Parkview running back Trelain Maddox had a breakout game on Friday and it came just in the nick of time.
Maddox, thrust into the role as the main running back with the season-ending injury to 1,000-yard runner Khyair Spain, rushed for 228 yards and three touchdowns, intercepted a pass and made five tackles to help the No. 6 Panthers outlast North Gwinnett 35-32 at the Big Orange Jungle in Lilburn.
Maddox, a 6-2 190-pound senior who has committed to Georgia Tech, scored on runs of 78, 82 and 10 yards. The last one went for the winning touchdown and enabled the Panthers to scored with 1:10 left and thwart the North Gwinnett upset bid.
“We knew that was coming, we just didn’t what day it was going to happen,” Parkview coach Joe Sturdivant said. “He’s a fantastic player on both sides of the ball but now everybody sees why Georgia Tech is bringing him in as a running back. What a fantastic kid … team leader … he played every single snap, he was on special teams. What an absolutely stud.”
The big play for Maddox came on fourth-and-2 at the Parkview 40. Maddox was able to break free on the left side and go for 40 yards. The Parkview staff put that play into the gameplan earlier this week and counted on the receivers being able to clear the way.
But the game was close because North Gwinnett was able to sustain long drives against a Parkview defense that was without seven players, including five starters on the defense, as a result of their involvement with a fight in its last game against Shiloh. The depth was tested to the degree that Parkview as using offensive linemen on the defensive line just to give its guys a break.
North Gwinnett trailed by 21-3 but was able to methodically hang in. They took the lead for the first time with 5:35 left when quarterback Ryan Hall ran it in from the 4.
And the North defense got a bad break early in Parkview’s go-ahead drive. The Bulldogs had stopped the Panthers on third-and-8, an incomplete pass. But after the North defender knocked the ball away, he made contact the intended receiver. Officials called a personal foul and Parkview was able to keep the drive alive.
The North Gwinnett defense was led by running back Julian Waters, who ran for 104 yards, and Hall, who threw for a touchdown and ran for two scores. Hudson Morton caught a touchdown pass. Constantine Dallis kicked a pair of field goals.
“We definitely grew up a lot,” North Gwinnett coach Eric Godfree said. “It was a great experience just hanging in there and scoring late. I wish we would have finished some other drives and come out on top. They’re a great football team.”
The game was emotion for both sides. Godfree played and Parkview and coached there for xx years before making the switch to North Gwinnett. Sturdivant played for Parkview, too.
“I’m glad this night is over, 100 percent,” Godfree said. “It was an emotional week.”
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