Rick Patrick
rick@greenepublishing.com
When the Madison County High School (MCHS) Cowboys enter the field on Friday night, Aug. 19, to take on the War Eagles of Wakulla High School, it will be a combination of new and old. Under the leadership of new Head Coach Price Harris, there will be a few new wrinkles that many Cowboy fans will enjoy. At the same time, it will likely have a nostalgic feel for Coach Harris. Coach Harris, a graduate of MCHS, will be making his head coaching debut at the helm for the Cowboys, although he has been back on Boot Hill many times since the days when he wore pads for the Cowboys. Coach Harris was an assistant coach for MCHS, before eventually becoming the Head Coach at Dunnellon High School. While coaching at Dunnellon, his team frequently made the trip to Madison to play the Cowboys. The latest was last season when Dunnellon handed the Cowboys their third loss of the season. That game turned out to be a turning point for the Cowboys, as they went through the rest of the season undefeated, picking up another State Championship.
"I'm sure it will be a surreal feeling coming out as the Head Coach here," said Coach Harris. "There will be a lot of emotions. Even though it's not a regular season game we are very excited about playing."
The game will not be a "normal" regular season game. This will be the "Kickoff Classic" for both teams, so one can expect each team will likely play a more conservative game than it would be if it were a regular season contest. With that being said, don't be surprised to see the Cowboys open up a bit and air the ball out on offense from time to time. Coach Harris has already let it be known that he plans to open his offensive unit and take more shots down the field than many Cowboy fans are used to seeing. The game will be played as a full game. The contest will feature the varsity starters beginning the game, then it will be many of the back-up players having the opportunity to show what they have. The contest will conclude with the junior varsity players taking the field. Many players will have the opportunity for game action, which will certainly delight fans and family members alike. This will also be a valuable tool for the coaching staff as well.
The "Price Harris Era" begins on Friday, Aug. 19, at Boot Hill Stadium, located on the MCHS campus. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m.