Have you ever walked past the kitchen while your mom was baking homemade bread? The smell makes your mouth water but you know you have to wait until she’s done baking it. The Mansfield Tiger Senior High Football squad gave everyone in the stands that same feeling as they showcased their top-notch talent, new players, and new coaches at their spring scrimmage. We all want football season to be here, but just like the bread, the Tigers aren’t done quite yet.
There are many factors that create excitement for this upcoming 2019-2020 Tiger Football season. Last season, the Mansfield Tigers set the new standard for Tiger football by racking up impressive wins and making the second round of the State Playoffs. The Tigers only lost a couple of senior players to graduation this year while most of last seasons All-State and All-Conference players will be returning to the field. Knowing this, Mansfield fans packed the stands at the scrimmage for a glimpse of what is sure to come.
Tigers Head Coach, Craig Bentley gave us his thoughts on the recent scrimmage, “I thought it was our best spring scrimmage to date. We still have a lot of work to do, especially on both the offensive and defensive lines, but we are getting there. I’m really proud of our Running backs. I thought they blocked well and ran hard with good vision. Our Quarterback is one of the best in the entire state, regardless of classification, and I thought he showed that tonight and he shows it every day in practice as well. We have a great core group of Receivers who complement each other very well. They will make a lot of big plays!”
“Defensively, we need to really work on coverage schemes, which we will be able to do this summer. At a school our size, that’s hard to do in a practice setting. I thought we did great in our alignment and I threw a lot at them. Our Linebackers are smart players who play fast and physical. Having 12 seniors, with many of them being three-year starters, is a huge advantage. They have been through the battles, both good and bad. There’s not much they haven’t seen and they can lead the classes below them. I’m really proud of our upcoming sophomores and juniors as well. They play a pivotal part in filling roles and finding the best ways in which they can help our team.”
The Tigers scrimmage showed fans a balanced offense and an aggressive tenacity on the defensive side. New players in new positions didn’t seem to alter how smoothly the team went about their business. As good as it was for fans to watch the Tigers back on the field, they still have the summer to get even better.
