To say that McAdams football coach Jim Risen has had difficulty putting together a football schedule would be an understatement.
Risen has had to add five new opponents this season due to schools closing or consolidating and he could possibly lose another game if Montgomery County is consolidated with Winona.
“We have had to replace five teams on the schedule and that has been tough,” Risen said. “It has been a major chore because most teams in Mississippi don’t schedule on the downhill side of the district year and here we are having to schedule games with people just to get our maximum number of games. It’s been a challenge. You never want an open date. I think those kill you. You want to play every week.”
After playing in a pre-season jamboree at Bay Springs on Aug. 10, the Bulldogs will open the season at home against county rival Ethel on Aug. 17. Last year, McAdams beat Ethel 44-0, but the Tigers enter the season with a new head coach in Dave McCrory.
“It will be an adjustment for us,” Risen said. “They have a new coach and I’m sure will have high expectations and will be out to prove themselves. I don’t have any idea about what type of schemes they will be running. I’m sure they will have their kids pumped. They have have a lot of energy and enthusiasm.”
Next up will be a road trip to Class 2A West Tallahatchie, who went 8-5 last year and lost in the second round of the playoffs to eventual North State championship Winona 62-22.
“They are a 2A school that has always been competitive,” Risen said. “They have great speed and are big up front. It’s one of those games that you need to get you ready for the season. You try to play people that are better than you. You play people who are good so you will be ready when you start playing those region games.”
On Aug. 31, the Bulldogs will travel to Leake County to take on the Gators, who beat the Bulldogs 26-6 last year.
“They have good speed and good size,” Risen said. “I think they have a new coach who was at Scott Central. So I think they will be a fundamentally sound football team.”
Another addition to the schedule is Noxapater on Sept. 7. The Tigers went 8-4 last year and made the playoffs, losing in the first round to Stringer 16-0. The Tigers beat common opponent Leake County 24-6 last year.
“Noxapater is traditionally a 1A playoff team,” Risen said. “Coach Orr over there does a great job with their kids. They are in that district with Nanih Waiya so you have to be good.”
The Bulldogs then begin a two-game stretch against Delta schools, starting with division opponent Ray Brooks, a team they lost to 26-20 last year. Then on Sept. 21, the Bulldogs will play at Northside, which is a new school made up of Shelby Broad Street and Mound Bayou JFK.
“Ray Brooks is an important game because that’s the division opener,” Risen said. “You want to start off the division strong. They will have plenty of speed. We don’t know anything about Northside. They took over Broadstreet’s schedule so that’s why they are there.”
On Sept. 28, the Bulldogs will travel to Madison St. Joseph, a team that went 7-5 last year will be playing with new head coach in former Mississippi State quarterback John Bond.
“I don’t know anything about them because they will have a new coach,” Risen said. “But I know that St. Joe is a school built on tradition and they have won in the past. They have won in baseball and won in other sports. They will be disciplines and fundamentally sound.”
The Bulldogs will open October with Shaw, a team they lost 14-8 to last year.
“I’m glad we are playing them here,” Risen said. “We went up there last year and lost 14-8 in a close game. We dropped a touchdown pass and fumbled deep in there territory. We should have been up 21-6 at the half but turnovers killed us.”
On Oct. 12, the Bulldogs will host Riverside, a Class 2A team that went 3-7 last year and lost five straight games.
After Riverside, the Bulldogs will host Coffeeville, a team they beat 30-12 last year.
“Coffeeville is another team with a new head coach,” Risen said. “We played them up there last year and they jumped out on us. They had us 12-0 at the end of the first but we came back to beat them 32-12. You can’t ever sell Coffeeville short.”
McAdams has an Oct. 26 date with Montgomery County but they are scheduled to consolidate with Winona next year. A lawsuit has been filed to stop the consolidation, leaving the game up in the air.
The Bulldogs will then finish the regular season up on Nov. 2 with Hollandale Simmons, the three-time defending 1A state champions.
“They are the three-time champions but they have hired a new coach as well,” Risen said. “We played them early last year and made too many mistakes. When we weren’t turning the ball over, we were fighting mosquitos. They had a big running back last year that hurt us. They hired the guy from Yazoo City and will be sound again.”
2018 McAdams Schedule
Aug. 10 at Bay Springs jamboree
Aug. 17 Ethel
Aug. 24 at West Tallahatchie
Aug. 31 at Leake County
Sept. 7 Noxapater
Sept. 14 Ray Brooks*
Sept. 21 at Northside
Sept. 28 at Madison St. Joseph
Oct. 5 Shaw*
Oct. 12 Riverside
Oct. 19 Coffeeville*
Oct. 26 at Montgomery County
Nov. 2 Hollandale Simmons*
° Region contests
