Football Game Preview: Mauldin Mavericks vs. T.L. Hanna Yellow Jackets

Mauldin is 1-8 against T.L. Hanna since September of 2015 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Friday. The Mavericks are taking a road trip to face off against the Yellow Jackets at 7:30 p.m.

Mauldin is headed into the game out to prove that what happened against Hillcrest on Friday (when they were outscored in every quarter) was just a minor bump in the road. The Mavericks lost 29-7 to the Rams.

The losing side was boosted by Reddick Langston, who rushed for 111 yards, and also threw for 94 yards and one touchdown.

Meanwhile, T.L. Hanna faced Greenwood in a battle between two of the state's top teams on Friday. The Yellow Jackets slipped by the Eagles 22-21. The win was familiar territory for the Yellow Jackets, who have now won three contests in a row.

The critical scores for T.L. Hanna came from Jaylon Watson, Elijah Grimes, and Jimmarion Boston.

Langston was just one part of a punishing run game: T.L. Hanna was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 265 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 265 rushing yards in three consecutive matchups.

T.L. Hanna's victory bumped their record up to 3-1. As for Mauldin, their loss dropped their record down to 2-2.

Friday's game might be decided on the ground. Mauldin has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 195.2 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like T.L. Hanna struggles in that department as they've been averaging 277.2 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's contest turns into a tough fight on the ground.

Mauldin took a serious blow against T.L. Hanna in their previous matchup back in November of 2024, falling 50-16. Thankfully for the Mavericks, Kd Patterson (who rushed for 142 yards and three TDs on only ten carries) won't be suiting up this time. Will that be enough to change the final result? There's only one way to find out.