Class 3A Blog - No. 4 Sandy Creek at No. 6 LaGrange highlights weekend in 3A football

Three matchups between ranked programs highlight the third week of the high school football season and for No. 4-ranked Sandy Creek (2-0), it will open its Region 2 schedule against No. 6 LaGrange (2-0).

The Patriots are coming off victories against East Coweta 28-21 and McIntosh 35-7 while LaGrange has beaten Cass 27-7 and Early County 42-8.

Senior Amari Latimer has four rushing touchdowns on 35 carries and has 339 yards on the season behind junior quarterback Caleb Hill, who has three touchdown passes and two touchdown runs.

Seniors Alijah Ferrell (2 touchdown receptions) and Avohn Florence (1 touchdown reception) lead Sandy Creek receivers. On the defensive side, senior Andrew Dawson has 19 assisted tackles and is averaging 12 tackles per game. Freshman kicker Trey Love is 9-of-9 on point-after tries.

LaGrange senior quarterback Dylan Barber is 12-of-22 passing for 175 yards and four touchdowns while rushing for 252 yards and a touchdown. And when Barber is stymied, sophomore back Peyton Davis has 15 carries for 151 yards and four touchdowns.

Senior receiver Julian Jones has two catches, each for touchdowns, while senior Kalvin Snowberger has two catches for a touchdown for the Grangers.

In other key games Friday --

No. 8 Cherokee Bluff (2-0) will travel to No. 7 North Hall (1-0) and the Bears, led by senior quarterback Cooper Dean, will try to continue the balanced offensive attack. The Bears have beaten Lumpkin County 31-21 and Apalachee 47-2. Dean is 15-of-24 passing for 202 yards and touchdowns while rushing for 60 yards and two touchdowns. Tony Rushin has 17 carries for 104 yards and two touchdowns while freshman Brayden Couch and junior Jackson Pirkle each have one rushing touchdown. Bluff’s receiving corps is deep with senior Malcolm Milsap (2 TD receptions), junior Connor Cook (one TD reception) and junior Dylan Haley (one TD reception).

On the other side of the field, North Hall is 1-0 after beating Wesleyan 41-7 last week. The offense is controlled by junior quarterback Alex Schlieman, who was 13-of-23 passing for 220 yards and three touchdowns – one each to seniors Parker Carlton and Ty Kemp and another to junior Dawson Gray. On the ground, North Hall has one rushing touchdown each from senior Justin Allen, Carlton and junior Wyatt Tumlin.

In the one ranked, yet out-of-class matchup, No. 9 Oconee County (1-1) will play host to Class 2A No. 4 Morgan County (2-0) in Watkinsville. The Warriors have beaten Clarke Central 14-0 but lost the season-opener to Class 4A No. 1 North Oconee 41-0. Oconee will need to silence Morgan County’s senior quarterback Davis Strickland and senior back Christian Monfort. Strickland is 27-of-40 passing for 388 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for one touchdown. Monfort has 31 carries for 289 yards and seven touchdowns in two games. Senior Wyatt Singleton has three receptions, each for touchdowns while Ty Tillery has one touchdown reception.

Class 3A Top 10 Week 3 Schedule

1. Calhoun – Friday at Westminster; Sept. 5 at Class 4A No. 5 Cartersville; Sept. 12 vs. No. 6 Cambridge

2. Peach County – Friday vs. Berkmar; Sept. 5 vs. Crisp County; Sept. 19 at Northside-Warner Robins

3. Stephenson – Friday vs. Dutchtown; Sept. 5 vs. Decatur; Sept. 12 at Mt. Zion-Jonesboro

4. Sandy Creek – Friday at No. 6 LaGrange; Sept. 12 at Upson-Lee; Sept. 19 vs. Trinity Christian

5. Jefferson – Friday at Clarke Central, Sept. 5 at Stephens County; Sept. 12 vs. Class 4A No. 1 North Oconee

6. LaGrange – Friday vs. No. 4 Sandy Creek; Sept. 5 at Trinity Christian; Sept. 12 vs. Fayette County

7. North Hall – Friday vs. No. 8 Cherokee Bluff; Sept. 5 at East Hall; Sept. 12 vs. Chestatee

8. Cherokee Bluff – Friday at No. 7 North Hall; Sept. 5 vs. Habersham Central; Sept. 12 at Banks County

9. Oconee County – Friday vs. Class 2A No. 4 Morgan County; Sept. 5 Loganville; Sept. 12 vs. Stephens County

10. Troup – Rests. Sept. 5 vs. Whitewater; Sept. 13 vs. Mary Persons; Sept. 19 at Fayette County

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