As another Mansfield athletic calendar year reached its collective finish line, Tiger athletes from all sports were recognized at the annual Booster Club Awards Banquet on May 13.
Headlining the honors, which covered all things athletic from basketball to weightlifting, were a set of coveted specialty distinctions such as the ‘M.A.P.Y.’ and the ‘Rising Star’ awards. Notably, the traditional T. Franklin Boyd Tiger of the Year award for one male and one female was left unannounced. The presentation of that long storied Mansfield athletic designation was moved to May 19 in conjunction with the 2025 MHS graduation ceremony.
Multi-sport athletes Kaylee Ward and Daniel Burton distinguished themselves among the many in attendance. Respectively, the junior and senior compiled such extensive state wide achievements, they were quite frankly the most celebrated talents walking the ‘red carpet’.
Ward earned All-State awards in three different sports throughout the 2024-2025 school year. She was renowned for reaching the 1,000 kill mark in volleyball, 1,000 scored points in basketball, and the 100 foot club throwing the discus for track and field. All were snippets that illustrated a diverse set of skills across a wide range of sports.
What was read to the attending assembly, among other items, was an intentionally condensed version of Ward’s most elevated athletic achievements for the year. Had a full length presentation of the 6’ 4” superstar’s highly documented accolades been revealed, the night’s presentation may have extended well past midnight. For all reasons offered and for all time wouldn’t allow, Ward was presented with the M.A.P.Y. plaque, Mansfield Athletics Player of the Year.
An equally flamboyant account of Daniel Burton’s athletic expertise widened the eyes of the Tiger crowd. A high end description of his on the field heroism highlighted the physical prowess of this senior football, basketball, track, and weight lifting athlete.
Among the mentionables was Burton’s notable merits playing football and basketball, and lifting weights. He finished his high school football career as the school’s all-time leading rusher with 3,313 yards and with the most touchdowns at 55. He moved into sixth place on the all-time basketball scoring list. He powered cleaned 300 pounds and bench pressed 265 pounds for a combined total of 565 pounds to win the class 3A individual state weightlifting championship in the 165-pound category.
Burton earned All-State honors in all three sports. It was also emphasized that this human highlight reel was the school’s first two time All-State player in both football and basketball. For all this, the award winning athlete was voted the male Mansfield Athletics Player of the Year. It was the senior’s third consecutive year for the award and the only male to ever win the prestigious award since its inception in 2023.
Miley Clopton and Michael Carter were selected as Mansfield's Rising Stars. The awards specifically identify one female and one male freshman that demonstrated throughout the year outstanding qualities related to athletic ability, leadership, and character.
Clopton, the female recipient, participated at a high level in six different sports. She helped the cheer squad to a fourth place finish at the 3A GameDay state cheerleading championships. She excelled on both the junior high and senior high district volleyball tournament titles and was recognized by Prep Dig, an online volleyball ranking outlet, as one of the Highway 71 Rising Stars.
The versatile athlete moved up to the high school basketball team part way through the season to help it finish as the 3A-4 conference and district runner-up. As an undersized power forward on the senior girls basketball team, she garnered All-Conference honors as a hard nosed defender and active rebounder.
In the spring, Clopton split time running track and playing softball. Around the 8-lane oval, she scored in abundance as one of the league’s fastest sprinters. It was in the 100m dash and 4x100m relay that she collected All-District honors and qualified to state for the top rated Tigers. On the softball field, the middle infielder batted .400 on offense and had a fielding percentage of .929 for the defense.
Carter, Mansfield’s male Rising Star, was a four sport standout playing football, basketball, baseball, and track. It was in the field events for the junior and senior high track teams that this self-motivated award winner shined as bright as anywhere.
Carter won the class 3A individual state championship in the indoor shot put for the high school track team. He placed third in the outdoor state shot put throwing the 12 pound ball 45’ 7.5”. He also broke a long standing Mansfield junior high discus record with a 145’ 6” mark at the TIger Relays.
The all purpose freshman was one of the junior high football team’s most effective linemen playing strong tackle for the run oriented Tigers. He moved up to the high school football team at the conclusion of the junior high campaign to provide depth for the playoff semi-finalists. He also made contributions to the freshman basketball team and the senior high baseball squad.
Over the entirety of the awards banquet, sponsored by the Mansfield Booster Club and emceed by Travis Pettus, a plethora of plaques and certificates were distributed. Beginning with the fall sports, proceeding through the winter events, and concluding with the spring teams; it was a night of celebration for another successful year of Tiger athletics.
Cross country saw All-District awards given to Lillianna Porter, Hadley Shores, Laney Wood, Bailey London, and Gunner Williams. Wood, London, and Williams along with Rylan Jones and Trinity Triska also collected River Valley All-Star plaques.
Golf had a single player make All-Conference status. Bryson Elmore, off the men’s team, took such distinction as one of the league's top golfers and state qualifiers.
Cheerleading honored senior Aidan Fildes as their lone All-State recipient. Fildes was noted for laying a positive foundation for a team that placed first at two invitational competitions, top four at state, and claimed a bid to nationals.
Sophomore cheerleader Emilee Parsons accepted a plaque recognizing her outstanding spirit and leadership. Described as a ‘natural leader among the team’, Parsons was obviously proud to receive the ‘Role of a Cheerleader Award’.
Volleyball recognized eight different athletes and two managers. Whitley Boyd, Danielle Lowery, Kamryn Infalt, Daisy Nelson, Azlynn Stover, Kaylee Ward, and Presley Curry all received All-Conference plaques. Clopton carried home the Prep Dig star award. Ellie Welch and Aubree Helms were thanked for filming and keeping books among other duties as managers.
Ward took a wealth of additional volleyball awards. Count among them citations for Democrat Gazette Volleyball Team, All-State Tournament Team, Prep Dig Rising Star, and Offensive Player of the Year.
Curry made the All-State Honorable Mention Team. She was the leader in assists and received a trophy for reaching the 1,000 assists club. Her two year total as the primary setter was 1,150.
Nelson was the Defensive Player of the Year for volleyball. Her total in-season digs reached a team high 200.
Football, rightfully so, basked in the glory of a long list of team accomplishments and individual honors. As a group, led by 3A-1 Coach of the Year Whit Overton, it was the 2024 gridiron gang that could statistically be considered among the greatest football Tigers.
Mansfield’s senior football team went to the state semifinals for the second consecutive season. They won the outright district championship for only the second time in school history. They posted a 11-3 record for the second consecutive season tying the 2023 team for most wins. They scored more points with 534 than any other MHS team, registered four home playoff games, and beat Booneville for the first time in 44 years.
All-State credentials were lauded upon Daniel Burton, Jeremy Strozier, Dakota Deer, Zander Walters, Andrew Burton, and Ethan Martin. All-conference trophies found Trey Powell, Leland Powell, Samuel Burton, Matthew Burton, Caiden Ore, Logan Ore, James Bausley, Cooper Edwards, and Jeramiah Burton.
Daniel Burton was the River Valley’s Most Valuable Player and secured a position on the Arkansas Activities Association West All-Star Team. Dakota Deer was the River Valley’s Defensive Lineman of the Year.
Basketball honored both the girls and boys. All-Conference plaques were given to Trinity Triska, Abby Smith, Adeline Godwin, Miley Clopton, and Winston Allison. Ward and Daniel Burton were All-State players for class 3A.
Godwin, just a ninth grader playing up on the senior high Lady Tiger squad, received distinction as the River Valley Democrat Gazette Freshman of the Year. Daniel Burton, the senior leading scorer for the Mansfield men, made the Arkansas River Valley Democrat Gazette Men’s Team.
Several Mansfield players appeared on the 3A-4 All-District track team. By virtue of placing first or second at the conference track meet, they were automatically included on the athletic honor roll. Freshmen Miley Clopton, Adeline Godwin, Addison Howard, Rylan Jones, and Abby Smith all made the junior high All-District team. Clopton, Godwin, Jones, and Smith also made the senior high All-District team and qualified to the outdoor state finals.
Freshman Michael Carter, sophomore Chandler Whisman, and senior Trey Powell were on the men’s All-District track team and qualified to state as well.
Payton Meyers was the lone freshman that reaped All-State honors. The young sprinter, who was injured before the outdoor track postseason, ran the first leg on the award winning indoor track 4x400m relay team for the senior high. That specific group included upperclassmen Danielle Lowery, Ashlynn Whittaker, and Laney Wood. Each of the four received All-State Indoor Track medallions. Likewise Daisy Nelson made the All-State Indoor Track team for her outstanding marks in the 60m dash and long jump.
Ward was the single Mansfield track athlete to receive All-State Outdoor Track honors. She also led a long list of All-District Lady Tiger teammates joining the aforementioned freshmen list. Sophomores Bailey London, Danielle Lowery, Summer Lyon, and Ashlynn Whittaker made the postseason All-District register. Junior Daisy Nelson, who qualified to outdoor state in five different events, made the All-District catalog along with seniors Trinity Triska and Laney Wood.
Wood was the track team’s Most Valuable Player. As an All-State and All-District participant for the last four years, Wood was the team captain and this year’s leading scorer. She accumulated 232.17 total points for the 2025 season, and was the conference’s high point winner with 42.5 points at the district finals.
Lyon was surprised with the Most Improved Track Runner Award. The up and coming long sprinter improved her 400m time by seven seconds over the course of the season. The advanced development prompted MHS track coaches to insert the lengthy sophomore onto the district and outdoor state 4x400m relay team.
The Lady Tiger’s junior high track team was heavily supported by an athletic group of underclassmen. Eighth graders Abbigail Adams, Bentley Hoover, Natalee Moore, Bethany Mounts, Mayce Phillips, Lillianna Porter, and Hadley Shores finished top shelf for the Tigers to make the junior high 3A-4 All-District team. Seventh graders Kamryn Bolin, Paris Cervantes, and Allie Hattabaugh were announced as making the junior All-District team as well.
The weightlifting team honored Daniel Burton (165) and Andrew Burton (198) with plaques for winning their respective divisions at the state weight meet. Matthew Burton (220) was credited for finishing third in his weight class.
The evening’s accolades continued with baseball and softball awards. Because there are teams from the 3A-4 conference still competing in the state tournament, conference and state awards associated with this district, although announced, were prohibited from being published at this time. Local awards such as Mansfield Player of the Year, MVP, and newcomer recognitions were available for release.
As for softball, Mansfield was recognized as finishing in a three way tie for third in the conference. It was also noted that eight of the team’s 14 players were freshmen. A competitive, yet inexperienced team patrolled the base paths as Trinity Triska and Ambria Whittaker were the lone two seniors in the lineup.
Several from the softball team met All-Conference or All-State criteria. As for this broadcast, only the Mansfield player of the year will be revealed. That player was freshman Bailey Quick, who was tagged as both the Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year.
On offense, Quick led the team with a .426 batting average. She accumulated 26 hits, 14 RBI’s and 1 homerun. For defense, the infielder, who could play either corner, had a fielding percentage of .973. She put out 64 runners off 74 chances with only 2 errors.
As for baseball, it too was a season draped in inexperience. Only three seniors, Winston Allison, Boston Elmore, and Eli Garne dressed out for the Tiger diamond squad. Upwards to four freshmen drew starting roles on a team that finished the last 13 games with a 7 - 6 record.
Again, Mansfield warranted their share of All-Conference award winners based upon their league record. Those names will be released in due time. As far as school recognition, three players stood tall with season ending accolades in baseball.
The Offensive MVP trophy went to Ethan Martin. Defensive MVP and Pitching Ace honors went to Cooper Edwards. Newcomer of the Year acknowledgement went to Hunter Whittaker.
The Mansfield Booster Club was represented by President Angie Byers, Vice-President Dustin Krigbaum, and Secretary Bill Jones.
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