Many embarked on several promising drives early against Winnfield, but the inability to complete those drives and untimely turnovers were the Tigers’ downfall in a 48-0 loss on the road Friday.
The loss drops Many to 0-7 on the season and 0-2 in District 3-2A play as hopes for its 11th straight district title are all but faded.
But that’s probably not a thought for a Tigers team that’s just simply looking for a win.
With three regular-season games remaining, Many isn’t totally out of the playoff picture.
The Tigers are sitting at No. 36 in the Division III Non-Select power rankings but are just a little more than a point away from being in the playoff field of 28. Three winless teams (Patterson, Bogalusa, Caldwell Parish) are currently in the field because of their strength of schedule.
Three wins would almost certainly put Many in the playoff field, and that starts Friday with a hot Red River (3-4, 2-0) team coming to town.
The Bulldogs are the district favorites after wins at Mansfield (20-12) and against a previously unbeaten Lakeside squad (30-6).
Many’s closest loss was Lakeside (28-6) in a week where the Tigers felt like they were trending in the right direction, but a 48-point loss to Winnfield (4-3, 1-0) might erase any positive vibes that were happening.
Against Winnfield, Many started the game on a clock-crunching drive that ended in a turnover on downs at the Winnfield 10-yard line.
It took Winnfield just three minutes to march down the field and take a 7-0 lead on a Jeremy Mamon 28-yard touchdown run.
Many fumbled on its 15-yard line on the ensuing possession, which resulted in a Damascus Lewis 5-yard touchdown run and a 13-0 lead early in the second quarter.
That sparked a 28-point Winnfield second quarter as the homestanding Tigers scored three more times before halftime.
Two of those scores came after Many drives deep into Winnfield territory, ending in a fumble and a turnover on downs.
Many will need to clean those turnovers up against a Red River defense that forces a lot of turnovers.