Football Recap: South Comes Up Short

South made up a huge gap compared to their last game against Maize South, but they still couldn't quite topple them. The Cougars fell just short of the Mavericks by a score of 38-35 on Friday. The defeat continues a trend for the Cougars in their meetings with the Mavericks: they've now lost seven in a row.

Despite the loss, South saw an underclassman step up: sophomore Izrael Telles threw for 223 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

Don't try to pin the team's loss on the defense: they kept the trenches locked down and allowed a mere -1.6 yards per carry. The team can thank Caden Stauffer for the heroic effort on defense: he. South didn't have any issues in that department, having averaged 5.5.

South's defensive line didn't let Reign Illian., get away unscathed either: they got into the backfield for three sacks. The team can thank three different players for their defensive prowess: Maddox Girard, Conner Riley, and Jayven Correa Brown, who each picked up one sack apiece. Jaxon Anthony got in on the action too, converting a pick into a touchdown.

Maize South's win was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Braxton Liby, who picked up 181 receiving yards and two scores. Liby showed off some serious burst, cutting upfield on a catch for 55 yards. The team also got some help courtesy of Illian, who threw for 461 yards and four TDs while completing 73.5% of his passes.

South's defeat dropped their record down to 0-2. As for Maize South, they have started the season off flawlessly and has a 2-0 record to show for it.

We've got plenty of inter-district action coming up soon. South is set to face off against their familiar foe Derby on Friday. Meanwhile, Maize South will challenge rival Valley Center on Friday.