TALLAHASSEE, FL (WTXL) — Florida High hosts Madison County Friday in a rivalry game pitting a 4-0 Seminoles squad against the experienced Cowboys.
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Florida High and Madison County renew their annual rivalry Friday night, with a notable contrast under center — a freshman quarterback for the undefeated Seminoles against a senior with state championship experience for the Cowboys.
Florida High enters the matchup 4-0, but injuries have pushed younger players into larger roles. Freshman quarterback Connor Tigarina has stepped into the starting position, and head coach Jarrod Hickman says he will get the call again Friday night.
"The older kids have rallied around him, and they've done a good job of taking the pressure off of him. We've always known Connor's a super talented kid… last week he came in and did a good job," Hickman said.
Madison County will counter with senior quarterback Chad Mitchell, who head coach Price Harris says started a state championship game two years ago. Harris says Tigarina's youth should not be underestimated.
"Coach Hickman does such a great job developing guys. I mean, that guy doesn't even look like a freshman. I'm watching him on film and he's throwing the ball all over the place… our quarterback, he started a state championship game two years ago for us. So, he does have some experience. You know I love Chad and I think he's been great for our program," Harris said.
While the quarterbacks bring different levels of experience, the programs and their coaches carry deep familiarity with one another. The Cowboys and Seminoles meet every year, and the relationship between Hickman and Harris stretches back more than two decades.
"We go way back, I mean, all the way back to the early 2000s. Just a phenomenal guy, phenomenal family. He and I have been really good friends for a very long time… still one week we're not friends," Harris said.
That long-standing bond has not stopped either side from competing fiercely. Harris says the rivalry has continued even during stretches when one program dominated the series.
"It's a tremendous rivalry… even when Madison dominated it, he continued to play it. Even when they dominate it, we're going to continue to play it… regardless of it, it's going to be a great matchup every year," Harris said.
Recent history at Friday's venue has favored Florida High. Madison County has not won at Florida High since 2018. Hickman says the program has worked deliberately to make its home field a difficult place for opponents.
"We tried to create a place a long time ago that this is a tough place to play. And so, whether it was Madison County or anybody else, we've won a lot of home games here against a lot of really good football teams. When you go play at Boot Hill, you know that that is a tough place to play. I think when you come over here and play at the Shack, it's a tough place to play. And so, our atmosphere has made it that way. Our crowd has made it that way. Administration has made it that way. So, we hope Friday night it's rocking," Hickman said.
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