By CHRIS HOBBS
HobbsDailyReport.com
MAIDEN SCHEDULE
(all games at 7:30 p.m.)
August
18—at Fred T. Foard
25—E. Burke
September
1—at Bunker Hill
8—St. Stephens
22—BANDYS
29—at W. LINCOLN
October
6—LAKE NORMAN CHARTER
13—at N. LINCOLN
20—E. LINCOLN
27—NEWTON-CONOVER
November
3—at LINCOLNTON
Conference: South Fork 2A.
Head coach: Will Byrne (8-4, 1 year).
Last season’s records: 8-4 overall; 5-2 Southern District 7 Athletic 2A, tied for third place.
Last season’s results: Fred T. Foard, W 53-0; Hibriten, L 20-49; at St. Stephens, W 43-10; at S. Caldwell, W 67-28; BUNKER HILL, W 60-7; at NEWTON-CONOVER, W 33-28; W. CALDWELL, L 12-35; BANDYS, W 56-40; at W. LINCOLN, W 59-22; E. LINCOLN, L 35-49; at LINCOLNTON, W 65-47; Mount Pleasant, L 24-35.
SCHOOL FOOTBALL HISTORY
Last season in state playoffs: 2016, 2AA.
Last state playoff victory: 2013, d. Forbush 35-0, first round.
All-time state playoff bids: 41.
Conference titles since 1980: 13 (7 outright, 6 shares); 2012 Catawba Valley Athletic 2A (share).
BY THE NUMBERS
OVERALL
Returning starters: 11.
Returning letterman: 23.
OFFENSE
Returning starters: 4.
Leading returning rusher: Lee Turner (16-85, no TDs).
Leading returning passer: None.
Leading returning receiver: Caleb McDaniel (14-232, 1 TD).
Other players to watch: Charlie Moody (Sr., OL); Logan Hentschel (Sr., WR); Keygan Mayfield (Sr., QB).
DEFENSE
Returning starters: 7.
Players to watch: Maurtice Bennett (Sr., LB); Michael Cobb (Sr., LB); Cooper Bumgarner (Sr., LB); Gannon Bishop (Jr., LB); Chris Morgan (Soph., DL).
OUTLOOK
Look for the Blue Devils to be very different in what they do offensively, at least from the standpoint that they’re not as likely to have one player who is the focus of that offense.
Last season, when they won eight games, graduated QB Caleb Farley was just too talented not to use every ounce of his productivity to win.
Maiden is in a better position at that position than it was at the end of last season, as Keygan Mayfield has returned to the Blue Devils – he played WR last year at Davidson Day – and is athletic.
Four of Maiden’s 11 returning starters are on offense, where they averaged a league-best 469.2 yards per game that included an astounding 9.32 yards per play.
The Blue Devils were not as strong defensively as they have been. And with seven returning starters there that’s what could carry them to the heights league coaches have predicted – they were tabbed to finish tied for second with Lincolnton and East Lincoln.
One factor will be taking care of the ball better. With Farley under center, the Blue Devils took 604 offensive snaps and opponents took 698. Part of that came from a minus-8 turnover ratio.
Maiden will be challenged to be as high-scoring, especially out of its running game (league-high 53 rushing TDs), but the Blue Devils are a solid pick to grab the school’s 42nd all-time bid into the state playoffs.