Do we have your attention now?
Mavs make statement in 48-6 rout on the road at Science Hill
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Braden Miller was The Man for the Mavs Friday night, hauling in four touchdown pass- es from Walker “Gunslinger” Martinez. The Mavs scored early and often to go 2-0 into region play against the Fulton Falcons Friday night in Knoxville. - Ricky Williams
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Anderson County High School’s leading rusher on the season notched his first touch- down Friday against Science Hill. The Mav offensive line didn’t leave anyone for him to run over. - Ricky Williams
Anderson County High School football Coach Davey Gillum was pleasantly surprised with what he saw Friday night.
The Mavericks started fast and notched a lopsided victory over Science Hill.
Gillum said he expected a challenge from the host Hilltoppers.
The Mavericks, however, made quick work of Science Hill as they nabbed a 48-6 win at Steve Spurrier Field in Johnson City.
“We thought this would be a nip-and-tuck game,” Gillum said. “That’s a good football team over there. It’s a little shocking.
“Science Hill is a lot better team than that score shows. It’s not as easy as we made it look tonight.”
Anderson County, which is off to its first 2-0 start since 2018, wasted little time seizing control of the game. It really wasn’t much of a contest after the Mavericks scored three touchdowns in the first quarter before the game was halted for more than 30 minutes due to lightning late in the opening frame.
Mavs senior quarterback Walker Martinez threw five touchdown passes, including a pair in the first stanza.
Martinez opened the scoring with a 25-yard touchdown toss to Braden Miller. Kicker Chris Nelson added the extra point to extend ACHS’s advantage to 7-0.
Martinez and Miller connected for another score a short time later on a 10-yard scoring strike to make it 14-0.
Junior Nick Moog had a 1-yard scoring plunge, just before the game was suspended with 18 seconds to go in the first quarter.
The delay didn’t do much to slow the Mavericks’ high-powered passing attack as Martinez, who was 16-for-22 for 233 yards, five touchdowns and one interception, connected Eli Braden from 11-yards out to make the score 21-0 with 11 minutes, 23 seconds remaining in the first half.
After the ACHS defense held the Hilltoppers (1-1) on downs with 33 seconds remaining until halftime, the offense cashed in as Martinez threw a 51-yard pass to Miller to make it 34-0 before halftime.
Martinez connected with Miller for one more score late in the third frame. The 30-yarder extended the Mavericks’ advantage to 41-0 with 2:24 to play in the stanza.
Gillum got to see some of his younger players in the fourth quarter as the Mavericks scored when Cody Miller threw a 29-yard touchdown strike to Ethan Pyatt.
Science Hill scored its touchdown early in the final frame on a short run by Javin Chester.
Looking at his team’s effort, Gillum was pleased with the win but said he knows that his team must improve before hitting the road for its region opener against Fulton in Knoxville this week.
“We still have some things to work on,” Gillum said. “But tonight, we ran the ball well and Walker threw the ball well and we blocked well.”
Defensively, the Mavericks stopped the Hilltoppers on fourth down four times despite getting beat deep on a few occasions.
“I think they made some big plays, most of them after we subbed out,” Gillum said. “But good teams are going to make plays.”
Next up for ACHS is a league game against the Falcons at Bob Black Stadium in Knoxville.
The Falcons, under new head coach Jeff McMillan, are 1-1, splitting their first two games against Austin-East and Knoxville Central.
Fulton lost to the Bobcats 41-21 last week on the road in Fountain City.