Top-seed Mallard Creek holds off stubborn North Mecklenburg

Any look back at the 2017 Mallard Creek football season will conclude that North Mecklenburg’s Vikings might have given the Mavericks two of their toughest struggles.

The No. 1-seeded Mavericks survived their Class 4AA playoff opener with a 41-33 home victory against the Vikings on Friday night.

Quarterback Jadyn Washington passed for two scores for the Mavericks and Mallard Creek added scores on special teams (a 75-yard opening kickoff return by Melvin Davis) and defense (a 28-yard interception return by Malcolm Franklin late in the third quarter.)

Junior quarterback Aaron Scott passed for three touchdowns and ran for one more for the Vikings, who had lost a tough 28-19 regular-season battle to the Mavericks.

Mallard Creek rolled to a 21-0 lead before the game was five minutes old, scoring on its first three possessions. But North Meck came back with touchdown passes from Scott to Da’qon Stewart and Jabril Griffin to cut the lead to 21-12 early in the second quarter.

From there it was a wild back-and-forth battle with the No. 8-seeded Vikings responding each time the Mavericks pushed their lead to two touchdowns. Mallard Creek led 35-19 at the half and 41-27 after three quarters.

Scott’s 8-yard touchdown run in the third quarter pulled the Vikings to within 41-33 early in the fourth quarter and North Meck had two more serious shots at a tie in the final five minutes -- first driving to the Mallard Creek 15 midway through the fourth quarter before Scott fumbled the ball away, then running out of downs at the Mavericks 30 with a minute to play.

Records: North Meck 9-4; Mallard Creek 12-0.

Worth mentioning

The Vikings kept themselves in the game in the second half with their explosiveness on kickoff returns. A 70-yarder by Fabian Duncan late in the first half set up Lewis’ 15-yard touchdown run which brought North Meck to within 28-19 at halftime. And Justin Olson had a 55-yarder in the third quarter.

What's Next

North Meck’s season is concluded. Mallard Creek hosts Greensboro Page at 7:30 p.m. next Friday in a third-round game.

This story was originally published November 17, 2017 at 10:57 PM with the headline "Top-seed Mallard Creek holds off stubborn North Mecklenburg."