The McNeil Mavericks will head out to challenge the Hutto Hippos at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, these teams will really light up the scoreboard.
McNeil was handed a heart-breaking three-point loss in their last contest, but they sure didn't let that happen against Manor on Friday. The Mavericks were the clear victors by a 42-21 margin over the Mustangs. The final result isn't all that surprising considering the Mavericks' considerable advantage in MaxPreps' Texas football rankings (they are ranked 152nd, while the Mustangs are ranked 692nd).
A big part of McNeil's win came down to the chemistry between Zach Christie and his top target Jarell Gary Jr. Christie gained 79 total yards and two touchdowns while Gary Jr rushed for 89 yards and one score. Gary Jr was no stranger to the big play, taking off on a dash that went for 65 yards. Calvin Cervini also deserves some recognition as he rushed for his first rushing yards of the season.
Meanwhile, Hutto gave up the first points on Thursday, but they didn't give up any more after. In a tight game that could have gone either way, they made off with a 35-34 victory over Vista Ridge.
Hutto's win came from a few key players McNeil will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Jaiden Fields, who picked up 221 receiving yards and a pair of TDs. His receiving production has been exceptional recently as that marked his fourth straight game with at least 118 receiving yards. Kaden Stefek was another key player, having thrown for 263 yards and three touchdowns.
Hutto's defensive line made their presence known, laying out Cameron Lacek five times. Brayden Daniel was especially locked on to Vista Ridge's QB and sacked him three times. Another thorn in the Rangers' side was Carlos Sorto, who picked up a sack, forced one fumble, and made 12 total tackles.
McNeil's win was their seventh straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 6-3. Those home victories came thanks in part to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 48.1 points over those games. As for Hutto, their win bumped their record up to 7-2.
McNeil strolled past Hutto in their previous meeting back in November of 2024 by a score of 42-24. One of the biggest obstacles trying to stand in the way of that victory was the Hippos' Braeton Anderson, who picked up 81 receiving yards and one touchdown, and also punched in one score on the ground. Now that he won't be playing on Friday, will it be easier for the Mavericks to walk away with another win? There's only one way to find out.
