Apopka High School
November 3, 2006
Blue Darters 14, Madison County 30

By John Peery
Apopka Chief Staff

Country boys can play football. Madison County may be a school with only about 800 students, but the Class 2A powerhouse proved its worth to play among the big boys Friday, November 3, at Roger Williams Field when the Cowboys defeated the Class 6A Apopka Blue Darters, 30-14, in the regular-season finale for both teams.

Madison County (8-2) used two big plays in the first half to take a 16-7 halftime lead, then milked the clock with a possession running game in the second half to head back to north Florida with the victory. “We got whipped every way you can get whipped,” said Apopka head coach Rick Darlington.

The Cowboys scored on a 70-yard run and a 79-pass play in the first half, then held the ball for 27 minutes, 42 seconds over the final three periods. Darlington acknowledged Madison County’s strong running game and stifling defense, but said the Darters (8-2) had their own problems with penalties and turnovers. “We didn’t help ourselves,” he said.

Apopka did score first and last in the game, but it was the 30 points between Apopka touchdowns that were the difference.
The Blue Darters’ early lead was a short-lived one as Apopka scored on a 22-yard touchdown pass from Andy Summerlin to Jeremy Gallon midway through the first period. Robert Beary’s extra point put Apopka up 7-0 with 6:15 left in the first quarter.

Apopka’s touchdown followed a mistake by Madison County as a high snap on a punt attempt went over the punter’s head and the Darters tackled him at the 20-yard line.

But, just 20 seconds after Apopka took the lead, the score was tied as Madison speedster Chris Thompson found a seam in the Apopka defense and scampered 70 yards on the first play following the kickoff. Daniel Sanders’ extra point tied the game at 7-7 with 5:55 left in the first period.

Madison County grabbed the lead for good when Sanders converted on a 21-yard field goal attempt, giving the Cowboys a 10-7 lead with 8:07 left in the second period. The kick followed a drive that stalled at the Apopka 4.

The teams traded punts until late in the second period when, facing a third-and-22 from the Apopka 21-yard line, Madison quarterback Blake Sapp found receiver Bernard Brinson behind the Apopka defensive backs for a 79-pass play with 1:21 left. The extra point was no good, but the Cowboys had the momentum and the lead, 16-7, going into halftime.

Apopka got a chance early in the second half to cut into Madison’s lead when the Cowboys elected to go for it on fourth-and-2 from their own 28-yard line. But, Apopka’s defense smothered running back Harry Reddick, giving the Apopka offense the ball on the 26-yard line. After a first-down run of 12 yards by Travelle Davis, the Darters gave the ball back on a fumbled snap that Madison recovered on its own 12 with 9:15 left in the third period.

After the teams traded punts once again, the Cowboys put together a 78-yard drive that pretty much shut the door on the Darters as Thompson found space for a 22-yard scoring run. Sanders’ extra point with 1:21 left in the third quarter gave Madison a 23-7 lead.
The Cowboys’ final touchdown of the game came after another Apopka punt. Madison County drove 47 yards with Reddick plowing over from the 1 for the score. Sanders’ extra point gave Madison a 30-7 lead with 6:17 left in the fourth period.

Apopka got its final score of the game with just 13.2 seconds left in the game when Summerlin connected with Derrick L. Clark on an 87-yard touchdown pass play. Beary’s extra point provided the final margin.