(2009 - 2010) - Football - Varsity

Head Varsity Football Coach - Doug Shaw
MAVS Booster team rep- James/Denise Norman
MAVS Website reporter -  Janet Lindner

2006-2008 Archive 

 Football Camp 1

Football Camp 2

Football Camp 3

 

 

 

 

Mauldin's Ryan Norton commits to Tigers

  

Mauldin's Ryan Norton commits to Tigers

by David Hood -- Senior Writer

Norton selected the Tigers over Georgia Tech and South Carolina.

Mauldin High School’s Ryan Norton was with his mom and dad getting ready to eat hot dogs following the Mavericks’ spring game on Friday, and figured there was no time like the present to give Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney a call and let him know that he was going to be a Clemson Tiger.

“I knew for a while that it would be hard to beat Clemson,” Norton said late Friday. “Tonight, I just had that gut feeling that I wanted to go ahead and commit because Clemson is just the best fit for me. Coach Swinney was very excited and welcomed me into the Clemson family.”

Norton (6-4, 275) is considered the top center prospect in the state, and will more than likely play on the interior in college. He was also considering Georgia Tech and South Carolina.

Norton said that being able to make such a huge decision with family and friends around made it even better.

“They were all excited,” he said. “They knew I really liked Clemson and they were all congratulating me and stuff. I wanted to go ahead and commit now because from now on I just want to focus on my team, and I don’t want anything else on my mind. But I am very excited to be a Clemson Tiger.”

Lee Taylor, Norton’s position coach at Mauldin, said it is always gratifying to see one of his players earn a trip to the next level.

“As a coach, any time a kid goes off to college to play, you just feel good for the kid,” Taylor said. “We had Taylor Hudson go off to East Carolina last year, and to see Ryan go to Clemson is awesome, especially in seeing where he has come from since he was a 9th-grader. He was playing the C Team, and he never played junior varsity, and then as a 10th grader was thrown onto the varsity. It is really fulfilling to me to see him commit to such a great program.”

Taylor said the fact that the Clemson coaches kept in contact with Norton almost from the beginning made a huge difference.

“He weighed a lot of other schools, but Clemson showed a lot of interest and took care of him from the beginning,” Taylor said. “He got along with the coaches, and I think staying home was important to him. The coaches also did a great job of staying on him, and letting him know they were interested in him.”

Norton selected the Tigers over Georgia Tech and South Carolina.

 

Spirit of the Mavs Award winners for the Class of 2010 - Emily Todd, Max McKinney, Aubrey Duggar, Kirby Broome, Natasha Deshpande, Zack Wilson, Lexi Neiling, Anthony Stephens, Chelsea Slessman, Joseph Hill, Andrea Alonso, Quentin Williams, Sarah Vance, Daniel Weekes, Greg Williams, Tiquention Coleman, Natalie Terlitsky, Patrick Havird, and Johnakin Martin! Congratulations! 

More about the Spirit of the Mav

 

Anthony Stephens receives appointment to United States Military Academy (West Point)!!!

 

Congratulations to the Mauldin High 2010 Prom Queen & King Nominees -Queen nominations are Patience Canty, Andrea Alonzo, Allison Nelson, Natalie Terlisky and Chelsea Slessman. King Nominees are Quentin Williams, Kirby Broome, Adam Bradshaw, Justin Emerson and Tim Chappell. King & Queen winners will be announced at Prom this Saturday, April 24th.

____________________________________________________________________

March 25, 2010 College Signings

Congratulations to the following Mauldin seniors that signed their National Letters of Intent to continue their sport in college.  Zak Theus, Newberry College - Football; and Kirby Broome, Charleston Southern - Football!  Way to go, MAVS!  

 

Kirby Broome, Charleston Southern Football team

 

Zak Theus, Newberry College football team

February 3, 2010 College Signing Day

 

Gwinn Davis photo gallery of Signing Day

Taylor Hudson signs with East Carolina University Football Team

Andre Clarke signs with North Carolina Central Football team

 

Varsity Football Awards 2009

Iron Man Award – Kirby Broome

Most Improved – Jackie Smith

Special Team Player of the Year – Patrick Havird

Special Team Player of the Year – Chris Russell

Offensive Player of the Year – Andre Clarke

Offensive Player of the Year – Anthony Stephens

Defensive Player of the Year – Carson Smith

Defensive Player of the Year – Adguary Calwile

Maverick Award – Tiquention Coleman

Maverick Award – Taylor Hudson

Coaches Award – Jeremiah McKie

Coaches Award – Zak Theus

 

 

 

 

 

MAULDIN MAVS FOOTBALL TEAM MADE US PROUD!

The Mavericks finish with a record of 10-3, tying the school record for most wins in a season set in 1976.

Hold your heads high, you brought this school and community together. This is a year to remember!!

11/20/2009 - GREENVILLE NEWS

Rebels hit Mavs early, often

Byrnes capitalizes on Mauldin miscues in 41-point rout

By Scott Keeler • Staff Writer • November 20, 2009

DUNCAN – Byrnes senior quarterback Chas Dodd threw for 326 yards and five touchdowns, while senior tailback Marcus Lattimore ran for 155 yards on 12 carries and scored three touchdowns Friday night as the Rebels rolled over Mauldin 69-28 in the second round of the Class AAAA Division I playoffs.

The Rebels advance to play Spartanburg in the Div. I semifinals next Friday at Nixon Field.

When the Region 2-AAAA foes met in the regular season, Byrnes turned two first-quarter turnovers by Mauldin into touchdowns and went on to a 72-27 win.

Friday's game must have felt like déjà vu for the Mavericks.

On the first play of the game, Mauldin senior tailback Tiquention Coleman raced 49 yards to the Byrnes 33-yard line. On the next play, Byrnes forced a fumble that Davon Terry recovered at the Byrnes 37-yard line.

Nick Jones took an end-around pitch on the Rebels' first play and ran 63 yards for a touchdown.

The Mavericks' recovered their own fumble on their next possession, but that miscue turned a second-and-eight into a third-and-19 and Mauldin punted on the next play. On Byrnes' ensuing possession, Dodd hit Torian Richardson on a 44-yard touchdown pass and the Rebels led 14-0 a little over four minutes into the game.

“When you play a team the caliber of Byrnes, you can't make mistakes,” said Mauldin coach Doug Shaw. “We made them early and we just couldn't bounce back.”

Dodd connected with Lee Weick on a 25-yard touchdown pass on fourth down-and-three with 1:05 left in the first quarter to give Byrnes a 20-0 lead after one period.

Byrnes' Clay Allen intercepted Mauldin quarterback Jeremiah McKie on the opening play of the second quarter. The Rebels quickly took advantage of that turnover as well as Lattimore rumbled 39 yards on the next play to make it 27-0.

Anthony Stephens made a diving catch on a seven-yard touchdown pass from McKie to cut Byrnes' lead to 27-7, but the Mavericks would get no closer.

Lattimore answered on Byrnes' ensuing drive on a 64-yard touchdown run with 2:18 left in the first half. The Rebels got one more possession before halftime, and Dodd hit Jazz King on a 44-yard touchdown for a 41-7 lead at the break.

Dodd threw a 64-yard touchdown to King to open the third quarter, then connected with Lattimore on a 40-yard touchdown on Byrnes‘ next possession to push the lead to 55-7.

“It's great. These kids come out here and work so hard in practice,” said Byrnes coach Chris Miller. “To see them do the things they do on the field, it's unbelievable.”

Senior tailback Andre Clarke ran for 175 yards and a touchdown for Mauldin, which scored touchdowns on its last three offensive possessions. The Mavericks finish with a record of 10-3, tying the school record for most wins in a season set in 1976.

“These kids are amazing,” Shaw said of his team. “They've broken something like 30 school records for football this season. It's been a season for the books for these guys, us coaches and Mauldin High School.”

 


 

11/18/2009 -  TRIBUNE TIMES


Mavericks win, earn rematch with Rebels

Mauldin rolls in playoff opener, heads back to Byrnes on Friday


Published: Wednesday, November 18, 2009 - 2:00 am
By Ann Green, Contributing writer


Mauldin High's trip into the 2009 football playoffs includes a shorter but tougher road trip this week.

The Mavericks will travel to Duncan to face the Upstate's gridiron Goliath, No.1 Byrnes High, on Friday.

Fresh off a 32-21 first-round victory against Fort Dorchester in the Low Country on Nov. 13, the Mauldin team was euphoric, but had time to think about the next leg of the journey in the Class AAAA, Division I playoffs.

“We've played them once this year,” said Mauldin coach Doug Shaw, whose team fell to the Rebels 72-27 on Oct. 30 at Byrnes. “It's always tough to play a team twice in the same season. We play Hillcrest twice, and you never know which team will show up.”

However, Shaw is sure he won't have any trouble getting his team fired up for the challenge. In their first-round game, the Rebels scored 42 points in the first half and went on to a 58-0 rout of White Knoll.

Looking back on the win over Fort Dorchester, Shaw said his team had to deal with a setback early in the game.

“We knew we'd have to control the ball,” he said. “They were really big kids, and they scored first on a big play. But our kids snapped back to reality. Our defense played a big game, stopping the run, and our offense got going.”

However, Shaw is sure he won't have any trouble getting his team fired up for the challenge. In their first-round game, the Rebels scored 42 points in the first half and went on to a 58-0 rout of White Knoll.

Looking back on the win over Fort Dorchester, Shaw said his team had to deal with a setback early in the game.

“We knew we'd have to control the ball,” he said. “They were really big kids, and they scored first on a big play. But our kids snapped back to reality. Our defense played a big game, stopping the run, and our offense got going.”

Jackie Smith had a key interception, and Mauldin put a lot of pressure on the Fort Dorchester quarterback, Shaw said. Also, kicker Patrick Havird had a productive night. In the end, the Mavericks had 419 yards total offense to their opponents' 232.

“That ride home didn't seem that long after the win,” said Shaw, noting that they'd left school at noon and arrived back in Mauldin at 2:45 a.m. Saturday.

If the Mavericks pull off the upset this week at Byrnes, the ride home should be on a magic carpet instead of a bus.

“We lost to Clover in the first round of the playoffs last year. So we should have more confidence this time after getting through the first round,” Shaw said. “I know they'll be ready to play. “We get to play in this great atmosphere over there.

“We'll see if we can get a big crowd over to Byrnes.”



 
 

Mavericks eliminate Patriots

Published Saturday, November 14, 2009 12:03 AM

By Roger Lee
Summerville Journal Scene

Patriot running back Keshon Flores breaks loose for a big gain

 North Charleston – The Mavericks put the Patriots in a deep hole early and then trotted to a 32-21victory Friday in a first-round playoff game.

Mauldin (10-2) advances to play the winner of the Byrnes/White Knoll game next week. Fort Dorchester (8-3) was eliminated with the loss.

Mauldin had 300 yards of total offense in the first half, compared to the Patriots’ 47 yards. The Mavericks rushed for 221 yards on 22 carries. Fort Dorchester had negative 9 rushing yards on nine carries.

“They took it to us,” Patriot coach Steve LaPrad said. “They beat us up front early. We kind of came back at the end and found some things we could do, but they are a good football team. Our kids fought, but they got up on us too much.”

The Patriots had a strong push in the second half to finish with 232 yards of offense, compared to the 419 Mauldin racked up. The Patriots rallied for two second-half scores, but the stiff Maverick defense allowed no more.

 “Our defense did a great job,” Mauldin coach Doug Shaw said. “Coming in here we knew Fort Dorchester was a good team, big as they can be and they run the ball hard. Our running game has been good all year, but I’m so proud of our defense and our kicker.”

Mauldin gambled on a fourth-and-inches on its first possession and the gamble didn’t pay off.

After holding the Mavericks to take over possession on downs, the Patriots only needed three plays to score on a 44-yard pass from Ethan Long to a wide-open Terrell Jordan. The rest of the half it was all Mavericks.

Mauldin answered on its ensuing possession, going 64 yards to score on a Jeremiah McKie 4-yard run. Andre Clarke had runs of 41, 9 and 6 yards on the drive.

The Mavericks bottled up the Fort offense for the remainder of the half, keeping pressure on Long and handling the Patriot rushing attack.

Mauldin added a 32-yard TD run by Tiquention Coleman, a 37-yard TD pass to Anthony Stephens and a 34-yard field goal by Patrick Havird for a 24-7 lead at the half.

Coleman broke three tackles on his scoring run. Patriot defensive back Tyler Walker batted the ball up in the air on the TD pass, but Stephens caught the ball lying on his back in the end zone before it hit the ground.

The Fort scored two TDs in the second half. Long found Daitwan Commodore wide open for a 60-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter. In the fourth quarter, Keshon Flores capped a 70-yard Patriot drive with a 7-yard TD run.

Clarke finished with 136 rushing yards. Coleman had 116. McKie completed 8-of-17 pass attempts for 139 yards and a TD.

Flores led the Patriot rushers with 60 yards on 17 carries. Long completed 11-of-24 pass attempts for 190 yards and the two TDs.

F – Terrell Jordan 42 pass from Ethan Long (Josh Hall kick)

M – Jeremiah McKie 4 run (Patrick Havird kick)

M – Tiquention Coleman 32 run (Havird kick)

M – Anthony Stephens 37 pass from McKie (Havird kick)

M – Havird 34 field goal

F – Daitwan Commodore 60 pass from Long (pass failed)

M – Havird 38 field goal

M – Harvird 22 field goal

F – Keshon Flores 7 run (Flores run)

M – Team safety

 

 Photo detail

 
 

Mavericks turn attention to postseason

11/11/2009 -  TRIBUNE TIMES

By Mandrallius Robinson

Running game sparks Mauldin past Hillcrest


Forgive Andre Clarke and Tiquention Coleman for running with chips on their shoulder pads. The Mauldin High running backs have each rushed for over 1,100 yards and 20 touchdowns this season, while leading the Mavericks to a 9-2 record.

However, the pair was passed over for postseason all-star showcases, including the North-South All-Star Classic, whose teams were announced early last week.

In response, the duo ran wild on rival Hillcrest on Friday night, propelling Mauldin to a 48-6 win. Clarke rushed for 133 yards on only 15 carries, raising his season total to 1,297. Coleman added 143 yards on 20 carries, increasing his total to 1,151. Both have averaged more than eight yards per carry this season.

“I feel our running back combination is one of the best around,” said Mauldin coach Doug Shaw. “They complement each other so well. There are a lot of great football players in the state. I’m sure it’s a tough job to select. It’s a great honor to be playing in one of those games, but we’ve preached ‘team’ all year.

“I think they understand that this team has done what it’s done because they’ve come together. They’re OK with it, because they are excited about what we’ve done.”

Coleman said that while an appearance in an all-star game would be welcomed, he and Clarke are more concerned about Mauldin’s appearance in the Class AAAA playoffs. The Mavericks earned the ninth seed in the Division I bracket and travel to Fort Dorchester on Friday.

“It’s do or die,” Coleman said. “We have to lay it all on the line, basically like you would die for this. Especially for the seniors, if we lose this game, high school’s over. We have to think of it that way and on every play do something to help this team win.”

Hillcrest (4-7) earned the 14th seed in the bracket. The Rams will travel to Irmo on Friday night.

 

 

Mavericks run away from Rams
Clarke, Coleman spark Mauldin past archrivals
By Mandrallius Robinson • Staff writer • 
SIMPSONVILLE -- In its effort to retain the Golden Strip Derby trophy, Mauldin High opened Friday night’s game like it was the Kentucky Derby.
The Mavericks sprinted out of the gate, jumping out to a 20-0 lead against rival Hillcrest in the first quarter. Behind its thoroughbreds -- running backs Andre Clarke and Tiquention Coleman and quarterback Jeremiah McKie -- Mauldin galloped away with a 48-6 victory.
McKie’s completed his first two passes for touchdowns, both to Anthony Stephens. McKie also ran for a touchdown in the first quarter. Meanwhile, Mauldin’s defense held Hillcrest to one first down during the Rams’ first three possessions. The Mavericks finished the game with seven tackles for loss.
“With a rivalry game, you never know what’s going to happen. It can go either way, and both teams are excited just because we are only a few miles from each other,” said Mauldin coach Doug Shaw. “We felt like we needed to come in and be efficient and effective very early, and we were.”
Mauldin rushed for 225 yards in the first half. Clarke and Coleman each finished the game with more than 120 rushing yards and a touchdown. McKie added 76 rushing and finished 4-for-9 passing after adding another touchdown pass to Stephens in the second quarter.
Mauldin improved to 9-2, its most wins since 1976. However, Shaw said he was more proud that the Mavericks finished third in Region 2-AAAA with a 2-2 record and rebounded after falling 72-27 to Byrnes last week.
“We really took one on the chin last week,” Shaw said. “We worked hard this week on bouncing back and doing what we knew we could do.”
“It’s a big relief off our backs,” Coleman said. “We had a bad game last week, and we wanted to come out here and prove to ourselves that we are not that same team from last week. That’s not us. We are way better than that. We had to show that we are still here for the race. We feel like we came out of the hardest region in the state and we can contend with anybody.”
The Mavericks will get their chance to prove Coleman’s claim, as Mauldin opens the Class AAAA playoffs next Friday.
“They are jacked up about it,” Shaw said. “We made the playoffs last year, but we lost in the first round. They’ve got goals, and we are getting farther. They’ll come back on Monday and get ready to crank it back up again.”
 

 

NEXT GAME:  FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 6 - 7:30 PM  MAULDIN VS HILLCREST.   AWAY GAME!  Come out and support your team!   

11/4/2009 - TRIBUNE TIMES

Mavericks fail to derail Rebels

Byrnes takes advantage of Mauldin errors
By Scott Keeler
Tribune-Times writer

The Mauldin High football team traveled to Byrnes High on Friday night looking for a share of the Region 2-AAAA lead. But a pair of first-quarter turnovers put the Mavericks in a hole from which they could never recover, and the top-ranked Rebels won their 60th straight home game, 72-27.

“We made a good bit of mistakes. You can't give them the ball with a short field,” Mauldin coach Doug Shaw said. “We will regroup and get ready for Hillcrest next week.”

Mauldin and Byrnes each came into the game with 8-1 records, and it appeared early-on that the game might be just as even.

After Byrnes scored on its first possession, the Mavericks (8-2, 2-2) answered with an Andre Clarke 27-yard touchdown run on fourth down.

Mauldin appeared to maintain momentum after junior Darius Floyd batted down a Byrnes' fourth-down pass. But on the Mavs' next play, Byrnes' Paul Scott returned an interception 43 yards for a touchdown.

On the Mavericks' next play, a low shotgun snap got away from quarterback Jeremiah McKie, and the Rebels recovered at the Mauldin 19. Four plays later, Byrnes scored to take a 20-6 lead. Though Clarke scored on an 80-yard run, the Rebels went on to a 55-13 halftime lead.

Despite the lopsided score, Mauldin never quit, scoring the final two touchdowns of the night.

Carson Smith returned a Byrnes' fumble 30 yards for a touchdown, and McKie threw a 31-yard touchdown pass to Tiquention Coleman with 19 seconds left.

“The kids played until the end,” said Shaw. “Two or three years ago, they might not have done that.”

Shaw is confident that the disappointment of the loss won't linger. Not with a trip to archrival Hillcrest coming up this Friday.

“They'll be excited,” Shaw said. “It's rival week.”

 

 

10/31/2009 - GREENVILLE NEWS

Mistakes cost Mauldin Mavericks in showdown

Turnovers help No. 1 Byrnes to region romp

By Scott Keeler • Staff Writer • October 30, 2009

DUNCAN -- Going into Friday’s Region 2-AAAA showdown between Byrnes and Mauldin, Mavericks coach Doug Shaw knew his team couldn’t make mistakes as it tried to upend the state’s No. 1-ranked team.

Unfortunately for Shaw, he was right.

The Rebels took advantage of Mauldin turnovers on back-to-back plays in the first quarter and went on to a 72-27 victory, its 60th consecutive at Nixon Field.

“You can’t give them the ball with a short field. That hurts,” Shaw said. “You can’t have mistakes against a great opponent like that, that can run. Every single one of them is fast.”

Byrnes essentially wrapped up the region championship. Even with a loss next week at Boiling Springs, Byrnes would finish no worse than in a tie with Dorman for the title. Byrnes defeated the Cavaliers 17-10 last Friday.

Friday’s game appeared early to live up to the hype you get when two teams with 8-1 records face off.

Byrnes (9-1, 4-0) scored on its second offensive play as Chas Dodd passed to Craig Weick for a 36-yard touchdown.

Mauldin (8-2, 2-2) answered when senior tailback Andre Clarke took a wishbone pitch on fourth-and-two and ran to his left for a 27-yard touchdown. The extra point was blocked, and the Rebels led 7-6.

Byrnes had a nine-play drive end on fourth-and-nine when Mauldin’s Darius Floyd batted down a pass.

On the Mavericks’ ensuing play, Byrnes linebacker Paul Scott intercepted a pass and ran 43 yards down the right sideline to make it 13-6.

On Mauldin’s first play of its next possession, a low snap got away from quarterback Jeremiah McKie and was recovered by Byrnes’ Roland Johnson at the Mavericks’ 19-yard line.

Four plays later, Dodd passed to Weick for a 6-yard touchdown to increase the lead to 20-6.

Things snowballed on Mauldin the rest of the way.

Byrnes tailback Marcus Lattimore, considered the nation’s top college prospect, ran for a pair of second-quarter touchdowns, and Dodd threw three more touchdown passes in the second. Byrnes led 55-13 at the half.

“We talk about getting prepared, working hard in practice, and coming out here and going as fast as we can go,” Byrnes coach Chris Miller said. “When we’re clicking, it’s hard to keep up with us.

“I’m just so proud of the kids for working so hard in practice. When you come out here, this is payday.”

Dodd completed 19 of 30 passes for 307 yards with five touchdowns. He and backup Zach Blair completed passes to 13 players. Lattimore ran 12 times for 130 yards and three scores, and caught six passes for 68 yards.

Clarke ran 10 times for 131 yards and two touchdowns for the Mavericks.



10/28/2009 - TRIBUNE TIMES

Mavs to meet Byrnes for region 2-AAAA lead

Mauldin whips Bulldogs to set up showdown for first place


Published: Wednesday, October 28, 2009 - 2:00 am
By Scott Keeler, Tribune-Times Writer

In a game that featured teams with identical records — overall and in Region 2-AAAA — the Mauldin High football team traveled to Boiling Springs High on Friday prepared for a four-quarter battle.

Less than 17 minutes into the game, though, the better team was easily identifiable. The Mavericks jumped out to a 21-0 lead and went on to a 23-6 win. The victory sets up a showdown against powerhouse Byrnes on Friday, with first place in the region on the line. .

“This was the biggest win of the season,” Mauldin coach Doug Shaw said. “They keep playing harder and harder each week. Now we've just got to come back and get ready for Byrnes.”

Byrnes (8-1, 3-0) is ranked No. 1 in the state and has won 59 consecutive home games. Both Mauldin and Byrnes will play its final regular season game on Nov. 6

Against Boiling Springs (7-2, 1-2), Mauldin (8-1, 2-1) had several big plays to set the tone.

During the Mavericks' first possession, quarterback Jeremiah McKie threw to Anthony Stephens, who made a leaping catch. But before coming down, Stephens flipped the ball to Tiquention Coleman, who caught it and raced down the sideline for a 65-yard touchdown.

The Mavericks executed a pooch kick on the kickoff following a second-quarter five-yard touchdown catch by Kirby Broome. Coleman coasted down the sideline and was the only player near the ball when he scooped it up at the Bulldogs' 32.

Five plays later, Andre Clarke, who rushed for 166 yards, scored on a one-yard run, and the Mavericks led 21-0.

The Mavericks closed out their scoring with a safety with 20.6 seconds left in the game.

Mauldin's defense held Dylan Thompson, who has committed to play quarterback at the University of South Carolina, to 160 yards on 8-of-21 passing and sacked him six times.

“The defense stepped up again,” said Shaw.



Congratulations to Mauldin Senior student athletes Alexa Neiling (Cross Country/Track) and Anthony Stephens (Football/Basketball) on being named Mauldin High's 2009 Wendy's High School Heisman winners! 

Results link for South Carolina High Schools

The Wendy's High School Heisman is the high school awards program that recognizes student scholar athletes and their accomplishments. In its 14th year, the program continues to touch the lives of high school seniors. 2007 saw a change in the application process allowing students to nominate themselves and encouraging more students to become involved.

Created to showcase high school students who excel in academics, athletics, and community/school leadership, the Wendy's Heisman program celebrates the well-rounded student in a way that other student academic awards and athletic awards do not. As millions of high school students begin preparing their applications for the college admissions process, it's important to set yourself apart with unique distinctions-having a great college essay and top grades alone just isn't enough anymore to cut through the intense competition.

Previous Mauldin Wendy's High School Heisman winners

Mauldin Mavericks win region showdown  

Record: 8-1, 2-1

 

By Scott Keeler • Staff Writer • October 23, 2009   

SPARTANBURG – In a Region 2-AAAA showdown between teams with 7-1 records, Mauldin erased nearly all doubt quickly Friday at Boiling Springs High. The Mavericks jumped out to a 21-0 second quarter lead and went on to a 23-6 win at Bulldog Stadium.

Boiling Springs (7-2, 1-2) opened the game with a 12-play drive that ended at midfield with a punt. More importantly for the Bulldogs, they lost senior tailback Reggie Davis after his third carry of the game.

The Mavericks (8-1, 2-1) wasted no time getting on the scoreboard thanks to quarterback Jeremiah McKie. McKie threw 14 yards to Anthony Stephens on the Mavericks first play, then threw nine yards to Kirby Broome on the next play.

Mauldin opened up their bag of tricks on their third offensive play. McKie threw to Anthony Stephens, who made a leaping grab and flung the ball to teammate Tiquention Coleman. The hook-and-ladder resulted in a 65-yard touchdown and gave Mauldin a 7-0 lead.

With Davis out for the Bulldogs, more of the offense was put on the shoulders of standout quarterback Dylan Thompson.

Mauldin sacked Thompson three times in the first quarter.

In the second quarter, Mauldin missed a field goal but bounced back on its next drive when McKie threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to Broome.

The Mavericks pooch kicked the ensuing kickoff down the left sideline where the only player near the ball was Coleman. He scooped up the loose ball at the Boiling Springs' 32-yard line.

Six plays later, Andre Clarke scored from a yard out and Mauldin led 21-0 with 7:04 left in the first half.

 

Mavericks savor a ‘senior' moment

 10/21/2009 - TRIBUNE TIMES (including Photo Gallery)

Clarke, classmates come from behind to beat Spartanburg

Published: Wednesday, October 21, 2009 - 2:00 am

By Ann Green
Contributing writer

Photo galleries:
Mauldin 46, Spartanburg 27 (10/17/09)

Andre Clarke turned Senior Night 2009 into something memorable at Mauldin High.

The running back's four-touchdown performance lifted the Mavericks past Spartanburg 46-27 on Oct. 16 in a Region 2-AAAA matchup that answered questions about whether Mauldin (7-1, 1-1) could shake off its only loss of the season and move forward.

Other seniors played their roles.

Patrick Havird made two field goals at critical stages of the game.

Anthony Stephens had seven receptions for 125 yards and one touchdown.

Tiquention Coleman had one touchdown and rushed 10 times for 69 yards.

The seniors weren't the only ones to shine when Mauldin staged a comeback, trailing by seven points deep into the third quarter, to win.

Junior quarterback Jeremiah McKie was impressive with his passing (20 of 28 completions for 258 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions) combined with his agile running game (14 rushes for 56 yards).

Clarke, who rushed 17 times for 122 yards and scored four of the five consecutive touchdowns by Mauldin during the second-half juggernaut, made sure to thank the offensive line after the game, especially backup center Jake Norman, a junior.

“Our starting center got hurt, and our backup center came in and did a really good job,” said Clarke.

As the Mavericks finish out the regular season with three critical region games on the road, Mauldin coach Doug Shaw believes his players cleared a major hurdle and learned something about themselves in that second half against the Vikings.

And turning the page from the loss to Dorman on Oct. 9 was important, he said.

“Football is more than a one-week season. Sometimes you hit some bumps in the road, and we did (vs. Dorman),” Shaw said. “Then we had a good week of practice, and we're excited about where we're headed.”

This week Mauldin is preparing to face Boiling Springs (7-1, 1-1) on Friday.

The Mavericks will close out their regular season at Byrnes and at Golden Strip-rival Hillcrest.

 

Mauldin's Andre Clarke (5) breaks the tackle attempt by Spartanburg's Rodney Coleman (43) during Friday's game. Clarke rushed for four touchdowns.   GWINN DAVIS/Staff
 

 

 

10/17/09 - MAVS now 7-1!!

Clarke's running sparks Mavs     Greenville News Story
By Ann Green • Contributing writer • October 16, 2009
 

MAULDIN – Andre Clarke's four touchdowns in the second half sparked Mauldin's come-from-behind win agaomst Spartanburg 46-27 on Friday night.

With the Mavericks trailing 20-13 in the third quarter, Clarke scored on rushes of 5, 3, 25 and 10 yards to rally the team to the Region 2-AAAA victory.

The Mavericks (7-1, 1-1), No. 6 in The Greenville News Upstate rankings, were coming off a 14-12 loss to No. 3 Dorman but regrouped to record their third consecutive win against the Vikings (2-6, 0-2).

Spartanburg quarterback Cornelius Jones had three touchdowns, two rushing and a 10-yard pass to Daquan Fuller .

Mauldin plays Friday at Boiling Springs. Spartanburg plays at Hillcrest on Thursday.

 
PHOTO GALLERY BY GWINN DAVIS
 
Mauldin's Jeremiah McKie (3) options to Andre Clarke (5).
Mauldin's Andre Clarke (5) scores and is greeted by Taylor Hudson (74), Kirby Broome (83), Jake Norman (51), Zach Theus (65), Alston Shaw (55) and Daniel Lewis (10).  
Mauldin's Tiquention Coleman (6) breaks free from Spartanburg's Demasio Williams (28).
Mauldin's Daniel Lewis (10) breaks free from Spartanburg's Kelvin Wilkins (1).

 

 

 

 10/14/2009 - TRIBUNE TIMES  ---    ADDITIONAL PHOTOS OF THE GAME AND HALFTIME  

Mavericks just miss upset of Dorman

Cavaliers prevail in battle of unbeatens

Published: Wednesday, October 14, 2009 - 2:00 am
By Scott Keeler
Staff Writer

As the Mauldin High football team worked its way toward a 6-0 record this season, some high school football fans were probably still wondering just how good the 2009 version of the Mavericks were.

While Mauldin fell just short in its biggest test of the season Friday night, it likely made believers out of plenty of doubters.

In a game that lived up to the hype, the Mavericks lost to unbeaten Dorman 14-12 in front of a standing-room-only crowd of more than 8,000 fans on homecoming Friday at Freeman Field. The Cavaliers are ranked No. 3 in the Class AAAA media poll.

Mauldin trailed 14-6 when senior tailback Andre Clarke scored on a 10-yard run with 1:59 left in the game. On the ensuing two-point conversion, Tiquention Coleman took a handoff and withstood the initial Dorman defenders before being gang tackled at the 1-yard line.

The Cavaliers recovered the onside kick and ran out the clock for the win in the Region 2-AAAA opener for both teams.

Despite the loss, Mauldin coach Doug Shaw beamed with pride about his team and his school.

“They (Dorman) are an outstanding football team, but so are we. I think it showed,” Shaw said. “I thought we played a great football game. We just came up two points short. … I’m as proud as I can be of them.”

On the atmosphere, Shaw added, “This was awesome. To have a crowd like this was unbelievable.”

Mauldin (6-1) had no penalties in the first half -- and Dorman (7-0) had just one – as the Mavericks took a 3-0 lead. The Mavericks doubled their lead midway through the third quarter Patrick Havird’s second 37-yard field goal.

“We’re really proud of what we came out here and did even though we lost,” said Clarke, who rushed for 79 yards. “Our defense stepped up and played well. Offensively, we drove the ball down. All we have to do is work on putting it in.”

Mauldin hosts Spartanburg on Friday on Senior Night.

 

Mavericks fall short against Cavaliers 14 -12
Dorman stops late two-point conversion
By Scott Keeler • Staff Writer • October 9, 2009 greenville news
MAULDIN – The stage was set for one of the biggest nights in the history of the Mauldin football program on Friday night.
The undefeated Mavericks were facing an undefeated Dorman team ranked No. 3 in Class AAAA and No. 2 in The Greenville News Upstate rankings in front of a standing-room-only homecoming crowd at Freeman Field.
The game lived up to all the hype, but the result left most of the 8,000-plus fans deflated.
The Mavericks were stopped one yard short on a potential tying two-point conversion with less than two minutes to play, and the Cavaliers won the Region 2-AAAA showdown, 14-12.
“I credit Dorman for sticking in there, but I give our kids all the credit, too. They played until the very end, and that's all we can ask of them,” Mauldin coach Doug Shaw said. “Our kids don't have anything to be ashamed of.
“They played a heck of a football game, and I'm proud of them. All of these coaches are proud of them.”
Even though the game lived up to the hype, it wasn't the shootout fans might have expected. The teams entered the game averaging 51 points (Mauldin) and 41 points (Dorman) a game.
The Mavericks (6-1, 0-1) held a 6-0 lead late in the third quarter before a special teams miscue proved costly.
A fumbled punt snap gave Dorman (7-0, 1-0) the ball at the Mauldin 8-yard line. On third-and-goal at the 2, the Mavericks appeared to stop Dorman quarterback Johnny Foster. But before going down, Foster made a beautiful option pitch to Charone Peake, who cruised into the end zone.
In the fourth quarter, Foster broke free for a 42-yard touchdown as the Cavaliers took a 14-6 lead with 8:16 left to play.
After the teams exchanged turnovers, Mauldin began its final possession near midfield.
Quarterback Jeremiah McKie passed to Anthony Stephens for a 30-yard gain to the Dorman 21-yard line, then scrambled for 11 yards. Andre Clarke powered his way into the end zone for a 10-yard touchdown.
On the two-point conversion attempt, Mauldin running back Tiquention Coleman took a handoff and was met by a pair of Cavaliers defenders at the 2. Coleman churned and turned forward, but the onslaught of Dorman defenders piled up and Coleman was stopped one yard shy of the tie.
“This was a great football game. Going in, we knew that Mauldin was outstanding, and they proved that in the ballgame,” said Dorman coach Dave Gutshall, who earned his 300th victory.
“The 300th really didn't mean anything. This was the region opener. That's what it was really all about. I was going to get 300 some day.”
Clarke finished with 79 yards rushing for Mavericks, while Foster had 139 yards rushing for the Cavaliers.

 

10/9/2009 - GREENVILLE NEWS

Mauldin football team perfect after long run of hard times 

By Bob Castello • Staff Writer • October 9, 2009

“Everyone’s talking more about us. The stands are packed. Everybody in the city’s talking about it. Before, nobody talked about us. It feels good.”

That’s because Mauldin is 6-0 entering tonight’s homecoming game. It’s a showdown at the Mavericks’ Freeman Field against Dorman, another 6-0 team, albeit one with a more notable tradition.

As the largest high school in Greenville County, Mauldin is hardly the little engine that could, more like the big one that hadn’t. Through their first 35 football seasons, the Mavericks had 10 winning seasons, five in the past 28 years.

“It really hasn’t picked up till now,” said Missy McClain Hammer, a 1989 Mauldin graduate and a former cheerleader for the Mavericks. “That’s why we were like, wow, we’ve gotta go see this. We didn’t get to cheer for a whole lot of winning games.”

Missy’s father, the late Carlin McClain, was a radio broadcaster for Mauldin games, so Missy was always either up in the press box or down watching the cheerleaders.

She grew up around Mauldin football and remembers the good teams. Numerous lean years followed, but as Missy and her classmates gather for their 20th reunion this weekend, they made sure to make tonight’s game part of the celebration.

“It’s homecoming and it’s our reunion. That’s why we were going,” she said. “But now they’re 6-0, so it’s really exciting.”

“There’s just a ton of people who are excited. They feel the momentum. Of course, Dorman is a huge team. We’re never really good against them, so we don’t know what’s gonna happen against them, but with us being undefeated, they must be pretty good. So they’re gonna put up a good fight.

Mauldin has played Dorman 13 times and lost all 13.

Since 1993, Mauldin has had more winless seasons (three) than winning seasons (two). The Mavericks already have more victories this season than in the last two combined (five).

“Our freshman, sophomore and junior years, there were doubters in the school,” said senior wide receiver-linebacker Chris Russell. “But this year, a lot of people really believe we can win. This year, it’s actually a good feeling on game day.”

Mauldin opened the season with a victory against Hillcrest, not necessarily the sign of big things to come. The Golden Strip rivals have gone back and forth over the years.

Then came a win over J.L. Mann, something more of a milestone.

“After we got by the J.L. Mann game, you could feel something different, because that was the first time since I’ve been in high school that we beat J.L. Mann,” Russell said. “We knew something was different about us. We kept winning … by a lot. It felt really good, and we just don’t wanna let it stop.”

The Mavericks have averaged a whopping 52.3 points per game. They’re winning by an average of 33.3 points.

More important is the number of followers they’ve attracted.

“The kids want their peers to come and watch them play,” said Doug Shaw, Mauldin’s head coach. 

Shaw has been at the epicenter of another such turnaround. In 2005, he was in his third season as the head coach at Carolina High, another school with a less than noteworthy tradition.

That year, Carolina won six games, hardly significant unless you realize the Trojans had won one game in his first two years, and they hadn’t had a winning season for 15 years.

“The year we won those games, that was the greatest school year ever,” Shaw said. “It was just awesome.”

That’s the kind of effect a winning football season can have.

“It’s the thing that starts the year off,” Shaw said. “I’ve coached long enough to know that if football has a good season, not a great season, but just a good season, and you get the year kicked off and the kids are excited, the whole year seems to flow really well.”

 

Steve Frady, Mauldin’s athletic director, is in his 18th season as a member of the Mavericks’ football coaching staff.

“Football tends to get the most publicity of the fall sports,” Frady said. “We’ve got a lot of programs here that have been very successful. Cross country’s won numerous state championships. Our girls swimming team has won state championships, and our boys have done well. Our girls tennis team played for the state championship the last two years. Our volleyball team went to the playoffs last year for the first time in a while.

“All those things are good, but when you take a look at the newspaper and stuff like that, the focus seems to be on football. That’s just the way the Southeast is in the United States. Football’s big. Not that the other sports aren’t important, it’s just that that tends to be the focus of people in the fall. And I think it does have a very big influence on the school because of the attention it gets.”

Shaw said he has great empathy for coaches in the midst of losing seasons.

“I’ve been there. I know how it is,” he said. “I don’t care what your record is. You’re practicing to win the game. Nobody practices to lose.

“The good thing is the excitement is here. Nobody’s late for practice. Nobody’s dragging down the hill. They’re all here, and they’re ready to go. It’s a lot of fun.”

Frady said as games go during his tenure, this one ranks up there with the Mavericks’ battle against Byrnes for the Upper State title in 2002. Byrnes edged Mauldin 15-7 on its way to the state championship.

“As far as the regular season is concerned, it’s probably the top one,” Frady said, “as far as where our program has come from and where we want it to head.”

Pat Slenski, president of the Mauldin all-sports booster club, said the community's enthusiasm is reminiscent of the early days.

“It kind of reminds them of the ’70s, when they used to pile up into the stands for games,” he said.

Slenski, a 1979 Mauldin graduate, played for the only Mavericks team to go unbeaten through the regular season, the 1976 edition that finished 10-1. He played offensive tackle and defensive end at Mauldin and then guard at Wake Forest University.

 

Slenski's son, Andrew, a 2005 graduate, played football at Mauldin, and his daughter, Cameron, is a senior cheerleader.

Pat Slenski also coached football at Mauldin for five years under Shaw's predecessor, John Abercrombie, so Slenski has been involved with the program, off and on, throughout most of its existence.

“You have to remember in the ’70s, the community was still small ... and it was a tighter-knit community,” Slenski said.

“Once you got into the ’80s and ’90s, you had people coming in from other parts of the country who weren't part of the community originally. They didn't really understand what was going on, and football wasn't a big deal for them.”

Shaw and Lee Taylor, the Mavericks' offensive coordinator (and a cousin of Shaw), are “South Carolina natives,” Slenski said, “and they know what it's about.”

Shaw isn’t as certain about what to expect tonight. He anticipates having “chill bumps” before the game. A little earlier he will take a shot at a pre-game speech to his players.

“I don’t even know what I’m gonna say,” he said, “because they’re ready.”Seems all of Mauldin is likewise.

 

 

 

   10/7/2009 - TRIBUNE TIMES -   Additional photo gallery here  (click on Mauldin vs Easley 2 parts)

Mavericks add shutout to resume’

Mauldin 6-0 after routing Wave
By Ann Green
Contributing writer

EASLEY -- All season long, the Mauldin High football team has been a study in self-assurance. Now Mauldin’s perfect season will enter Phase II -- Region 2-AAAA play, and the Mavericks will learn just how good they are

“We’ve got confidence in ourselves, going in at 6-0,” senior running back Andre Clarke said immediately after Mauldin’s 56-0 win on the road against Easley on Friday. “We’re doing pretty good on defense.

“This was our first shutout, so we’re pretty happy,” added Clarke, who scored touchdowns on runs of 14, 24 and 11 yards against the Green Wave.

On Friday, Mauldin will be back at home facing Dorman, which had a shutout of its own last week, 45-0, against Laurens to remain unbeaten.

“Region II is as tough as it gets in my opinion. Dorman is a really good football team, and hopefully we’ll be ready to play,” said Mauldin coach Doug Shaw.

Dorman appears to be quite a step up in competition from Easley. Mauldin came into the game averaging around 51 points per game. Easley, which has won just one game this season, is averaging around 10 points per game and allowing around 31.

“We have to put together a complete game. We didn’t feel like we played a very good first half. We were very sluggish,” Shaw said despite Mauldin’s 28-point performance before halftime.

In the end, Mauldin rushed for 349 yards while Easley had 60, and the Green Wave had 72 yards passing in contrast to Mauldin’s 50.

On Mauldin’s first drive, Chris Russell had an 84-yard dash to the end zone, and Mauldin made good on four of five chances in the red zone.

Clarke led the Mavs in rushing with 137 yards and three touchdowns; Tiquention Coleman was close behind with 131 yards and one TD.

Mauldin quarterback Jeremiah McKie had two touchdowns and threw no interceptions, and Mauldin also used backup quarterbacks Kyle Peterman and Shamon Oglesby without suffering any interceptions.

Shaw was pleased that he got to go to the bench to give his second-string some playing time. He knows Mauldin will need all hands on deck against Dorman.

“We’ve got a tough one this week. But these kids are amazing. We work together as a team. When they decide they are going to play, they’re a good football team,” Shaw said.

 

 Mauldin's Darius Floyd (91), C.J. Young (54), Carson Smith (44), Michael Borkey (42), Adguary Calwile (9) sack Easley's Trevin Franklin (12).
GWINN DAVIS/Staff

 

  10/3/2009 - GREENVILLE NEWS -

 

Mavs crash Wave's homecoming party

By Ann Green • Contributing writer • October 2, 2009

EASLEY -- Mauldin rained on Easley's homecoming parade, but the deluge that the Mavericks brought with them to Brice Field could have been a lot worse.

Last year, the Mavs ran up 62 consecutive points on Easley. This year the final score in the non-region Class AAAA game was a merciful 56-0.

Mauldin (6-0) tallied 209 yards total offense to Easley's 38 in the first period alone.

Easley (1-5) was without starting quarterback Zach Lappin because of a bruised shoulder and the chicken pox.

``We have to keep battling, keep believing in one another,'' said Easley coach Jabo Burgess.

Mauldin, which entered the game averaging 51.6 points a game and No. 8 in The Greenville News Upstate rankings, got the chance to let the second string test itself.

``You never know when some of your starters might get hurt, so we tried to get a lot of people into the game,” Mauldin coach Doug Shaw said. “We used two backup quarterbacks and a couple of backup running backs.”

Mauldin scored 21 points each in the first and third periods, then let more inexperienced players get their jerseys dirty.

In the early going, the productive senior scoring machine of running backs Tiquention Coleman and Andre Clarke set the example for the Mavericks. Coleman struck first on

an 84-yard dash half a minute into the game, then Clarke had his first touchdown rush of the night. Mauldin quarterback Jeremiah McKie passed to Anthony Stephens for a29-yard touchdown, and Mauldin led 21-0 with half a minute to spare in the quarter.

Easley's woes continued in the second quarter when Mauldin's Chris Russell blocked a punt, snagged the ball, then broke free for the end zone. The Mavericks led, 28-0.

Returning from the halftime break, Clarke scored on Mauldin's first drive with a 25-yard rush, and McKie threw another touchdown pass to Stephens to push the lead to 42-0.

Easley junior quarterback Trevin Franklin's frustration continued in the third quarter when he took the Green Wave into Mauldin territory only to be sacked twice, and Easley recorded another stalled drive.

Deep into the third period, Coleman and Clarke had touchdown rushes of 2 yards and 10 yards, respectively, to close down the Mauldin scoring.

Mauldin will open region play at home against Dorman next week.

Easley will head into region play on the road against T.L. Hanna.

 

Mauldin's Anthony Stephens (2) is chased down by Easley's Laquan Littles (7). (GWINN DAVIS/Staff

 

 

 9/30/2009 - TRIBUNE TIMES - 

Smith’s pick keeps Mavericks perfect

Interception clinches Mauldin’s fifth win

Published: Wednesday, September 30, 2009 - 2:00 am


 
By N.R. Herman
Contributing writer

LAURENS -- Mauldin football coach Doug Shaw said his team's opponent Friday night, the Laurens Raiders, was a better team than its 0-4 record.

Not only was he right, but he was almost beaten by that squad. That is, until Jackie Smith saved the night.

Smith intercepted two passes, his last going for an 84-yard touchdown return, as the Mavericks survived an upset bid from Laurens, 41-32.

The Mavericks are 5-0 for the first time since 1980, when the team went 10-0.

Mauldin scored the first 14 points, including a touchdown on a 98-yard kickoff return by Tiquention Coleman to open the game. After Smith's first interception killed the following Laurens drive, the Mavs struck fast when Anthony Stephens caught a Jeremiah McKie pass for a 61-yard touchdown just 5 minutes, 38 seconds into the contest.

Laurens, though, was not deterred, and responded in kind with an eight-play, 45-yard drive that finished with a 9-yard touchdown run from Tori Patterson, the first of two touchdowns he had in his first start at running back. Patterson finished with 125 yards rushing.

Both teams scored almost at will in the first half, with the Mavericks holding a 28-25 lead at the half. Laurens took a brief lead, 32-28, when Michael Morton scored on a 2-yard run.

 Mauldin's Jackie Smith (21) had two interceptions against Laurens, one that clinched the Mavericks' victory.
GWINN DAVIS/Staff

 

 MAVS ARE NOW 5-0!!

 

 

artwork by MHS Alumni Ted Hyman '09 who is now attending University of South Carolina

 

For the first time since our country celebrated it's Bicentennial have the Mauldin MAVS Football team had a 5-0 start to their season! 

Thirty Three years later.... 

Well tonight the boys got the job done, final score 41-32 against Laurens. 

 

 

 

 

9/26/2009 GREENVILLE NEWS

Mavs' late interception keeps Raiders winless

 

 

By N.R. Herman • Contributing Writer • September 25, 2009

LAURENS -- Jackie Smith stepped forward when the Mauldin defense needed it most Friday night, intercepting a pass and returning it 84 yards for a touchdown that allowed the Mavericks to outlast Laurens 41-32 and remain undefeated.

Smith's second interception of the game, and touchdown with 1 minute, 21 seconds left, came when a Raiders pass came up just a few inches short of the intended receiver, Randy Burnside. Smith made the interception, raced down the left sideline, then cut and weaved through Laurens’ offensive players into the end zone to put the victory on ice.

“Coach called Cover 0, and (Burnside), he's good, but when I tried to block him, he got me off (balance),” Smith said. “I tried to make up my ground, and I did. I saw the quarterback threw it and I just ran my fastest when I got it.”

“Jackie Smith never ceases to amaze me,” Mauldin coach Doug Shaw said. “He didn't play football last year, and to come on and play like he has is phenomenal.”

The Mavericks (5-0) were slightly outgained by winless Laurens (0-5), 373-366, in a contest that was a scoring bonanza in the first half. The teams combined for 53 points — 33 in the second quarter — as the Mavericks held a 28-25 lead.

Laurens, which trailed 28-12 with 7:37 left in the first half, scored the next three touchdowns, including a 2-yard run by Michael Morton in the third quarter, that put the Raiders ahead for the only time in the game, 32-28.

Tori Patterson, who had been starting at quarterback for the Raiders, had a monster game at tailback, rushing for125 yards and two touchdowns on 29 carries.

Andre Clark rushed for 107 yards and two touchdowns for Mauldin, which plays Easley next week on the road. Laurens plays at Dorman.

 


9/23/09 - TRIBUNE TIMES - School spirit sparks Mavs to big win

Teachers don jerseys; football team goes to 4-0

Published: Wednesday, September 23, 2009 - 2:00 am
By Ann Green
Contributing writer

These are good days to be a Mauldin High football player.

On Friday, before the Mavericks went on their home field to remain undefeated with a 63-21 romp against Westside, they got an unusual show of support from their school.

Mauldin teachers wore the players’ orange jerseys for the day.

“I got the idea from a friend of mine,” Mauldin football coach Doug Shaw said. “We want to generate as much school spirit as we can. We presented it to the coaches, took it to the players that Monday, and they thought it was great. When we sent out the e-mail that Tuesday, the teachers thought it was great.

“We’re winning, and it feels good,” he said.

The players loaned their jerseys to teachers they either have this year or ones who have made a big impact on their lives, Shaw said. They also asked the teachers to come to the pregame meal and to the stadium for the game.

“We’re on the road for two weeks, but we’ll do it again, maybe for homecoming. It was just a great atmosphere around school all day,” Shaw said.

Mauldin’s Tiquention Coleman, who scored four touchdowns and rushed 13 times for 156 yards, said it won’t be difficult to sustain the momentum the team has built.

“We’re not going to let the foot off the pedal. We’re going to keep pushing hard,” the senior running back said.

Mauldin (4-0) jumped out to a 28-7 lead in the first period and went on to tally 499 net yards to Westside’s 315. Westside falls to 0-4.

Mavericks quarterback Jeremiah McKie, who rushed for 53 yards and passed for 145, had two touchdown runs and completed a touchdown pass to senior Anthony Stephens (70 yards).

Senior running back Andre Clarke, who rushed for 53 yards, had one of Mauldin’s nine touchdowns, and Daniel Lewis caught an 81-yard pass from Kyle Peterman for Mauldin’s final touchdown of the night.

Mauldin is on the road Friday vs. Laurens (0-4). The Mavericks’ next home game will be Oct. 9 against Dorman in a key Region 2-AAAA matchup. Dorman improved to 4-0 last week with a 54-17 win over Lexington.

  

 

 9/20/09 - TRIBUNE TIMES - Mavs rip Rams, remain undefeated

Early burst helps Mauldin go to 4-0

 

 

Mauldin's Ryan Norton commits to Tigers

  

Mauldin's Ryan Norton commits to Tigers

by David Hood -- Senior Writer

Norton selected the Tigers over Georgia Tech and South Carolina.

Mauldin High School’s Ryan Norton was with his mom and dad getting ready to eat hot dogs following the Mavericks’ spring game on Friday, and figured there was no time like the present to give Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney a call and let him know that he was going to be a Clemson Tiger.

“I knew for a while that it would be hard to beat Clemson,” Norton said late Friday. “Tonight, I just had that gut feeling that I wanted to go ahead and commit because Clemson is just the best fit for me. Coach Swinney was very excited and welcomed me into the Clemson family.”

Norton (6-4, 275) is considered the top center prospect in the state, and will more than likely play on the interior in college. He was also considering Georgia Tech and South Carolina.

Norton said that being able to make such a huge decision with family and friends around made it even better.

“They were all excited,” he said. “They knew I really liked Clemson and they were all congratulating me and stuff. I wanted to go ahead and commit now because from now on I just want to focus on my team, and I don’t want anything else on my mind. But I am very excited to be a Clemson Tiger.”

Lee Taylor, Norton’s position coach at Mauldin, said it is always gratifying to see one of his players earn a trip to the next level.

“As a coach, any time a kid goes off to college to play, you just feel good for the kid,” Taylor said. “We had Taylor Hudson go off to East Carolina last year, and to see Ryan go to Clemson is awesome, especially in seeing where he has come from since he was a 9th-grader. He was playing the C Team, and he never played junior varsity, and then as a 10th grader was thrown onto the varsity. It is really fulfilling to me to see him commit to such a great program.”

Taylor said the fact that the Clemson coaches kept in contact with Norton almost from the beginning made a huge difference.

“He weighed a lot of other schools, but Clemson showed a lot of interest and took care of him from the beginning,” Taylor said. “He got along with the coaches, and I think staying home was important to him. The coaches also did a great job of staying on him, and letting him know they were interested in him.”

Norton selected the Tigers over Georgia Tech and South Carolina.


This site in no way represents the opinions of Mauldin High School or Greenville County Schools. We would like to thank Gwinn Davis- Tribune Times Photo Editor and John Olson of scrunners.com for the use of their great photos on our website. GoMavs began in December, 2006 thanks to the efforts of Booster parents Tim Steele and Dwight Slessman along with our webguy John Steele. We are a parent run website. Each team has a volunteer parent that reports their news to our site. Please click our sponsor links on the right side of the page. Questions about our site, please contact Sandy Lawson click here.