Football Recap: Deland Starts Season with Victory Against Madison County

DeLand had to kick off their season on the road on Friday, but they showed no ill effects. They won a matchup that couldn't have been any closer, slipping by the Madison County Cowboys 21-20. This was payback for the Bulldogs, who suffered a 42-28 loss the last time these two teams met.

DeLand found their leader in sophomore Taihj Moore, who rushed for 78 yards and one TD on only 11 carries, and also threw for 35 yards and one touchdown.

DeLand didn't let much get past them through the air: they limited Madison County to a completion percentage of just 40.9%. The team can thank Nalin Rogers for the heroic effort on defense: he. DeLand wasn't nearly as limited: they posted one of 66.7%.

Several Cowboys players turned in solid performances despite ultimately coming up short. Perhaps the best among those players was Travis Arnold Jr, who rushed for 45 yards and one score, and also picked up 81 receiving yards. Chad Mitchell was another key passer, throwing for 191 yards and one TD on only 16 passes.

Coming up, DeLand will be defending their home field for the first time this season when they go up against New Smyrna Beach at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. As for Madison County, they will hit the road for the first time this season to challenge Lincoln at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday.