It left an impression how long the Madison High School football team remained on its home field April 24 for a long time after losing to South County, 29-22, in a seesaw state semifinal playoff game of the Virginia High School League’s Class 6 state tournament.
The loss ended Madison’s season with an 8-1 record and district and region championships to its credit. The Warhawks also defeated Westfield for the first time this season, occurring on Madison’s home field.
Madison was 2-0 in the region playoffs on its turf, winning the region crown there.
The Warhawks lost in the final moments against South County, so there were a lot of emotions throughout the contest, especially at the end. There were tears. So the players weren’t ready to leave anytime soon.
As the players, still in uniform, set and laid down, walked around, hugged, talked and some complained about some of the official’s penalties, their parents stood and waited in front and beside Madison’s home stands. They left the players alone.
The field crew removed game objects, but the players stayed in place, coaches as well.
“I don’t know if we’ll ever leave this field,” Madison coach Justin Counts said.
The South County team was long gone, but the Warhawks remained, slowly leaving the field some 45 minutes after game’s end. Some even talked of returning later that night.
– Dave Facinoli
dfacinoli@sungazette.net