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The Madison County Journal
INSIDE
The Madison County
Recreation Department will
offer Basketball 101 again
for four weeks PAGE 2B
IB
Thursday, December 24, 2009
www.MainstreetnewsSPORTS.com
Ben Munro/ ben@mainstreetnews.com (706) 795-2567
Football
Seven
Raiders
make
all-region
Cooper named
Special Teams
Player of the Year
By Ben Munro
ben@mainstreetne ws .com
Seven players from
Madison County High
School’s 5-5 team this past
fall have earned all-region
honors.
The list is headlined by
speedy kick return special
ist Jamal
Cooper,
who was
named
Special
Teams
Player of
the Year;
and Patrick
McCrary,
who was a
first-team
selection
at tight
end in his
only year
of high
school
football.
Madison
County
had two
other
offensive selections, Connor
Boyett (second team offen
sive line) and Jacob Owens
(honorable mention at
quarterback); and three on
defense, Jeremiah NeSmith
(second team defensive
line). Matt Dean (second
team defensive back) and
Kendrick Butler (all pur
pose honorable mention).
Though the school has
had more upper-echelon
selections in some years,
the seven all-region selec
tions overall are likely the
most for Madison County
High School under coach
Randell Owens.
The only bad thing about
Madison County ’ s all-region
list is that the seven players
are all graduating.
“Yeah, we’re going to
miss them,” coach Owens
said.
Some will continue their
football careers, however.
Three of these seniors have
already verbally commit
ted to play college football
next year. Boyett is headed
to Alabama-Birmingham,
Jacob Owens to Army and
Cooper to Georgia Military.
Other players still hope
to sign.
In fact, the timing of
McCrary’s selection as an
all-region tight end works
out well for recruiting since
some colleges are interested
in McCrary playing that
position at the next level.
ALL-REGION
Jamal Cooper, Kick ret.
Patrick McCrary, TE
Connor Boyett, OL
Jeremiah NeSmith, DL
Matt Dean, DB
Kendrick Butler, all purpose
Jacob Owens, QB
MCCRARY
Patrick
McCrary
fights for
points in
the paint
in a recent
Madison
County
basketball
victory.
The Red
Raiders
have won
three con
secutive
games and
are 9-2 on
the year.
Ben Munro/staff
Boys’ Basketball
Red Raiders pass last year’s win total
COMING UP
By Ben Munro
ben@mainstreetnews.com
It was a long trip but not a wasted one.
Madison County traveled two hours to Augusta
Friday and beat Class A private school Aquinas
61-52 to improve to 9-2 heading into Christmas.
“Going into Christmas at 9-2 ... That’s just a good
feeling to win that last one before Christmas,” said
coach Steve Crouse.
Madison County now has a few days off before
facing Athens Academy at 5:30 p.m. Monday in
the opening round of the Warrior Holiday Classic at
•@Warrior Holiday Classic (Oconee
County), Monday through Wednesday
Oconee County High School.
The Red Raiders surpassed last year’s win total
with Friday’s victory. Four players reached dou
ble figures, two of whom had double-doubles, to
improve Madison County to 6-0 in non-region
contests.
— See Boys’ baketball on Page 2B
Prep Wrestling
Madison County’s Tyl er Adams, who went 4-1 in the 215-lb. class of Saturday’s Red Raider Duals, wrestles in a match against Elbert County.
Madison County finished fourth in its own event. Ben Munro/staff
Dualin 5 Raiders
Madison County finishes fourth in annual Red Raider Duals Saturday
By Ben Munro
ben@mainstreetnews.com
M adison County finished fourth in its
own tournament Saturday but came
agonizingly close to placing a couple
spots higher.
The team compiled a 3-2 record at the Red
Raider Duals held at the Madison County Middle
School gym, losing narrowly to Chestatee (37-36)
and Athens Christian (39-37).
Wins were within Madison County’s grasp in
both cases, but a couple of untimely pins denied
the Red Raiders two victories.
“We were just one match away on either side ...
Both those matches I think we should have won
— just little mistakes,” Madison County coach
Richie Houston said.
Still, several Madison County wrestlers had big
days on their own home floor.
Isaac Ruiz (145-lb.), Cody Phillips (119-
lb.) and Colton Phillips (125-lb.) all went 5-0.
Meanwhile, Tyler Adams finished 4-1 at 215-lb.
in his first tournament back from injury. Max
COMING UP
•@Stephens Co., Jan. 5; @ 8-AAAA
Duals (Clarke Central), Jan. 8-9
TOP PERFORMERS FROM SAT.
Cody Phillips
119-lb.
5-0
Colton Phillips
125-lb.
5-0
Isaac Ruiz
145-lb.
5-0
Max Nash
112-lb.
4-1
Kyle Bates
152-lb.
4-1
Kyle Gordon
189-lb.
4-1
Tyler Adams
215-lb.
4-1
Nash (112-lb.), Kyle Gordon (189-lb.) and Kyle
Bates (152-lb.) also finished 4-1.
Commerce won the event, followed by Athens
Christian, Chestatee and then Madison County.
“Commerce was just head and shoulders above
everyone else,” Houston said.
Breaking from tradition, Madison County held
the event at the middle school since this year (as
well as a USA youth wrestling event the follow
ing day). The Red Raider Duals are usually host
ed at the Madison County High School gym.
Houston said the relocated event went well.
“I think it was, financially, a pretty successful
weekend," Houston said.
The coach said there are pros and cons of
hosting the event at MCMS. The middle school
gym provides a little more floor space and a
better locker room area, but doesn’t have the
mezzanine viewing space that the high school
gym offers.
Houston isn't sure if the Red Raiders Duals
will remain at MCMS next year or if they will
return to the high school gym.
“It’s think it’s something we’ll have to think
about," Houston said.
Madison County entered the tournament fresh
off a 64-12 victory over Washington-Wilkes Dec.
15. Winners were Brett Coggins (112-lb.), Nash
(119-lb.), Cody Phillips (125-lb.), Colton Phillips
(130-lb.), Caleb McCain (135-lb.), Jesse Truelove
(140-lb.), Ruiz (145-lb.), Bates (152-lb.), Steven
Resby (171-lb.), Tanner Johnson (189-lb.),
Adams (215-lb.) and Matt Dove (285-lb.).
Girls’ Basketball
Class AAAA’s no. 8 team to test Lady Raiders
MCHS faces NW Whitfield,
Louisville recruit Monday
By Ben Munro
ben@mainstreetnews.com
Following a soul-searching region loss to
Loganville last week, Madison County didn’t
exactly get the test it needed Friday in a 55-point
win against a well-overmatched Aquinas team.
No, that test comes Monday when the sixth-
ranked Lady Raiders (8-3 overall, 4-1 in region
play) face Class AAAA’s no. 8 team Northwest
Whitfield (7-2) Monday in the opening round
COMING UP
•@ Deep South Classic, Monday
through Wednesday (Brookwood)
of the Deep South Classic.
‘They’re solid all the way around,” coach
Dan Lampe said. ‘They’re extremely funda
mental.”
The tournament is at Brookwood High
School. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m.
Northwest Whitfield went 28-3 last year and
reached the state quarterfinals.
Madison County's first order of business
CLASS AAAA TOP 10
1 Fayette County (5A-AAAA) 7-0
2 Bainbridge (1A-AAAA) 8-0
3 Southwest DeKalb (6B-AAAA) 7-2
4 Rome (7-AAAA) 10-0
5 Douglas County (5B-AAAA) 8-1
6 Madison County (8A-AAAA) 8-3
7 Salem (8B-AAAA) 10-2
8 Northwest Whitfield (7-AAAA) 7-2
9 Statesboro (2-AAAA) 12-0
10 Hephzibah (3-AAAA) 8-2
in that game is to somehow stop 6’6" center,
Quaneisha McCurty, who's verbally committed
— See Girls’ basketball on Page 2B
Juvonna Fleming searches for an open teammate in a
recent Lady Raider game. Ben Munro/staff