Madison County Red Raiders

reprinted from The Madison County Journal September 4, 2009 edition

Madison County (0-1) lost to Rockdale County 28-6 last week and must recover quickly to face Winder-Barrow Friday on the road.

“You can’t focus on the past,” head coach Randell Owens said. “We have to focus on this week — the practice today, then the practice tomorrow.”

Madison County faces the Bulldoggs at 7:30 p.m. at W. Clair Harris Stadium looking to snap an eight-game losing streak that dates back to last year.

Owens said Winder-Barrow, 1-9 last year, is a team building on what coach Ben Corley installed during his inaugural season in 2008.

“They’ll be a lot like last year,” Owens said. “They’ll just do it more efficiently.”

Madison County has been here before.

Last year, the Raiders faced Winder-Barrow following a 25-14 loss to Rockdale County and won 44-7. But to be successful again against the Bulldoggs, Madison County must eliminate mental mistakes — particularly the drive-killing penalties that hindered it in the loss to Rockdale County — and control the lines of scrimmage, Owens said.

The coach added that it would help if his team doesn’t have to play from behind.

Madison County was forced to play catch-up last week against Rockdale County, prompting the Raiders to throw more than they would have liked. That played right into Rockdale’s hand, Owens said.

“If you want to come back, you’ve got to do something to get back into it,” Owens said of last week’s loss. “They’re not stupid. They know what you’re going to do.”

Meanwhile, Corley and company come into the contest fresh, benefiting from an off week in week one. Corley, who scouted Madison County’s loss to Rockdale County, is wary of the Raiders’ versatility and ability.

“They are scary because they can attack you in so many ways,” he told The Barrow Journal, a sister paper of The Madison County Journal. “We will have our hands full.”

Meanwhile, Owens said wallowing over last week’s disappointment is energy misspent. After all, there’s a game to prepare for Friday. Everybody must refocus and move on, he said.

“To do that you have to focus on what’s next, which is the next opponent,” Owens said.