Mansfield runs over Stoughton after half

MANSFIELD — Maybe a lesser team starts to panic when it falls behind by two touchdowns, as Mansfield did to upset-minded Stoughton Friday night.

But while the Hornets have a lot of youth in spots, they are also poised beyond their years. The visiting Black Knights learned as much.

After rallying to tie the score at halftime, Mansfield took over with a dominant third quarter in a 42-14 win that pushed the Hornets’ record to 3-0.

All three victories came after facing a deficit, so maybe the Hornets are just used to it by now.

“Really, I thought we were going to be in a dogfight,” Mansfield coach Mike Redding said. “The way it was going, we were going to be lucky to pull this out. I don’t know. We were making mistakes and they were capitalizing. (Stoughton was) aggressive on both sides.”

That aggressiveness paid off early, as Stoughton (1-2) recovered a fumble in Mansfield territory, and Jonah Ly made it hurt with a 14-yard touchdown run.

Mansfield then turned it over on downs, and Ly caught a screen pass from sophomore quarterback Jarred Daughtry, then rumbled for a 50-yard touchdown.

And just like that, as the second quarter was barely underway, and Stoughton led, 14-0.

But the Hornets went on a seven-minute-plus drive and cut the deficit to 14-7 after a Rocco Scarpellini 2-yard scoring run.

Mansfield defensive lineman Braeden Veno then sacked Daughtry, who fumbled, and Jephte Jean recovered for the Hornets. Junior quarterback Conner Zukowski then hit Brian Butler for a 6-yard touchdown and the teams went into the break tied at 14.

From there, it was all Mansfield. Zukowski threw a 46-yard touchdown to CJ Bell, who got loose on the left side. He followed with a 24-yard scoring pass to Trevor Foley, who made an interception on the previous play. Scarpellini finished things off with a 50-yard touchdown, and backup quarterback Connor Curtis ran for a 10-yard touchdown in the fourth.

Zukowski completed 15 of 18 passes for 174 yards, three touchdowns and no picks. Scarpellini rushed for 93 yards and the two scores on nine carries.

“When you get some poise, and a live arm, and you’re smart, the height thing kind of disappears as a factor,” Redding said of the 5-foot-9 Zukowski. “He’s off to a heck of a start as a junior.”

Zukowski was unfazed by the early deficit.

“We’re ready for anything,” he said. “We have our one bad quarter, but if we play four quarters, we won’t be down in any of these games.”