2011 Football preview: Maize South Mavericks

Published August 18 at 4:57 p.m. | Last updated August 23 at 3:03 p.m.

Multimedia

Gallery: 2011 high school football preview

The Wichita Eagle and VarsityKansas gear up for the 2011 high school football season by presenting in-depth previews for 30 area teams.

COACH

Brent Pfeifer

Third season

6-12

“To make it to the playoffs in our first (opportunity), it set the bar pretty high for the program. It got the kids motivated.”

AT A GLANCE

Last season: 4-6, reached first round of 4A playoffs

Last two seasons: 6-12 (school opened in 2009)

Projected 2011 playoff team? Yes

BEST SKILL PLAYERS

Player	Ht.	Wt.	Pos	Yr
Drake Dukes	6-1	175	QB	Sr.
Taner Thurman	6-2	175	TE-LB	Sr.
Wes Phillips	5-9	160	WR-LB	Jr.
Jesse Rogers	5-8	155	RB-DB	Jr.

BEST LINEMEN

Player	Ht.	Wt.	Pos	Yr
Cody Weston	6-4	265	C-DT	Sr.
Joe Hobert	6-1	260	OG-DT	Sr.
Zach Tilson	6-0	250	OT-DT	Sr.
Tanner Ricke	6-0	250	OT-DE	Sr.

CODY WESTON ON HIS TEAM

What Maize South does well: “I think that it’s just the way we play together as a team. Not necessarily offense or defense, but the way we play together as a family and do what needs to be done together.”

What has to improve: “We’re going to have to improve on our underclassmen stepping up and filling in the shoes of the older guys who graduated.”

2011 SCHEDULE

Date	Opponent	Time	2010
Sept. 2	Circle	7 p.m.	L,14-7
Sept. 9	El Dorado	7 p.m.	W,24-0
Sept. 16	at Winfield	7 p.m.	W,28-13
Sept. 23	at Clearwater	7 p.m.	L,14-13
Sept. 30	Wellington	7 p.m.	W,17-16
Oct. 7	at Collegiate	7 p.m.	L,35-13
Oct. 14	at Trinity	7 p.m.	L,14-13
Oct. 21	Cheney	7 p.m.	W,40-14
Oct. 27	at Andale	7 p.m.	L,25-13

OUR BREAKDOWN

Maize South, a two-year-old school, first became eligible for the playoffs in 2010 which was also when the Mavericks first played an AV-CTL Division IV schedule. The Mavericks won four games, losing two by a combined nine points, and advanced to the playoffs. There are 120 players out for the team, double the number of the 2009 team.

The Mavericks’ strength lies in its offensive and defensive lines, which are led by Weston. Nevada Harlan (DL) is the top returnering tackler. Dukes, who hovered around 1,000 passing yards and 800 rushing, runs the offense well as he consistently makes strong adjustments and reads at the line of scrimmage. He’s got Phillips to throw to and he can hand off to Rogers, the team’s most experienced back.

- Joanna Chadwick

2011 Football preview: Maize South Mavericks

Multimedia

COACH

AT A GLANCE

BEST SKILL PLAYERS

BEST LINEMEN

CODY WESTON ON HIS TEAM

2011 SCHEDULE

OUR BREAKDOWN

Most popular stories

Schools

Sports

VarsityKansas network