Rick Patrick rick@greenepublishing.com
It was an opportunity for new Madison County High School (MCHS) Head Coach Price Harris to see his Cowboy football squad in game action for the first time. On Friday, May 20, the MCHS Cowboys held their Maroon vs Silver Spring Football game on Boot Hill. The two sides battled it out for two, 30-minute halves, with a running clock, with Coach Harris taking on the role of referee. The remainder of the Cowboy coaching staff took on the responsibility of leading the two squads. In order to keep the competition level equal and fair, the two teams held a “draft” to determine who would play on which team. As evidenced by the score, this turned out to be an effective strategy, as both teams were evenly matched. Although all the players were Cowboys, the level of intensity and competitiveness was at a high level throughout the game. “Things got a little 'chippy' a couple of times,” Coach Harris would later say. “But that's a good thing. That means the competitive juices were flowing.” The game also provided some younger players an opportunity to impress the coaching staff in a “game-like” scenario.
Shortly after beginning the game, lightning was spotted nearby and the game was delayed with the Silver team moving down the field, with Jamie Hampton and Ja'Ohn Jackson carrying a good part of the team's rushing attack. After a 30-minute delay, play resumed and the Silver team quickly found their way into the end-zone. Soon after, Zavion Bryant led the Maroon squad down the field, thanks to some great catches and rushing plays from upcoming senior Jonathan Akins, who made several key plays on both sides of the ball during the contest. Akins will surely be a player to watch and could put up some big numbers if he can manage to remain healthy throughout the Cowboys' tough schedule.
In addition to an evenly matched game, the contest was played with relatively few mistakes, which was a bright spot, considering the short amount of time the Cowboys have had to prepare during the spring. Coach Harris came on board only a couple of weeks before the spring game.
“I saw a lot of things I liked, some that I didn’t,” said Coach Harris after the game. “First half was pretty explosive. Buck, Jonathon, Ja’Ohn, O’Shea Akins, and Trey Gillyard give us experience and explosiveness. As far as young guys, Sean Williams, Zae Bryant, Jason McDaniel, John Christian have all emerged this spring. Up front we had some quality holes being opened early. Keoni Nelson, Keyon Aikens, Jason Andablo bring back some experience, with Ray Pike and Cooks having great springs. Adding Ziggy Lamar will really solidify us up front. Tony Hamilton, Omarion Gentle, OJ Hodge, Rakevion Moore and Mike Mobley really stood out this spring defensively. Seeing them fly around, especially in the second half, made me smile. We got out leveraged a few times, failed to run the ally and missed a few blocks and tackles, but overall I was pleased with the effort. All of those things we can coach up and clean up. Now, we need to get into the weight room and work like Cowboys. Everything is earned, nothing is given.”
The Cowboys will soon begin their voluntary summer workouts in preparation for what will likely prove to be one of the most challenging Cowboy football schedules in recent memory. The 2022 MCHS varsity Cowboys football campaign begins on the road in Tampa, on Friday, Aug. 26, when the Cowboys face Carollwood Day School. The first home game will be on Friday, Sept. 2, when the Cowboys host the Cougars of Godby High School.