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The Madison County Journal
INSIDE THIS WEEK
Week 5 predictions are in
Check out the football picks for
week 5 of The Madison County
Journal Pigskin Picker
3B
Ben Munro/ ben@mainstreetnews.com (706) 795-2567
The MCMS softball team includes (kneeling, L to R) Casie Wade, Ivie
Drake, Kristen Moran, Cheyenne Pridgen, Brikkell Rucker, (stand
ing) coach Phillip Archer, Megan Boswell, Brittany Smith, Kayla Argo,
Candice Hammond, Ansley Damron, Bri Carr, Alexis Damron, Jorden
Williams, Mallory Rogers, Haley Gordon and coach Todd Powell. Mike
Drake/submitted photo
Middle School Softball
One more
makes four
MCMS wins another region softball title
By Ben Munro
ben@mainstreetnews.com
For Madison County Middle
School, good things actually
come in fours.
The Mustang softball team
mercy-ruled Jefferson 9-1 in six
innings Monday to clinch its
fourth consecutive region softball
championship.
“I'm very proud of each and
every girl on the team because at
some point in the season all 15
contributed," first-year coach
— See Champs on 2B
Prep Football Week 6
Madison Co. @ Hab. Central, Fri., 7:30 p.m.
Jamal Cooper runs over a Salem defender last week in Madison County’s 21-16 victory over the Seminoles. Madison
County faces Habersham Central this Friday on the road. Ben Munro/staff
Running strong
Reinvigorated MCHS ground game spurred by unselfish running backs, motivated O-line
By Ben Munro
ben@mainstreetnews.com
F act: Madison County has had a
different leading rusher three dif
ferent times in five games this
season.
While that nugget may interest statistics
enthusiasts, the guys carrying the ball
couldn’t care less who gets honor.
“We don’t have a back sitting back there
going, ‘“Man, you need to get the ball to
me; I need to be carrying the ball every
down,"’ Raider coach Randell Owens said.
The unselfish attitude in the backfield has
certainly paid off.
Madison County (4-1) has won four
straight games, rushing for at least 200
John Gunnells is one of the leaders of
a resurgent Madison County offensive
line. Ben Munro/staff
yards in the last three, and finds itself in
a tie with Clarke Central for second place
in Region 8-AAAA heading into Friday’s
game with Habersham Central.
After struggling with the ground game
in 2008, Madison County has been able
MORE INSIDE:
•Coach says focus is on Friday,
not region race, PAGE 2B
•Friday rewind: Raiders top
Salem 21-16, PAGE 3B
to pound the ball in 2009, with opponents
unable to key in on just one ball carrier.
Last year's leading rusher finished with
just 254 yards. This year, two players,
Jamal Cooper (208 yards) and Kendrick
Butler (260 yards), have already eclipsed
the 200-yard mark in just five games,
while Stan Maxwell (186 yards) is
— See Running game on page 2B
Corey
Brakhage
crosses
the finish
line for
Madison
County
High
School
last week
in a four-
team meet
with East
Jackson,
Jackson
County and
Commerce.
Ben Munro/
staff
Cross Country
MCHS runners finish third at home meet
Madison County placed third in a four-team meet
at home last Thursday, led by Scott Barnes’ 20:25.
Barnes’ finish was good for third overall.
Madison County earned 70 points in the boys’
race, placing ahead of Commerce (111 points), but
barely behind Jackson County (69 points). East
Jackson won the boys’ race with 28 points.
On the girls' side, Elise Coberly led Madison
County with a 31:39, finishing 12 th overall.
Neither Madison County or Commerce fielded
COMING UP
■ vs. Taliaferro Co. at home, Oct. 6, 4:30
p.m.
a full girls’ team, so they didn’t qualify for team
scores.
Jackson County won the girls’ meet with 23
points, ahead of East Jackson, which had 33.
Madison County will hit the course again Tuesday
in a home meet against Taliaferro County and
Franklin County.
IB
Thursday, October 1, 2009
www.MainstreetnewsSPORTS.com
Madison County High School’s Erin Gibson
pitches against Cedar Shoals Monday after
noon. Ben Munro/staff
Softball
Softball
team tied for
highest GPA
in nation
Madison County squad to be
featured on ‘Prep Sports Plus’
•COMING UP: Region tourney, Tues., 4 p.m.
@ home
By Ben Munro
ben@mainstreetnews.com
Just when you thought the news couldn’t get any
better for a Raider softball team off to a school-best
20-1 start, it did.
According to academ
ic rankings released by
the National Fastpitch
Coaches Association,
Madison County is tied
for first for the best GPA
among non-weighted
high school programs.
The rankings are
based on grades from
the 2008-2009 school year,
“It was a great year ... We're proud of them,”
coach Doug Kesler said. “I know their parents
— See Softball on 2B
ON THE TUBE
■ The Madison
County softball team
will be featured
on Georgia Public
Broadcasting’s “Prep
Sports Plus” tonight
(Thurs.) at 7:30 p.m.
The program will re
air Sunday at 11 a.m.
Volleyball
Senior Night success
Volley Raiders
down Loganville
Madison County’s
seniors played like it
was their last game on
their home floor last
Thursday in picking up
their fourth win of the
year.
The volley Raiders
beat Loganville 25-21,
21-25, 25-21 on Senior
Night behind strong
contributions by the
players being honored.
“Each senior had a
phenomenal game,”
coach Kristen Delay
said.
Senior captain Megan
Economos served
numerous points, had
a block, two kills and
set up many kills for
her teammates, accord
ing to Delay, while Erin
Cahoon “hustled harder
than anyone,”
"She had several digs
and amazing saves,”
Delay said.
Meanwhile, Emily
Burroughs had two
kills and several
digs, Stephanie Soto-
Gonzalez "had a great
night serving and play
ing defense” and Alexis
Hall had three blocks,
seven kills and an ace
- See Volleyball on 2B
Erin Cahoon celebrates after a point during
a recent Madison County volleyball match.
Ben Munro/staff