Resident News Network

Dutch Oven Enchiladas

Madison VanRavensway

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2:39 am

Dutch Oven Chicken cream cheese chili enchiladas- say that three times fast. Okay, maybe it’s not a tongue twister, but it is a lot of words! Just call these dinner, how about that?

With the recent rains and the burn bans being lifted I have been itching to use my Dutch oven. I love cream cheese enchiladas, but don’t have an jalapeños and that’s my go to. I poked around in my fridge and found some garlic chili sauce I bought for a different recipe that didn’t require the whole jar. The results were fantastic! Despite being chili sauce, the garlic tames the heat and gives a fantastic flavor. Bonus, I didn’t have to chop peppers! This may be my new go to for enchiladas.

Ingredients

-1.5-2 cups cooked, shredded chicken

-8 oz cream cheese

-2 Tablespoons garlic chili sauce

-4 burrito size tortillas

Topping

-shredded cheese

-picante sauce

Mix cream cheese in with chicken, and garlic chili sauce. Spoon mixtures into tortillas, roll. Place in greased Dutch oven, sprinkle with shredded cheese and add picante sauce to taste.

For campfire

Place Dutch oven on a trivet/tripod slightly above fire, leave lid on.
Allow to cook for 15-20 minutes until cheese has melted.

For Oven

Preheat oven to 400.
Bake with lid on for 10-15 minutes until cheese has melted.

SR Tigers Scale The Scoreboard Past Rattlers

Sports

Adam Hecox

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2:20 am

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SR Tigers Scale The Scoreboard Past Rattlers

Mansfield’s SR High football program has it all figured out when it comes to Week0 consistency. For the past two years, the Tigers have faced off against the Magazine Rattlers for their season opener, scored exactly 41 points, and have held the Rattlers to one score or less in each contest. The Tigers kept the streak alive when they traveled to the Snake Pit and beat Magazine 41-6 on Friday, August 26^th.

Quarterback Cole Kindle eye’s his target behind blockers Braxton Byers (#71) and Fisher Willsey (#15).
Photo credit: Shelly Photography Videography and Design

Strategy was the name of the game for Magazine early as they kicked off with their backs to the sun forcing the Tigers to be blinded by the light. Fortunately for Mansfield, offensive Coaches Layton Robinson and Daniel Martin had a strategy of their own. Mansfield threw on their sunglasses and ran a balanced run/pass offense for their first six plays. Quarterback Cole Kindle completed three passes to three different receivers while senior running backs Tyler Woolbright and Fisher Willsey took care of the rushing attack. The Tigers drove 62 yards in ten plays with Fisher Willsey plowing his way five yards into the end zone for a Tiger Touchdown. Braxton Byers tacked on the extra point kick and just like that the Tigers took a 7-0 lead over Magazine.

Senior Running Back Tyler Woolbright (#22) shakes off a tackler in route to the end zone.
Photo credit: Shelly Photography Videography and Design

Mansfield’s defensive pass coverage by Jeremy Strozier and Greyson Baggett kept the Rattlers offense at bay forcing Magazine to punt on their first possession. The Tigers offense would start at the Rattlers 36 yard line for their second drive but that’s when Mansfield’s offense began to sputter. An incomplete pass, high snap, and negative yard reception put the Tigers behind the sticks forcing them to punt the ball back to the Rattlers. Fortunately, defenders Tyler Turnipseed, Jeremy Strozier, and Sam Burton returned the favor forcing the Rattlers to give Mansfield the ball back on 4th and 16. Mansfield’s offense dusted off their earlier mistakes and went back to work with big runs by Tyler Woolbright and Fisher Willsey. The run game opened up a Cole Kindle to Peyton Martin pass for 25 yards setting the Tigers up at the 15-yard line. Kindle took over from there and rushed across the goal line for a 15-yard Tiger Touchdown. Another Braxton Byers extra point put Mansfield up on Magazine 14-0 at the end of the first quarter.

Senior Running Back Fisher Willsey takes a handoff from Quarterback Cole Kindle.
Photo credit: Shelly Photography Videography and Design

A clinic was put on by Tiger defensive ends Trey Vaughan and Sam Burton who put Magazine in a pickle to start the second quarter as the Rattlers quickly went three and out. Mansfield on the other hand capitalized on their first snap of the second quarter with a Cole Kindle to Tyler Turnipseed pass for a 43-yard touchdown. Braxton Byers sent another mile-high extra point through the uprights and just like that Mansfield had a 21-0 lead. The Rattlers woes continued to pile up as Magazine fumbled the ensuing kickoff from Mansfield with Jeremy Strozier recovering the ball at the Mansfield 11 yard line. The Tigers got a holding call on their next offensive play, but Mansfield’s Fisher Willsey made up for the penalty and hooked up another Tiger touchdown with a 20-yard run. Ol’ reliable, Braxton Byers, knocked in the extra point kick which put the Tigers up 28-0 in the second.

Tyler Turnipseed (#10) bobs and weaves his way trough Rattler traffic.
Photo credit: Shelly Photography Videography and Design

The Tigers kickoff coverage again earned their stripes on the next kickoff as they pinned Magazine down at the two-yard line. The special teams play set the Tigers up to tune up their second string defensive guitar and boy howdy was that a sweet sounding tune. Linebackers Reegan Emery, Clint Stovall, and Caleb Collier only allowed the Rattlers run game to take one step forward and two steps back before taking them down while defensive backs Tommy Phang, Greyson Baggett, and Trenton Holley all nearly picked off Magazine passes. Sophomore Austin Oldham was able to go a smidge above nearly though as the linebacker succeeded in picking off a Rattler pass giving the Tigers the ball again. Mansfield kept the band playing on offense with Treyshon Powell blasting a run around the corner for 41 yards. Clint Stovall powered out two runs up the gut for six yards which set up Tyler Woolbright for a 26 yard end around run for a Tiger Touchdown. The score sent Mansfield into halftime with a commanding 35-0 lead on the Rattlers.

Treyshon Powell (#21)kicking in the afterburners for a 41 yard run.
Photo credit: Shelly Photography Videography and Design

Magazine would prevent the shutout with a five-yard touchdown late in the third quarter, but Mansfield running back Sam Burton jumped into the end zone in the fourth quarter to shut down any chances of a comeback by the Rattlers as the Tigers ended the game victorious with a 41-6 final score. The game as a whole was about 100% teamwork. Offensively, Mansfield quarterback Cole Kindle completed seven of his nine passes to four different receivers for 150 yards and a touchdown. The Tigers rushing game saw seven running backs touch the ball. The backfield combined for a total of 203 yards and five touchdowns. Mansfield’s defense was downright elite with 16 players recording solo tackles and 15 players getting assists. In all, 20 different Tigers found their way to the ball carrier for tackles. Mansfield’s defense also recorded one sack, one forced fumble, a fumble recovery, and one interception.

Defensive End Sam Burton (#23) takes down Magazines Quarterback while Jeremy Strozier (#7) soars above.
Photo credit: Shelly Photography Videography and Design

“We played very well and executed everything just as we wanted to,” said Head Coach Tim Cothran. “The players took care of the ball and didn’t turn it over. We didn’t have very many penalties in the game either. We played a very fast and aggressive game and that’s what I like to see. It was good to get every player we have in the game for reps and each one contributed to the win in one way or another. This was a nice game and exactly how we needed to open the season”. Mansfield has been in this position before. The trend though has been that they start with a big Week0 win over Magazine but then fall apart. This season could be different though. The Tigers have a larger team with over 30 players on the roster and as proven versus Magazine, all of them are talented enough to contribute on game day. By having that kind of talent, numbers, and depth on the roster, Mansfield may very well buck the trend in 2022. That theory will be put to the test though on Friday, September 2^nd as the Tigers head to Paris to take on an Eagles team who finished as the 3A-4 Runner-Ups last season.

Mansfield Defeats Rattlers 41-6 at Magazine

Resident News Network

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5:30 am

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Mansfield Defeats Rattlers 41-6 at Magazine

Note to Our Readers: The following story was contributed in its entirety by Mr. Jonathan Gipson, Director of Social Media Relations, Magazine School District. Mr. Gipson is a RNN Sports contributor, and we thank him for bringing Magazine Schools updates to our readers!

MAGAZINE – Sophomore quarterback Nate Smith connected with senior all-purpose back James Haugh on 5-yard touchdown toss late in the third quarter to cap Class 2A Magazine’s most successful offensive drive of its nonconference game against Class 3A Mansfield Friday night.

That touchdown toss highlighted a solid second-half effort by the Rattlers, who lost to the Tigers 41-6 here at Shorty Wright Field at Diamondback Stadium.

Mansfield (1-0) built a 35-0 lead at halftime, capitalizing on a couple of big plays and prime field position at times.

The Tigers got a 5-yard touchdown run by running back Fisher Willsey, a 15-yard run by quarterback Cole Kindle, a 44-yard run by running back Tyler Turnipseed, a 45-yard run by Willsey and a 31-yard run by running back Tyler Woolbright to lead 35-0 at halftime.

The Rattlers, who had a couple of successful first-half scoring drives stall, opened the second half with a methodical scoring drive with a running clock. The Tigers, though, added a late touchdown on a 6-yard run by sophomore running back Samuel Burton with 4:11 left to play.

Magazine resumes its homestand on Friday night when the Rattlers host the Lavaca Golden Arrows. It will be the season opener for the Golden Arrows.

Fumbles Ground the Eagles in 48-7 Loss at Waldron

Resident News Network

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5:07 am

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Fumbles Ground the Eagles in 48-7 Loss at Waldron

One of the oldest coaching cliches in the game is about not giving up turnovers and how hard it is to win when a team turns over the ball. That factor is multiplied when a team plays on the road, and it is multiplied by an even greater factor when a young team is playing their first varsity game on the road.

Friday night’s game at Waldron started out well in the first quarter for Paris. The defense created a Waldron turnover, and, late in the quarter, blocked a Waldron field goal attempt. Hard-nosed running by quarterback Maddox Watts and senior running back Mason Bradley enabled the Paris offense to methodically move the ball into scoring position and eventually into the end zone. Paris led Waldron 7-0 at the end of the first quarter.

But then, disaster struck, as Paris fumbled the ball five times in the second quarter resulting in five unanswered touchdowns by the Bulldogs offense. At halftime, it was a shell-shocked Paris team that went into the locker room down 35-7.

In the second half, Paris was unable to muster much offense either on the ground or in the air. The physical line play of Waldron dominated the game and gave the Paris quarterbacks and wide receivers virtually no chance. It was a tough night for a very young team that will have to regroup and continue to learn and improve each week.

Paris will return home next Friday for their home opener against Mansfield in a 3A non-conference game. Mansfield defeated Magazine tonight 41-6.

Photos from this game will be on Facebook at Paris Eagles Sports on Sunday night. Watch for a preview of the Mansfield game in next week’s Logan County newspaper.

The Eagles played hard all night and never gave up. They need a big crowd at home next Friday to welcome the team home and to help them regroup against a very good Mansfield Tigers team who will be coming to Eagles Stadium. In short, the Eagles need your support…they need the Big Blue Nation to turnout big next Friday.

And RNN Sports will be at Eagles Stadium to bring you all of the action!

Booneville Hosts Rival Ozark on Friday

Networks

Resident News Network

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12:46 am

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Note to Our Readers: The following story was contributed in its entirety by Mr. Glenn Parrish, Director of Communications, Booneville School District. Mr. Parrish is an RNN Sports contributor, and we thank him for bringing Booneville Bearcats coverage to our readers. At deadline time for this story, the Bearcats were on the road to Pine Bluff to play their opening game at Dollarway.

Exactly when Booneville and Ozark became the rivals they are today is probably, but predictably, debatable.

For decades the primary rival for the Bearcat program was within the borders of Logan County, as in Paris, but that changed in the 1980s.

In 1980 Booneville had a wildly uncharacteristic 3-7 season, but did beat the Hillbillies. In 1981 Ozark won a double overtime game, 19-12. Following that game there would be an O burned into the Bearcat Stadium turf, presumably with diesel.

Booneville won the next four years, including a 1984 game in which Ozark thought to be a statement making game. It would be as Booneville scored 41 first quarter points and won 49-0. It was a 19-14 game in 1985.

In 1986, Ozark’s coach promised his team if they would pull off a win over Booneville, they could shave the score into the side of his head. He honored his pledge and was photographed with a 28 on one side and a 6 on the other.

Booneville got the last laugh that season, winning the school’s first state title.

In 1987 a first-round playoff pairing had the teams meeting in north Franklin County for week 11 and Ozark won for the second time that season.

The rivalry had more than arrived.

Since then there have been plenty of both one-sided – 41-0 Bearcats in 1991 and 49-11 in 2001 – as well as narrow games – the classic 56-48 1999 game and an equally classic 20-19 2020 affair – and the rivalry has ascended to the top spot in the minds of the Gen Xers and passed down to their offspring, although the so-called Boomers may still disagree.

Like any good rivalry, if not the records, logic is sometimes thrown out the window.

In 2001 Ozark won a game at Bearcat Stadium, but for the second time in school history, it was the Bearcats who hoisted a state title trophy in December.

In 2006 Ozark had clinched a conference title going into week 10. The Bearcats beat them anyway, giving that class of seniors a perfect record against the Hillbillies.

Between 2012 and 2020 the visiting team was 9-1 in the series. The Bearcats, however, won 42-12 at Bearcat Stadium in 2021 with sophomore Dax Goff recording his first 100-yard game.

Overall, Booneville leads the series by a lopsided margin.

Mascots: Booneville Bearcats; Ozark Hillbillies
When: 7 p.m., 9-2, at Doug Scheel Field at Bearcat Stadium
Series: Booneville leads 53-27-4 (0.655)
Last Meeting: Bearcats 42 Ozark 12 on 9-3-2021
Streak: Booneville has won last 2
First Meeting: Bearcats 45 Ozark 0 on 11-6-1924
Conference Affiliations: Bearcats are 3A-1, Ozark is 4A-4

County Line High School FFA & 4-H Students Begin County Fairs Season Competitions

Networks

Resident News Network

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12:31 am

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County Line High School FFA & 4-H Students Begin County Fairs Season Competitions

Note to Our Readers: The following story was contributed in its entirety by Ms. Celia Looney, Yearbook Adviser, County Line High School. Ms. Looney is an RNN contributor, and we thank her for bringing updates from the County Line school district to our readers.

The first fairs of the season were successful for County Line FFA and 4-H members. Students showed at either the North Logan County Fair at Paris or the North Franklin County Fair at Ozark the week of August 14.

Image Credit: Special to RNN / Celia Looney, County Line Schools

At the Logan County Fair students brought home five Grand Champions, one Reserve Grand Champion, and four showmanship awards. County Line students earned eight Champions, eleven Reserve Champions, eleven Grand Champions, and two Showmanship Awards at the North Franklin County Fair. The students exhibited goats, lambs, poultry, rabbits, cattle, and horses. Next up for these students are the South Franklin County Fair at Charleston, and the South Logan County Fair at Booneville. Both fairs are the week of September 5

Charleston Opens the 2022 Campaign at Elkins on Friday

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Resident News Network

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12:19 am

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Charleston Opens the 2022 Campaign at Elkins on Friday

Over the past several seasons, Charleston has elected not to schedule “zero week” football games, instead opting to start their season in the true “Week One” of the high school football season. The Tigers choose to have an extra week of preseason practice to iron out the wrinkles from their preseason scrimmages, and to allow any summer injuries to have another week to heal before the start of games. This year is no different. The Tigers did not play on August 26, and their first game will be this Friday when the Tigers travel to Northwest Arkansas to play at Elkins. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m.

The two-time 3A-1 defending champs will be playing for the three-peat this year, and to move deep into the post-season’s state playoffs. For any team, once you get into the “final four” of the state tournament, any team can win the championship, and barring injuries, I expect Charleston to be right there in the hunt for another state title.

Charleston will feature a talented and experienced senior class that is full of athleticism. They are not as deep on the depth chart as they have been in recent years, and for the Tigers to reach their goals this year, they must avoid injuries. But this group of Tigers is loaded with athleticism, and this talented group will be led by their two-time all-state senior quarterback, Brandon Scott.

As a sports writer, Scott has been on my short list for the past two seasons as one of, if not the best quarterback in the state. There is always competition for that honor in programs such as Greenwood, to name one in particular, but Scott is a true competitor and is a leader that any coach would want to lead his troops into battle. Scott is a dual-threat quarterback with 4.6 speed and can throw the ball with great effectiveness. He is an excellent decision maker, perhaps buoyed by his academic prowess in the classroom. Scott carries a 4.0 grade point average into his senior year, as well.

Charleston will need every bit of their talent and experience when they face the Elkins Elks on Friday. At deadline time for this story, the Elks were getting ready to face their August 26 opponent, the Pottsville Apaches. So when Elkins takes the field to host the Tigers, they will have the benefit of having one game under their belts. That can always be a good or bad thing, especially if a zero week team suffers a significant injury. Hopefully that was not the case; fans will want to see both teams at full strength for this match-up.

Elkins plays in the 4A-1 conference with member schools Ozark, Gentry, Gravette, Green Forrest, Berryville, and Lincoln. The Elks are projected to finish runner-up to the Ozark Hillbillies in preseason polls.

The 2022 Elkins schedule includes:

August 26 at Pottsville

Sept 2 vs Charleston

Sept 9 at Clarksville

Sept 23 vs Gravette

Sept 30 at Huntsville

Oct 7 vs Berryville

Oct 14 at Green Forest

Oct 21 vs Ozark

Oct 28 at Gentry

Nov 4 vs Lincoln

According to Hooten’s Arkansas Football publication, the Elks have good depth at the quarterback position, but have a lack of depth on the line on both sides of the ball. The Charleston defensive and offensive lines must take control of the line of scrimmage for the Tigers to win the game. If Charleston gives quarterback Scott time to hit his talented receivers, the Tigers could light up the scoreboard on Friday night.

Charleston head football coach, Ricky May, assessed the Elks by saying, “They have two really good running backs with good speed. Their offensive line is big and gets after you. They have a couple good receivers that can go and one that catches everything in his direction. Defensively, they all fly to the ball and tackle well. Coach Watson and his staff do a tremendous job of getting their kids ready to play hard. We will have to be ready to play and get after it.”

Watch for post-game coverage over the weekend on RNN Sports’ online platform at residentnewsnetwork.com. Also, if you have not yet subscribed to the Logan County weekly newspaper, you can do so by going to the same address and clicking on the subscription link.

On behalf of RNN Sports, I would like to wish head coach Ricky May and his team the best of luck as they open the 2022 season on Friday. And on a side note, I will be in Charleston on Friday, September 16, to bring you exclusive coverage of the Tigers game with Nashville at Alumni Field! So, Tigers fans, travel safely, and enjoy the game!

“Just Roll with It” Serving up Recipes and Humor

Food

Tammy Teague

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11:30 pm

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“Just Roll with It” Serving up Recipes and Humor

Hello everyone! Beautiful weather we have been having. I’m counting down til Halloween, all the little kid’s trick or treating and dressing up brings a smile to my face. Speaking of smiles, when you have grandkids, you have lots of smiles. We all love the watch them at ballgames, cheering, and just being with them makes you smile.

This story is about my brother, Larry. He has a whole herd of grandkids and when Leah calls and tells her Papaw she is getting baptized and wants him to come, of course, he would go. It’s at First Baptist in Fort Smith, Papaw. He would be there. So, the next Sunday, he and Peggy get ready to go see this milestone in Leah’s life. They get to the church, go in, and try to find a seat. They are waiting for the baptizing to start, nothing going on. Peggy text Leah’s mom, Kelly, and tells her we missed the baptizing. Kelly says, no, I’m here and it hasn’t started. My brother, Peggy, and Raylee wait patiently, still no baptizing going on. Now if they were in a pentecostal church, they would have known when there was a baptism. That’s all I’m going to say. More texts, and guess what? They were at Grand Avenue Baptist Church instead of the Ft. Smith Baptist Church. They missed the whole thing, but they did get to fill out a visitor card and hear some good preaching.

Is my family the only ones who do crazy things? Glad Leah got baptized, sorry my brother missed it. Oh, there will be more, oh no, you usually only get baptized once, haha!

Oh no, it’s not just our family. When Jacob and Loren got married, Gina Epperson, my friend, my boss, missed the whole ceremony. She did come to the right venue and she did get there in time to eat at the reception. I mean who doesn’t look at the invitation and make sure the time of the wedding? I will tell you who, Gina Epperson! I like being early for everything or at least on time.

Since I’m on my brother’s case, did I tell y’all about the time my brother was stationed in Panama and they decided to have a yard sale? Keep in mind he’s six foot tall and a big-boned guy. When the people started coming to the sale, one of them picked up a pair of his jeans and he heard them say “grande!! grande!! grandee!!” We still laugh at that story.

This week’s recipe is inside-out cake. The first time I had this cake was when Carolyn Smith made it at a church dinner. I have loved it ever since.

INSIDE OUT CAKE
1 pkg. yellow cake mix
4 eggs
1 cup water
3/4 cup oil
1 can coconut pecan frosting
Grease and flour bundt pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients and bake 45 minutes. You can use different cake mixes and icings. This one is the best in my opinion. You do put the canned frosting in the cake mix and mix it up.

Turn The Towns Teal, a National Awareness Campaign for Ovarian Cancer

News

Tammy Teague

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9:59 pm

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Turn The Towns Teal, a National Awareness Campaign for Ovarian Cancer

Turn The Towns Teal®, a national campaign whose mission is to raise awareness of Ovarian Cancer, its often subtle symptoms and risk factors, launches its 16h Annual Awareness Campaign in September which is National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. Teal is the color associated with ovarian cancer.

EVERY WOMAN is at risk of developing ovarian cancer. Knowing the subtle symptoms and risk factors can literally save a woman’s life. If detected in its early stages, the success rate is 90-95%. As of today, there is NO conclusive early detection test.

Turn The Towns Teal® has been represented in all 5o states. The campaign has grown from the original 20 registrants to over 650 registrants last year; this literally translates to thousands of women, men and children throughout the USA participating. The campaign’s success proves its importance.

Turn The Towns Teal® is a 3-tiered campaign: Volunteers can 1) “Teal” their town(s), 2) “Teal” their neighborhoods, businesses, places of worship, etc. and/or 3) “Teal” their personal homes. Participants can register for any tier on our website to get involved and order their campaign materials.

Volunteers tie Teal ribbons throughout their towns,
neighborhoods, businesses and at their homes. Additionally they distribute symptom cards and brochures, display lawn signs, etc., and many wear Turn The Towns Teal® t- shirts and hats. These materials alert the public about this disease. All campaign materials are made in the USA.

“Turn The Towns Teal@’s clever, alliterative title and the campaign was the inspiration of Gail MacNeil (Chatham, NJ 1943-2008). She knew only all too well that there was not enough awareness about Ovarian Cancer and literally created it for others so that they would not have to go through what she and her family endured for 10 years Awareness is our primary mission; however, there are other important aspects of the campaign. Our survivors now feel that their disease is finally being recognized and they want to educate the public. Additionally, those who have lost someone to ovarian cancer find it cathartic to continue the campaign in honor of their loved one. We KNOW for a fact that this campaign has saved women’s lives”, states Jane MacNeil, now President of the Campaign.

POTENTIAL SYMPTOMS
• Bloating
• Pelvic or abdominal pain/discomfort
• Vague but persistent gastrointestinal upsets
• Difficulty eating or feeling full quickly
• Urinary symptoms (urgency or frequency)
• Unexplained changes in bowel habits
• Unexplained weight gain/loss
• Ongoing unusual fatigue
• Back pain
• Menstrual changes
• Pain during intimacy

If these symptoms persist for 10 days to 2 weeks, consult your gynecologist, physician OR preferably a gynecological oncologist

RISK FACTORS LINKED TO OVARIAN CANCER
• Genetic predisposition (BRCA1 / BRCA2 gene)
• Personal or family history of breast, ovarian or colon cancer
• Increasing age
• Reproductive history and infertility
• Hormone replacement therapy

A Pap test does NOT detect Ovarian Cancer

Turn The Towns Teal® was trademarked by Gail’s husband; he applied for and was granted 501 (C) (3) nonprofit status. Note: None of the officers take any compensation from the campaign. www.turnthetownsteal.org.

JR Tigers Rock and Roar Past Rattlers

Sports

Adam Hecox

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8:04 pm

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The players on the Mansfield Tigers JR High team have spent their past three years finishing their season as Runner Up. In the 6^th Grade, Mansfield finished behind Magazine in the WCFL little league Championship game. Mansfield then came in second place to the Charleston Tigers in the 7th Grade and their first year of JR High in the 8th Grade. So the Tigers made a pact earlier in the year to do everything in their power to break away from the Runner Up curse and become Champions. Mansfield’s road to redemption officially kicked off on Thursday, August 25^th as they hosted the Magazine Rattlers for a rematch three years in the making.

Cooper Edwards and Ethan Martin celebrate a Tiger Touchdown.

The Tigers received the opening kickoff and shipped out their powerful offense to get an early start on the Rattlers. Magazine had other plans in mind though as the Rattlers bowed and handed Mansfield two negative yard rushes and an incomplete pass forcing Mansfield to punt. With the Tigers offense out of sync, their defense stepped in to straighten things out. The Rattlers tried to make a quick strike on the Tigers with a pass on their first play, but their aim was off as the ball fell incomplete. That’s when Mansfield’s defense began to feast on the Rattlers backfield. Back to back runs by Magazine were swallowed up by Zander Walters, Braxton Bartlett, and Dawson Robinson along with a host of Tiger teammates swooping into to clean up each play. The Tigers defense forced a Rattler punt, but an ill-advised catch attempt of that punt by Mansfield created a fumble which Magazine recovered giving the Rattlers a fresh set of downs. The Rattlers went back to their passing game and completed a big catch, but the Mansfield defense stood tall and prevented Magazine from scoring as the first quarter of play ended with a score of 0-0.

Zander Walters, Cadien Ore, and Alex Hecox use teamwork to take down a Magazine receiver.

Mansfield started the second quarter with the ball and wasted no time feeding their star studded backfield the ball. Ethan Martin and Zander Walters took the first couple of handoffs for big gains and were then followed by quarterback Cooper Edwards calling his own number for positive yards. The rushing attack drew Magazine into a tight boxed defense which was exactly what Mansfield had planned. With the defense boxed in to stop the run, Mansfield took to the air with a pass. Cooper Edwards found Ethan Martin on a swing route out of the back field and Martin rolled 55 yards downfield for a Tiger touchdown. Although the two point conversion was unsuccessful, the Tigers were still happy with a 6-0 lead in the second quarter.

Ethan Martin takes a handoff from Cooper Edwards and goes for the score.

Magazine would put on a good drive when they got the ball back, but the Tigers defense was an unmovable object in front of the end zone. Outside runs by the Rattlers were quickly cut down by linebackers Alex Hecox and Dawson Robinson. When Magazine tried to pass the ball, they got a face full of the Tigers defensive line aka The Four Horsemen (Braxton Bartlett, Matthew Burton, Logan Ore, and Cadien Ore). If by chance a pass got off though, corners Joseph Carter and Dominic Shores were Johnny on the Spot to swat the ball down. Mansfield would get another shot at scoring before the half as Cooper Edwards again found Ethan Martin on a pass sending Martin 67 yards for the touchdown. Unfortunately, that touchdown was taken off the board due a flag for an illegal man downfield. Even with a small handful of mistakes in the first half, Mansfield still walked into halftime with a 6-0 lead.

Zander Walters slams a Magazine defender to the field for more yards.

It took a halftime breather for the Tigers to shake off their offensive cobwebs, but once they did there was no stopping them. It only took Mansfield one play to score their first points of the second half as Zander Walters took a handoff and steam rolled his way 20 yards through the Rattlers defense for a Tiger Touchdown. Walters doubled down and punched the two point conversion past the goal line to give Mansfield a 14-0 lead. The big score fired up Mansfield’s defense as they sent their head hunters out on the field. Magazines receiver corps found out that they weren’t safe if they caught a pass. If a pass was even touched, Rattler receivers were met immediately by players like Travien Copeland, Dawson Robinson, and Alex Hecox all of whom punished Magazines air game. Mansfield regained possession of the ball and the Tigers rushing attack commenced to pounding out yards again. It became evident that if the Tigers wanted a “T”, they’d better give the ball to “E”. That’s just what Mansfield did and Ethan Martin scored again for the Tigers which pushed the score to 20-0 in the third quarter. Magazine would get their first score of the game late in the fourth quarter, but the Tigers remained calm and finished the game with a 20-8 final score over the Rattlers.

Mansfield’s defensive Four Horsemen: #5 Matthew Burton, #72 Logan Ore, #61 Cadien Ore, and #22 Braxton Bartlett

Head Coach, Tim Cothran, was pleased with his teams performance. “We made a few first game mistakes but the players overcame them well. What mistakes we did see were small and certainly fixable. The teams energy on the field was great. This team is showing a lot of promise”. The JR Tigers have started off the season with a 1-0 record for the first time in a very long time. Although Mansfield is proud with that stat, they know that their schedule will only become more difficult as the season goes on. The Tigers must continue to work hard if they hope to obtain Championship gold this year. Mansfield’s next game will be against the Paris Eagles on Thursday, September 1^st. Paris defeated the Waldron Bulldogs 28-0 in their season opener which means the Tigers will have to be on their toes when they welcome the Eagles to The Jungle.

R

RESIDENT NEWS NETWORK