AJC > Sports > Highschools > Blog > Archives > 2006 > November > 24 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USCreekside validates its stature
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
How the Nos. 2 and 3 teams in the state, respectively, end up playing in the second round of the Class AAAA playoffs, in and of itself, calls for a re-examination of the seeding process.
Undefeated and virtually unchallenged all season, Griffin and Creekside, ideally, would clash, say, at the Georgia Dome in the semifinals or some other time much deeper in the postseason. But that would be too much like right, huh?
As it was, the two schools that combined for 22 wins and no losses met at Northgate High (another issue for another day), and it was less the challenge expected and more the confirmation of Eric Berry as the premier player in the state and Creekside as a legitimate title contender.
All season, the Seminoles and Berry have made mincemeat of the competition, a lot of it clearly inferior. Friday, against a team considered among the best in the state, the star and the team validated their stature.
“I’ve seen a lot of great players come through, and Eric’s probably the best I’ve ever seen,” coach Kevin Whitley said. “He’s just unique. In practice, in school, in the game — he’s great in every way.”
Although a quarterback, Berry has done much of his damage with his uncanny ability to run, picking up huge yardage after breaking tackles. Seldom does a single player bring Berry to the turf.
Friday, however, Berry was just as effective as a passer in his team’s 20-0 victory. On Creekside’s first scoring drive of the game, he completed 3 of 4 passes, including a beautifully thrown fade to Terrance Parks for a 30-yard touchdown.
Before halftime, he rolled left and hit Kayman Sutton for a 20-yard completion, setting up Berry’s 4-yard touchdown run and a 14-0 advantage.
It was 20-0 at the midway point, which spoke loudly to Creekside’s overall team ability. Going against Bobby Rainey, one of the top running backs in Georgia, the Seminoles swarmed him at nearly every turn. To get the ball in his hands more immediately, Rainey was moved to quarterback. Didn’t work. Creekside’s defense was sound, playing containment on the edges the way coaches diagram it. Rainey was forced to the middle of the field, where eager help took him down.
This show of stout defense against an offense that has been potent all season is as much a verification of Creekside’s championship prowess as Berry’s talent. For, no matter what the star does, the team does not shine if the other components do not get it done.
And the Seminoles are getting it done in all facets. The offensive line is physical and tireless. Berry is indefatigable, participating in almost every play Friday night. The difference-maker, however, likely will be their defense. If Friday was an indication, Creekside has a few more games left.
Up front, the Seminoles are big and fast. Their linebackers attack the ball-carrier as if heat-seeking missiles. The cornerbacks shut down receivers and wide runs.
And anchoring it all at safety is Berry, who had a strong hit on Rainey in the third quarter.
Two issues: No kicking game and penalties. The Seminoles had enough infractions Friday to make a coach lose hair, some of them negating big gains. Clean those up, and Creekside’s a terror. In ending Griffin’s season, the Seminoles made the Bears look ordinary, while they themselves looked quite scary.
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By Rupert
November 25, 2006 12:11 AM | Link to this
What will Grady have to do to earn any respect? By saying Flowery Branch would be a “culture shock” for Grady - yup, you said - “I give Grady no respect.” And definitely Flowery Branch has an amazingly disciplined no-huddle, pro-set offense - I just saw it. But I also saw Grady find a way to win. And I don’t mind if you pick Monroe or Shaw over Grady next week … just give the Grey Knights a little respect, please. By the way - when was the last time a team went to the Dome, moved up a divison the next year and went back to the Dome? I doubt if it has ever happened, and Grady’s a win away from doing it.
By He didn't make the prediction
November 25, 2006 01:18 AM | Link to this
Actually, Curtis didn’t make the prediction that Grady would lose. Somehow, it’s irrelevant to his column on Creekside. He’s done similar columns on Grady before (one as recent as a couple of weeks ago) and seems to be supportive when he’s written them. Daryl Maxie makes the picks. And it’s not an exact science. Sometimes, predictions are made sight unseen of teams, based on records, rankings, reputations etc. I once covered high school football and know it’s more art than science. And predictions are probably not to be taken as seriously as some take them. Teams still have to strap on helmets and play, regardless of who said what, especially when the who is usually, by job description, an unbiased third party with nothing to gain but the adolation or ire of fans and whose purpose is to inform or entertain or both as is the role of a sports writer. Grady plays Shaw next week, hopefully at Grady and not in Columbus. By the way, Flowery Branch looked like one of the old Crim teams that used to just line up and fling it down the field all night long. Grady’s coaches have been there, seen that before and found a way to win a game that the team seemed bent on giving away in the final minutes. The double pass with 30 seconds left to pull it out was nothing short of divine intervention. And once again, Grady is the last APS school standing in the playoffs.
By james
November 25, 2006 01:50 AM | Link to this
I hope everybody’s happy that Griffin is out of the playoffs, because we had a good year and a good team and we will have another good team for next year. Go Bears
By bowling ball
November 25, 2006 07:40 AM | Link to this
To all the fans of Creekside High School let’s continue to cheer for our team in their quest for Georgia AAAA State Championship ,specifically for the DEFENCE.As I watch the team play on DEFENCE,it is fasinating to watch eleven young men come together playing as ONE,in mind,heart,step,and spirit .Go team keep up the good work,you’re making us proud.Win it all.
By ojenkins
November 25, 2006 09:59 AM | Link to this
High School sports coverage on TV in Atlanta stinks, and you want this to be an “Opening Day” city—Shame (Channel 2 is the worse!!!) Daryl Maxie, are you ready to give Grady the trespect it deserves? Probably not.
By Rupert
November 25, 2006 10:56 AM | Link to this
oops, sorry Curtis, wrong thread, wrong blog. My bad. Great analysis of the Grady game tho, Mr He didn’t make the prediction
By george
November 25, 2006 12:26 PM | Link to this
If I was in the AAAA playoffs, I would be worried about the best team in the state (any classification), the NORTHSIDE EAGLES.
By football
November 25, 2006 08:16 PM | Link to this
Great Job Creekside!!!! In 5A - Keep you’re eyes on Stephenson.
By Ryan
November 26, 2006 11:00 AM | Link to this
Creekside keep doing it. You got the whole southside on your back right now. Continue to carry us. This is coming from a graduate of Banneker High School.
By Sham
November 26, 2006 07:42 PM | Link to this
Respect is earned not through beating a team that is ranked b/c we all know teams are over-ranked in Georgia its earned when you win it all…that is the only rank that trully matters
By Northside_Football_Dominates
November 26, 2006 09:40 PM | Link to this
Curtis you follow football across the state. Did Griffin not create some red flags for you when they barely reached the state playoffs with a late 36-32 victory over a hapless Upson-Lee HS team from Thomaston two weeks ago in the Region 4AAAA play in (in essense the playoffs).
When Griffin struggled against a team with a losing record, we all knew that the Bears were grossly overrated. You should have known that, as well.
Creekside has not played a region champion. Griffin did not win their region. The region champions are the Northside Eagles.
Congratulations to Creekside! Advancing to the round of 8 is an accomplishment for any program. However, let’s be realistic. Griffin was an average program, at best. Great programs improve as the season progressing. Griffin barely beat Upson-Lee…actually trailed late to a very young and weak team with everything on the line.
By JacketFan
November 26, 2006 10:03 PM | Link to this
Is the Grady team ya’ll are talking about the same Grady team that played Calhoun in the Dome last year?? I mean Grady talked all kinds of smack to Calhoun along with the AJC, but who won that game?? That’s what I thought. I guess Grady is glad to not be playing against Calhoun this year.
By Calhouned
November 27, 2006 10:29 PM | Link to this
What does Calhoun have to do with anything? Be thankful for AA and stay there. Losing a state title on your own field that you woulda, coulda, shoulda won. But woulda, coulda, shoulda, is just that. Be prayerful that you should be lucky enough to have such an opportunity again and that Charlton County is nowhere in sight, if you do. Maybe you’ll be fortunate enough to get Buford, like that’s really a break. Your state final was the worst kind of loss. Anybody can lose with dignity a game they were expected by many to lose, except themselves and their fans. But to be so close, but so far, that has to sting like an alligator bite from the Okeefenokee Swamp, or an arrow in the backside from Charlton County, or did it feel like a Yellow Jacket turning and stinging itself? But either way, bet if felt worse than a 13-1 team that finished with the best record in its school’s history and for once got the kind of support that the Calhouns and all the other small town schools expect because there’s nothing else to do on a Friday night. By the way, the AJC last year picked Calhoun to win the game at the Dome. They also picked Charlton County to win the state title. Or did they pick Calhoun and the expectations were more than a few busy bees could bare?
By Gaboi88
November 28, 2006 02:17 AM | Link to this
Creekside, the whole southside of ATL has your back. Enough about Northside. When they finally win a state title thats when I’ll respect them.
By KSShake
November 28, 2006 12:34 PM | Link to this
Finally!!! and it’s about time Creekside got some love. They’ve went about their business all season and Eric Berry is the best player in the state. I wish Westlake and Campbell had won too. Grady IS another team that hasn’t gotten respect this year. Stephenson keeps chuggin’ along, winning kinda ugly, but winning nonetheless with a defense that’s been the most dominant in the 5A playoffs, but all we see and hear about is Norcross this and North Gwinnett that, and neither of them has looked impressive. Personally, I hate that Creekside and Marist are playing this week cause I like both teams and coaches so much.
By DAISHA DADDY
November 28, 2006 03:09 PM | Link to this
Congrats to Creekside for their win over Griffin. Everybody needs to accept that fact that Creekside is the best team in the state and that they can’t be beaten. With Berry, and Allen in the offensive backfield, and the doom squad on defence, who do you really think can beat them?
By You Know Who It Is
November 28, 2006 04:23 PM | Link to this
I too agree that it appears that a team has to win everything the year before, before they are acknowledged the following year. I watched the news the day we beat Griffin and saw almost everyone game previewed but our. If it was me and we won state, I would not give my story to any of the local news carriers (maybe channel 5) I would let the town paper do the media coverage.
By prognosticator
November 29, 2006 09:46 AM | Link to this
All of you on the Creekside bandwagon and poor me Griffin bracket hackers need to remember, the road to the dome goes through Marist and will end for Creekside there, period..
By jsleazy
November 29, 2006 12:31 PM | Link to this
On a totally unrelated issue to this blog, Ajc yall give some crap coverage on MetroATL high school basketball. 3 Top 20 nationally ranked boys basketball play in MetroATL alone(Wheeler,Columbia and Norcross), and we are going to have at least 2 reps in the MDonaldsAAGm ( Probably C.Allen and J.Hickson). Not to mention Metro ATL has the top girls HS basketball team in the U.S.(Collins Hill),top player (M.Moore), as well as a nat’ly ranked St. Pius w/ another top player( K.Cain) and top rated girls JR A.Manning from Etowah,etc,etc, I could go on and on. I know there has to have been some HS basketball games, tournaments, something played last week. Yet 0 coverage. I know its early, but there are some killer matchups going on, but how will anyone know when yall cover freakin football all week with a thousand page spread every FRI-SAT. All Im saying weve never had this much going on the hardwood in a minute, please Curtis can we get half the coverage yall give to HS football to basketball when football ends. Besides, there aint a school playing this Friday thats unbeatable except for NorthsideWR, Peach Co., and Norcross(if you seen them play you would know they are a team of destiny) take that to the bank.
By You Know Who It Is
November 29, 2006 01:39 PM | Link to this
Pricknogsticator, why do we have to be on the band wagon just because we support our team. I tell you like I have told everyone else win, lose or draw, we still love and support our boys. While we are appreciative and support the fact that they are excelling athletically, they are also kicking butt academically. I suggest you have your field crew ready to repair your field because we’re blazing hot and coming atcha. Just so you will know, we already know we are going to have to start early putting points on the board because the refs are going to start blowing the whistle on us from the coin toss. Therefore we are going to have to put you to bed early. NITE, NITE!!!!1
By prognosticator
November 30, 2006 12:33 AM | Link to this
Very mature BYKWII. Obviously, showin’ off some of that academic excellence! Pretty bold talk for someone already making excuses.
By Raider Fan
November 30, 2006 03:21 PM | Link to this
Enjoy while you can Creekside. If you manage to get past Marist you’ll just get buried in the E.P. Boneyard with the rest. Go Raiders!!!
By prognosticator
December 1, 2006 11:13 PM | Link to this
So Mister or should I say Miss BYKWii. Who’s your daddy……. Marist Rocks try a different ballpark athletically and academically.
By prognosticator
December 1, 2006 11:22 PM | Link to this
Raider Fan, Congrats, but it’s as far as you go. There will be no hiding in the dome. No more feasting on chumps. Of course, you could just forfeit and save yourselves the humiliation.