Rick Patrick: Greene Publishing, Inc.;
For the members of the Madison County High School (MCHS) football team it has been a long, hot summer. Many of them have been putting in the work to prepare for tonight. All the running, lifting, sweating, grunting, and groaning have been the investment; tonight that investment begins to pay dividends. The Cowboys will face the Trojans of Hamilton County High School in the annual Kickoff Classic this evening.
Football fans can expect to see some exciting football this season from the Cowboys. With arguably the most potent running back duo in all of north Florida, Teryon Henderson and Derrick Staten, Jr. and Division I prospect, quarterback Tre Adams; the Cowboys will likely score a lot of points this season. One thing Cowboys Head Coach Mike Coe hopes to accomplish is to begin games quickly. “Last year we came back a bunch; but ideally, that's not what you want. So, we want to start faster and get going,” said Coe.
There will be some new faces in the trenches along the offensive and defensive fronts. How well and how quickly these squads gel will go a long way towards determining the success of the Cowboys this season. Senior leadership on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball will help the Cowboys. “Our strength, I think, is the fact that we have a bunch of seniors who have a sour taste in their mouth(s) from coming so close last year to being a state champ,” said Coe.
Defensively, veteran players returning at linebacker and in the secondary will help keep opposing teams out of the Cowboys' end zone.
One area Coe is excited about is in the kicking game. Kicker Drew Herring was new to kicking last season and showed some potential. He has been working during the off-season in order to improve and gain more consistency. “I expect big things from him this year,” said Coe.
“Fans will see a group of kids who care about each other, a group of coaches who care about the kids, and a team that is going to play fast and physical,” said Coe. The Kickoff Classic gets underway tonight at Boot Hill Stadium on the MCHS campus. Admission is $7. Toe will meet leather at 7 p.m. A large crowd is expected, so it is advised to get to the stadium early.