MANSFIELD- The Paris Eagles will play their first game this season away from the friendly confines of Eagles Stadium when they travel to Mansfield on Friday to play the Tigers. At press time for this story, the results of both teams’ zero-week games were unknown. This week’s game will be the second non-conference game of the season for both teams.
Paris will be greeted by a raucous Mansfield crowd when they take the field to play the Tigers. Mansfield has reputation of playing every opponent tough, and at home, the Red Tigers are especially tough.
Mansfield finished the season 7-3 in the regular season in 2022 and lost in the first round of the state playoffs at Fordyce by the score of 53-22. High expectations of the Tigers fanbase, coupled with a regular season loss that probably shouldn’t have happened versus Greenland followed by a tough loss on the road in the state playoffs may have led to their coaching change this season. The new head football coach for the Tigers is former MHS graduate Whit Overton. Overton was most recently the junior high football coach at Booneville.
Mansfield is expected to be more balanced on offense than they have been the last few years. The Tigers will undoubtedly throw the football with their talented quarterback, Cole Kindle, but expect them to also be much more physical and wanting to establish the running game very much in the style of their coach’s experience at Booneville. The Tigers have plenty of offensive backfield talent to run the football effectively and will be instrumental in setting up the pass. The Tigers’ question mark going into the game will be its young and inexperienced offensive line. The Tigers’ depth is impressive; as of the deadline for this story, as good as Kindle is, he is locked in a tight battle for the starting position at quarterback with junior Jeremy Strozier. As of this date, the starter for the Tigers has not been announced.
On defense, Mansfield will be led by Samuel Burton. Burton had 64 tackles and nine sacks on defense a year ago and will be looking to put pressure on the Eagles’ mobile quarterback, Maddox Watts.
The game will be the first big road test for Paris, and Mansfield will be playing their second consecutive game at home following a August 25 zero-week game they hosted with Magazine. In week two of the season next Friday, September 8, Mansfield will go on the road for the first time for the renewal of the “Highway 71 Rivalry” at Waldron. Paris will return home on that same date to host West Fork in their final non-conference game of the regular season.
Kickoff at Tigers Stadium is set for 7 p.m. Fans from both schools will want to arrive at the stadium early for this game that promises to be a good one.
RNN Sports will be at the game to bring you action photos, as well as our online post-game story on Saturday.
Travel safely and enjoy the game! We will see you there!
