Back to the future? No. 13 Mallard Creek takes down No. 2 Hough with stout defense

Is Mallard Creek back? It’s sure starting to look that way.

For years, the Mavericks were the top team in Mecklenburg County, once winning three consecutive N.C. 4AA state championships. But the Mavericks in recent years slipped as Hough and Chambers became the predominant public school powers in the county.

But after a third-round playoff appearance last season, the Mavericks began this season with one of the toughest schedules in America — facing a top-10 nationally ranked team in Georgia and a pair of S.C. state champions.

That’s beginning to pay off now.

On Friday night, Mallard Creek got one of its biggest wins in years, a signature 13-9 victory at Hough in a game with no touchdowns scored on offense.

Both defenses played at a high level the entire game forcing turnovers as well as several three-and-outs. The Huskies led 6-0 at halftime thanks to two Nolan Hauser field goals.

Mallard Creek scored a defensive touchdown — a 6-yard pick-6 from defensive lineman Miles Chambers — to take a 7-6 lead before Hough’s defense recovered a fumble inside the Mallard Creek 5 with under nine minutes to play in the third quarter. The Mallard Creek defense stood firm, however, forcing Hauser’s third field goal of the game giving Hough the lead back, 9-7.

After a long sustained drive for the Huskies late in the third quarter, quarterback Tad Hudson had his pass tipped up into the air. It was intercepted by Mallard Creek and returned for a 68-yard pick-6 by Elijah McCoy to give the Mavericks the win.

This story was originally published October 14, 2022 at 10:38 PM.