It was a chilly night with a loud crowd for the homecoming game vs Hickman on Oct.4. The Kewpies scored a touchdown with 33 seconds remaining in the game to make the score 67-37, Spartans up by 30. Just as the crowd was expecting the Spartans to go in victory formation and to let the clock run out, the Spartans decided that it was time for junior Jordan Mayes to get in for the last play, his first snap of the season.

Just as the time expired, Mayes received a handoff from senior quarterback Harrison Keller, Mayes took the ball 45 yards to the end zone to score the game’s final touchdown and both Hickman and Battle benches swarmed the field to congratulate Mayes on his first career rushing touchdown: a moment Mayes said he would never forget. “It was so great, it made me happy to score a touchdown,” Mayes said.

Mayes has been a part of the team for all three of his high school years. When Spartan head coach Atiyyah Ellison took the lead, Ellison and the Kewpie’s head football coach Cedric Alvis planned to let Mayes into the game’s final play on homecoming night.

However, Spartan’s quarterback coach and Offensive Coordinator Matthew Herman was the one to make the call to put Mayes into the game. Herman said that Mayes’ touchdown was a tremendous feeling and the reactions from Mayes teammates was something he would never forget. “Jordan is one of us, he is a part of our team, he shows up to practice every day  and puts in the work just like everyone else. Hearing the crowd chant for Jordan brought a smile to my face and it’s something that will stick with me for the rest of my life,” Herman said.

Many of the Spartan football players knew in advance about what was going to occur days before the game, but some people did not know much about it.

Lathisa Mayes, Mayes’ mother, has been to every game since Jordan Mayes joined his freshman year. Lathisa Mayes was in the midst of tears and was extremely happy and proud of her son. “He’s been looking forward to this moment for a long time, he’s always there to cheer on his teammates. To see Jordan’s smile was priceless and this is an event that will always be talked about in the Mayes family and something that I will never forget,”  Mayes said.

Mayes won the KMIZ  week six sports zone play of the week for his touchdown.