AKRON – The Tippecanoe Valley football team came up just short Saturday in a bid for its first win.

A late touchdown by Jacob Casper lifted visiting Manchester to a 27-20 victory over the Vikings in the Three Rivers Conference opener for both teams.

The game was postponed on Friday night due to the weather.

Casper scored on a fourth and goal at the Valley one-yard line with 4:31 left in the contest for the game winner.

The winless Vikings had rallied to tie the game at 20-20 early in the final period. Sophomore quarterback Alec Craig busted loose for a 36-yard touchdown run on a fourth and three play. Craig then ran for a two-point conversion to tie the game.

The Squires, who improve to 2-1, took a 7-0 lead in the first stanza as quarterback Lucas Schilling fired a 76-yard scoring strike. Valley cut the lead to 7-6 later in the first period of play as Aaron Hoffman had a three-yard touchdown run.

Valley took the lead in the second quarter. Brandon Webster caught a touchdown pass from Craig to make it 12-7. Manchester then scored the next two touchdowns, taking a 14-12 halftime lead and then a 20-12 edge in the third period on a touchdown run by Casper.

Craig had a big game for the Vikings, who drop to 0-3 with the loss. He was 5-13 passing for 189 yards and led the rushing attack with 15 carries for 127 yards. Webster had two receptions for 123 yards. Valley rushed for 225 yards in the contest.

Valley plays at Southwood and Manchester hosts Whitko in TRC games next Friday night.