As the first quarter ended in Tuesday nights final football game featuring the Mansfield Jr High Tigers versus the Cedarville Pirates, the score read 24-0 Pirates. Unfortunately, the season would come to a close for the Tigers as they finished their last game with a final score of 46-14 Cedarville. The blistering cold and frog choking rain along with some miscues would keep the Tigers from going out on a high note but that didn’t mean the wet weather dampened the Tigers spirit any.
Shortly before the half, Tyler Turnipseed delivered the first of two Tiger touchdowns sending the game into halftime with a score of 46-6. Turnipseed would end the game with three receptions for 63 yards. In the third quarter, Fisher Willsey knocked out the second Tigers touchdown with a quarterback keeper and along with his pass to Logan Cravey for the conversion, Mansfield would earn their 14 points of the game. Willsey completed seven passes in the game totaling 101 yards and rushed six times for a total of 43 yards. Cravey connected with three receptions for 34 yards.
Tommy Phang was in competition with the high-speed winds Tuesday night as he flew up and down the field with a quickness that not even the Pirates could catch. He delivered four rushes for 38 yards to put an end to his Jr High football career. And Peyton Martin would close shop with 12 yards on two rushes. The Tigers put up a total of 199 yards with 101 of those yards coming from their passing game.
The Jr High Tigers team will be graduating 18 ninth graders from their roster of 25. Moving up to Sr High football will be Clint Stovall, Tommy Phang, Logan Cravey, Fisher Willsey, Greyson Baggett, Ashton Toon, Tyler Woolbright, Darton Hoopengarner, Drew Elmore, Caleb Collier, Braxton Byers, John Broadway, Austin Quinalty, Kindel Noblitt, Codee Helms, Timmy Rouell, Jesse Paxton, and Branson Carver.
Staying behind to carry the Jr High team into next year will be Peyton Martin, Tyler Turnipseed, Raine Hecox, Turner Wright, John White, Sammy Sellers, and Dakota Langford. The Mansfield Jr High Tigers end their season with a total record of 2-8 and a conference record of 2-5. The Tigers secured 117 winning points and walked away with victories over Paris and West Fork.
The Tigers tirelessly put in long hours and hard work and kept their fight alive never giving up. They earned a season total of 1452 yards, 13 TD, 10 INT, and 9/14 two-point conversions. A few highlights from the season was Drew Elmore stripping a fumble for a touchdown during the Hackett game, Logan Cravey with his Pick 6 during the Paris game, and Austin Quinalty delivering a 31-yard fumble return for a touchdown against West Fork.
Coach Tim Cothran had this to say about the Jr High Tigers 2019 football season. “They never quit and worked hard to try and improve week in and week out. Hopefully, numbers, strength, football IQ, and determination will continue to improve for when our next season gets here. These guys are going to be just fine. They just have to stay the course and continue to stay focused on the goal.”
