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Turnovers hurt Loganville’s upset bid
Published November 15, 2009
TYRONE — Region 5 champion Sandy Creek ended Loganville’s season Friday night in the first round of the Class AAAA state high school football playoffs.
Sandy Creek (10-1) advanced with a 37-19 victory and will play host to Tucker on Friday. Loganville’s season ends at 6-5.
Storm Johnson, who has made a verbal commitment to the University of Miami, concluded his season at Loganville with 204 yards’ rushing in 23 attempts with three touchdowns. He ends his one-year career as a Red Devil with 1,937 yards and 31 touchdowns.
Third-ranked Sandy Creek turned two Loganville turnovers into touchdowns, and that was the eventual difference in the ballgame.
The Fighting Patriots scored on their first offensive series. They drove to the Loganville 31-yard line where, facing a fourth-and-3, picked up a first down on a pass from Ronnie Bell to Patrick Alexander.
Three plays later, Beall connected with Jarrett Davis on another fourth-down play, covering 25 yards for a touchdown.
Zach Lopez added the point-after and Sandy Creek led 7-0 with 8:58 to play in the first quarter.
Loganville took the ensuing kickoff and took the ball at its 20. Johnson picked up 2 yards on first down, then took off 78 yards the second time he touched the ball.
Matt Flynn missed the PAT and Loganville trailed 7-6 with 8:10 to play in the period.
It didn’t take long for Sandy Creek to answer, as Mississippi State commitment Rajion Neal returned the Loganville kickoff 71 yards for a touchdown.
Lopez booted the PAT and Sandy Creek led 14-6 with 8:00 to play in the opening quarter.
Loganville continued to move the ball on its next possession, driving to the Sandy Creek 17-yard line, but quarterback A.J. Schmidt was intercepted by Sean Rowe on a third-and-5.
The Fighting Patriots then moved 75 yards in 11 plays to take a 21-6 lead on a 1-yard touchdown pass from Bell to Devon Hughes and the Lopez kick with 10:08 to play in the first half.
Then it was Loganville’s turn to roll up the yardage, as the Red Devils on their next possession marched 74 yards in 19 plays, taking almost 10:00 off the clock.
Johnson scored on a 5-yard with :42 to play in the second quarter to cap the drive. The Devils went for the two-point conversion, but Schmidt was sacked on the play.
Loganville tried an onside kick, but Sandy Creek recovered at its 40-yard line. Three straight pass completions got the Patriots to the 8, but Bell was sacked back at the 19 with :06 to play and Sandy Creek had to settle for a field goal.
Lopez connected on a 36-yard kick with :04 on the clock and Sandy Springs held a 24-12 lead at halftime.
After 24 minutes of offense, the third quarter turned into a defensive struggle.
The two teams exchanged punts on their first two possessions. Late in the third quarter, Sandy Creek was forced to punt on fourth down from the Fighting Patriot 45-yard line.
Loganville blocked the punt and took possession at its 47-yard line.
Schmidt threw incomplete on first down but connected with Desean Ledbetter for a 7-yard gain on second down. On third-and-3, Schmidt pitched the ball to Johnson, who sprinted 45 yards for his third touchdown of the night.
Flynn kicked the point-after and Loganville was back in the game, trailing 24-19 with 10:56 left.
The Red Devil defense forced Sandy Creek to punt after three plays on the next series and Loganville took over at its 20-yard line.
The Devils could only move it to their 47, where they faced fourth-and-5 and lined up in punt formation. However, instead of kicking the ball, Schmidt pulled it down and ran on the fake punt. He was tackled short of the first-down marker.
Sandy Creek immediately took advantage when Neal went 51 yards on the first play, down to the Loganville 2-yard line.
Mike Spaulding then carried in from the 2 for the touchdown with 6:28 to go in the ballgame. The PAT failed but Sandy Creek led 30-19.
After the kickoff, Loganville put the ball in play at the 24. After three straight completions by Schmidt to move to the SC 46, the senior quarterback was forced to scramble. He lost the football and Sandy Creek recovered it at the Patriots’ 45.
The Loganville defense stiffened and got the ball back for the Red Devil offense on downs after five plays.
Four plays later, Schmidt threw his second interception, giving the ball to Sandy Creek at the Loganville 10.
From there, Neal carried three straight times and finally penetrated the end zone from the 5-yard line with :53 left.
Lopez’ PAT accounted for the final score of 37-19.
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