There are times when two teams are so evenly matched that it’s nearly impossible to predict the game’s outcome. Now, add in the high stakes of a rivalry between the two that is not only for bragging rights but also for a higher seed in the State Playoffs and you have yourself the makings of an instant classic. When Mansfield and Hackett met on Friday, November 3rd both teams were 4-2 in conference play, both were averaging over 30 points per game, and both shared losses to only Charleston and Booneville. This put the two programs on a collision course to face each other for third place in the 3A-1 with a home game for Round1 of the State Playoffs on the line. Of course, neither team needed any of that added hoopla to hype them up for their gridiron showdown because any time the Tigers and Hornets mix it up, it’s all about the rivalry.
Hackett held home-field advantage in Friday night’s matchup and elected to receive the opening kickoff to get momentum on their side right off the bat. The Hornets plan worked perfectly as Hackett’s offense rolled their way to the two-yard line in merely two plays to set them up for an eventual run in for a touchdown. Hackett’s extra point attempt was bobbled causing the Hornets to miss out on bonus points, but their offense still chalked up an early 6-0 lead over Mansfield. The Tigers didn’t flinch though as Peyton Martin took the ensuing Hornets kickoff 45 yards downfield before being stopped at the 30-yard line. Mansfield ran two plays behind running backs Tyler Turnipseed and Daniel Burton before Andrew Burton took the ball to the house on an 11-yard run for a Tiger touchdown. Ethan Martin tacked on the extra point kick giving Mansfield a narrow7-6 lead in the first quarter. Mansfield lined up to kick the ball back to Hackett deep, but fate had a different plan as the Tigers kicker whiffed the kick which ended up resembling more of an onside kick, one that Mansfield recovered. With the Tigers offense back on the field, Mansfield put their foot on the gas pedal and drove 34 yards on six plays before Daniel Burton skipped his way into the endzone from 10 yards out. Ethan Martin would again split the uprights on the extra point kick. The Tigers defense was finally able to stop Hackett’s potent offense forcing the Hornets to punt the ball. Mansfield picked up where they left off as the Tigers began to drive the ball downfield with their ground-and-pound rushing attack before the first quarter closed out with Mansfield leading Hackett 14-6.
Football fans pay their hard-earned money to watch some good hardnosed football and that’s exactly what the Tigers and Hornets were giving them going into the second quarter. Although Mansfield continued their offensive drive to start the second quarter, the Tigers weren’t going to have an easy walk in the park, not against Hackett. The Hornets defense put Mansfield in a fourth and short situation and the Tigers, with momentum at their back, decided to go for it. Hackett’s defense swarmed the Tigers stuffing Mansfield short of the chains giving the Hornets a turnover on downs. Unfortunately for Hackett though, the Tigers defense pinned their ears back and went after the Hornets. The pressure caused a bad snap which nailed Hackett with their backs against the endzone and eventually forced a Hackett punt. With a short field to work with, Mansfield’s offense steamrolled over Hackett’s defense with eight straight runs to set the Tigers up at the one-yard line. Junior quarterback, Jeremy Strozier, then called his own number and pushed his way in for another Tiger touchdown. The Tigers extra point kick missed its mark leaving the score at 20-6 in Mansfield’s favor. Even though they were down, Hackett answered by putting together a rather impressive thirteen-play drive which ended with a five-yard pass for a Hackett touchdown. The Hornets added the extra point kick to close the gap to a one-score game. The remainder of the half was a mixed bag of missed opportunities and penalties for both teams as they entered halftime with Mansfield having the 20-13 upper hand on the scoreboard.
Mansfield and Hackett started the game on fire with touchdowns, but the second half started in a completely different manner with each team trading punts. After a short lull that started the third quarter, Mansfield put on a rushing clinic as the Tigers leaned heavily on senior Tyler Turnipseed to go downfield on an eleven-play drive. All of that work by the senior deserved some form of payment, so Mansfield gave Turnipseed the ball again and this time he cashed it in from 6 yards out for a Tiger touchdown. The Tigers went for a two-point conversion but failed setting the score at 26-13 early in the third quarter. Hackett wasted little time getting into scoring position as the Hornets passing attack set them up at their own eleven-yard line. The Hornets went with what got them there with another pass into the endzone, but this time Andrew Burton read the quarterback like a book and intercepted the ball to send the Tigers into the fourth quarter with the football and plenty of momentum. After grinding on Hackett’s defense for three quarters, Mansfield finally wore them down in the fourth quarter. It was none other than senior running back Tyler Turnipseed who found the worn-out spot in the Hornets defense to earn the biggest run in the game as Turnipseed cranked out some “Turnipspeed” for a 50-yard run and a Tiger touchdown. The score was the final straw as both teams stalemated for the remainder of the quarter leaving the game’s final score with Mansfield victorious over Hackett, 32-13.
The Tigers victory over their Sebastian count rivals closed out a historic Mansfield regular season. The Tigers finished their conference schedule with a 5-2 record which is the best record for the program since 2010. Mansfield also put up some serious stats on both sides of the ball in their conference and non-conference games leading up to the State Playoffs. The Tigers tied with Boonville in conference and sixth in the state in overall points scored with 385 points in ten games while they led the conference in points allowed by holding opponents to just 117 points so far which also puts them as the states second-best overall defense. With the town of Mansfield’s city limits in Sebastian and Scott Counties, the Tigers can also be unofficially crowned the “Sebascott Champions” by defeating their Scott County rivals at Waldron and then beating their Sebastian County rivals Lavaca and Hackett. To top things off, Mansfield will host their first State Playoff game since 2018 on Friday, November 10th when they welcome the Centerpoint Knights to The Jungle for Round1 of the Playoffs. Not too shabby of a start for first-year head coach, Whit Overton, whose intent six months ago was to completely tear down and rebuild the entire program with just five seniors on the roster.
