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PAGE 2B — THE MADISON COUNTY (GA) JOURNAL. THURSDAY. DECEMBER 10. 2009 Football MCHS to open 2010 football season with Flowery Branch, tentatively By Ben Munro ben@mainstreetnews.com Madison County’s 2010 football schedule isn't official yet, but coach Randell Owens has a pretty good idea how it will look. Owens released a tentative schedule for next year that has the Red Raiders facing nine of the 10 teams they played in 2009. Flowery Branch, Region 8-AAAA’s new team, is the only new opponent on the unofficial schedule, in place of Monroe Area which dropped out of Class AAAA. OWENS Madison County will wel come Flowery Branch to Region 8-AAAA Aug. 27 when the Red Raiders host the Falcons in the season opener. With the Flowery Branch joining the fold and Monroe Area leaving, 8-AAAA gains a Falcon team that advanced to the Class AAA semifinals this year, while losing a Purple Hurricane squad that went 0-20 over the last two years. The only other change on the Red Raiders’ schedule comes in the preseason. Madison County will scrimmage Hart County Aug. 13, instead of Franklin County, which served as the Red Raiders preseason foe for the past two seasons. Madison County’s other nine other opponents are Salem (Sept. 3), Winder-Barrow (Sept. 10), TENTATIVE SCHEDULE Date, opponent 2009 record Aug. 13 @Hart Co. (scrimmage) 8-3 Aug. 27 Flowery Branch 10-4 Sept. 3 ©Salem 6-4 Sept. 10 ©Winder-Barrow 2-8 Sept. 17 Loganville 6-5 Sept. 24 @Hab. Central 4-6 Oct. 1 Apalachee 12-1 Oct. 15 @Rockdale Co. 10-4 Oct. 22 Clarke Central 12-2* Oct. 29 @Cedar Shoals 3-7 Nov. 5 Heritage 4-6 *Clarke Central plays for the state title this week end. Loganville (Sept. 17), Habersham Central (Sept. 24), Apalachee (Oct. 1), Rockdale Co. (Oct. 15), Clarke Central (Oct. 22), Cedar Shoals (Oct. 29) and Heritage (Nov. 5). Madison County and all other Region 8-AAAA schools will play a straight region schedule as has been done the past two years. The Red Raiders' 2010 schedule shapes up to be a tough one with Madison County playing a state finalist (Clarke Central, two semifinals teams (Rockdale County and Flowery Branch) and a quarterfinals team (Apalachee). The schedule and region realignments aren’t offi cial until the GHSA Executive Committee meets in January to hear the appeals of those wanting to move laterally to regions within their classifica tions. If this schedule becomes final, Madison County will play the same teams on the corresponding 2011 dates, reversing the home and away site. New Region 8-AAAA.. • cont’d from page IB Owens cast one of the "no” votes and was perhaps the most vocal opponent of a straight- region schedule configuration. Owens favors a subdivided schedule in which teams would play schools in their subregion and only a few from the other side of the region. That would leave schools the freedom to schedule two or three non-region, revenue- generating games against more localized opponents. “I argued the point that we were adamantly against it for the reasons of gate,” Owens said. “If we play local, traditional rival ries, we’re going to make two- thirds, about 60 percent, more at the gate.” In fact, Owens said Madison County would make an average of about $14,000 in ticket sales in football games against nearby opponents Franklin County or Elbert County. ‘That’s money that not only funds football, but non-revenue sports where we don’t have gate,” he said. He estimates the school only generates between $3,500 to $6,500 when playing any of the region schools out of Rockdale County. Plus, traveling to far-off schools like Rockdale County, Heritage and Salem drive up travel costs, Owens said. Owens also argued that GHSA handbook mandates subdivi sion for regions with 10 or more teams, but was told that didn’t necessarily require a subdivided schedule. Owens disagreed. “The implication there (in the bylaws) is that you're going to play a subdivided schedule,” Owens said. “If it was an English paper, you would have gotten anF.” Habersham Central, Apalachee, Winder-Barrow and Heritage voted with Madison County against the all-region schedule. Loganville, Clarke Central, Cedar Shoals, Rockdale County, Salem and Flowery Branch voted in favor of the all- region schedule. Owens said he had little hope of swinging enough region votes his way, though the vote was much tighter than he anticipated. “I knew I was going to lose the argument when I started the argument," Owens said. No scheduling is final until mid-January. Schools can still appeal to the GHSA for lateral moves within their classifica tions. If Madison County had its wish, it would be out of Class AAAA altogether. The school petitioned to play down in Class AAA, based on its low enrollment compared to that of other Class AAAA schools. Madison County was only five students away from Class AAA numbers and projected that its enrollment had actually dipped from the number the GHSA used when determining reclassifica tion. The school, however, lost that appeal and is locked into Class AAAA for the next two years. “Bottom line, I feel like a guy who just lost about three ball games here in the last three weeks,” Owens said. Madison County could have been locked into Class AAAA for four years, but Owens said the GHSA will likely scrap its initial plans to move to a four- year cycle. ‘There is a strong movement to change it back to a two-year reclassification period, and I believe that it will pass," Owens said in an email. A DRAKE W GAS CO. Service You Can depend On! drakegas.com Locally owned since 1964 Seventh grade MCMS boys dominant in 5-0 start Madison County Middle School’s seventh grade boys’ bas ketball team is off to 5-0 start in convincing fashion. The Mustangs have won all their games by at least 16 points, three of which have come by 30 points or more. ‘They are a special group that doesn’t come around very often,” coach Wayne McCarty said. ‘They have been successful all the way up through rec ball and are continuing that success in school ball." The seventh grade Mustangs’ victories have come over Malcolm Bridge (40-24), South Habersham (51-20), Franklin County (49-12), Elbert County (45-19) and North Habersham (55-22). MCMS 8 th grade boys are 4-1 The Madison County Middle School eighth grade boys’ bas ketball team is 4-1 with its lone loss coming to Elbert County (35-17). The team has beaten Malcolm Bridge (34-26), South Habersham (27-23), Franklin County (58-24) and North Habersham (44-37 in overtime). “I am extremely proud of this group because they only won three games all of last year and have already surpassed that win total this early in the year,” coach Wayne McCarty said. “They are well on their way to having a successful eighth grade season.” Sports shorts Reindeer Run draws record turnout The Madison County Recreation Department’s 16th annual Reindeer Run on Saturday in Comer drew an event-record 190 runners. “The large number of participants and our great sponsors made this year’s run a huge success,” organizers said. Luke Smith was the overall winner, running a 19:45. Julie Gayer was the top female finisher with a time of 24:11. Gary Godfrey was this year’s overall masters (40-and-over) winner with a 22:04. Kathy Wiskow was this year's female masters winner with a 24:49. The divisional winners are as follows: 10-and-under male, Samuel Hayes and Carter Smith; 10-and- under female, Ashton Smith and Mary Michael Chasteen; 11-14-year- old male, Harris Smith and Dalton Cardenaz; 11-14-year-old female, Presley Burroughs and Cierra Gunnin; 15-19-year-old male. Will McCarty, Tyler Walton; 15-19-year- old female, Samantha Jones and Elizabeth Whieldon; 20-24-year-old male, Clayton Kendrick and Joseph Whieldon; 20-24-year-old female, Danielle Andrews; 25-29-year- old male, Brian Gaeth and Gary Parham; 25-29-year-old female, Sara Blackmon and Brooke Smith; 30-34-year-old male, Ben Smith and Preston Russell; 30-34-year-old female, Sarah Drohan and Janice Gunnin; 35-39-year-old male, David Spooner and Jason Kom; 35-39-year-old female, Emily King and Fancy Rollins; 40-44-year- old male, Greg Pruitt and David McMickle; 40-44-year-old female, Lee Burroughs;45-49-year-old male, Billy Web and Charles Gheesling; 45-49-year-old female, Linda Parrish and Margaret Whieldon; Madison Co. Journal Pigskin Picker (final) n CHAMPION Zach Mitcham Final week: 9-1 Overall: 9446 C\ Jv/ RUNNER-UP Ben Munro Final week: 9-1 Overall: 9149 i ^ a£r THIRD PLACE, TIE Allen McCannon Final week: 64 Overall: 88-52 1 THIRD PLACE, TIE Ricky McElroy Final week: 7-3 * Mitch McGhee Final week: 64 Overall: 84-56 Ml / -4 n Doug Kesler Final week: 64 Overall: 83-57 .1 "IT i- . v iW Margie Richards Final week: 8-2 Overall: 79-61 50-54-year-old male, Lee Blackmon; 50-54-year-old female, Christine Register and Kris Youngblood; 55-59-year-old male, Kim Davison and Joey Hill; 55-59-year-old female, Karen Swann and Kathleen McBride; 60-64-year-old male Terry Adair; 60-64-year-old female, Sherry Godfrey; and 65-69-year-old female, Christine Cardenaz. Those interested next year’s Reindeer Run can contact the recreation department at 706-795- 6270 for more information. Basketball 101 starts Jan. 5 at rec dept. The Madison County Recreation Department will offer Basketball 101 again this winter for four weeks on Tuesday nights begin ning Jan. 5 from 6:15 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. at the Hull-Sanford Elementary Gymnasium. The fee is $35, including a t-shirt. The class is open to boys and girls ages 5-6. During each session, participants work on drills to improve their ball handling, passing and shooting form. Theresa Bettis instructs the class. Space is limited, so early registra tion is encouraged by organizers. Pre-registration and pre-payment are required. For more information, contact the recreation department at 795-6270. Parent/child dove hunt set for Dec. 19 The fifth annual Madison County Parent/Child Dove Hunt will be held Dec. 19 at Travis Legg’s and Cory Clements’ property in Comer. The event will begin at 9 a.m. Participants will be able to build their own turkey call and there will be a demonstration by Craig Fulghum of how to use different calls. “Bring plenty of shells because there will be clays to shoot and hopefully lots of doves,” said orga nizers. A barbecue lunch will be pro vided. “As always, we have numerous things to give away and hope that we can beat last year's attendance," said organizers. “So hang up the rifles for one Saturday and you and your kids come have a fun day with the game warden and lots of other folks.” Those wanting to participate can register at one of the following locales: Georgia Outdoor Sports, Madison County Hardware, North Georgia Sports, Midway Farm Supply and Shuler's. 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