Rick Patrick
rick@greenepublishing.com
Ill-timed turnovers proved to be costly for the Madison County High School (MCHS) Cowboys in their state semi-final game against the Hornets of Hawthorne High School, in Hawthorne on Friday, Dec. 4. The Cowboys' quest for a fourth-straight state title came to an end as a result of an 18-14 defeat at the hands of the Hornets.
The contest began with the Hornets on offense at their own 35-yard line. That drive stalled near mid-field. The Cowboys blocked the ensuing punt and took over at the Hornets' 40-yard line. The Cowboys failed to capitalize and turned the ball over to the Hornets. That drive went three-and-out and the Cowboys had the ball on the Hornets' 41-yard line. The Cowboys drove down the field inside the five-yard line. Then on a fourth-and-inches play, Robert Hiers punched the ball over the goal-line from four yards out. The two-point conversion attempt was no good and the Cowboys had a 6-0 lead with 2:14 remaining in the first quarter. The first period ended with the Hornets moving the ball down the field from their own 35-yard line.
The Hornets scored a touchdown on fourth and goal from the two-yard line to tie the score at 6-6, with 7:18 remaining in the first half. From that point, each team traded three-and-out possessions until the Hornets mounted a 64-yard scoring drive to take a 12-6 lead going into halftime.
The Cowboys began the second half with a drive that covered 20 yards before stalling near the 35-yard line. The Hornets were back on offense at the 26-yard line and moving the ball when Zarrion Robinson intercepted a pass to put the Cowboys' offense back on the field at the Cowboys' 21-yard line. The Cowboy drive stalled with a turnover-on-downs at the Cowboys' 40-yard line. On the Hornets' next drive, Robinson picked off another pass and the Cowboys' offense was back on the field at their own 13-yard line. A couple of plays later, Jamie Hampton made his way around the end of the line and raced down the sideline for a Cowboy touchdown. The two-point conversion was good and the Cowboys had a 14-12 lead as the third quarter drew to a close.
The next Hornet drive stalled at mid-field and the Hornets kicked a booming punt that pinned the Cowboys back at their own four-yard line. The Cowboys were moving the ball and appeared poised to put points on the scoreboard again when disaster struck. A bad snap was scooped up by the Hornets and returned 61 yards for a touchdown, giving the Hornets an 18-14 lead with 5:07 remaining in the contest. With time ticking down and the ball at their own 15-yard line, the Cowboys began moving down the field again. The drive was cut short when the Cowboys fumbled on the Hornets' 36-yard line. On the next play, the Hornets returned the favor and the Cowboys had the ball again at the Hornet 35-yard line. That final glimmer of hope for a fourth straight title was extinguished when a Hornet picked off a Cowboy pass with 1:25 remaining in the contest.
After the game, MCHS Head Coach Mike Coe put the game into perspective. "My heart literally hurts right now, not because of a state title, but because 14 young men I adore that are Seniors, I won't get to coach next week or the week after," said Coach Coe. "I know for some, not winning a fourth [state title] in a row is devastating, and trust me I hate losing, but I've watched one of our junior varsity players lose his Mom to COVID this year, I battled COVID myself for 25 days, and watched how our kids handled quarantines at the last second numerous times and all they did was keep showing up and working hard. I know for a fact that our young men have become better people from being a part of our program this year and I see tough, hard nosed young people that our town should be proud of, for their willingness to lay it on the line every Friday night and really all year round, daily. I would not trade any of them for anything and I'm thankful for their toughness and for God blessing me to be their coach."
The Cowboys finished the season with a 10-3 record and a seventh consecutive region championship.