The Mendenhall Tigers opened the 2025 football season on Friday night with a hard-fought contest against the Ridgeland Titans. Despite a late surge by the Tigers in the fourth quarter, the comeback fell short as Ridgeland escaped with a 21-13 victory in front of hundreds of fans at Tiger Field.
The first quarter was a defensive struggle. Field conditions were soggy, but both teams adjusted quickly. Ridgeland struck first when defensive back Trae Collins intercepted a Tiger pass on the Titans’ own 14-yard line.
Mendenhall responded moments later when lineman Ethan Waldrop pounced on a fumble, setting the Tigers up with excellent field position at the Ridgeland 35. The Tigers advanced the ball as far as the 9-yard line, where the drive stalled, leaving the game scoreless after one quarter. Early in the second, Mendenhall again found life on defense when Jaiwon Williams recovered another Titan fumble at the 10-yard line. The Tiger offense, however, could not capitalize, and the stalemate continued deep into the quarter.
With less than a minute before halftime, the momentum swung dramatically. Ridgeland’s senior running back Omarion Green powered his way into the end zone twice in quick succession — first on a 10-yard run, then again from 12 yards out. With William Swanson converting both extra points, the Titans were suddenly carrying a 14-0 lead into the break.
Mendenhall regrouped at halftime and wasted little time cutting into the deficit. Midway through the third quarter, quarterback Ty Davis delivered the highlight of the night, uncorking an 88-yard touchdown strike to receiver Henry Funchess, who outran the secondary to ignite the home crowd. Breylon Pendleton added the extra point to trim the score to 14-7 at the end of the third quarter.
Ridgeland answered quickly in the fourth. Once again it was Green who delivered the blow, slicing through the Tiger defense for an 18-yard touchdown run, his third of the game. Swanson’s kick extended the Titan lead to 21-7 with just over ten minutes remaining.
The Tigers refused to quit. Behind a determined offensive push, Mendenhall mounted a late scoring drive capped by a short rushing touchdown, bringing the score to 21-13. The Tiger defense came up with a late stop to give the offense another chance, but time expired before Mendenhall could draw any closer.
Although the opener ended in defeat, there were clear bright spots for the Tigers. The defense forced three turnovers in the first half, and the Davis-to-Funchess connection showed big-play potential that will serve the offense well throughout the season.
Mendenhall (0-1) will now prepare for one of the most anticipated games of the year — the Simpson County Super Bowl against Magee. The Tigers, who dropped last year’s rivalry matchup, will look to bounce back and capture bragging rights when they take the field Friday night.
