Soon after securing the first state championship in Anderson County football history, senior star Bryson Vowell was letting go of his receiving gloves, splitting them between a pair of young Mavericks fans.
Those gloves had served him well, helping Vowell’s hands play a pivotal part in the TSSAA Class 4A BlueCrossBowl as the Mavericks mounted a comeback to defeat Pearl-Cohn 34-30 on Saturday at Finley Stadium.
The 6-foot-4 Vowell secured a perfect season for Anderson County when he leaped high in the air to intercept the final pass of the game. Vowell also provided a 34-24 lead with 8:49 left in the fourth quarter as he hauled in his 17th touchdown catch of the season, making the grab in the back of the end zone on senior quarterback’s Walker Martinez 54th touchdown toss of the year.
“This means everything in the world to us, our fans, coaches and every player who has come before us,” Vowell said. “I have watched AC football for my whole life, and they have been so close to this moment. For us to finally succeed and win it all is something so special.
“I had a sleepless night going through the game about a million times in my head. Those two plays I made in the fourth quarter were all ones I dreamed of. To be able to do them in real life means a lot.”