And so … the 2022 Class 3A high school football regular season has come back around to Cedar Grove vs. Sandy Creek. And once again, the matchup comes down to one question: Is this Cedar Grove team invincible against 3A competition?
Certainly, the Saints’ performances through nine weeks would suggest that’s the case.
But that’s what most people believed last season until Sandy Creek recovered from a 35-13 deficit to stun the Saints 40-35 and end their 34-game region winning streak. The Saints still won the 5-3A title last season via the league tiebreaker.
And Cedar Grove recovered in the playoffs to win its fourth state title in six years.
The Saints, top-ranked again, enter Friday’s matchup with a 5-2 record after running through a Class 7A gauntlet that included victories against Westlake and Collins Hill and two competitive losses to highly ranked Mill Creek and Colquitt.
Cedar Grove is led by sophomore quarterback Elliott Colson, who is 93-of-149 passing for 1,470 yards. The defense is led by cornerback Kayin Lee (Ohio State) and lineman Adonijah Green (Louisville).
Sandy Creek, ranked No. 3, has a 7-1 record, with its only loss to Class 7A East Coweta on Sept. 9. Senior quarterback Geimere Latimer has passed for 1,373 yards and run for 388. Amari Latimer, his brother, leads the team with 443 rushing yards as a freshman. Kaleb Cost, a cornerback, and has committed to North Carolina.
At stake: A big step toward the No. 1 seed from Region 5. But the region tiebreaker is interesting, and Cedar Grove still has to face No. 5 Carver-Atlanta (5-2, 0-1) next week.
In other key games:
No. 8 Monroe Area will host No. 10 Oconee County in a key Region 8 matchup. Stephens County, 2-0, leads the league with Monroe Area and Oconee tied at 1-1 with No. 9 Hebron and Hart County. Monroe Area’s Jeremiah Anderson is 68-of-102 passing for 1,058 yards and six touchdowns. The Purple Hurricanes’ rushing attack is led Alan Jones Jr. (seven touchdowns), Darrion Manuel (6), Jeremiah Anderson (4), CJ Wilborn (2) and Semion Hodge (1). Oconee County quarterback Mac Ricks is 34-of-74 passing for 571 yards and four touchdowns. Four different players – Ricks (3), CJ Jones (2), White Weeks (2) and Titus Watkins (1) – have rushed for touchdowns.
Class 3A top-10 schedule
1. (1) Cedar Grove (5-2, 1-0) travels to No. 3 Sandy Creek (7-1, 1-0)
2. (3) Calvary Day (6-0, 4-0) is at home against Savannah Country Day (3-4, 1-3)
3. (4) Sandy Creek (7-1, 1-0) is at home against top-ranked Cedar Grove (5-2, 1-0)
4. (5) Dougherty (8-0, 3-0) is at home against Thomasville (5-3, 3-0)
5. (2) Carver-Atlanta (5-2, 0-1) is at home against Douglass (3-5, 0-1)
6. (6) Stephens County (6-1, 2-0) is at home against Hart County (4-3, 1-1)
7. (7) Peach County (4-3, 1-0) is at home against Upson-Lee (4-4, 2-0)
8. (8) Monroe Area (3-4) is at home against No. 10 Oconee County (4-3, 1-1)
9. (9) Hebron Christian (6-1, 1-1) travels to Franklin County (0-7, 0-2)
10. (10) Oconee County (4-3) travels to No. 8 Monroe Area (3-4, 1-1)
About the Author
