Players of The Pine Belt: Seminary LB/RB Seth Mauldin

SEMINARY, Miss. (WDAM) - It’s been a lengthy road to recovery for Seminary High School senior Seth Mauldin.

Mauldin was a standout at both linebacker, and running back for the Bulldogs..

At the start of his junior season, however, a jamboree preseason game would change his fate on the gridiron.

Mauldin suffered a brutal anterior cruciate ligament injury to his knee that sidelined him for more than eight months and forcing him to miss the 2022 season.

He described the setback as one of the darkest times in his football-playing career.

“It wasn’t easy.” Said Mauldin. “Missing every Friday night, It hurts you pretty bad not being able to play your junior year and not being able to lead the linebacker corps.”

After relentless training and rehab sessions, Mauldin was finally able to get back on the practice field this summer.

While Mauldin was excited, Bulldogs head coach Mitch Evans couldn’t say the same.

“To be honest, I was nervous.” Evans said. “I was the one sitting there trying to baby him into it. Not wanting him to rush, not wanting him to do it.

“I know his mentality. He’s going to attack everything full speed and head on. So, I tried to get the reins off him a little bit and hold him back so he wouldn’t have another setback.”

Mauldin said he is excited to once again be the leader of the Seminary defense.

Evans said the leadership quality he carries speaks to more than just his teammates.

“I hired a new coach this year.” Evans said. “The new coach came in, and he thought Seth was actually a coach because he was standing there leading drills and stuff. He was’t able to participate, but that tells you right there what kind of a leader he is.”

Mauldin gets his chance to make his return to football in the Pine Belt on Aug. 25, when Seminary battles Stringer High School in Week One of the 2023 season.

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