SR Tigers Prove To Be “Mean’a” Than Mena In Scrimmage

Let’s face it, a scrimmage is just practicing against another program. But depending on who you are depends on how you really look at it. Coaches look to see where improvements need to be made while finalizing their starting lineups before the real games start. Players look at the scrimmage as their first chance to play full-contact live football against someone else and to prove a point to upcoming opponents. Fans look at the final on the scoreboard. Even though there’s no true winner or loser in a scrimmage, fans tend to always use the score as bragging rights. Even if the scoreboard isn’t lit up, they’ll still keep a mental tally of what the final was. The Mansfield Tigers took on the Mena Bearcats in a live scrimmage on Tuesday, August 15^th and in the end it really didn’t matter whose definition of a scrimmage was used, the Tigers looked good.

The layout of the scrimmage was simple. Each team would start out playing their second string for fifteen plays each on offense and follow that with a live 12 minutes of play. Once done, the first string offenses and defenses would follow suit. The Tigers opponents in the scrimmage were by no means a walk over cupcake program. The Mena Bearcats are a notorious year-in and year-out State Playoff contender in the 4A with their impeccable size, speed, and solid coaching staff. To even keep up against Mena is considered quite a feat. But Mansfield wasn’t content with keeping up in the scrimmage, they were out to make a statement to the entire state. That statement was clear and concise to all. Just Bring It.

Mansfield’s second-string squad stood tall by leaning heavily on their defensive prowess. Through their section of the scrimmage, the Tigers defense showed extreme depth in their defensive skill and talent as they stuffed Mena on nearly every snap of the ball. The showstoppers of the Tigers opening series was the entire defensive line which consited of Dakota Deer, Cole Kindle, Cadien Ore, and James “Critter” Bausley. With the Bearcats primarily focusing on their run game, the Mansfield linemen were able to gorge themselves with a Thanksgiving meal of tackles as they accounted for eight of the team’s stops and forced a fumble on Mena’s first fifteen offensive plays. Offensively, the Tigers struggled but still showed some poise. The Tigers were able to gain large chunks of yardage with scrabbles by quarterback Cooper Edwards and solid runs by Trey Powell and Dawson Robinson. Unfortunately, mental mistakes and penalties left a mark on each gain down the field for Mansfield as both teams second strings left the field with a 0-0 draw.

After a small taste of Tiger football, the fans were eager for more as Mansfield and Mena ushered their first-string teams onto the field. What fans got was a plate of defensive desert as Mansfield continued their dominance over the Bearcats offense forcing a punt on Mena’s first series. Mena paid the Tigers back though as they stuffed Mansfield’s run game and forced a bad snap which set the Tiger way back on fourth down. With a positive field position, Mena began to throw the ball effectively to the perimeter of the field. It didn’t take long for Mansfield to sniff out the Bearcats new plan of attack though as Peyton Martin and Daniel Burton took turns swatting down passes to force a turnover on downs against Mena. The Tigers next offensive possession started out the way their previous one ended with a bad snap, but Daniel Burton took the ball on second down and juked around for a fifteen-yard gain giving the Tigers a first down. The flash of yards ended as quickly as it began though as mental mistakes pushed the Tigers back to punt the ball back to Mena again.

With neither team’s offense proving effective, the scrimmage would come down to who’s defense could execute better. That execution came from the Tigers head executioner, Ethan Martin. Martin scooped up a Mena fumble and rolled 13 yards into the end zone for a Tiger touchdown. Jeremy Strozier tacked on the extra point kick to give the Tigers a 7-0 lead. Mena would again give the ball up on their next series as linebacker Zander Walters picked off a pass and darted 34 yards for a Tiger touchdown. Unfortunately, a penalty brought the touchdown back but still gave Mansfield possession of the ball. Both teams continued to duel it out as the lights came on and the clock ran down, but it was Mansfield who prevailed in the scrimmage with a 7-0 victory over Mena.

Although it was merely a scrimmage, the night was quite impressive overall for Mansfield. Both teams held back on a lot of their play calling so that they didn’t show all of their cards to future early-season opponents. That being said, Mansfield proved they can hang with a solid 4A team with some plain jane vanilla play calling on both sides of the ball. The Tigers also showed plenty of depth as the line between the first string and second string was blurred with equal amounts of talent. Even with a whole new layout for the program and a lot of inexperience on the field, Mansfield proved that when they smooth out all of the bumps, they’ll be a force to be reckoned with in 2023. The Tigers will officially start their 2023 campain on Friday, August 25th at home against the Magazine Rattlers.