Mauldin has our full attention

[bbrown1240]

Defensive pressure
By DENNIS BRUNSON dennisb@theitem.com The Item

When Sumter High School defensive end Ramero Rock saw that he and his Gamecock teammates would be playing host to Mauldin in the first round of the 4A Division I football state playoffs, his thoughts went to the score in the Mavericks' 13-point victory over Boiling Springs last Friday.

Mauldin won 83-70.

"That's a basketball score," Rock said.

< Excerpt - full article available at the headline link with a subscription >

[SF Band dad]

Copyrighted material must be excerpted and linked.

[trojangrad78]

Mauldin has gotten the attention of many people across the state this year.

[DeCav]

You know, they've always been a scrappy bunch. A couple of years ago they almost knocked us out of the playoffs. We literally had to go into desperation mode to be able to limp away with a W and I think they gave Byrnes a run for their money a few years ago. They hit a slump for a couple of years but have bounced back in a big way. I am hoping to be able to watch Massey play before the season is through.

[SF Band dad]

Good job Gamecocks. I'm looking forward to someone posting a summary of this game.

[bbrown1240]

I was at the game. Here's the rundown:

Mauldin takes the opening kickoff, but both teams couldn't get anything going until around middle of the 2nd qtr. Mauldin QB Dre Massey found a receiver on an 8 yd slant putting them up 7-0. Sumter is forced to punt and one play later Massey breaks loose for a 65 yd touchdown. 14-0 Mauldin. Sumter forced to punt again however Sumter is able to force a pooch punt by Massey on the next drive. The pooch punt is partially blocked, Sumter FS Charlie Miranda picks it up and had nothing but daylight and blockers. Mauldin 14 Sumter 7. Mauldin is forced to do a real punt on the ensuing possession. Sumter runs the ball 3 times, ending with a Quentin Anderson 55 yd touchdown scamper, breaking about 5 tackles in the process. Game tied at 14. Sumter stops Mauldin at Sumter's 2 yd line to end the half.

Sumter receives the opening second half kickoff and Ky'Jon Tyler takes it 90 yds to the house. Sumter up 21-14. Mauldin goes 3 and out and punts. Sumter goes tempo on the next drive and QB james Barnes finds Tyler in the corner of the end zone to put Sumter up 28-14. Both teams exchange punts and Mauldin takes a long methodical drive into the 4th qtr.

Mauldin running back punches it in from about 2 yds out to make the score 28-21. On the ensuing kickoff, Sumter's Xzavian Burson takes the kickoff all the way to the Mauldin 35. Sumter called for holding and a false start, but on 2nd down Barnes finds Tyler on a wide open wheel route for a 40 yd touchdown, Ky'jon Tyler's 3rd of the night. 35-21 Sumter. Mauldin takes another long drive into the red zone but a holding penalty and a big tackle for loss sets up 4th and 25 on the Sumter 40. A Sumter defender falls down and Massey finds Bo Craft in the back of the end zone. Mauldin misses a HUGE extra point to make the score 35-27. Sumter is driving on the next possession and Mauldin uses 2 time outs. 4th and 4 on the Sumter 30 and Sumter opts to run the ball instead of attempt a field goal. They needed 4 and got 3. Mauldin gets the ball with about a minute left. They convert 2 4th downs and the ball is on the Sumter 40 with 6 seconds left. Massey is sacked, fumbles, and DE Cavozio Wells scoops and scores making the final score 41-27.

Massey threw for over 300 yds but was held to about 120 yds rushing, half of that on a touchdown run in the 2nd qtr. Sumter's D-Line played lights out, stuffing the run, but they did not rush Massey, allowing him to throw. Massey was sacked twice. Sumter rarely used a free safety in the game, basically allowing their DBs to be matched up one on one with the Mauldin receivers. Huge win for Sumter, especially since no one was expecting them to win.

[SF Band dad]

Thanks! If I hadn't had a previous engagement at Flo Memorial, that would have been the game I would have gone to.

It sounds like it was worth the price of admission.

Go Gamecocks!