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Hollow Rock-Bruceton
Central Superintendent of Schools Rod
Sturdivant, quarterback for Mansfield at
Camden Junior High in the 1970s, shakes
hands with his mentor and friend. A former
head football coach at Central, Sturdivant
led his 1989 Tiger squad to victory in the
state championship, bringing the first
grid-iron gold ball back to Carroll County.
The Mansfield-led 2003 Mustangs brought the
second gold ball back to Carroll County
after trouncing David Lipscomb, 48-14.
HUNTINGDON (May 10)
Family, friends, Huntingdon Mustang players
past and present, Huntingdon Special School
District School Board members, teachers and
administrators and fellow coaches from
throughout West Tennessee gathered in the
Huntingdon High School cafeteria from 1:00
to 4:00 p.m. for a HHS Quarterback
Club-sponsored reception honoring retiring
Mustang coaches Mike Mansfield and Jimmy
Pritchard.
Regarding the celebration, Mustang
Quarterback Club President Robert Lovett
said, “Our Quarterback Club felt that this
reception would provide members of the
community and well-wishers the opportunity
to come by and thank these coaches for all
that they have done for Huntingdon
football.” He continued, “Mike and Jimmy
have done an excellent job, and we will
certainly miss them. They won a state
championship here in 2003 and worked hard to
bring Mustang football to a high level of
respectability.” He concluded, “We are grateful for their
hard work and dedication. In saying goodbye,
we are also looking forward to the return of
former Mustang Offensive Coordinator Eric
Swenson.”
Bertlyn and Mike
Mansfield. On hand to honor Pritchard and Mansfield
were former Jackson Southside Head Football
Coach Jerry Hayes, incoming Mustang skipper
Swenson, fellow Mustang coaches Alan Eubanks
and Rick Wallace, HHS Principal Mike Henson,
Huntingdon Superintendent of Schools Lynn
Twyman, numerous teachers and administrators
of the Huntingdon School System, and former
Central Tiger head football coach and
current Central Superintendent of Schools
Rod Sturdivant.
Sturdivant, who played football for
Mansfield as an up-and-coming quarterback at
Camden Junior High, shares the distinction
with his former mentor of having led his
1989 Tiger football team to a state football
championship victory. Mansfield’s 2003
Mustang squad shattered state rushing
records and completely dominated
heavily-favored David Lipscomb to bring the
second gold ball back to Carroll County.
Both men were also blessed to coach with
tremendously-gifted defensive coordinators
Jimmy Pritchard (Huntingdon) and Jack E.
McGee (Central).
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Former Mustang defensive
coordinator Jimmy Pritchard speaks
with well-wishers during the
retirement reception.
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In seventeen years of coaching together,
Mansfield-Pritchard-led Mustang squads
recorded 156 wins and 67 losses while
appearing in 2A state playoff action 14
times. They battled for state championships
in 1999, 2003, and 2004, winning the coveted
gold ball in 2003.
Dresden native Mansfield, retiring after a
33-year career from coaching and teaching,
resides in Camden with wife, Bertlyn. They
are proud parents of five children.
Having served 32 years as a coach and
teacher at Huntingdon, Pritchard will
continue to teach in the classroom after
hanging up his cleats.
Regarding his coaching experience with
Mansfield, Pritchard stated in a previous
interview, “You don’t see people that work
together this long-it’s almost like we were
joined at the hip. In seventeen years, we
never had a coaching disagreement. That says
a lot.”
He continued, “When Mike and I got out on
the football field, we aimed to do what we
do best and go out and play the game.
Hopefully, we played it right.”
He concluded, “We’ve had some success and
it’s been a fun time.”
Mansfield noted that although the 2003 state
title win holds special meaning to him, the
privilege of coaching and mentoring young
people academically and athletically was
paramount.
He concluded, “I have a lot of great
memories of being around a lot of good kids.
I just appreciate the blessing of being a
coach. I’ll miss the kids and staff. It’s
been a great ride.” |
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