On Friday, Sept. 19, the Madison County High School (MCHS) Cowboys varsity football team tapped into the spirit of the legendary cowboy Pecos Bill, who was claimed to have ridden a tornado to tame it. The Cowboys traveled to Panama City, Fla. to face the Tornadoes of Bay High School. It was a closely contested game from the opening moments and beyond as the game went into overtime. In the end, the Cowboys emerged victorious with a 41-35 win over the Tornadoes.
The contest began with the Cowboys on offense at the 30-yard line. They moved the ball out to the 37-yard line before having to punt the ball away. However, an errant snap was recovered by the Tornadoes at the Cowboys' one-yard line. This set up the first touchdown of the evening, giving the Tornadoes a 7-0 lead with 8:57 still to play in the first quarter. The Cowboys responded quickly when Ladarious Crumity sprinted 45 yards for a touchdown run on the Cowboys' next possession. After a successful two-point conversion, the Cowboys had their first lead of the game, with 8:25 remaining in the opening quarter. The Tornadoes started their next offensive drive at their own 37-yard line, but the Cowboys put a halt to that drive at the 46-yard line. The Cowboys' offense was back on the field at their own 17-yard line. The Cowboys struck quickly once more when Crumity ran 40 yards this time for his second rushing touchdown of the contest. The ensuing two-point conversion attempt failed and the score was 14-7, with 3:45 remaining in the first quarter. The Tornadoes began their next drive at the 31-yard line and found the endzone from there on a long pass play that tied the score at 14-14, with :46 still to play in the first quarter.