Maxwell still haunts the Dons

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As Dorsey prepares for Friday’s showdown against No. 13 Santa Margarita, I, along with other City observers, expect the Dons to draw inspiration from Birmingham’s win last week over Long Beach Poly. After all, wins by City teams over Southern Section teams are still more rare than commonplace.

But the Dons, who are 1-3 against the Eagles since the series began in 2002, are inspired by something else. The fact that they won’t have to defend Santa Margarita receiver and punt returner Ryan Maxwell, who now attends UC Davis.

Maxwell stood 5 feet 10 and weighed 180, but he played a large part in the Eagles’ victories in 2005 and 2006. Last year, his 79-yard punt return for a touchdown broke open a close game that Santa Margarita won, 28-14. In 2005, Maxwell scored three touchdowns by rushing, receiving and punt return to help the Eagles win, 27-21.

The Dons’ lone victory in the series came in 2004 by a score of 27-7. By coincidence -- or not -- they kept Maxwell, then a sophomore, off the scoreboard in that game.

When asked the big difference between this year’s Santa Margarita team and last year’s, the Dorsey coaches said in unison, ‘No Ryan Maxwell.’

- Mike Terry