When looking back on a successful football season and career, one of Madison County senior Dylan Shifflette’s fondest memories is still fresh in his mind.
“(Senior lineman) Trey Good’s speech after the last game at Altavista was probably the most important thing I think I remember from all the years,” Shifflettte said. “Before we left he told us all that he loved us and that we were family, and it was just a very important moment for everybody in that locker room.”
The Mountaineers’ family theme led to a 9-2 record and a Region B semi-final appearance.

Madison County’s football squad proved that old coach’s adage Friday night at Altavista: You can’t win in the playoffs without winning the turnover battle.The Mountaineers put the ball on the ground three times, missing the chance to extend their season in a 10-0 loss to the Colonels in the Region B, Division 1 semifinals.

The No. 3 seed Mountaineers (9-1) will be making the trip south to visit No. 2 Altavista (9-1) Nov. 20 at 7 p.m. in the semi-finals of the Region B, Division 1 playoffs in Altavista’s English Stadium.

The light-hearted, annual Madison County High School powder puff football game, which features a MCHS senior girl team vs. a junior girl team (and skirt-clad boy cheerleaders), has been resceduled for 7 p.m. Dec. 1 at Eddie Dean Field.

Madison County’s football squad (No. 5 in the Virginia Class A Associated Press poll) look to continue that unbeaten streak Nov. 13 as Clarke County (No. 1 AP) invades Eddie Dean Field. The game has added incentive as the winner would not only be declared Bull Run District Champion, but Madison County would also clinch the No. 1 seed and home-field advantage in the Region B, Division 1 tournament

When Madison County (8-0, 2-0 Bull Run District) travels to Manassas Park (2-6, 1-1) Nov. 6, Mountaineer Coach Stuart Dean will have no problem continuing to call his quarterback’s number.

With Halloween on the way, Madison County moves to the part of its football schedule that could either be trick or treat for the Mountaineers. After picking up its first Bull Run District win against George Mason last week, Madison’s (7-0, 1-0 Bull Run) next two district opponents currently have a combined record of 2-14, with Strasburg (1-7, 0-2) coming to town Friday, Oct. 30.

Madison County remained undefeated as it notched its first Bull Run District win, corralling George Mason’s Mustangs 35-14 in Oct. 23 football action in Falls Church.

The Madison County defense has seen plenty of running plays during its non-district schedule, but its Oct. 23 football game brings a completely new challenge on the ground.

Madison County gets to celebrate its homecoming week in style this week, after the Mountaineers returned home with two more road wins under their belt to go into Friday undefeated at 5-0, 0-0. They take on Stonewall Jackson-Quicksburg Oct. 9 in the friendly confines of Eddie Dean Field after the week-long celebration.

Madison County will return to the Shenandoah Valley for gridiron action the second week in a row Friday, but this time it will go into the valley with a different mindset than when it left it.

There was no surprise from tailback Ralph Yates after the Mountaineers’ 35-0 win over visiting Nelson County in home football action last Friday.
He’s seen this running game before.

Madison County has won its past two football contests by a combined margin of 85 points. But for the Mountaineers, there will always be ways to improve. “We want to work on some of the things that we see in the film from Friday night,” Mountaineer Coach Stuart Dean said. “There’s always little things we want to improve on — we’ll never be satisfied no matter what the score was.”

Neither flu bug nor Greene Dragon could keep Logan Terrell from reaching the end zone Sept. 11. The Madison County standout senior running back racked up 126 yards and four touchdowns on nine attempts as the Mountaineers spoiled the home opener of Greene County’s William Monroe Dragons in a 57-7 win.

When Madison County sails home to the friendly confines of Eddie Dean Field Friday night (Sept. 18), the football squad hopes to find itself awash in an ocean of Mountaineer blue. “Friday night is called the ‘Sea of Blue’ night and we’re trying to get everyone to wear blue,” Madison Coach Stuart Dean said.

With a three-overtime football victory their back pocket, Madison County’s Mountaineers now try to transform that momentum into another win against Greene County rival William Monroe. Kick-off is set for 7:30 p.m. Sept. 11 at Martin Mooney Field in Stanardsville.

Madison County’s football team bursts into 2009 looking to make a huge run to the playoffs and receive redemption for how its season ended last year. “We’re pretty excited about this year,” said Madison Head Coach Stuart Dean. 

Madison County had little trouble taking care of Manassas Park in Nov. 7 football action, but it turned out that the Mountaineers’ 41-13 victory over the Cougars wasn’t quite enough to push MCHS into the Region B playoffs.

Madison County’s football Mountaineers travel to Manassas Park Nov. 7 in the final regular season game of the 2008 season. With a win over the Cougars, Madison will garner its eighth win of the season — the most since 1999. The Mounties won their third Single “A” State Championship that same year.

Madison County kept its slim football playoffs hopes alive Oct. 31, defeating Strasburg 35-16.

The Madison County Mountaineers look to stay on the winning football track when they host the Strasburg Rams on Senior Night this coming Friday. The Mountaineers are coming off a huge 16-6 road win over the George Mason Mustangs. The victory over the Mustangs ended a two game slide and put Madison squarely back in the Region B playoff hunt.

Madison County quarterback quarterback Will Taylor threw two interceptions, but made up for it with a pair of touchdown runs to lead the Mountaineers to a 16-6 football victory over George Mason Friday.

Madison County’s Mountaineers look to “right the ship” Oct. 24 when they travel to Falls Church to face the George Mason Mustangs in Bull Run District football action. After starting the season with five victories, Madison has lost two games in a row to fall to 5-2, 0-1.

After its first loss of the season last week, Madison County looked to rebound in its first district game against Clarke County. But it was the Eagles who went home happy, plucking the Mountaineers 32-13 in the Oct. 17 Eddie Dean Field football match-up.

Madison County will open its Bull Run District football schedule this week at Eddie Dean Field against Clarke County. The Mountaineers are looking to avenge last year’s 34-18 Feltner Stadium plucking by the Eagles in the last game of the season in Berryville.

Madison County snaps its unbeaten streak Oct. 10 with its 34-20 away loss to bigger non-district football foe Eastern View, the new high school in Culpeper County.

The Madison County Mountaineers put their undefeated record (5-0, 0-0) on the line this Friday night against the Eastern View Cyclones. The Oct. 10 trip up U.S. 29 to Culpeper will be Madison’s second road trip in as many weeks. This football match-up will be the last non-district game before Madison begins Bull Run District play.

Madison County’s Mountaineers (5-0, 0-0) disarmed Stonewall Jackson’s Generals 26-13 in football action in Quicksburg Friday, though faced some tough skirmishes in the early going.

After playing three of their first four games in the friendly confines of Eddie Dean Field at Booster Park, the Madison County Mountaineers football team takes to the road Oct. 3 for gridiron action against the Stonewall Jackson Generals of the Shenandoah District. “This is our second road trip. We have to have a good week of practice and go over (to Stonewall) with the mindset to play tough Mountaineer football,” said Madison Coach Stuart Dean.

The Madison County Mountaineer football team should have no trouble getting fired up for its Sept. 26 match-up against the Page County Panthers. As Mountaineer fans may recall, Page knocked off Madison 33-27 last year. The Panthers scored a touchdown with 1:24 left in the game to steal the victory. “We owe them for last year,” said Madison senior lineman Sharod Kilby. “It gives us a little added incentive.”