BELLVILLE — Brian Benson ran into the record books Friday at the Colt Corral.
Mansfield Senior’s reserve running back rushed for a single-game school record 329 yards and five touchdowns as the Tygers began defense of their Ohio Cardinal Conference title with a 62-41 win over Clear Fork.
The 5-foot-8, 169-pound Benson eclipsed the former mark of 285 yards set in 2005 by Dante Davis in a 42-34 win at Wooster. Benson scored on runs of 10, 51, 80, 77 and 15 yards as the Tygers (2-2, 1-0) piled up 377 yards on the ground against the Colts (2-2, 0-1).
What’s more, Benson had just 51 yards in the first half. He came on in relief of starter Tyquan Vickers midway through the first quarter after Vickers suffered a high ankle sprain.
“When the phones rings, you’ve got to answer it,” Benson said. “I guess I did that. I had a job to fulfill and I guess I fulfilled it.”
The Tygers raced out to a 21-7 first quarter lead on a pair of Devonte Jacocks touchdown receptions — one a 79-yarder on a reverse pass from wideout Asante’ Wilder — and the first of Benson’s scoring runs. Senior High pushed its advantage to 28-7 early in the second on Wilder’s 68 yard punt return for a touchdown, before the Colts got back into the game. Jarrod Smith’s 4 yard TD run followed by a Kadin Chrastina 33 yard scramble for a score made it 28-21 with just 2:41 remaining in the first half
That’s when things got interesting.
Wilder hauled in a 41 yard scoring strike from Mitch Nixon, the third Senior High quarterback to throw a TD pass in the first half, with 1:17 remaining. The Colts answered immediately when Chrastina hooked up with Silas Finley on a 30 yard scoring strike just 14 seconds before halftime to make the score 35-28 in favor of Senior High.
“Tonight was definitely an offensive explosion,” Mansfield Senior coach Chioke Bradley said. “And we did it without our starting running back. Our back-up came in and broke the rushing record.”
Defensive Woes: In Clear Fork’s two losses this season, the Colts have scored 49 and 41 points.
“Twice we’ve scored 40 points and lost,” Clear Fork coach Dave Carroll said. “We’ve had trouble tackling. That has kind of been our M.O. That’s youth. We’re playing with sophomores and not being as big and fast and strong, you don’t tackle well.”
Biggest Tyger: Wilder is listed graciously at 5-foot-8 and 164 pounds, but the senior plays much bigger. The three-year letterman caught four passes for 44 yards and a TD, returned a punt for a score and tossed a TD pass.
“The kids is a player. He’s small in size but he’s a giant with his heart and his passion for the game,” Bradley said. “He’s the biggest Tyger in the city of Mansfield. He bleeds orange and brown.”
Deja Vu: Vickers had his coming out party against the Colts last year. He rushed for 261 yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries in Mansfield Senior’s 40-0 win at Arlin Field.
He could only watch his understudy Friday after injuring his ankle midway through the first quarter. He returned briefly in the second quarter, but remained on the sidelines the entire second half.
“Tyquan is my best friend. I look up to him,” Benson said. “I get tips from studying him and watching how he runs the ball.”
Honorary Captain: Clear Fork’s honorary captain for Friday’s game was Travis Hissong. The 2010 graduate is a pitcher in the New York Yankees minor league system.
Up next: Mansfield Senior visits Orrville next week, while Clear Fork hosts backyard rival Lexington. The Red Riders beat the Minutemen 30-14 at Lexington on Friday.
