An early-season rivalry game lived up to its billing on Friday, Sept. 6, when the Madison County High School (MCHS) Cowboys went on the road to Live Oak to meet the Suwannee High School Bulldogs in one of the area’s biggest and longest-running rivalry games. Despite giving up five fumbles, the Cowboys were able to outpace the Bulldogs and emerge with a 43-26 win.
The contest began with the Bulldogs on offense and the Cowboys’ defense forcing a three-and-out. The Cowboys had the ball at the Bulldogs’ 45-yard line. During the possession, the Cowboy quarterback threw what appeared to many to be an incomplete pass. However, the “Zebras” saw it differently and ruled it to be a lateral, and therefore, a live ball, which a Bulldog defender alertly picked up and ran to the opposite end zone for a touchdown. The score was 6-0, in favor of the home team, with 7:14 remaining in the opening quarter. The Cowboys started their next drive at their own 29-yard line and proceeded to move the ball down the field. Then, Sean Williams ran 25 yards to the end zone for the Cowboys’ first touchdown of the evening. Chad Mitchell’s point-after-touchdown (PAT) kick was good, and the score was 7-6, with 5:46 still to play in the first period. The Bulldogs took over again at their own 26 and moved to the Cowboys’ 39-yard line before the drive stalled. The Cowboys were back on the field at their own 11-yard line. That drive stalled near mid-field as the quarter drew to a close with the Cowboys holding a slim, 7-6, lead.