Nearly two years ago, the Chagrin Valley Conference voted to expand by three teams beginning with the the 2023-2024 school year.
In a little over a month, teams from Conneaut, Jefferson, and Madison will make their CVC debuts and Madison football coach Mike Gilligan is looking forward to competing in a new conference, one he feels is a better fit for his Blue Streaks.
“The CVC offers more of a neighborhood feel,” Gilligan said. “Community wise, it is more geographically central.”
In addition to the regional fit, Gilligan believes the similarity in student body between Madison and the other CVC schools will provide more equal competition than what the Blue Streaks faced in the Western Reserve Conference.
“I think it’s definitely a better fit for us as far as our enrollment size,” Gilligan said. “We know the competition will still be good, but schools like Riverside were double our size in enrollment.”
Gilligan hopes the move to a conference with similar sized schools will fuel the flames of Madison’s football program. The number of kids playing indicates support for these hopes.
“I think moving into the conference allows us to build our program and get kids excited about football,” Gilligan said. “Already this year, our numbers are up to right around 56 kids 10-12 on our roster.”
As for what the conference can expect from Madison, Gilligan explained the team will look to keep defenses honest.
“In years past, we’ve always been pretty multiple,” Gilligan said. “Our quarterback, Carson Alley, is definitely more of a runner, and we will try to take advantage of the field by mixing in some (run-pass options).”
Alley, who was the team’s leading touchdown scorer in 2022, converted from running back last year after leading the team in rushing the year prior. He will be entering his second season at the position.
Other notable returning players for Madison this season are wide receiver/safety Noah Barnes and running back/safety Dominic Lawrence. Gilligan also said to keep an eye out for two sophomores – running back James Poe and lineman Cameron Mullen.
On the defensive side, the Blue Streaks will look to start in two-high safety base but are capable of switching personnel based on the offenses they see throughout the season.
“We have the ability to go four down up front,” Gilligan said. “If we play more spread teams, we will be 3-4. If we play more two-back teams, we will probably want to be more 4-2-5. We have the ability to roll our safeties into cover one and three and, in short yardage, even some cover zero.”
For Gilligan, the goal for year one in the conference is the same as it is every year–to compete for the title. However, he understands that the program’s attention must be internal in order for this to be attainable.
“If you don’t have winning the conference as one of your goals, I don’t know if you’re doing your job,” Gilligan said. “But, I don’t like to put the cart before the horse. Those conference championships don’t come unless you take care of business every day in practice and focus on getting better yourself.”
