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Reprinted from The Madison County Journal November 1, 2007 edition
Clash Between Subregion Schools Will Determine Final Region Playoff Seeding
by Ben Munro
Last week, Madison County head coach Randell Owens compared Jackson County to a “wounded animal.” The wildlife danger analogies kept on rolling this week.
This Friday’s species: Winder-Barrow. “They’re like a baby copperhead,” Owens said. “They don’t look dangerous, but they could hurt you pretty bad if you ain’t careful. You don’t want to play with it, you better cut its head off and bury it quick. Don’t fool around with it.” This Friday’s collision between the Raiders and Winder-Barrow (4-4, 1-4) will determine the final spot out of the 8A-AAAA subregion for the November 9 playoff week.
The game already appears to have both coaches a little on edge. Owens counts the Bulldoggs’ coach, Brian Allison, as a friend in the coaching ranks, saying the two are pretty personable toward each other. But with both their teams fighting for their playoff lives, a more competitive vibe filled the air during Saturday’s film swap.
“It was a little bit different atmosphere when I walked into the field house . . . It was a little bit tense, not in an unfriendly way, in a competitive way,” Owens said.
If Madison County wins, it would cross over the play the 8B-AAAA top seed—the winner of the Cedar Shoals and Salem matchup Friday—next weekend in the region playoffs for a chance at an unprecedented third straight trip to the state playoffs.
While Winder-Barrow would still need Dacula to beat Loganville this weekend, a Bulldogg win Friday still keeps their region playoff hopes afloat.
“They’ve got the same thing to play for that we do,” Owens said.
After a 93-yard trick play spurred Madison County to a 15-14 win over Loganville October 12, the Raiders stayed the course by whipping undermanned Jackson County 40-14 Friday to remain in control of their own destiny. After an 0-3 start in the subregion, the Raiders knew they ahd to win their last three games on the schedule to get to the region playoffs.
Now, they’re two-thirds the way to that goal.
“Here we go again,” Owens said. “We did it the first two weeks, here comes week three. It means a big week for us with a lot on the line.”
Owens has what he calls a “cheat sheet” of all the possible scenarios that could happen in Friday’s sub-region games that will determine the final seedlings. But for Madison County, the scenario is rather simple.
“If we win, we’re fourth (in the sub-region),” Owens said. And we are playing a meaningful game in week 10 instead of a cross-over game to simply finish out the schedule.
Meanwhile, Winder-Barrow has lost its last four games with the schedule getting much tougher after a 4-0 start.
But Madison County should face a Bulldogg team still playing with a lot of emotion, given what is at stake.
After all, Winder-Barrow having a chance to have a winning season and play in the postseason after a dismal 1-9 campaign last year should be a huge motivator for them.
Similar to those copperheads Owens referred to, the coach said the Bulldoggs are a dangerous football team.
“I expect them to play their best game of the year,” Owens said.
Clash Between Subregion Schools Will Determine Final Region Playoff Seeding
by Ben Munro
Last week, Madison County head coach Randell Owens compared Jackson County to a “wounded animal.” The wildlife danger analogies kept on rolling this week.
This Friday’s species: Winder-Barrow. “They’re like a baby copperhead,” Owens said. “They don’t look dangerous, but they could hurt you pretty bad if you ain’t careful. You don’t want to play with it, you better cut its head off and bury it quick. Don’t fool around with it.” This Friday’s collision between the Raiders and Winder-Barrow (4-4, 1-4) will determine the final spot out of the 8A-AAAA subregion for the November 9 playoff week.
The game already appears to have both coaches a little on edge. Owens counts the Bulldoggs’ coach, Brian Allison, as a friend in the coaching ranks, saying the two are pretty personable toward each other. But with both their teams fighting for their playoff lives, a more competitive vibe filled the air during Saturday’s film swap.
“It was a little bit different atmosphere when I walked into the field house . . . It was a little bit tense, not in an unfriendly way, in a competitive way,” Owens said.
If Madison County wins, it would cross over the play the 8B-AAAA top seed—the winner of the Cedar Shoals and Salem matchup Friday—next weekend in the region playoffs for a chance at an unprecedented third straight trip to the state playoffs.
While Winder-Barrow would still need Dacula to beat Loganville this weekend, a Bulldogg win Friday still keeps their region playoff hopes afloat.
“They’ve got the same thing to play for that we do,” Owens said.
After a 93-yard trick play spurred Madison County to a 15-14 win over Loganville October 12, the Raiders stayed the course by whipping undermanned Jackson County 40-14 Friday to remain in control of their own destiny. After an 0-3 start in the subregion, the Raiders knew they ahd to win their last three games on the schedule to get to the region playoffs.
Now, they’re two-thirds the way to that goal.
“Here we go again,” Owens said. “We did it the first two weeks, here comes week three. It means a big week for us with a lot on the line.”
Owens has what he calls a “cheat sheet” of all the possible scenarios that could happen in Friday’s sub-region games that will determine the final seedlings. But for Madison County, the scenario is rather simple.
“If we win, we’re fourth (in the sub-region),” Owens said. And we are playing a meaningful game in week 10 instead of a cross-over game to simply finish out the schedule.
Meanwhile, Winder-Barrow has lost its last four games with the schedule getting much tougher after a 4-0 start.
But Madison County should face a Bulldogg team still playing with a lot of emotion, given what is at stake.
After all, Winder-Barrow having a chance to have a winning season and play in the postseason after a dismal 1-9 campaign last year should be a huge motivator for them.
Similar to those copperheads Owens referred to, the coach said the Bulldoggs are a dangerous football team.
“I expect them to play their best game of the year,” Owens said.
Cross-Over Loss Could Haunt Raiders
Posted by Randell Owens at Oct 31, 2007 5:00PM PDT
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Reprinted from The Madison County Journal November 1, 2007 edition
This and That
by Ben Munro
If Madison County, Dacula and Loganville were all tied with 3-3 records after Friday – i.e. if the Raiders beat Winder-Barrow and Loganville beats Dacula—the Falcons would be the third place nod by virtue of its cross-over win over Rockdale County on September 14.
Since no tie-breakers in head-to-head games between these three teams would exist if Loganville beat Dacula (because Dacula beat Madison County and Madison County beat Loganville), the next tie-breaker would be how teams fared against the other side of the region.
Well, Madison County and Loganville both lost their cross-over games (the Raiders to Eastside and Loganville to Cedar Shoals) while the Falcons won theirs over Rockdale County.
Similarly, if Madison County, Loganville, and Winder-Barrow all finished with 2-4 records and tied for fourth, the Raiders and the Red Devils would lose out on the fourth seed—and the region playoffs—because Winder-Barrow won its cross-over game September 14 over Alcovy.
Raiders Trying to Keep Streak Going
Counting non-region football, Madison County hasn’t suffered a losing season since 1999 and would keep that streak intact if it can get by Winder-Barrow Friday.
At 5-4, Madison County would still need one more win to add its school-record string of four straight winning seasons. The Raiders were 5-4-1 in 2003; 6-4 in 2004; 7-4 in 2005; and 8-3 in 2006.
Extra Points
Owens said that Eli Sartain “did a great job on special teams,” in Friday’s win over Jackson County, recovering two onside kicks. Spencer Baird was called on just four times to throw, but was perfect in those attempts in passing for 78 yards. The junior has completed 63.2 percent of his passes this year for 1098 yards. In addition to 134 yards rushing and 15 yards receiving, Al Allen picked up six tackles and one interception in the Raiders’ win over Jackson County. Owens noted that Cello Latimer did a good job of “staying in the crease on the option” in one of his best statistically games of his career. The senior ran for 93 yards on 12 carries and scored twice. Cody Escoe racked up 17 tackles (seven solo and 10 assists) to push his team-leading total to 91. A’tavious Pittard recorded 11 tackles against Jackson County (eight solo and three assists).
This and That
by Ben Munro
If Madison County, Dacula and Loganville were all tied with 3-3 records after Friday – i.e. if the Raiders beat Winder-Barrow and Loganville beats Dacula—the Falcons would be the third place nod by virtue of its cross-over win over Rockdale County on September 14.
Since no tie-breakers in head-to-head games between these three teams would exist if Loganville beat Dacula (because Dacula beat Madison County and Madison County beat Loganville), the next tie-breaker would be how teams fared against the other side of the region.
Well, Madison County and Loganville both lost their cross-over games (the Raiders to Eastside and Loganville to Cedar Shoals) while the Falcons won theirs over Rockdale County.
Similarly, if Madison County, Loganville, and Winder-Barrow all finished with 2-4 records and tied for fourth, the Raiders and the Red Devils would lose out on the fourth seed—and the region playoffs—because Winder-Barrow won its cross-over game September 14 over Alcovy.
Raiders Trying to Keep Streak Going
Counting non-region football, Madison County hasn’t suffered a losing season since 1999 and would keep that streak intact if it can get by Winder-Barrow Friday.
At 5-4, Madison County would still need one more win to add its school-record string of four straight winning seasons. The Raiders were 5-4-1 in 2003; 6-4 in 2004; 7-4 in 2005; and 8-3 in 2006.
Extra Points
Owens said that Eli Sartain “did a great job on special teams,” in Friday’s win over Jackson County, recovering two onside kicks. Spencer Baird was called on just four times to throw, but was perfect in those attempts in passing for 78 yards. The junior has completed 63.2 percent of his passes this year for 1098 yards. In addition to 134 yards rushing and 15 yards receiving, Al Allen picked up six tackles and one interception in the Raiders’ win over Jackson County. Owens noted that Cello Latimer did a good job of “staying in the crease on the option” in one of his best statistically games of his career. The senior ran for 93 yards on 12 carries and scored twice. Cody Escoe racked up 17 tackles (seven solo and 10 assists) to push his team-leading total to 91. A’tavious Pittard recorded 11 tackles against Jackson County (eight solo and three assists).
| Individual Defensive Statistics | |||||||||||
| Tackles | Fumbles | Other | |||||||||
| Player | 1st Hits | Assists | Sacks | Total | Caused | Recovered | PBU | INT | Block Kick | TD | Safety |
| Adams, T | 2 | 3 | - | 5 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Allen, A | 3 | 3 | - | 6 |
- |
- |
- |
1 |
- | - | - |
| Anglin, J | 2 | 4 |
- |
6 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Bodiford, K | 2 | 4 | - | 6 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Butler, K | 2 | 0 |
- |
2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Dalton, B | 0 | 0 |
- |
0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Escoe, C | 7 | 10 | - | 17 |
- |
- | - | - | - | - | - |
| Ginn, N | 3 | 1 | - | 4 | - |
- |
- |
- |
- | - | - |
| Hall, M | 1 | - |
- |
1 |
- |
- |
- |
- | - | - | - |
| Johnson, C | 0 | 0 | - | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Kraeling, A | 2 | - | - | 2 | - | - |
- |
- | - | - | - |
|
Mack, S |
1 |
- |
- |
1 |
|||||||
| McGuire, TJ | 1 | 0 | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Orr, J | 1 | 0 | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Pittard, A | 8 | 3 |
- |
11 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Randall, D | 1 | 2 | - | 3 | - | - |
1 |
- | - | - | - |
| Russell, Brad | 0 | 3 | - | 3 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Russell, Brent | 4 | 4 |
1 |
9 |
- |
1 |
- |
- | - |
- |
- |
| Stevens, A | 0 | 2 | - | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Stuchell, J | 0 | 0 | - | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Tilton, A | 6 | 3 | - | 9 |
1 |
1 |
- | - |
- |
- | - |
| Turner, B | 2 | 1 | - | 3 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- | - | - |
| Vaughn, C |
0 |
0 |
- |
0 |
|||||||
| Young, A |
1 |
1 |
- |
2 |
- |
|
- |
|
|
|
|
| Team Totals | 49 | 44 | 1 | 94 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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