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The Patriots prepare for their biggest challenge of the year |
2009-11-20 |
By Trey Alverson |
Coach Chip Walker and the Patriots definitely have their work cut out for them Friday. The 10th-ranked Tucker Tigers are coming to town.
Sandy Creek will have to overcome the ‘second round curse’ and dethrone the defending state champs to keep their championship dreams alive.
On paper, the Patriots stack up as well against Tucker as any team the Tigers have faced all year. Creek tailback Rajion Neal has established himself as one of the state’s premier rushers. And if the Tucker defense loads up the box to try to slow Neal, quarterback Ronnie Bell and receivers Jarrett Davis, Alex Chisum and Devon Hughes have proved to be up to the challenge.
Bell is coming off of one of the top passing performances in Sandy Creek playoff history. The junior threw for 151 yards and a pair of touchdowns in the Patriots 37-19 win over Loganville in round one.
Defensively, the Patriots struggled to contain Loganville tailback Storm Johnson a week ago, but were able to create three turnovers that kept the Red Devils from making it close.
This week, they’ll try to slow down Tucker running back Devin Scott, who racked up over 160 all purpose yards and three scores in the Tigers’ 35-13 road win over Dalton a week ago.
At 5’7” 160, Scott lacks the size that makes backs like Neal and Johnson so difficult to bring down, but he does have the speed and blockers to break big plays.
Of the game-changing offensive players Creek has lined up against this season, Scott most closely resembles East Coweta’s Tay Willis, who led the Indians to an overtime defeat of the Patriots way back in week one.
Sandy Creek has won 10 straight since facing Willis.
Coach Walker and his staff have spent the week making sure that the talented Creek defense has a gameplan to stop Scott.
Jamal Ware, Gavin Rocker and Lacy Coleman will try to get in the backfield to disrupt Tucker’s rhythym. Creek will rely on linebackers Clinard Stokes and Mike Spalding to keep Scott from getting into the secondary.
As region champs, Creek gets another home game in week two, but playing on the road doesn’t seem to affect the defending state champs. The Dekalb school does not have an on campus stadium. The Tigers two losses this season came at Adams Stadium to Marist and Southwest Dekalb. Tucker is undefeated on the road.
Creek hosted a second round playoff game a year ago and fell to Rome. The Patriots have never advanced to the third round of the state playoffs.
This could be the year and the team needs your support. Come on out to the game. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Friday night at the Battlefield in Tyrone. |
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