After its defense was shredded on the game’s opening possession, Creekside solved the Kell offense and rolled into its first state-finals appearance.
The Seminoles (14-0) got 219 yards and three touchdowns from senior Dexter Knox, and junior Bricen Terry added 123 yards and three touchdowns of his own in a 55-10 win, the third time this year they’ve topped 50 points.
Creekside, which lost to Statesboro in its only previous semifinals appearance in 2000, left little doubt in this one.
The Seminoles rushed for 438 yards and outgained Kell 462-301.
They converted a pair of Longhorns mistakes into touchdowns to key a 21-point second quarter, then turned the game into a blowout with two more scores in the first five minutes of the second half.
Overall, Kell committed four turnovers, including three interceptions.
On the opening possession, Kell (13-1) ran nine consecutive running plays for 75 yards, moving from its 24-yard line to the Creekside 1 before settling for Cameron Massung’s 20-yard field goal.
Creekside matched the drive, but came away empty on its first series, when Francisco Alejandre’s 29-yard field-goal attempt went wide left.
Creekside capitalized on a bad punt snap to take the lead. Evan Berry recovered the ball at the Kell 5-yard line after it sailed over the head of Kell punter Julien Chang. Three plays later Terry pushed in from 2 yards out for a 7-3 lead.
The Creekside defense forced a three-and-out on the next series, and a short Chang punt gave the Seminoles the ball at the Kell 39.
Knox quickly made it a two-score game, breaking a tackle at the line, busting through two more defenders and sprinting the last 25 yards for the touchdown.
An interception by Cameron Jackson gave Creekside the ball, and Terry’s 2-yard run with 2:20 left in the half capped a 60-yard drive and made the score 21-3.
The Seminoles erased any doubt about the outcome in the early stages of the third quarter. Elliott Berry, on his only carry of the game, burst off tackle and up the left sideline for an 80-yard touchdown run on the first play of the period.
His brother, Evan, intercepted a pass from Kell quarterback Matthew McGuigan on the ensuing possession, and the Seminoles drove 50 yards in eight plays to make the score 34-3. Terry’s 21-yard run finished off the drive.
Julian Burris scored Kell’s only touchdown on a 67-yard pass from McGuigan, and Creekside led 34-10 entering the fourth quarter. Knox scored twice and Julian Gibbs once to finish it off.
