Rick Patrick
rick@greenepublishing.com
In a defensive struggle, the Cowboys of Madison County High School (MCHS) have moved one step closer in their "Fight for Four" by taking the Class 1A Region Three title with a 18-7 win over the hosting Fightin' Tigers of Union County High School, on Friday, Nov. 27.
From the beginning, it was clear this would be a hard-fought game that would likely be won "in the trenches" as neither team was able to effectively move the ball against the other's stubborn defense. On their second drive, the Cowboys were able to get into the Tigers' territory, but a turn-over on downs ended the drive at the Tigers' 38-yard line. The opening period ended with both teams trading three-and-out possessions and a 0-0 score.
The deadlock was broken when Zechariah Jones made one of his trademark leaping catches on a pass from Cowboy quarterback RJ Williams for the first touchdown of the evening. Following a failed two-point conversion, the Cowboys had a 6-0 lead with 5:34 remaining in the first half. On their next possession, the Tigers were pinned deep under the shadow of their own goalposts and went three-and-out. The Cowboys took over with good field position, but a turnover cut the drive short at the Tigers' 10-yard line. The Tigers were able to move the ball into Cowboys' territory and attempted a 33-yard field goal late in the second quarter that missed its mark. The half ended with the Cowboys still ahead, 6-0.
The second half of the contest began in much the same manner as the first, with both teams struggling to move the ball on the other. Like a prize-fight between two boxers, punches and counter-punches were thrown, but neither able to land that "knock-out" blow. The complexion of the contest began to take a turn when the Tigers were able to mount a 95-yard scoring drive, capped off with a touchdown run and successful point-after-touchdown. The score was 7-6, in favor of the Tigers as the clock ticked down to the final period of the game.
The fourth quarter began to look grim for the Cowboys when the Tigers intercepted a pass and returned the ball to the Cowboys' 29-yard line. The Cowboys' defense stiffened and forced a turnover on downs at the 25-yard line. Then Williams found an opening and turned on the jets and the future Stetson University Hatter raced down the field for a Cowboy touchdown. The two-point conversion attempt failed and the score was 12-7, with 10 minutes remaining in the contest. The Tigers' next drive stalled near mid-field and the Cowboys had the ball at their own 12-yard line. The Cowboys' tenuous lead seemed to be in trouble when the Tigers recovered a fumble at the Cowboys' seven-yard line. The Cowboys' defense was called upon to make another stand and rose to the occasion when another Stetson University commit, Zarrion Robinson, picked off a Tigers pass and put the Cowboy offense back on the field at the Cowboys' 12-yard line. The Cowboys moved the ball to mid field and then Greg Mitchell ran the ball 45 yards to the promised-land for the "icing-on-the-cake" Cowboy touchdown. The Cowboys now had an 18-7 lead with 1:24 remaining in the game. From there, the Cowboys were able to hold the Tigers at-bay to secure a hard-fought win.
When speaking of the challenges and difficulties of the contest, Cowboy Head Coach Mike Coe equated it to the lessons he teaches his young athletes. "It's what makes football what it is," said Coach Coe. "It's truly a microcosm of life. What do you do when the chips are down and do you really believe in your training? I was so proud of our kids and their resolve last Friday. The defense bowed their neck and kept Union [County] out of the end zone twice in bad spots and then the offense delivered when we had to have it. The offensive line grew up big time last Friday and I'm so proud of them. Our team is battle tested and it showed."
Williams went nine-for-16 passing for 100 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Williams also had 105 yards on the ground on seven rushing attempts, with one rushing touchdown. Robert Hiers had 94 yards rushing on 17 rushing attempts. Defensively, the Cowboys had a total of 16 tackles-for-loss. Jeremy McKnight, Ke'Shaun Mitchell and Elijah McNair each had nine tackles.
The Cowboys (10-2), still ranked as the number one team in Class 1A, will face another stiff challenge on Friday, Dec. 4, when they will play the Hornets of Hawthorne High School (9-2) in the state semi-final game. At stake is a trip to the state championship game at Doak Campbell Stadium on Thursday, Dec. 17, in Tallahassee. The Hornets, ranked number three in the state, are coming off a 14-8 win over Wildwood High School in the Region Four final. The game will take place at Hawthorne High School, located at 21403 SE 69th Ave., in Hawthorne, Fla. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m.