After three straight seasons with at least eight wins (8-3 in 2010, 9-2 in 2009, and 8-2 in 2008), the Madison County High School football team went 3-7 last year.
Despite the graduation of the one of the school's greatest athletes in recent memory, three-sport star and all-state wide receiver Travis Warren, the Mountaineers are striving to get back to the success of years past.
Coming off back-to-back playoff appearances and a Bull Run District championship in 2010, Madison County gave up over 30 points a night (311 total) and did not win a home game last season (0-5 at home, 3-2 on the road).
"It ticks me off," said MCHS senior guard/middle linebacker J.P. Utz. "It makes me want to work harder. Every time I go to the weight room, that ticks me off."
Madison County High School head coach Stuart Dean said, "I don't think we need to say anything about it. Just the thought of it in the back of your mind, at least for me, you still think about that, and it gives you all the incentive to go out there and work even harder to make sure it doesn't happen again."
"That just kind of stays in the back of my head," said Madison senior offensive tackle/defensive end Joshua Lillard. "It's always there, but you kind of let that go, and you know that you're going to have a better season this year. That was the big talk. It's not done like that. It's going to be different this year."
The Mountaineers return seven starters on each side of the football, including four on the offensive line (seniors Utz, Lillard, and Daniel Shifflett and junior Ashby Wise), three on the defensive line, and both linebackers.
"I think it's going to be real strong," Lillard said. "We all, most of us, have game experience. That's really important in football. I think it's going to be good. It's going to be strong this year."
"We feel real strong up there, and those guys have got to lead the way for us," said Dean, who's entering his eighth season as the head coach at Madison.
"Stronger than we've been in the past," said Utz, a second-team all-district linebacker in 2011. "A whole lot stronger than last year I feel like. I've been playing with these guys since little league, so I know what he's going to do before he even does it."
Dustin Farmer enters his third season as Madison's starting quarterback. The senior threw for 1,344 yards and eleven touchdowns last year and earned first-team All-Bull Run District as a sophomore in 2010.
"That's a big weapon," said Lillard, who earned second-team All-Bull Run as an offensive lineman last season. "That's really nice to have a quarterback who can get the ball downfield and also run it when there's an open lane. That's real nice. That's a good weapon."
Farmer said, "I feel like I build, I get better every year. I'm around the same people. It really builds a family kind of experience."
"We expect bigger and better things than what he's done his sophomore and junior year," said Dean. "I expect him to lead the way for the offense."
"He's got some good game experience, so he should build on that year to year," Utz said. "This should be the best year yet."
As the season approaches, the Mountaineers have one goal.
"We've got to come together better as a team," said Dean. "Last year, we played as a bunch of individuals, and we're really working and trying to strive to become a better team. We feel like if we can do that, we can be much more successful."
"We're building that," said Utz. "We didn't really have a lot of that last year, and we're going to build a whole lot more of that this year. I can assure you."
Madison opens the season at East Rockingham August 24th at 7:00.
Senior running back Mo Gentry and senior tight end/defensive end Clifford Fortune will also be used as playmakers on offense.
Madison graduated Warren, an all-state wide receiver who caught seven touchdown passes and had 770 yards receiving last season. He also earned second-team all-district as a defensive back.
Linebacker/kicker Stephen Dixon also graduated after earning second-team All-Bull Run at kicker, along with second-team all-district defensive lineman Anthony Jewett.
