Oxford Hosts Madison Central in First Round Matchup

By Adam Brown
Sports Editor
adam.brown@hottytoddy.com

The Oxford Chargers are set to open up their 6A playoff run as the defending state champions this Friday night as they host the Madison Central Jaguars. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m. at Bobby Holcomb Field.

Oxford (9-0) enters the playoffs after completing their regular ten-game season slate undefeated. The Chargers capped off the season with a 25-14 victory over the Tupelo Golden Wave last Friday night. 

“Six A football, you’re going to have a tough task in your region games every week,” Head Coach Chris Cutcliffe said. “We have always tried to play a tough non-region schedule. We want to put our team in those situations against good football teams as often as we can. We do think it does help us for the playoffs when we have played those games before.”

Cutcliffe and his staff have impressed on their players that now is the time to give it their A-game.

“Everybody from here on out is a really good football team,” Cutcliffe said. “Going to be well-coached and have a lot of good players. Every week is going to be a huge challenge this time year so we have got to have a great week of practice in order to play well.”

According to Cutcliffe, teams have to continue to improve from week to week as they head toward the playoffs.

“You see it year after year in the playoffs, the teams that continue to succeed are the teams that continue to improve throughout the season and are playing at their highest level,” Cutcliffe said.

Madison Central comes into town with a 7-3 record on the season. The Jaguars closed out the regular season with a 42-0 win over the Greenville Yellow Jackets. 

“Both teams are playing well down the stretch, and I think it is going to be a great game,” Cutcliffe said.