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BAKER -- The long-awaited return to the gridiron at Madonna is finally here.
The Blue Dons will make their return to the field on Friday night with a long trip and a big challenge as they make the trek to the Eastern Panhandle of the state to battle perennial power East Hardy.
"The kids are excited; the community is excited," Madonna head coach Shawn McKinnon said. "We've got a far trip on our hands, about three-and-a-half hours, but our kids are pumped, and I think they're up for the task.
"They're ready to play. They don't care where they're playing, we could go anywhere, they're pumped to go."
The long trip to start the season is a challenge, but McKinnon is confident his team will handle it well and sees it as a big opportunity for his club to make a splash right away.
"They're ranked in the top-10 in Class A, and I told the kids and preached to them this week, this is an opportunity to really show that Madonna football is back," he said. "If we can beat this team, we're right in the conversation of being a contender in Class A."
The Cougars are coming off of a 6-6 campaign that saw them win a playoff game. They have been in the playoffs each of the past seven years and are ranked No. 7 in the preseason Class A rankings by MetroNews and MaxPreps.
"They're a well-coached football team," McKinnon said. "They're a contender every year, year-in and year-out.
"They're big, they're strong and well-coached. So, we're just looking to go down there and be able to compete against them and try to come out victorious."
The Blue Dons were a playoff team the last time they fielded a team in 2024, but have a lot of new faces since then.
McKinnon is also making his debut as a head coach.
"A big win to start off would show that the program is back and put us right back on the map," McKinnon said.