At the time, Jonesboro’s Week 2 win at Sandy Creek looked like one of the bigger upsets of the season. Two months later that game looks much more like a notice served from Jonesboro than a detriment to coach Chip Walker’s juggernaut Patriots.
Sandy Creek has responded to the loss to Jonesboro with five straight convincing wins. The Patriots have outscored opponents by an average margin of 43-5 during their run.
“I think we refocused ourselves on making our football team as good as it could be,” Walker said. “I think it was a shock to us (losing to Jonesboro). It made us understand that if we don’t prepare and do the things we’re supposed to throughout the course of the week, on Friday night, we can get beat. Plus, Jonesboro is a pretty good football team."
Sandy Creek takes a step up in competition this week, when the Patriots travel to third-ranked and region-favorite Woodward Academy on Friday. Approximately 24 hours before the game, the undefeated War Eagles had not revealed the status of superstar running back Elijah Holyfield. Holyfield practiced in full pads Wednesday, according to Woodward Academy. Regardless, Sandy Creek knows it’s in for a battle. The Patriots will be bringing a dominant defense to that fight.
“One thing that I think has made this defense really good is that it’s really balanced, from front to back,” Walker said. “I think we’re good on all three levels, and I think that’s one of the things that makes this defense really good.
Sandy Creek’s 4-3, cover-2 defense isn’t blitz-heavy, but has recorded 19 sacks, including six from defensive tackle D.J. Forte. All three starting linebackers—Will Harper, Elijah Gilmore and Antonio Trapp—are playmakers, and senior safety Jevon Jackson, who is committed to Duke, already has four interceptions.
Sophomore Bryant Walker, the coach’s son, has been an efficient distributer, completing 61.4 percent of his passes with 10 touchdowns and no interceptions.
Woodward Academy has been rolling, even without Holyfield, a Georgia commitment who has missed the last five games with a foot injury.
“I think you see a really well-coached football team” Chip Walker said of coach John Hunt’s Woodward team. “And they have really good athletes to go out and execute their game plans.”
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