MANSFIELD — The lead flip-flopped like a jumping bean on the Arlin Field scoreboard Friday night — five times in total.
When it blinked for the final time, Mansfield Senior had the better of it in a dramatic, 32-27 Ohio Cardinal Conference victory over Lexington.
Braylon Fletcher scored three touchdowns for Senior High, while Jayden Perkins found the end zone three times for Lexington.
But the decisive score came when freshman David Phillips III pegged a 56-yard touchdown strike to Xavier Taylor with just 51 seconds showing.
It was the first time the Tygers cracked double figures in the scoring column all year, and they got busy early.
Fletcher’s first touchdown came on a 3-yard run for a 7-0 edge with 2:11 to play in the opening quarter.
Lexington struck back to tie it at 7-7 just before intermission when Perkins rumbled 13 yards for a touchdown with 56 seconds remaining in the half.
On the first snap of the third period, Mansfield Senior’s JoJo Butler raced 67 yards for a TD, but the extra point was blocked to make it 13-7. Senior High stretched the margin when Fletcher pulled off a defensive scoop-and-score after collecting a fumble at the 10-yard line with 10:14 showing in the quarter.
Yet the Minutemen responded.
Elijah White ripped off a 12-yard touchdown run to slice the gap to 19-13 midway through the third period.
Lexington moved on top after Perkins scampered 7 yards for a TD and the extra point made it 20-19 heading to the final quarter.
That triggered the see-saw nature of the final 12 minutes.
Emaj Parks picked off an errant Lex pass and Fletcher capitalized with a 3-yard scoring blast. The PAT made it 26-20 for the Tygers with just under six minutes to play.
Again Lexington drove down the field, converting a 4th-and-3 at the home team’s 42-yard line when Senior High jumped offside. Perkins finished the march with a 3-yard plunge and the PAT pushed Lex on top 27-26 with 1:01 remaining in the game.
However, Mansfield Senior had the final say, and it came in dramatic fashion via Phillips’ arm.
The Tygers improved to 1-5 overall, 1-2 in the OCC. Next week Mansfield Senior travels to Ashland.
Lexington falls to 1-5, 1-2. The Minutemen will host West Holmes on Friday night.
(Photos by Justice Wheeler)
