MAXWELL, CA (MPG) – After falling just short of their first section title in more than a decade last season, the Panthers take the field in 2025 as not only a legitimate contender, but a team on a mission to capture the championship they have so long desired.
An offensive juggernaut that rolled up 4892 total yards and out-scored its opponents 521-267 last year, Maxwell lost its only two games by a total of four points.
Helping the Panthers on their quest this season is the fact that 17 players off that Northern Section Division V runner-up squad return as seniors this season.
Spearheading this year’s group is Erik New, the team leader in rushing, receiving and total tackles in 2024.
Nearly unstoppable, New rushed for 1367 yards, eclipsing the 100-yard mark six times in addition to logging 438 receiving yards and scoring a total of 26 touchdowns, which was good for fifth in the section.
Defensively he was also among the section leaders in tackles finishing with 138 or an average of 10.5 per game.
Yet, New is not content despite what he achieved as a junior and is looking to propel his team to greater heights this season as he explained, “These guys are my friends and to be there with them in the game is the main reason I play. I want to reach my fullest potential to try and be even better this year so I can lead our team back to the championship game. Losing the way we did left us with a lot of fire and our goal is to get back there and win it all.”
Working to open up holes for New and fellow running backs Celestino Corona and newcomer Jacob Hamilton is a formidable line that includes senior returners Macklin Kuska, Logan Lazurus, Connor Pearson and Joel Rolon along with juniors Colt Montgomery and Tyler Polit.
It’s an area that Coach Lane Davis believes may be even better than it was last season, saying, “We definitely have a more experienced group on our offensive line. We are bigger, stronger and faster up front and that is going to help our run game.”
At the receiver positions Maxwell is athletic and will look to seniors Tanner Vierra, Evan Mathis, Luke Pearson and Rosendo Salazar along with junior Vincent Orozco to make significant contributions.
Vierra brings the most game experience, where a year ago he was third on the team in receiving with 416 yards and five touchdowns, while Mathis is the team’s catalyst and in Davis’s words, “its hardest worker.”
However, one challenge this year for the Panther offense is overcoming the loss of their quarterback and unquestioned leader Noel Velazquez, who graduated last spring.
Third in the Northern Section in passing yards with 2011, Velazquez threw 24 touchdowns and ran for an additional 721 yards, scoring 10 times.
Davis and his staff are considering senior Levi Velazquez and junior Landon Barrett as the leading candidates for the spot, although no final decision had been made as of the Pioneer Review print deadline.
Defensively, one of the Panthers’ most disruptive forces is Kuska, who according to Davis is showing a maturity and focus that could make him one of the most dominant players in the Mid-Valley League.
For his part, the big lineman is looking forward to his final season for the blue and gold and getting another crack at the D5 crown.
“We won a lot of games last year and we proved a lot, but there is still more to prove,” said Kuska, who made 60 tackles including 15 for losses last year. “We have lots of experience and lots of leaders. I’m looking forward to going after it one last time with this group.”
Also returning for his senior season is Connor Pearson who made 120 tackles or 9.2 per game from his linebacker position, which was ninth in Northern Section.
Vierra, who can hit with the best of them, will also figure prominently having made 119 tackles and five interceptions in his junior season.
Salazar should reprise his role in the defensive backfield as well having picked off four passes in 2024, while Davis also likes what he sees from Luke Pearson in the secondary.
Given that there are no pushovers in D5, Maxwell cannot let up if it is to return to the title game and while having to face rivals Biggs and Los Molinos in Mid-Valley League play prior to the playoffs, the road back will not be an easy one.
Still, Davis is optimistic about his squad’s ability to avenge the loss in the championship saying, “I really think we have a chance. We’ve talked about that as one of our goals and we’ve got the team to do it.”
Maxwell kicks off its season tonight at home against Rio Vista.