MANSFIELD — Brian Benson lay prone on the Arlin Field turf. His teammates were unsure whether to help him or simply leave him in peace, awestruck by his performance.
The diminutive Mansfield Senior tailback had just shattered the school’s single-game rushing record. Sprawled out on the field, rain drops drizzing on his face, sucking on a sports drink and nursing a cramp, he was utterly spent. His havoc, 384 yards rushing and four TDs, left Ashland a 45-42 victim in Friday night’s Ohio Cardinal Conference shootout.
“He’s half-man, half-amazing,” coach Chioke Bradley screamed in the post-game euphoria. “Unbelievable! Unbelievable!
“His body says he’s 5-8, 180 pounds, but he’s really 6-4, 240 pounds.”
Benson was simply unstoppable on a night when neither defense was a match for a stunning offensive onslaught.
“I didn’t realize I broke a record until after the game,” Benson said. “I watched Eric Thomas videos all week. He said ‘When you want to succeed as bad as you want to breathe, than you’ll be successful.’
“Look him up, it’s on YouTube.”
Benson’s epic effort pushed Mansfield Senior to 4-2 overall, 2-0 in the OCC. Meanwhile, Ashland dips to 3-3 overall, 2-1 in the OCC.
“I can’t put into words how excited I am for this football team,” Bradley said.
Benson was awesome from the very beginning. He collected 220 yards rushing in the first half, most of it right up the gut, and scored on blasts of 2 and 4 yards. A pick-six by teammate Brandon Myers staked the Tygers to a 24-21 edge at intermission.
But Ashland stayed close thanks to the arm of quarterback Keagan Armitage. The Arrows’ junior threw for 256 yards and three TDs in the first half — and was just as punishing to the Tygers’ defense after intermission.
In each of the final two periods, Benson ripped off TD bolts of 52 and 55 yards, respectively. He completed his night with 384 yards rushing on 33 carries and four TDs. It would’ve been five touchdowns, but he fumbled through the end zone for a touchback just before crossing the goal line early in the final period.
Armitage countered with three more touchdown tosses to three different receivers. He finished 31-of-53 for 461 yards, six TDs and two costly INTs, both returned for scores. Wide receiver John Wolfe caught 10 of those passes for 159 yards and three touchdowns.
The two teams combined for an incredible 977 yards of total offense.
Ironically, in the end it was a defensive play that sealed it.
Late in the fourth quarter with Ashland driving for a potential go-ahead score, sophomore defensive back Tre’suan Windham intercepted Armitage and peeled off a dazzling 65-yard dash to the end zone that proved too much to overcome.
“That was the play of the game,” Bradley said. “Tre’suan was sick all week. He came in and watched film, came to school today, thought he was going to get sick on the sidelines, but he was there when we needed him most.
“He exemplifies what a Tyger is – a Tyger never quits.”
Mansfield Senior returns to action next week at West Holmes, while Ashland hosts Mount Vernon.
Editor’s Note: For more on Ohio high school football’s epic performers, check out Mansfield resident Larry Phillips’ new book, Ohio’s Autumn Legends at Amazon.com.
