The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Sandy Creek’s gone far with big plays
Ridgeland hopes to contain gamechanging drives.
For the AJC
Sandy Creek has put up long drives for touchdowns, so it’s no stretch to label them a big-play team.
Sandy Creek coach Chip Walker doesn’t dispute the notion.
“I think we can be, but I don’t necessarily think we have to be,” Walker said. “I would say that we have bigplay capabilities, and we make a bunch of them.”
Indeed, the Patriots have excelled at gamechanging plays. Thirteen times in 14 games they’ve had five plays of 20 yards or longer. The five socalled explosive plays per game was one of Sandy Creek’s goals going into the season, the linchpin to wiping away some of the hurt of falling short in the playoffs a year ago.
“As a coach they’re always tougher to swallow when you don’t think you played as good as you could have,” Walker said. “It’s been good for us to get back to that level again.”
So perhaps the key factor in the Class AAAA final will be whether Ridgeland can prevent Sandy Creek’s big plays.
Ridgeland coach Mark Mariakis acknowledges as much. “We just hope we can keep them from having one- and two-play drives,” Mariakis said. “Nobody wants that.”
Which brings us to Vonn Bell. The Ridgeland safety, perhaps the top uncommitted recruit in the state, has been everywhere for the Panthers. He’s the team’s second-leading rusher and its leading receiver, but he’s basically got one function on defense: Eraser. He can keep 20-yard plays from becoming 50-yard plays, although he has confidence in his teammates to keep from getting to that.
“I trust my guys to make plays,” Bell said, “but I’ll make big plays for you.”
Bell leads the team with 136 total tackles, three interceptions, two forced fumbles and five tackles for losses.
Said Mariakis, “Vonn makes us all look real smart.”
Regardless of which team has the ball, Bell is a focal point for Sandy Creek.
“He’s one of those guys where you always have to be aware of where he is on the field. He gets involved in the run game, makes plays back there and plays center field a little bit,” Walker said.
On the other side of the line, Sandy Creek junior receiver Demarre Kitt almost certainly will come up against Bell at some point but he’s one of four 1,000yard players on the Sandy Creek offense.
He may be the most dangerous. Kitt, who has 68 catches for 1,151 yards and 11 touchdowns, is one missed tackle away from
has 2,491 passing yards and 20 touchdowns this season for the high-powered offense. being on the fast track to the end zone. He turned the game against Burke County in the semifinals on just such a play.
“I think it may come down to a big play,” Kitt said. “It might not be necessarily me. It might be