KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Two points stood between Anderson County and another shot at a state championship. The Mavericks' season came to a heartbreaking end with a 43–41 loss to Macon County in the semifinal round — a game that still lingers in their minds months later.
“Every time we hear the name Macon County, we have a little bit of grit to us,” said wide receiver Evan Pratt. “It’s frustrating, but I think we’ve handled that loss well. We’re back to working hard, and we don’t want to lose like that again.”
The only way to erase that sour taste? Hoisting a gold ball.
Anderson County finished last season with 11 wins and notched its eighth straight undefeated season in regional play. That success was driven largely by a high-powered offense that averaged 50 points per game. In 8 of their 11 victories, the Mavericks won by 20 points or more.
What seemed like a clear path to another state championship appearance was halted just short — a setback that’s fueled an intense offseason.
“We want it really bad,” said lineman Jackson Hill. “We were so close to getting a taste of it. My class were freshmen the year we won a championship. We still know what that feels like, and we want to feel it again.”
Last season’s deep run came with eight new starters on both sides of the ball. This year, that number jumps to 19 new starters — a major shift in personnel but not necessarily in expectations.
Among those stepping into the spotlight is JD Gillum, the new starting quarterback — and the son of longtime head coach Davey Gillum.
With JD now leading the offense, the Mavericks are hoping to recapture their explosive form. And according to Coach Gillum, the foundation is starting to take shape.
“At this point, we’re getting a good grasp on who they can be,” said Coach Gillum. “It’s exciting — there’s a lot of speed and some size — but we’re still a long way from getting to that state championship level.”
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