In what was a defensive battle between OCC rivals, Mansfield Senior (5-2, 4-0) came out in top in a tight 14-6 victory over the Ashland Arrows (4-3, 2-2).
Both teams were scoreless in the first quarter. Ashland’s Cayden Spotts made things interesting with a 28-yard run that got them down to Mansfield Senior’s 28-yard line with three minutes left in the half. They got the ball inside the Mansfield Senior 20-yard line but committed an offsides penalty.
Then with less than a minute on the clock and Ashland knocking on the door on the Mansfield Senior 11-yard line at second down and four, the Tygers recovered an Ashland fumble to take over. They got the ball down to the Ashland 21 yard line on a long run by Jamir Petty, and then the Tygers had a successful fake punt. The Tygers had the ball on Ashland’s 25-yard line with less than a minute on the clock, but a sack ended the half with neither team able to score.
Ashland got on the board first with eight minutes to go in the third quarter, on a rushing touchdown by Nathan Bernhard from two yards out, but the extra point was no good making it a 6-0 lead for the Arrows.
Mansfield Senior had the ball on their own 20-yard-line and Petty had a 19-yard run. They moved the ball down field, highlighted by a nice pass by Duke Reese to Amarr Davis to get the ball to Ashland’s 25-yard line, but a personal foul penalty on a blindside block took the play away. This moved them back to their own 45-yard line, but the Arrows had an offsides call that gave the Tygers first down at midfield with six minutes left. They continued to march down the field, getting down to the six yard line, when Petty ran the ball in for the score. An extra point by #87 made it a 7-6 lead for Mansfield Senior.
With less than a minute left in the third quarter, Ashland shanked a punt for 17-yards, giving the Tygers the ball at the Ashland 31-yard line. They completed a fourth down attempt with 11 minutes left in the fourth quarter to get the ball to the Ashland 16-yard line. With 10 minutes on the clock, Reese hit Maurice Bradley II for a 15-yard touchdown, and Mansfield Senior held on the rest of the way to win 14-6.
The Tygers had 239 total rushing yards, led by Petty and Reese who had 91 yards apiece. Reese was 7-for-17 for 89 yards and a touchdown, and Davis was his favorite target with four catches for 43 yards.
Ashland was led by Spotts who had 22 carries for 66 yards. Spotts added three catches for 28 yards. Bernhard had a rushing touchdown, but also went 9-for-18 for 85 yards passing. Gabe Baith caught four passes for 28 yards. He also had a sack in the game.
Remaining games for Mansfield Senior:
Friday, Oct. 6, 7 p.m. vs. Wooster
Friday, Oct. 13, 7 p.m. at Mount Vernon
Friday, Oct. 20, 7 p.m. vs. Madison Comprehensive
Remaining games for Ashland:
Friday, Oct. 6, 7 p.m. vs. West Holmes
Friday, Oct. 13, 7 p.m. vs. Wooster
Friday, Oct. 20, 7 p.m. at Lexington
