No team that has ever won a championship escaped facing adversity. For the 2010 Mansfield Hornets, their toughest challenge came in the biggest game of the year against the team that won this very game last year.
It didn't matter. Mansfield was able to come back from a 26-7 halftime deficit to shock everyone in attendance, scoring 21 unanswered points to knock off the previously undefeated Reading Rockets.
It was a tale of two halves for Mansfield. The first two quarters, they looked nothing like the team that had won eleven straight, being overpowered on defense and bottled up on offense. Their only score came by way of some trickery, with All ADFC Second Team running back Jamel Marshal throwing his first touchdown pass of the season.
They came out with a vengeance in the second half, scoring on their opening possession by way of a 68-yard touchdown pass from quarterback George Busharis to wide receiver Jeff Hill.
Next it was Marshall who helped pull them within five points by driving home a five yard run that was set up by another long pass by Busharis.
The events leading up to their final score provided a game's worth of excitement itself. After Reading picked off Busharis in the end-zone, it appeared the Rockets had solidified their second straight title. But on second and ten, Mansfield's Dan Gilmore stepped in front of a Brian Bourque pass at the 20 and returned it to the Rockets two. Marshall would bowl in for the deciding score.
For their efforts, Mansfield returns to a very familiar place; this is the Hornets third championship in the last ten years. As historic a program as they have become, this one will undoubtedly stand out in the minds of fans for years to come.
No comments:
Post a Comment