MANSFIELD — It’s a simple question, but nobody can provide a definitive answer.
Who is Mansfield Senior’s defensive most valuable player?
“I don’t know yet,” head coach Chioke Bradley said.
“We’ve got 11 MVPs,” defensive coordinator Sean Adams said.
As potent as the offense is, the reason fourth-seeded Senior High (11-0) is playing in Friday’s Division II, Region 5 semifinal against No. 1 seed New Albany at Olentangy Liberty High School is because of its lockdown defense. The Tygers pitched their third shutout of the year in last week’s 24-0 win over Licking Heights in the playoff opener, limiting a vaunted Hornets rushing attack to 139 yards. Licking Heights completed just 1 of 8 passes for 10 yards and committed two turnovers.
For the season, Senior High’s defense has allowed 212.2 yards and 12.7 points a game. The Tygers have forced 23 turnovers and have a whopping 135 tackles for loss.
Linebacker Jaleel Taylor leads the team with 96 tackles. Fellow linebacker Travon Harris has 95 stops while hybrid linebacker Antonio Sanderfer has 79 tackles and team-highs of 12.5 sacks and 34 tackles for loss.
So who is the MVP of the defense?
“Can you vote for yourself,” joked Sanderfer, who was selected the Ohio Cardinal Conference’s Defensive Player of the Year, sharing the award with Ashland’s Ty Green.
“I don’t know if there is one guy who has been our MVP. It is an all-for-one mentality.
“One guys who has really made an impact is Marvin Parker.”
A 6-foot, 181-pound junior, Parker was mentioned frequently in MVP talks. The linebacker, who has a pedestrian 44 tackles, emerged after senior defensive lineman Trevante’ Macklin suffered a knee injury early in the year. Macklin, who was Senior High’s leading tackler through the first two weeks of the season, has returned in a limited role while Parker has become a regular.
“Marvin has been our unsung hero,” Adams said. “When Macklin was injured and I suggested we put Marvin down there, everyone looked at me like I had four heads.”
Parker had four tackles and a sack in last week’s win.
“Marvin has really taken advantage of his opportunity,” Harris said. “Not a lot of people expected him to contribute as much as he has.”
For Harris and Sanderfer, Friday nights are a family affair. Harris’ mother, Andrea Young, and Sanderfer’s mother, Tesheeka Thompson, are sisters.
“We’ve been playing together since the fourth grade,” Harris said. “Not just me and Tone, but all the seniors. They are like my brothers.
“We have played together for so long that we can kind of sense what everyone is going to do.”
In addition to Harris, Sanderfer, Taylor and Macklin, Senior High’s ultra-talented senior class includes safeties Chek Washington (48 tackles, three interceptions) and Malon Samuel (75 tackles, two interceptions) and lineman Traevon Dickerson (64 tackles, 15 tackles for loss). Junior linebacker Mitch Nixon has 56 tackles and junior defensive lineman Jacquile Fletcher has 29 stops. The cornerbacks are juniors Asante’ Wilder (31 tackles, three interceptions, 14 passes broken up) and Devonte Jacocks (30 tackles). Sophomore Quajon Harris, who played on the Tygers’ junior varsity team during the regular season, made several big plays at safety last week.
Adams was also quick to point out the work done by his defensive staff, defensive line coach Antonio Fletcher, linebackers coach Zac Brumfield and defensive backs coach Logan Kerr.
“Those guys have done a great job all season long, Adams said. “They have put our kids in a position to be successful.”
The defense will have to be at its best Friday. New Albany (10-1) averages 31.7 points a game. The Eagles piled up 415 yards of total offense in last week’s 35-21 win over Columbus Northland, including 410 on the ground. The Eagles are coached by Pat Samanich, an Ashland University graduate who spent one season (1994) on Stan Jefferson’s staff at Senior High.
“We will have to play fast and physical,” Sanderfer said. “They like to run the ball and they run the counter really well.”
As impressive as last week’s shutout was, Harris said there is still plenty of room for improvement.
“We’ve got to get better this week,” he said. “We gave up some big runs against Licking Heights and we can’t afford to have those breakdowns this week.”
Senior High has never advanced beyond the second round of the playoffs. Last week’s postseason victory was just the second in school history.
“We’re out there having fun and flying to the ball,” Sanderfer said. “We are playing with a lot of confidence right now and when we play with confidence, it’s a scary sight.”
Follow Curt Conrad on Twitter @curtjconrad.
