ALCOA – Alcoa quarterback Thomas Manu’s story is a tale as old as time.
The junior started his first game at the helm of a prestigious program that has won 10 straight TSSAA football state titles. Amidst questions of his capabilities, Manu stared down his first opponent of the 2025 Tennessee high school football season: his former team, Maryville.
Of course, according to script, Manu came out victorious.
“All the trash talking they were saying to me, it just really motivated me,” Manu said following Alcoa’s home 28-21 victory. “It pushed me even more to get that ball in the end zone.” They were cussing at me, saying ‘I suck.’ Even in the news, there were saying the lights might be too bright for me.”
Manu certainly proved his prowess as Alcoa’s starting quarterback. He completed 16 of his 20 passing attempts for 185 yards and two touchdowns.
His first touchdown was at the end of the first half as he launched a cross-body, 34-yard bomb to receiver JaColby Cooper, tying the game at 14. Then, coming out of the break, he fired another 25-yard strike to receiver Jamir Dean to take the 21-14 lead.
Alcoa coach Brian Nix marveled at Manu’s composure.
“The poise of his first start against a school he was at,” Nix said about what impressed him the most. “To come out here and play with that kind of poise. He got that punt blocked, and it just didn’t faze him. It says a lot about his character.
“You couldn’t be happier for the success that he’s had.”
Manu’s heroics helped Alcoa control the game clock, particularly in the second half. His scrambling ability extended drives while Maryville punted repeatedly until they needed to get more aggressive in the fourth quarter. Rebels quarterback Will Jones delivered a 25-yard touchdown strike to running back Cohen Babelay, tying the game at 21 with 3:29 left in regulation.
At one point, Alcoa had the ball at it’s own 45-yard-line with two minutes left. On a key third-and-eight, Manu scrambled and flung a ball to Cooper for a 15-yard completion and conversion. Eventually, the Tornadoes scored with 37.3 seconds remaining.
“I told them on that third-and-long, I said this is that ‘one play,’ ” Nix said. “We make this play, we’ll have the momentum. We’ll go in, score, and win this game. I don’t know if I 100 percent believed it at the time, but I believed it enough.
“That’s how you beat a team like that. They’re not going to go away, they’re not going to make mistakes and they’re not going to beat themselves.”
Manu, the hero of his story, got to sign autographs for kids after the game.
“It feels great,” he said. “It’s a dream.”
Wynton Jackson covers high school sports for Knox News. Email: wynton.jackson@knoxnews.com
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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: TSSAA football: Maryville transfer Thomas Manu leads Alcoa to rivalry win