> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.smdp.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Maze takes big game to small field - URL: https://www.smdp.com/maze-takes-big-game-to-small-field/ - Published: 2008-06-21T15:00:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-24T19:57:26.000Z - Author: Guest Author - Tags: local, Downtown, #archive-import *Maze still giving back to local community* *By MICHAEL MIDDLEHURST-SCHWARTZ Special to the Daily Press* DOWNTOWN L.A. When Terrell Maze scored his long-awaited first touchdown of his rookie season, he forgot what to do. As he stood in the endzone of the Staples Center, the magnitude of the moment was-n’t lost on him. By intercepting an errant pass from the Utah Blaze and returning it for a touchdown, the defensive back had extended the Los Angeles Avengers’ lead to nine points. But after scoring his first touchdown since his senior year at Santa Monica High School six years ago, Maze was in unfamiliar territory. “I kind of froze up a little,”Maze said.“But then I enjoyed it and got to do a little dance.” With the Avengers eventually dropping the game against Utah and standing at a 5-10 record, Maze hasn’t always had a lot to dance about. But after winning last week’s home finale against Kansas City, the Avengers are within reach of the Arena Football League playoffs. A win against Tampa Bay today coupled with a loss from one of the other three teams competing for a spot in the postseason would send the Avengers to the playoffs for the sixth time in seven seasons. After starting all 15 games for his home-town team in his rookie year, Maze has become a staple of the Avengers’ defense. “I’m kind of surprised he’s here, because he’s an NFL-level guy,” said Michael Church, the Avengers’ defensive coordinator. “He’s the second-best rookie I’ve had in a decade.” Growing up in Santa Monica, Maze never envisioned himself playing football in Los Angeles. After winning a state championship at Samohi and playing four years at San Diego State, he signed as an undrafted free agent with the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens. Maze was cut by the Ravens before the regular season, leaving him with limited options to continue his football career. But he was introduced to the Arena League when his agent informed him of a workout with the Avengers, an opportunity Maze was glad to stumble upon. “Being able to play in front of my friends and family, it’s the best,” Maze said. “It gives you a little pride anytime you go out there.” But as a cornerback in the pass-oriented Arena League, Maze has taken his share of first-year lumps. With a 50-yard field, receivers getting a running start and fewer players on the field than college football and the NFL, defensive players have their backs against the wall. Maze was initiated to the nuances of Arena Football early in his first season. In his third game of the year, he was matched up against the Philadelphia Soul’s Chris Jackson, a nine-year veteran who ranks fourth all-time on the AFL’s career receptions list. Jackson scorched Maze for six touchdowns and 167 yards on the day as the Soul coasted to a 71-34 win. “It took some getting used to, but I learned that every once in a while you’re going to get burnt,” Maze said. Since then, Maze has become one of the Avengers’ defensive stalwarts. He leads the team in tackles and is tied for second in interceptions. “In this league, you have no choice but to adapt.” said Clarence Lawson, who starts for the Avengers at cornerback opposite of Maze. “So far, he’s made it.” As a first-year player joining a veteran group of defensive backs, Maze had to learn how to fit in amongst his teammates. Long-time Avengers Damen Wheeler and Kevin Ingram helped Maze adjust to a new environment. “I used to call him ‘the mute’ at first because he hardly ever talked,” Church said. “Now he cracks jokes like the rest of them and is just one of the guys.” Living in Marina Del Rey, Maze has stayed close to his Santa Monica roots. Two of his brothers attend Samohi and he stays in touch with many of his high school teammates. Maze worked at the Boys & Girls Club of Santa Monica during the offseason, helping students with homework in the after-school program. “I was in that program when I was younger and it meant a lot to me,”Maze said. “I wanted to help out in any way I could.” While his play as a rookie may have earned him an eventual pay raise, Maze is signed with the Avengers through next season. If he remains with the team after his contract runs out, Maze could be a cornerstone of the Avengers’ defense for years to come, Lawson said. “He’s going to be the guy we look to next year,” Lawson said. “People are going to take their cues from him and he’s going to step up.” While AFL players rarely play for one franchise throughout their careers, Maze has no dreams of hopping from city to city. “If everything works out when the time comes, I’d love to stay here in Los Angeles,” Maze said.“I don’t think it could get any better than this.” *Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on June 21, 2008.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/062108.pdf?ref=smdp.com)