Boonville lineman Gavin Maxey recovers from ‘ultimate setback’

BOONVILLE, Ind. (WFIE) - Every individual on a high school football roster has a purpose.

Their strength is often tested by how they’re able to battle back from adversity. Boonville High School senior lineman Gavin Maxey was forced to spend many games on the sidelines after tearing his ACL following his sophomore season, and then again in Week 5 of his junior season.

“Whenever the second one happened, I would hang out with my friends after school or during the summer, they were always on my back and they always respect my decision of coming back and giving it my all,” Maxey said. “It’s good to feel that I have all these people surrounding me.”

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Not having Maxey on the field was a huge blow for the Pioneers because of the leadership he brought to the team every Friday night.

“He’s a starting offensive lineman and a starting defensive tackle for us,” Boonville head coach Darin Ward said. “Plays with great energy, a great motor, and he’s a kid that you’re going to notice on the field on Friday nights.”

Even his teammates noticed his absence.

“Him being out here makes us play together better,” Boonville senior wide receiver Cooper Aigner said. “He was kind of not thinking about playing this year, but then he remembered how much he means to us and how much he is a brother to us. Him coming out lifted our spirits.”

Maxey entered the 2022 season healthy. He helped lead the Pioneers to victories over Paoli and Heritage Hills as a starting guard and nose tackle.

“Friday nights – you get that adrenaline, nothing like home,” Maxey said. “Feels like you’re in a different world really, everyone coming together in the town, everyone cheering each other on. I feel like this team is way more confident than the past few years, we’re closer. I just want to get out there, have everyone healthy and stay healthy.”

To Coach Ward, Maxey is the prime example of what he preaches to the entire team – that strength comes from resilience.

“You’re going to have setbacks,” Ward said. “You’ve got to develop some grit, and he had the ultimate type of setback. It would’ve been easy for somebody after the second one to say, ‘You know what I think I’m done, I don’t need this anymore,’ but I think his desire to not go out with an injury I think motivated him to come back. He’s best friends with all of his classmates, all the seniors, so it’s good to see them all rally around him and really support him as he went through rehab to get back out on the field.”

Maxey and the Pioneers head to North Knox on Friday night to take on the Warriors.

Kick-off is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.

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