Rick Patrick
rick@greenepublishing.com
On Friday, May 14, football action made a brief return to Boot Hill Stadium as the Madison County High School (MCHS) Cowboys held their Maroon vs. Silver scrimmage game. Many Cowboy fans took the opportunity to come out to Boot Hill in order to get a peek at the Cowboys and a little of what to expect this coming fall. Although the game did not count in the record books, no one was going to be successful in convincing the players that the outcome didn't matter. Both squads approached the game with a high level of competitiveness. Fortunately, despite the level of competition, the game had relatively few injuries. The game also gave the Cowboy coaching staff a chance to see the young players in a “game atmosphere,” which carries a much higher pace than a normal practice. As one might expect, the game was dominated with primarily rushing offensive attacks from both squads and fast, swarming defensive play. In the end, it was the Maroon squad that would emerge victorious with a 26-12 final score.
MCHS Head Coach Mike Coe decided to forego special teams play, so the Silver team automatically began their first offensive drive at their own 20-yard line. That drive went three-and-out and the Maroon team took over at mid-field. From there, the Maroon team marched down the field on a drive that was capped off with a three yard touchdown run by Ke'shaun Mitchell. After a failed two-point conversion, the Maroon team held a 6-0 lead, with 7:30 remaining in the opening period. The Silver team began their next possession at the 20-yard line, but coughed the ball up with a fumble at their own 30-yard line. With great field position, the Maroon team took advantage of Mithchell's legs as he punched the ball over the goal line for his second touchdown of the afternoon. The score was 12-0, with just over a minute still to play in the first quarter.
Early in the second period, a Maroon defender intercepted a pass, but the Maroon team was unable to capitalize due to a bad snap, which put them in a third-and-long situation. The Silver squad took over at their own 20, but that drive failed to achieve a first down. The Maroon offense also went three-and-out on their next drive. The Silver team began on the 25-yard line, but another turnover gave the Maroon team another opportunity with good field position. This time, the Maroon team turned the turn-over into points when Mitchell scored another touchdown from short yardage late in the second quarter. The Maroon squad held an 18-0 advantage at halftime.
The second half began with the Maroon team on their own 25-yard line. That drive was cut short when a Silver defender picked off a pass and put the Silver offense on the field at the Maroon 15-yard line. Then Buck Hampton caught a pass in the end-zone to put the Silver team on the scoreboard. The score was 18-6, with 4:32 remaining in the third period. After the ensuing Maroon drive stalled at the 30-yard line, the Silver team took over at the 40-yard line as the final period rolled around.
The Silver drive went three-and-out and the Maroon squad took over at the 20 and put together the first sustained drive of the afternoon, going 80 yards, capping the drive off with a 20-yard touchdown pass from Zay Bryant to Mitchell. The following two-point conversion was good and the Maroon team had a 26-6 lead with 5:02 remaining in the final quarter. The Silver team responded by putting together an 80-yard drive of their own, capping off the drive with a 20-yard touchdown run by Hampton. Time ran out with the Maroon team clinching their 26-12 win.
“I was very pleased with the kids effort and ‘want to,’” said Coach Coe after the game. “There were not a lot of foolish pre-snap penalties and that is always a good sign. To be able to split our team in half and still have a functional scrimmage encourages me. We have a lot of things to fix, but the kids are willing and it will happen as long as their attitudes remain like that. Our team speed is much better than last year and that is exciting to see.”
The Cowboys will participate in a “Spring Jamboree” on Friday, May 21, in Perry, Fla. The Cowboys will face the Jefferson Somerset Tigers in the third contest of the evening. Then the Cowboys will play the Bulldogs of Taylor County High School in the fourth game of the evening. Each game will consist of one half (24 minutes) of a full game. The action begins at 6 p.m., with the Cowboys expected to take the field at approximately 7 p.m. The contests will take place at Dorsett Stadium, 400 Cherry St., in Perry, Fla.