Don’t let his size fool you. West Boca defensive back Maddox Haase is one of the most competitive and talented players in Palm Beach County.
Maddox was just named to the ESPN West Palm Top 63 list, which awards the top 63 seniors (class of 2024) in Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast.
Maddox said that “being named ESPN top 63 is a blessing and definitely sets a standard here for the young Bulls.”
It was a well-deserved award for the newly-named West Boca captain, who recorded two interceptions last year in addition to 48 total tackles. Maddox wasn’t just a ballhawk on defense last season; he played a lot of running back after star Javian Mallory went down with an injury against Coconut Creek.
At running back (four games), Maddox recorded 287 rushing yards and two touchdowns on just 47 carries. Maddox can be described as a very small, but shifty running back that weaves through opposing defenses. Maddox also caught 11 passes out of the backfield for 145 yards.
Maddox’s best game came against the best team West Boca faced: Blanche Ely. On paper, the Tigers were unstoppable, recording an undefeated regular season (10-0). But that didn’t scare Maddox, who recorded his first 100+ yard rushing game, rushing the ball a career-high 26 times for 109 yards against an elite defense.
This year, West Boca has a stacked running back room consisting of Javian Mallory, Jacorrion McCrary, and Jayden Lockhart, so Maddox isn’t set to play at all on the offensive side of the ball. It doesn’t matter, though, Maddox will still impact the Bulls. In fact, he already has.
In Friday night’s 37-0 win over Royal Palm Beach, Maddox recorded an interception in the first quarter when things were tied at zero.
“Expectations for this year are high”, Maddox said. “Especially on my end being a senior captain of a young team, we have high standards here at West Boca and we are looking forward to a 10-0 season.”
Maddox is excited and honored to be a captain because “it comes with great responsibility”. “I’m a senior”, he said. “We have a very young team so it’s important to lead by example on and off the field”.
Maddox is absolutely right when it comes to the importance of leading by example. Most of West Boca is made up of sophomores, as the Bulls are class of 2026 heavy.
