Madison County Red Raiders

MCHS back in playoffs for second straight year BY BEN MUNRO It took Madison County 23 years to finally find its way back to the playoffs last fall. It took only 12 months to get back there again. The Raiders have replaced what was once a postseason drought with a postseason streak, earning a second-straight trip to the Class AAAA playoffs with a chaotic 47-44 win over Salem. They’ll take on postseason newcomer East Paulding (9-1) on the road Friday at 7:30 p.m. “Second in a row here, I don’t know if it’s ever happened,” safety Hunter Adams said Friday night of getting back to state. It actually has, but only once (1982-1983) as these Raiders have pulled off a rare feat. Adams hopes this is something that becomes not-so-rare. “We want to make (the state playoffs) a tradition around here every year,” added Adams, who had 18 tackles this past Friday night. The Red Raiders’ foes might feel just as giddy about playing beyond the regular season as Madison County was last year. This is East Paulding’s first trip to the playoffs in 16 seasons of football. MCHS head coach Randell Owens said last year’s coach Tim Glanton laid a good foundation for first-year coach John Reid’s and his staff who have turned a veteran-laden East Paulding team into a winner. East Paulding has 33 seniors. “You had a group that was coming together anyway … It’s going to be a challenge,” Owens said. Madison County has a more business-like approach to the sate playoffs this year according to Owens after earning a the three seed this year out of 8-AAAA with a 5-2 finish. The Raiders won their last four region games, including surviving its shootout against two-time defending region champ Salem in the 8-AAAA playoff round Friday. A 40-yard field goal from Jack Orr lifted the team to the win and the postseason on Friday as the team celebrated the moment in Conyers. “Our team is great,” Orr said after the game. “We wouldn’t have gotten here without all these people, the fans and the crowd and the parents. They’re just great. We love them.” Now the question is can they win a postseason game for the first time in 24 years. Not since Madison County beat Norcoss in 1982 have the Raiders made it to the second week of the playoffs. Owens said he’s let the team know the opportunity that’s in front of it. “We told them that you have a chance to go deeper in the playoffs than anybody else has,” coach Owens said. For the rest of this story see this week's edition of The Madison County Journal.