MANSFIELD — The game included a running clock in the end, but just a few moments earlier it seemed the contest was there for the taking.
Mansfield Senior toppled Ashland 56-21 in an Ohio Cardinal Conference football clash on Friday night before a Homecoming crowd at Arlin Field. But the contest was up for grabs midway through the third period.
“Once we made it 28-21 we were right there, but then they got the kickoff return and that deflated us a little bit,” Arrows coach Sean Seder said. “Then we fumbled and that was the turning point in the game.”
Ashland simply couldn’t afford any mistakes against a Senior High squad that proved unstoppable all night. The Tygers (7-0 overall, 3-0 in the Ohio Cardinal Conference) scored 14 points in each quarter in an awesome offensive display.
“We just did an unbelievable job of executing offensively,” Mansfield Senior coach Chioke Bradley said. “From the offensive line to the running backs and receivers to the quarterback. (Quarterback Cameron Todd) did a phenomenal job getting us into and out of plays based on the coverages he saw.
“The last quarterback we had that had that kind of liberty with the offense was Jalen Reese, and everybody knows what that kid did (led an undefeated team in 2013).”
Todd put on a show to remember. The senior standout hit 20 of 23 passes for 238 yards and three TDs. He also ran seven times for 56 yards and another score. Senior running back Terrance Flickinger collected 144 yards on 18 carries and a pair of touchdowns, while Aveon Grose posted eight catches for 113 yards and a TD, and added an interception on defense.
Offensively, the Tygers racked up 23 first downs, 489 total yards, and punted just once.
“My job is to get the ball to our playmakers in space,” Todd said. “They played a soft cover 3 and we worked the underneath stuff all night.”
Seder said his team had little choice in the matter.
“They are so fast, and they do a good job of getting their speed guys in space, so you have to play deep to guard against that,” Seder said. “I’m really proud of our kids. When we were 0-4 they could’ve folded up the tent but they didn’t do that.
“Ever since the Sandusky game, they have improved each week.”
Senior High led from the opening kick, but Ashland kept it close until midway through the third period. After closing the gap to 28-21, Mansfield Senior standout Angelo Grose took the kickoff back 82 yards for a touchdown.
Ashland fumbled on the ensuing possession and again the Tygers converted on Todd’s 2-yard TD dive. That turned a one-score game into a 42-21 bulge.
The result overshadowed a fine performance from Arrows quarterback Mitch Heilman. He connected on 23 of 28 passes for 202 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He also ran for a score.
“They did some great things offensively with their tempo,” Bradley said. “Their quarterback did a great job with his legs, too.”
The loss dropped Ashland to 2-5 overall, 2-1 in the conference and halted a modest two-game winning streak.
The Tygers are at Wooster on Friday in a game pitting a pair of unbeaten teams in the OCC. The Arrows return to action next week at Lexington.
POSTSEASON: Mansfield Senior came into Friday night’s game rated No. 1 in Division III, Region 10. The Tygers had 13.8167 points, while second-place Norwalk (6-1) had 12.9167 points and third-place Sandusky (5-2) had 12.1833 points. Mansfield Senior handed both the Truckers and Blue Streaks their first losses of the season coming into this week. Norwalk knocked off Sandusky on Friday night.
Mansfield Senior officials believe this season marks the first time the Tygers have sat atop their computer region. The previous highest computer rating was in 2013, when Senior High reached No. 2 in Division II, Region 6.
Ashland came into Friday night’s game 11th in the region at 4.2667 points, just ahead of No. 12 Cleveland Glenville (3-3) at 3.8167 points.
“If we had won this game it was looking pretty good for us,” Seder said. “Now we have to run the table and hope the teams that we’ve beaten, win.”
