The Clanton Advertiser

He’s far from the flashiest player on the Maplesville offense.

Quarterback Colby Chambers leads the Chilton County area in passing. Demetrius Parker is quick and can score from anywhere on the field. Anthony Johnson is a remarkable athlete and looks like a college wide receiver.

Career night: Maplesville running back Brintain Hill, a senior, rushed for a career-high five touchdowns last week.

Senior running back Brintain Hill is none of those players, but he is an invaluable part of the Red Devils’ potent attack. He demonstrated that fact again–quietly–as he ran for a career-high five touchdowns last week in Maplesville’s 48-12 win over Ellwood Christian.

The performance earned Hill The Clanton Advertiser’s Player of the Week honor.

“He’s a workhorse kind of guy,” MHS coach Brent Hubbert said. “He’s kind of forgotten in our offense, but he steadily puts up the yards.”

Hill, who scored his five TDs on only 16 carries, follows in the footsteps of productive fullbacks Brad Pike and Hunter McCay. The Maplesville offense is known for slinging the ball around–as Chambers’ numbers attest–but it is most effective when it is balanced between pass and run.

“We’re a take-what-you-give-us offense,” Hubbert said, “and we hope we take enough.”

In the Devils’ only loss of the season, 17-14 at Sweet Water in Week 5, the running game was taken away by a talented defense. Chambers and his receivers made enough plays to keep MHS in position to win the game late, but if Maplesville is to make another deep playoff run, an offensive line that is minus three starters from last season will have to find a way to keep opening holes for Hill and Company.

“It’s a work in progress,” Hubbert said. “We’re looking for more aggressiveness. We’ve been good assignment-wise; we just don’t have a lot of big guys.”

Honorable mention

William Garrigus, Thorsby

•Recorded a team-high 14 tackles in a 57-6 loss to Trinity.