Thursday, August 21, 2025 marked the start of competition for year three in the Coach Whit Overton Mansfield football system. A benefit scrimmage against Mena put the Tigers under the lights for the first time since their incredible 11-3 state semifinal run of last season.
In the preseason, abbreviated two quarter live action sequence against Mena, Mansfield seemed like they had their engines running with a full tank of gas. When the Tigers engaged their shared transmission, it went straight into fourth gear and right past the 10 win, 4A-4 conference runner-ups of a year ago.
The Tigers tore through the Bearcats 22-8 in the modified benefit game allowed by the Arkansas Activities Association for catastrophic insurance. More precisely, senior fullback Andrew Burton with a five man escort did most of the tearing. The returning All-State running back, wearing the distinctive number 0 jersey, piled up 118 yards and 2 touchdowns on only 5 carries.
“It helps if you give it to number 0,” said Coach Overton with a sense of satisfaction after the game. “Andrew (Burton) ran really well. Of course, the offensive line looked amazing. Those dudes were moving people tonight.”
Overton was quick to point out how having an entire starting five on the offensive line was a luxury. His point being, four of the five senior blockers have been starting since their sophomore year.
“This is the third year in the system,” the coach went on to explain. “Four of the five starters have seen everything. Nothing surprises them. We looked a little more polished with that experience. I was pleased with tonight’s results.”
Zander Walters, Logan Ore, Ethan Martin, James Bausley, and Cadien Ore, from left to right, provided the upfront plow service. Behind that trained beef, Burton took the Tiger’s first handoff to the house 39 yards untouched. With base play in Mansfield’s evolving Flexbone offense, the “B-back” stuck his cleat into the ground off the right side, one cut and was gone.
Little brother Jeremiah Burton, only a sophomore, took a toss from sophomore quarterback Jubal Parks around the left end for the two-point conversion. Using less than 8 seconds of the game clock, Mansfield was ahead in the blink of an eye at 8-0.
Parks, Jeremiah Burton, and another Burton brother Silas comprised three-fourths of the Tiger backfield. The tenth grade trio were the least experienced components on the field for Mansfield’s slight of hand offensive attack. As the night played out, they would become factors. With big brother Andrew commanding most of the defense’s attention, and with an effective front five applying so much force, the three rookies were ideal complements to the home team's running game.
QB Parks was good for 25 yards on 4 carries. His longest run was a 13 yard read option to open up the Tiger’s second series of the first quarter. The very next play, only the third attempt by Mansfield to that point, was another Andrew Burton burst of 39 yards for his second score.
In just two touches, the elder Burton brother had 12 points and 0 grass stains. The younger Jeremiah Burton had 4 points off 2 successful two-point conversions and little wear and tear on his red home uniform. Jeremiah also had 1 carry from the line of scrimmage that went for 6 yards.
Silas Burton carried 4 times for 43 yards and a touchdown. HIs payday came in the second timed session at the 9:54 mark. A 23 yard sweep to the right side allowed him to pull away unscathed. A failed two-point try in connection with this third Tiger touchdown of the scrimmage portion was the only blemish to speak of for Mansfield’s machine-like efficiency on the evening.
Senior Cooper Edwards also played quarterback. Many of his reps came in the 15 play allotment each team received to start the benefit game format.
Cooper was 3 of 5 passing for 86 yards. Eighty of those passing yards came off a wheel route to sophomore Treven Hattabaugh. The eleventh play of the sequence went for the exciting catch and run touchdown. Junior Dalton Knowles tacked on the successful conversion by way of the run.
Just three plays earlier, the Tigers’ senior QB pulled some string magic keeping the ball on an inside veer for a 15 yard touchdown scoot. Hattabaugh got the call on that successful two-point conversion run.
Mansfield won the 15 play segment 16-0. Mena drove as close as the Tigers’ one yard line but failed to score on their 15 play series.
Overton recognized the defense for their efforts during the play allotment portion and the timed quarters. Similar to the praise heaped upon the offensive line, he applauded the defensive front as well. “The defensive line looked good,” he commented. “The linebackers made plates as well. We just need to jam those tight ends better to keep them off our linebackers.”
Mena was coached by former Mansfield mentor Craig Bentley. Bentley complimented the Tigers by saying, “Mansfield’s got a good football team.” He carried the compliment one step further by saying, “We won’t face another running back as good as number 0 (Andrew Burton) the rest of the year.”
Overall, Coach Overtron praised his own Tigers for executing well, playing hard and playing physical. He implored them in the after game huddle to continue working, get better each day and build depth to give the two-way starters rest when the games start counting on August 29.
Mansfield opens the regular season at home on Friday, August 29th against the Bismarck Lions. Bismarck is the 3A state runner-ups from a year ago. In 2024, they finished with a near perfect 13-1 season. Their only loss was the 34-42 title game tussle with the state champion Salem Greyhounds. Salem was the team that put Mansfield out in the semifinals of last year’s tournament.
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