Madison County Red Raiders

reprinted from The Madison County Journal September 25, 2009 online edition

by Ben Munro

An already big game with Salem Friday just got supersized.

Madison County (3-1) upset Cedar Shoals 29-28 last week and now finds itself tied with Salem and Clarke Central for second place in a wild Region 8-AAAA.

“We’ve just got to keep doin’ work … We’ve just got to keep working and look forward to next week. Salem, baby!,” Raider lineman Connor Boyett said after last week’s victory over Cedar Shoals.

Madison County faces the Seminoles (3-1) at 7:30 p.m. in Danielsville for homecoming.
Beating a talented Cedar Shoals team that advanced to the second round of the state playoffs last year has the Raiders believing as they continue though the teeth of their schedule.

“This builds our confidence a lot to get everybody up,” said Madison County linebacker Kale Bodiford, whose crucial blocked punt with five minutes left was the turning point in the victory over the Jaguars.

Raider coach Randell Owens points to the unpredictability and parity of the region and said Friday’s Madison County victory wasn’t as much of a surprise as people might think.

“I didn’t see it as as much of an upset as other people did,” Owens said.

As for Salem, Madison County faces a team that will throw a lot of speed and athleticism at the Raiders for the second-straight week.

The Seminoles, who’ve won three of the past five region titles, run a spread option similar to that of Georgia Tech and mix in some Wing-T, misdirection game.

Defensively, Salem is probably more athletic than Rockdale County (Madison County’s first opponent) but not as much as Cedar Shoals, Owens said. He added that the Seminoles are very well coached and “better balanced that most folks.”

Meanwhile, Madison County enters the game averaging 36.3 points per game in its last three contests and 241.5 yards on the ground in its last two games. The Raiders piled up 186 yards on the ground in the first half in last week’s victory over Cedar Shoals.

“The offensive line is getting better every week … Last year, we were pretty much right handed and everyone knew it,” Owens said.

Of course, the Cedar Shoals stats and the victory that came with it are now in the past, and Owens said it’s important that his team remember that. The celebration of the Cedar Shoals win ended Sunday, he said.

“If our kids keep buying into that, we have a chance to be successful,” Owens said.