MADISON TOWNSHIP — Colton Adkins’ shoulder pounds were bobbing and his cleats were tapping as he followed his high school marching band toward the locker room.
The Madison junior was bouncing with the drum cadence, and feeding off the vibes of a sweet, 16-6 victory over arch-rival Mansfield Senior on Friday night.
“This means everything to us. I’ve never beaten them in anything,” Adkins said. “Our focus all week was sending out the seniors the right way.”
Madison sophomore Camden Moysi heads upfield against Mansfield Senior during Friday night’s game at Ram Field. Credit: Katie Ellington-Serrao 
Madison quarterback Cameron Kuhn tries to evade the rush of a Mansfield Senior defender during the 2024 season finale at Ram Field. Credit: Katie Ellington-Serrao 
Tyger freshman quarterback Sean Tanner rushes down the field during a game at Madison Comprehensive High School. 
Isaiah Darson hauls in a pass for Mansfield Senior on Friday night at Madison. Credit: Katie Ellington-Serrao 
The Rams did just that with a superb defensive performance, capped by Adkins’ interception to stop Senior High’s final drive in the last three minutes.
“I thought our defense played well the whole game,” Madison coach Brent Besancon said. “(Mansfield Senior) has great speed. They can score from anywhere, you’re always worried about that.
“But I thought our defense was solid, and Colton’s interception was big. He had a nice return, too.”
Madison emerged from a defensive struggle by cashing in on a couple of key opportunities.
Kaleb Gordon pounced on a fumbled punt in the first quarter to set up the Rams at the Tygers’ 41. Madison scored all the points it would need when quarterback Cameron Kuhn hit Camden Moysi with a 21-yard TD strike for a 7-0 lead with just 37 seconds left in the first quarter.
It stayed that way into the half, and the Rams pushed it to 9-0 in the third period with a sack in the end zone of Tygers’ freshman QB Sean Sey Tanner.
Yet Senior High got back into it when John Ferguson fired a 35-yard touchdown strike to Tai Picket to make it 9-6 with 23 seconds showing in the third quarter.
Kuhn gave the Rams all the breathing room they would need with a nifty, 34-yard touchdown scamper on an option keeper midway through the final period.
Madison’s defense was spearheaded by Jayden Hall’s three sacks and seven tackles, while teammate Khris Akdins-Tolbert notched a couple of sacks and six tackles. Offensively, Kaleb Gordon ran for 92 yards.
The victory gives the Rams a 2-8 record, 2-4 in the Ohio Cardinal Conference. Still, Madison had a tough-luck season. The Rams fell in triple overtime to conference champion Ashland, lost on a final-second field goal at West Holmes, and dropped a heartbreaker last week at Lexington in the final 35 seconds.
“I’m a big believer in you are what your record says you are,” Besancon said. “But it’s always good to end on a win, and on our home field.
“I certainly believed in this team’s mentality, and the resolve of our seniors.”
Maurice Bradley II led Senior High’s defense with 11 stops, including 2 tackles for loss. Ferguson and Sey Tanner combined to throw for 214 yards.
Mansfield Senior finishes 1-9, 1-5.