Madison County Red Raiders

Reprinted from the Madison County Journal August 30, 2006, edition BY Madison County Journal Staff Writer
As if playing Franklin County in Carnesville to start the season weren’t enough motivation to defend county pride, there’s an added incentive Friday for Madison County. None of the 80-something guys who will dress out in red and gray know what it’s like to lose to their border neighbors to the north. “We’ve kind of got a little streak going,” Raider head coach Randell Owens said. “Our guys don’t want to be the team that blew it.” And for good reason. As winners of the past three meetings, these Raiders know it would be nearly impossible to escape Lion ribbing if they didn’t defend the streak. “It’s a team that, when they go out, they see — at church, at family dinners, at family reunions and everywhere else,” Owens said. “They see them everywhere they go.” The Raiders senior class certainly has a vested interest in all this. Madison County’s seniors haven’t lost to Franklin County since they’ve been in high school. The Raiders edged the Lions in 2003 and 2004 before beating them 21-7 in 2005 by feasting off seven Franklin County turnovers. “For the seniors, it’s the first game of their senior year,” Owens noted. This is the fifth-consecutive year that Madison County has opened the season with its non-region neighbors, re-establishing a rivalry that was dormant from 1996-2001. While this series doesn’t carry the storied history or attention of Elbert County-Hart County or Clarke Central-Cedar Shoals, it’s the biggest rivalry-type game the Raiders have on their schedule simply because Madison County has no geographic rival in Region 8-AAAA with which it has history. “It’s probably the closest thing we have to a rivalry because of geographic proximity and people knowing each other on a personal level,” Owens said. Madison County’s home game with Franklin County last year was its biggest gate of the season — possibly the biggest in school history. As far as fan interest goes, this year’s battle for bragging rights figures to be another one that could pack the stands. Owens said similarities abound between his team and the Lions as both squads sport similar ability and brawn on the line of scrimmages, while neither team has a clear advantage in the speed department. And at the controls, both teams rely on strong-armed, college-prospect quarterbacks. The Lions’ Kyle Harris is a four-year starter at signal caller, while Jarrod Owens is a three-year starter. True to form, these Lion and Raider representatives have crossed paths off the field. Jarrod ran into an eye-patched Harris at a recent “pirate” photo shoot for an all-area team and again on a unofficial visit to Wofford College. “Who’s the first guy he sees when he walks in the door? It’s Kyle Harris, their quarterback,” coach Owens said. But this game could also be a venue for two rising stars on each side — both who wear no. 5 — to emerge. The Lions’ no. 5, Jay Moon, rushed for over 500 yards last year as a freshman. The Raiders are waiting to see what their no. 5, Al Allen, can do as he takes over the tailback duties this year. “We’ve both got a no. 5 that we’re depending on,” Owens said. “So there’s another similarity.” The coach sees no reason why this year’s battle won’t go down to the wire, noting that four interceptions and three fumbles from the Lions factored largely in Madison County’s 14-point win last year. “The only real difference last year was turnovers,” Owens said. “ … They actually won the statistical (battle).” But, like any good rivalry, there appears to have already been plenty of talk across the county line over the summer of redemption. “There’s a lot of talk from their players, from what we understand, that this is going to be the year they break it (the streak) … so it’s kind of a challenge to ours,” Owens said. See Madison County Journal for more details and this year's Pigskin Preview for Fall 2006.