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The Madison County Journal
INSIDE THIS WEEK
Week 10 predictions are in
Check out the football picks for
week 10 of The Madison County
Journal Pigskin Picker
2B
IB
Thursday, November 5, 2009
www.MainstreetnewsSPORTS.com
Ben Munro/ ben@mainstreetnews.com (706) 795-2567
Playoffs or
not, win over
Glads Friday
would be big
Since I don’t coach or play
for Madison County, I’m yet
again taking the liberty of
looking ahead.
Should Madison County
upset Clarke Central Friday
night on the historic grounds
of Billy Henderson Stadium
Friday and not qualify for
the postseason, the Red
Raider reac
tion will be
interesting.
Would
the win
be viewed
as only a
consolation
prize in a
near-miss
season?
Or will
Madison
County
savor a 6-4 record in a tough
region, punctuated by a vic
tory over one of the few true
local rivals on the football
schedule?
I suspect the latter.
One of the less appealing
aspects of Madison County’s
region configuration is the
lack of natural enemies.
Back in the old 8-AAA,
schools from border coun
ties - Franklin County,
Elbert County, Hart County
— surrounded the Red
Raiders, while other places
like Oconee County and
Stephens County were
nearby.
Familiarity always breeds
good contempt and spirited
football games.
But in 8-AAAA, Madison
County faces three schools
from Conyers, which require
hour and 45 minute bus
rides.
Meanwhile, Loganville
and Monroe are about an
hour away, as are trips
to Winder to face either
Apalachee or Winder-
Barrow. The drive north to
Habersham Central is about
an hour, too.
So only the Athens schools
— Cedar Shoals and Clarke
Central — fit geographic
rival billing.
Which brings us to Friday
and Clarke Central. After all,
the trip from Danielsville to
South Milledge Avenue is
just 17.5 miles.
Having this game last
on the schedule fits nicely
for the Red Raiders in any
season.
Beat say, Monroe Area, in
the last game, and Madison
County might savor that
for a week. Should the Red
Raiders beat Clarke Central,
they’ll probably savor that
the entire offseason.
There's too much cross
over for this game not to
mean a little extra. Madison
County knows these guys.
Many of the players’ parents
likely work in Athens. And
there are probably even
family ties here and there
between the two schools.
So whether or not Madison
County advances to the
playoffs Friday, I suspect the
Red Raiders will celebrate as
if they did, if they can some
how beat the Gladiators.
But, of course, that's a
huge “if.’’
Ben Munro is a reporter
for The Madison County
Journal
Ben Munro
From the
sports desk
Cross Country
Brakhage sets pace for MCHS at region
In the final race of the year, Corey Brakhage led all Madison
County runners with a 19:53 this past Saturday’s Region
8-AAAA meet in Conyers.
Brakhage finished 31 st overall as Madison County placed
eighth out of 11 squads in the boys’ team standings.
Brakhage was tire only Madison County runner to break the
20-minute mark.
Following Brakhage were Dalton Owensby (42 nd , 20:35),
Codey Brakhage (44 th , 20:42), Scott Barnes (46 th , 20:43),
Chris Dove (49 th , 20:58). Chris Brown (68 th . 23:44) and Brett
Coggins (71 st , 25:12).
Winder-Barrow won the boys’ region title.
Three Madison County girls participated in tire region meet,
though tire Lady Raiders didn’t earn a team score.
Elise Coberly finished 54 th with a 30:45, followed by Mendi
Cromer (57 th , 30:57) and Haley Costello (61 st , 32:55).
REGION TIMES
BOYS
Corey Brakhage, 31st, 19:53
Dalton Owensby, 42 nd , 20:35
Codey Brakhage, 44 th , 20:42
Scott Barnes, 46 th , 20:43
Chris Dove, 49 th , 20:58
Chris Brown, 68 th , 23:44
Brett Coggins, 71 Bl , 25:12
GIRLS
Elise Coberly, 54th 30:45,
Mendi Cromer, 57th, 30:57
Haley Costello, 61st, 32:55
Winder-Barrow also won the girls' region title.
Seven Madison County boys participated in tire junior var
sity list, with Drew Cofer having the best showing there for tire
Red Raiders. He finished 49 th with a 24:30.
Others running were Eh Smallwood (55 th . 25:32). Austin
Kelley (57 th , 25:48), Mark Pulliam (61 st , 26:29). Crew Mayne
(63 rd . 26:53), Kyle Manning (66 th , 27:53), Taylor Crouse (72 nd ,
32:04).
Corey Brakhage was Madison County’s top run
ner at region this past Saturday, with a time of
19:53. Ben Munro/staff
Prep Football Week 10
Madison Co. @ Clarke Central, Athens, Friday, 7:30 p.m.
Playing for pride or postseason?
Madison County running back Kendrick Butler gets to the comer last week in Madison County’s 31-14 loss to Apalachee. The Red Raiders play
Clarke Central Friday in Athens with hopes of securing a winning season and perhaps a playoff berth. Ben Munro/stafF
Winning season within grasp, but playoffs uncertain
By Ben Munro
ben@mainstreetnews.com
A win Friday may not guar
antee 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 pro
gram’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,
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
FRIDAYS OPPONENT
■ Who: Madison Co. at Clarke Central
■ When: Friday, 7:30 p.m.
■ Where: Athens, Billy Henderson
Stadium
■ Series: Madison Co. leads 3-2
■ Last year: Clarke Central 19, Madison
Co. 7
■ Last week: Clarke Central 55, Winder-
Barrow 12; Apalachee 31, Madison Co. 14
■ Opponent’s coach: Leroy Ryals (fourth
season, 28-12-1)
■ Opponent’s all-time record: 331-136
■ What else: If the Red Raiders win Friday,
it would secure only the program’s seventh
winning season. The others came in 1982,
1983, 1991, 2004, 2005 and 2006. Madison
County finished with winning records in
2000, 2001 and 2003, but played a non-region
schedule
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-
— See ‘Football’ on page 2B
Apalachee 31, MCHS 14
Raiders can’t
contain ‘Cats
in 31-14 loss
By Ben Munro
ben@mainstreetnews.com
Madison County scored
early, but Apalachee scored
often as the Wildcats con
tinued their perfect run
through Region 8-AAAA
Friday.
The Red
Raiders took
a 7-0 first
quarter lead
on seventh-
ranked
Apalachee,
but the OWENS
Wildcats
(9-0) reeled
off 31 consecutive points
to win 31-14 on Madison
County’s senior night.
The loss dropped the Red
Raiders to 5-4, severely
hurting Madison County’s
chances of a state playoff
berth.
Apalachee dominated the
night defensively, holding
the Red Raiders to -3 yards
rushing, while racking up
326 yards rushing on the
offensive side of the ball in
a game played on a soggy
field in a steady mist.
“Apalachee, without
a doubt, is the best team
in the region around the
clock,” Madison County
coach Randell Owens
said.
Madison County drew
first blood against the
Wildcats just a minute
and a half into the game
with a 51-yard touchdown
pass from Stan Maxwell
to Presly McKeever on a
fake punt.
But Apalachee answered
with a safety with 3:15
left in the first quarter and
never looked back.
The Wildcats went up
10-7 with 1:16 left in the
first quarter with a 64-yard
touchdown pass to John
Ansley and two-point con
version from Jon Lee, fol
lowed by second-quarter
touchdown runs of 35
and 11 yards from Lee as
Apalachee led 24-7 at the
half.
Zack Gentry caught a
— See ‘Loss’ on page 2B
Subvarsity Football
Junior varsity shoots for fourth victory tonight
The Madison County junior
varsity football team shoots for
a 4-2-1 finish tonight (Thursday)
in its season finale against
Gainesville,
Kickoff is at 5:30 p.m.
Madison County (3-2-1) is
coming off a 27-8 victory over
Winder-Barrow Oct. 22, which
included a season-high four
touchdown passes from quarter
back Alex Jordan.
Madison County's game against
Gainesville today was added to
take the place of a cancelled con
test with Clarke Central back on
Oct. 1.
The team is nearly undefeated
with its two losses coming by just
one point.
Madison County's three vic
tories this year have come over
Monroe Area, Banks County and
Winder-Barrow.
Basketball
MCHS intrasquad hoops games ahead
The Madison County basketball season will get off to an unofficial
start next Friday (Nov. 13) when both the boys' and girls' teams play
their annual Red and Gray scrimmages.
Tip-off is at 7 p.m. at the MCHS gym.
Both teams then play scrimmage games the following Tuesday
(Nov. 17) at Hart County at 6 p.m. before opening the season against
Southwest Atlanta Christian Nov. 20 starting at 6 p.m.
KAYLA FREEMAN