether the opportunity arises for him. He works really hard at his game and he's actually good to have around ... just loves talking footy, that's certainly my style." Walsh was Queensland fullback when the Maroons lost the series in 2024, and was rather quiet. He earned his spot when Ponga opted out of the 2023 series, but the Knights fullback got it back this year. RELATED: The one club banned from signing Selwyn Cobbo early revealed Panthers star in doubt for State of Origin 3 in concern for NSW The other option for Slater would be to shift Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow to fullback and bring in a winger or centre. Murray Taulagi has returned to full fitness with the Cowboys and could easily slot in on the wing. Ezra Mam was 18th man in Game 2, but only plays in the halves. While Jack Howarth (19th man in Game 2) has been ruled out after having appendix surgery. Tellingly, former Broncos player Denan Kemp declared last week that he wouldn't be picking Walsh. Kemp suggested Slater might need to axe Ponga after a number of errors in Game 2, but Kemp hinted he'd pick Tabuai-Fidow over Walsh.
Dominion Post
a day ago
- Dominion Post
Preston High quarterback Slaton Manko excited for senior season after a breakout 2024 campaign
KINGWOOD – Preston High School quarterback Slaton Manko was one of the top breakout stars of the 2024 WV high school football season after an impressive campaign for the Knights. The rising senior amassed 2,428 total yards and 27 touchdowns offensively under center for the Knights last season, while also playing a role on defense with 24 tackles. His efforts earned him a spot on the Class AAA all-state second-team as a utility player, and Manko returns this season with renewed confidence and a clear mindset as he prepares to lead PHS in the fall. 'The experience I gained from my freshman and sophomore years playing varsity helped my confidence a ton going into last season,' Manko said. 'I've also had some great playmakers and a good offensive scheme and game plan from Coach Sims. I've always tried to lead by example, and being an upperclassman helped me take that to a new level.' Manko led the Knights with 1,744 yards through the air at a 53% completion percentage and 18 touchdowns to only six interceptions. He was also the leading rusher on the team, with 684 yards and nine touchdowns on 154 carries. His breakout game came against East Fairmont in the Buckwheat Bowl, a 48-20 victory, in which Manko totaled 487 yards of offense and six touchdowns. That came a week after he rushed for 100 yards and threw for 199 yards with three scores against Robert C. Byrd. Heading into summer, Manko says there isn't an aspect of his game he isn't trying to improve continually. 'I just want to continue to get better,' he said. 'Whether it's faster, stronger, or more knowledgeable, the goal is for the team to put out a product on the field that we and Preston County can be proud of. There's nothing like playing on Friday night, and with this being my senior season, I'm excited to battle week in and week out with my brother and give my all for our team.' The Knights competed in Class AAA in 2024, but will move back to Class AAAA with the newly implemented class realignment, which is strictly based on enrollment. PHS sits less than 10 students above the cutoff for Class AAA. Still, Manko believes he and his team have what it takes to succeed at the highest level of high school football in the state, and their confidence remains unwavering despite the competition. 'We don't always have the same number of players the other team has on the roster, but we have the same amount of effort and drive to compete at the highest level,' Manko said. 'I just want to be able to get the most out of my teammates and coaches, and hopefully the results will take care of themselves with the work we put in. I think we have a lot of talent, but we will have some new starters on both sides of the ball. It's about giving our maximum effort every play. If we do that, I think we will be successful.' Manko and the Knights will open the 2025 season by visiting Hampshire in Week 1.
USA Today
3 days ago
- USA Today
Former Clemson running back dismissed from team announces transfer destination
Former Clemson athlete Marquise Henderson has officially found a new home, announcing on Wednesday that he's transferring to Liberty following his dismissal from the Tigers' program last week. Henderson, a four-star prospect out of Belton-Honea Path High School in South Carolina, was a member of Clemson's 2024 signing class and one of the early enrollees this spring. Unfortunately, injuries limited his ability to participate in practices, and he was never able to make an on-field impact during his short time with the program. Clemson originally signed Henderson as an athlete with plans to start him at wide receiver. His versatility made him an intriguing addition, as he had excelled on both sides of the ball and on special teams during his prep career. He was best known for his explosive play at running back, where he racked up eye-popping stats at Belton-Honea Path. Over 47 games, Henderson rushed for a school-record 6,369 yards on 577 carries—an average of 11 yards per rush—and totaled nearly 8,000 all-purpose yards. He also returned kicks and played a key role in leading his team to the Class AAAA state semifinals in 2024. Though his time at Clemson didn't pan out, Henderson now gets a fresh start with Liberty, where he'll look to reignite the promise he showed as one of the top in-state recruits in the 2024 class. Contact us @Clemson_Wire on X, and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Clemson Tigers news and notes, plus opinions.
