Defense propels Mansfield past Keller Central
Mansfield 42, Keller Central 3
The Mansfield defense held Keller Central to just four first downs overall as the Tigers cruised past the Chargers 42-3 at Newsom Stadium in a 6A Division II playoff opener. The Chargers were forced to punt nine times, including six of seven possessions in the first half — the other ending in a turnover. Mansfield’s offense capitalized on the opportunity, finishing with a balanced attack of 253 yards on the ground and 241 in the air for 494 overall, while Central finished with just 95 yards.
Key players: Mansfield senior quarterback Shawn Hartsfield finished with 241 yards through the air, connecting on 11 of 21 attempts with two touchdowns. Both touchdown passes went to senior wide receiver Jackson Gleeson, who ended the day with 117 yards on five catches. Mansfield senior running back Avery Chatman ran 16 times for 157 yards and two scores.
Key stat: The Mansfield defense set the tone early, allowing just one first down in the first half and 44 yards.
Records: Mansfield 10-1; Keller Central 6-5
Michael Eldridge
This story was originally published November 17, 2017 at 11:59 PM with the headline "Defense propels Mansfield past Keller Central."