Madison County Red Raiders

reprinted from The Mainstreet News online November 5, 2009 edition

by Ben Munro

A win Friday may not guarantee a playoff berth, but Madison County can find motivation in plenty of other places.

Losers of their last three games, the Red Raiders (5-4) face Clarke Central (7-2) Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Billy Henderson Stadium with a chance to stop that losing skid, capture the program’s first winning season in three years and beat one of their main rivals.

Those non-playoff incentives should have Madison County ready to play, Raider head coach Randell Owens said.

“I hope so,” he said. “I think they would be ... We’re hurting, but we’ve got to grow up and rise up and get over it and move and take advantage of the opportunity that is in front of us — a winning season.”

All hope is not lost on postseason front, either, but the Red Raiders need major help this Friday.

The “easiest” scenario is for Salem (6-3) to lose to region champion Apalachee (9-0) and Winder-Barrow (2-7) upset Loganville (5-4), which would propel Madison County to the no. 4 seed with a victory.

There’s another possibility that Madison County, Salem and Rockdale County (which would have to lose to 0-9 Monroe Area) could finish in a three-way tie for third with 6-4 records. With only two playoff spots available, the three teams would have to play GHSA-mandated mini games next Monday to determine those playoff spots.

“The top two teams out of that (mini-game) deal would go to the playoffs for the third and fourth spots and the loser of that deal would be out,” Owens said.

But first things first: The Red Raiders must beat a very good Clarke Central team for either of these scenarios to work out.
Clarke Central, in its fourth season under coach Leroy Ryals, is coming off a 55-12 victory over Winder-Barrow and can finish with an 8-2 record with a victory Friday. The Gladiators are trying to secure a no. 2 seed in the region.

The Red Raiders enter this game following a 31-14 loss to Apalachee last week. Madison County led 7-0 early after a 51-yard pass on a fake punt from Stan Maxwell to Presly McKeever, but the highlights were otherwise limited in the Red Raiders’ third straight loss.

Madison County’s recent losing skid has dropped it from second in Region 8-AAAA — and region title contention — to fifth.
The disappointment surrounding possibly not making the playoffs underscores the difference between the program now and six years ago when the main concern was whether or not it could survive region play, Owens said.

“Six years ago nobody is thinking about the playoffs,” Owens said. “We’re just thinking, hey, beat somebody… And that’s really where you want to be. You want to be where your kids have an expectation to win.”

But there’s much to be said for a 6-4 finish, he added.

“We could end up and get a break (and get to the playoffs), but, you know, a winning season would be huge,” Owens said.