There are times in life when you face adversity head-on without backing down and still fall. Sometimes it’s a lack of experience or circumstances beyond your control. The Mansfield Tigers are a program on the rise, but not quite to the point of excellence, not yet that is. The Tigers spent the past two weeks preparing for two of the state’s top two premiere teams in Charleston and Booneville. Both teams played for the 2022 State Championship last year and were pegged to make a run at it again this season. Mansfield went to Charleston last week but fell 14-7 against the defending State Champions then followed that up by taking on the Booneville Bearcats who are favored by many to win it all. Although the scoreboard read 42-7 with a Booneville victory, the Tigers’ fight showed that they are no fluke of a team.
Mansfield started out with their defense on the field to take on a powerful Bearcat rushing attack. The Tigers started out with few good stops, but the power and size of Booneville matched the ball downfield over a nine-play series to score. The Bearcats added on an extra point kick to go up 7-0 early in the first quarter. Mansfield was set for a solid return on the ensuing kickoff, but the Tigers returner slipped after catching the ball which pinned them back at the 30-yard line. The Tiger’s offense went to work with good gains on runs by Tyler Turnipseed and Daniel Burton as they drove the ball down to Booneville’s 38-yard line. Unfortunately, the Tiger’s drive stalled forcing them to punt the ball away. The punt set Booneville’s offense back at the six-yard line which gave Mansfield’s defense a long field to work with. Mansfield made good on the opportunity and forced Booneville to do something they rarely ever do …punt. As the teams were still trying each other out, the first quarter closed with Booneville holding a narrow 7-0 lead over the Tigers.
The second quarter is where size and power made itself evident. Booneville did what Booneville does best and began to use their superior size, strength, and numbers to wear down the Tigers on both sides of the ball. The Tigers definitely stayed in the fight though. Mansfield took every punch on the chin and popped back up seemingly asking for more. Booneville might have had an advantage, but even as the Bearcats jumped up on the scoreboard by adding three more scores, Mansfield still put together impressive offensive drives and some intense defensive stops. Daniel Burton had a handful of big runs in the second quarter while Jeremy Strozier and the Tigers passing game began to put things together. Unfortunately, the half closed before the Tigers could capitalize on their momentum as Mansfield went into the half down to Booneville with a 28-0 score.
One can always tell when a team is defeated by the way they come out after halftime. A defeated team isn’t defined by the scoreboard but by their actions, body language, and effort as they come out of the locker room. Mansfield came out of their locker room with a look of determination, not defeat. The Tigers started off the second half with the ball and gave Booneville a taste of their own medicine right off the bat. Manfield faced a fourth and one on their opening drive and chose to go for it on Booneville’s side of the field. A quarterback sneak by Jeremy Strozier was the play call, but the success came from the push as all ten of Strozier’s teammates on the field rallied to get their quarterback across the line for a first down. Strozier would then make a connection with Daniel Burton on a 36-yard pass for another first down. The Tigers would again face a fourth and one later in the drive which could have stalled them out. But again it was a quarterback sneak with ten players pushing that made the difference earning a first and goal for Mansfield. The bold move set up Daniel Burton for a four-yard run into the endzone for a Tiger Touchdown. Ethan Martin tacked on the extra point to get the Tigers on the board, but still down 28-7. Booneville was just too much for the Tigers though as the Bearcats continued their ground-and-pound game for two more touchdowns as Manfield fell to the Bearcats with a 42-7 final score.
In their inaugural season under new head coach Whit Overton, the Tigers have shown quite a bit of promise. Starting out with a 5-0 record before dropping two games in a row to two premier 3A teams doesn’t make Mansfield overrated, it makes them on schedule actually. Not very many teams have to face teams like Charleston and Booneville back to back, but the Tigers did and although it didn’t go their way, they definitely didn’t back down from the challenge. Mansfield is a program determined to prove themselves to the critics which makes them a dangerous team for opponents. The Tigers will head to Lavaca on Friday, October 20th to face off against another up-and-coming Golden Arrows team. Lavaca sits with a 6-1 overall record and a 3-1 conference record, but unlike the Tigers, they have yet to play the conference’s top two teams. With Mansfield keeping their poise through two losses, the Tigers will be ready for Lavaca’s air raid offense as the two teams will not only play for the W next Friday but also for a good seeding in the State Playoffs.
