Madison County Red Raiders

Reprinted from the Athens Banner-Herald November 4, 2006 editionMadison County 30, Winder-Barrow 7 By Adam Rosenberg | sports@onlineathens.com | Story updated at 2:13 AM on Saturday, November 4, 2006 WINDER - On a night when the temperature was near freezing, it was understandable that the Madison County offense needed a quarter to warm up. After an ice-cold first quarter, the Red Raiders started to sizzle in the second, scoring 23 unanswered points on their way to a 30-7 victory over Winder-Barrow at W. Clair Harris Stadium. Red Raiders quarterback Jarrod Owens threw for 229 yards and two touchdowns, to lead a pass-happy offensive attack, and the Bulldoggs were shut down. "They were only rushing three guys, and I had a lot of time to read the defense and throw underneath," said Owens, who also ran for 58 yards and a touchdown. Madison County (7-2, 4-2 in Region 8-AAAA North) will play Salem at Evans Stadium on Friday in the region playoff. Both offenses struggled to begin the game, turning the ball over three times between them. However, Owens and the Red Raiders got going in the second quarter. The Bulldoggs (1-8, 0-6) fumbled a snap on a punt, and the Red Raiders were there to pick it up. Jarvis Long scored on a 1-yard run on the ensuing drive to open the scoring. Madison County caught the Bulldoggs sleeping on the kickoff and recovered an onside kick at the 38-yard line. One minute later, the Red Raiders scored again on Owens' 3-yard run. As it did all game, the Red Raiders held the Bulldoggs and Owens threw a 10-yard strike to Jesse Boleman to put Madison County up 23-0. To start the second half, Owens accounted for 120 yards on one drive. The Red Raiders committed several penalties, but each time the Red Raiders were backed up, he made up for it with a clutch pass, including a 27-yard touchdown strike to Aldreakis Allen. "My receivers did a great job tonight. I had some misreads, but they adjusted on some balls and made some tough catches on a very cold night," Owens said. While the Madison County offense was impressive, the Bulldoggs couldn't find a rhythm. Despite throwing for 134 yards and a touchdown, Bulldoggs quarterback Greg Dixon threw three interceptions. Winder-Barrow's one bright spot came when Dixon connected with Taylor Bradberry for an 81-yard touchdown in the game's closing minutes. Allen led the Red Raiders with seven catches for 107 yards and a touchdown. GAME REPORT • Turning Point: Following a blocked punt, the Red Raiders scored on a Jarvis Long touchdown run and never looked back. • Key Stat: Jarrod Owens' 229 passing yards and two touchdowns were two much for the Bulldoggs to overcome. • Impact: The Red Raiders will play Salem in the Region 8-AAAA playoffs. Published in the Athens Banner-Herald on 110406