HOLLIS -- Hollis had every reason in the world to want to beat Mangum on Thursday night. The combination it being senior night and playing in their last home game of the season should have been enough of an incentive.

But Hollis had one more important reason that surpassed them all. The outgoing senior class had never won the annual Mayors' Cup, whic also meant they had never beaten their rival.

However, that all change Thursday when Hollis earned its second win of the season with a 12-6 victory over Mangum.

"This was very big," said Hollis quarterback Jake Cary. "We had not won it in I don't know how long. It is a big rivalry. I'm speechless right now."

Cary was one of the seniors that put their imprint on this game early and often. Whenever Hollis needed a big play to be made, Cary, along with Devin Nash, Robert Lindsay, Craig Bell and Bradley Wiley made their presence known.

"These seniors have been through a war," said Hollis coach Trent Shelby. "Not a war. I'm not taking that war lightly. They have gone through some stuff that they shouldn't have to go through as high school kids. These seniors have done a great job and I am proud of them."

The biggest play may have come late in the fourth quarter with Hollis leading 12-6. Hollis was trying to run the clock down in Mangum territory with one minute and 34 seconds left in the game. On a third down and 11, Cary faked a hand-off and rolled to his left. He spotted Bell, a 250-pound tackle that was converted to tight-end. Bell reached out h is right hand and made a one-handed catch for a clutch first down.

Mangum didn't get the ball back until there were only 11 seconds remaining, which left only time for a Hail Mary pass. It was picked off by Daniel Webster to end the game.

Mangum then handed over the Mayors' Cup to a joyous and excited Hollis squad.

"This is a huge win," said Shelby. "Anytime you can play Mangum and beat them, it's a great game."

Hollis drew first blood when Bell knocked in a 22-yard field goal with 1:43 left in the first quarter. The score was set up by a Jose Lopez interception, which led to the seven-play scoring drive.

However, Mangum didn't waste much time in getting on the scoreboard themselves. On the next series Dustin Phillips took a pitch from Jace Clayton and sprinted 55-yards around the right end for a touchdown to put Mangum up 6-3.

"We knew we had to stop Phillips and their running game," Cary said.

With Lindsay, Caleb Francher, Kenton Williams and Jacob Bogle leading the way up front, Hollis tried to establish its running game. Late in the second quarter, Shelby called upon Sandye Robinson on four consecutive running plays as they tried to punish the smaller Mangum defense.

Yet, Mangum held on fourth down and two and took over the ball on the Hollis 39-yard line with 3:40 left in the half.

Mangum had a chance to increase its lead but Hollis showed it knew how to play defense also. They held and gave the ball back to its offense on the 40. After a 33-yard completion from Cary to Wiley, Hollis was deep in Mangum territory. However, Hollis could not come up with the touchdown and settled for a 25-yard Bell field goal with 33 seconds left in the half. The score was tied 6-6 heading into halftime.

Hollis once again struck first to begin the second half. After Lindsey deflected a pass on third down and 12, Nash came up with the interception at the 40-yard line. A couple of big runs by Bell carried the team down to Mangum's 7-yard line before Cary hit Wiley for the touchdown in the back of the endzone. A missed extra point put Hollis up by only six at 12-6 early in the third quarter.

Mangum seemed to still be feeling the effects of last weeks devastating loss to Carnegie. Even when they made plays, it backfired and they shot themselves in the foot continually.

After forcing Hollis to punt late in the third, Phillips muffed the ball on the return. Three players had a chance at the ball before Chisum Johnson recovered it on the 30. Unfortunately for Hollis, they also lost Cary on the play after he started cramping.

"On a hot night like tonight, it really bothers us because we are big," Shelby said. "The heat took a toll on us and I am sure it bothered Mangum some to. We were losing kids to cramps."

Backup quarterback Keith Plummer entered the game and after three plays heaved a pass deep to Wiley on fourth down. But Mangum's Zach Faughn intercepted the pass on the 4-yard line instead of batting the ball down.

Heading into the fourth, Mangum looked to be trying find the one big play that would get them back into the game. However, that play never came and they came up short to a hungry Hollis team.

"We haven't been real successful," Shelby said. "We play hard. We have been snake bit. Hopefully we can get rid of this. We just want to enjoy this win. It was a great ball game."