Tigers fall at Sandy Creek in playoff opener

November 16, 2024

The Adairsville Tigers traded blows with Sandy Creek through three quarters Friday night in Tyrone, but the Patriots pulled away in the fourth quarter for a 48-23 first round win in the Class 3A state playoffs.

Sandy Creek led 21-14 at halftime and 34-23 through three quarters before holding the Tigers scoreless in the fourth quarter.

The Patriots opened the scoring with a long touchdown pass at the 6:03 mark of the first quarter. Caleb Hill connected with Zalen Green for an 83-yard strike and a 7-0 lead.

Adairsville answered with a 72-yard drive to tie the score.

Ethan Long found Barrett Fuller with a 32-yard touchdown pass with 3:15 left in the first period. Cooper Souders made the Tigers’ PAT kick.

Sandy Creek marched 74 yards on nine plays with their response. Hill reached the end zone with an 8-yard run that gave the Patriots a 14-7 lead with 10:55 remaining in the second quarter.

After several possession exchanges, Sandy Creek grabbed a 21-7 lead with another long pass play. Hill’s throw to Amari Latimer resulted in an 85-yard touchdown with 1:14 left in the first half.

The Tigers answered, however, before the intermission.

A 47-yard touchdown pass from Long to Westin Crisp narrowed the Tigers’ deficit to 21-14 at halftime.

Adairsville struck first in the third quarter. An eight-play drive moved the Tigers to the Sandy Creek 17-yard line. From there, Souders booted a 34-yard field goal to pull Adairsville to within four points at 21-17.

The Patriots responded with a quick scoring drive of 62 yards in five plays. Latimer’s 10-yard scoring run gave Sandy Creek a 28-17 advantage with 2:01 left in the third period.

Sandy Creek added to that lead just 30 seconds later.

Evan Harvey picked off an Adairsville pass and returned it 32 yards for a touchdown. The extra point failed, but Sandy Creek held a 34-17 lead with 1:29 remaining in the quarter.

Less than a minute later, Adairsville got on the scoreboard again with a 46-yard touchdown pass from Long to Tre Winters. The Tigers missed the PAT attempt, leaving the score 34-23 with 0:49 left in the third quarter.

Sandy Creek put the game out of reach in the fourth quarter with two long scoring drives.

Hill capped an eight-play, 71-yard scoring march with a 1-yard keeper with 9:44 remaining. Hill later tossed a 24-yard touchdown pass to Dalen Penson to finish a 13-play, 64-yard drive with 2:19 left.

Meanwhile, the Adairsville offense was kept off the scoreboard in the fourth quarter.

Sandy Creek (10-1) will host LaGrange in the second round next week.

The Tigers’ season ends with a 6-5 record.

~~ Larry Gardner contributed to this report.