 Delvin Weems lit up Carrollton for 97 yards two touchdowns.
(Staff Photo by Christopher Dunn) With just two weeks left in the regular season the Sandy Creek football team faced and conquered arguably its toughest test of the season as they soundly defeated region foe Carrollton 30-7 on Friday night.
"We need to get focused on the playoffs and taking things one round at a time," said Sandy Creek coach Chip Walker, whose team remains undefeated at 9-0 overall and in its region. "We know from last year that if you don't focus each and every week that you'll be out in the third round instead of playing in the last one."
The blowout win ensures that the Patriots will enter the region 5B-AAAA tournament as the No. 1 seed, while Carrollton (6-3 overall) will be the second seed coming in after squandering its chance to gain the top spot by winning.
Despite the wide margin of victory, the Patriots had its share of troubles with a tough Carrollton squad and it was, surprisingly, plays made on special teams that helped SC get into position to take an early lead.
The Patriots started by forcing a safety following a poor snap which Carrollton ultimately booted out of the back of the end zone to give SC a 2-0 lead 11:51 in the second quarter. They struck again by blocking a punt to gave the offense the ball on the eight yard line with under two minutes left in the first half.
After those big special teams plays it seemed that the Patriots had finally settled into the game, especially offensively as they would score two times in the final four minutes of the second quarter. A three yard scamper by Eric Swinney with 3:50 left capped off an 81 yard drive and an eight yard scramble by quarterback Cole Garvin with 1:11 left let them take a 16-0 lead into halftime.
"Carrollton is a good football team and it took us a while to get going offensively," Walker said. "But once we got going we figured some things out."
In the second half it became more evident that SC was the more dominant team as it continued to hold Carrollton scoreless while also continuing to put up points.
"The defense played great," Walker said. "Them being so good all night was the big thing."
Fayette County Super 12-er Shaq Wiggins recorded the Patriots only takeaway with an interception while Delvin Weems exploded with two touchdowns in the third quarter, including a 75-yard dash to the end zone on his way to 97 yards rushing on the night.
Malik Sheppard scored Carrollton's lone TD on a punt return with a minute left in the game.
The Patriots will wrap up its regular season when they host 0-9 Columbus this Friday. |
