By Whitman McGee
Following a thrilling rivalry victory against the North Webster Knights, Minden (2-1) will hit the road for the first time this season to face the (1-2) Mansfield Wolverines.
Last Friday’s showdown was an exciting one with Minden’s resiliency on full display, coming back from a 13-0 opening deficit to eventually win the game 34-27.
Head Coach Spencer Heard revealed his main takeaway from last Friday night’s game, saying, “We faced some adversity, but our guys were competitive and tough. They didn’t let it get to them and they stayed the course.”
Among the many players who stepped up for the Tide was senior quarterback Andrew Cooper, finishing the outing with 143 yards rushing and 3 total touchdowns.
Coach Heard also highlighted the play of senior Zedekiah Harris. “He’s having a really good year so far; he’s blocking and running really well for us.”
Harris eclipsed the 100-yard rushing mark in last week’s win over the Knights. He also has two touchdowns over the first three games of play.
Moving on to Mansfield, the Tide lead the overall series against the Wolverines with a 29-12-1 record.
Coach Heard, who has yet to fall to the Wolverines, told The Journal, “Mansfield is always very big and this year is no exception. We just have to use our quickness and play to our advantage.”
Heard noted junior running back Marcus Bryant and sophomore wide-receiver Monquavaris Wells as two keystone pieces of the Wolverine offense that the Tide will look to slow down.
This will be Mansfield’s last of a three-game homestand. They dropped both of the previous two – Huntington and Red River, respectively.
We’ve seen continuous improvement in all phases of the game by Minden, and we should expect more of the same in week four as Minden gets into the rhythm of the season.
Crimson Tide fans are encouraged to come out to Mansfield this Friday for kick-off at 7:00 PM. If you can’t make it to the game, 104.5 KBEF has you covered with radio coverage.
