In only its

second year of existence, the gridiron rivalry between

Starr's Mill and Sandy Creek high schools has become the

premiere rivalry in the county.

For the

second year in a row, the game went down to the wire this

past weekend and fans on both sides got an excellent game

of football to watch.

The game

took place at Starr's Mill's temporary home field on the

school's first ever Senior Night. Everyone in the stadium

seemed to be fired up for the opening kickoff and neither

team disappointed. The first drives for both teams

stalled.

Sandy

Creek's defense was very pumped up and ferocious on the

line but the players' overzealousness caught up with

them, as they were called on a number of penalties.

Starr's

Mill struck first after Drew Cofty caught a Brad McClaren

pass about an inch away from the endzone. The Panthers

scored on the very next possession and led 7-0 at the end

of the first quarter.

The

Patriots developed a long drive toward the end of the

second quarter. Running backs J.R. Lemon and Mark Lawson

drove the team down the field and capitalized after a

34-yard Lemon run that brought the Patriots to within

inches of the goal line. The panthers got the ball back

with 1:17 left in the half and despite some large runs by

LaDon Cooper, the teams went to the locker room tied 7-7.

The

Patriots received the ball after the half and had a bit

of a scare. J.R. Lemon got shaken up and taken to the

sidelines. Everything was OK, though, because once Sandy

Creek got the ball back, Lemon went off for a 76-yard

touchdown run to give the team the momentum and the lead.

The Patriot

defense was fired up again and held on for the remainder

of the third quarter and much of the fourth. They

couldn't knock Starr's Mill out though. Quarterback Brad

MClaren did his usual trick of rescuing a drive and

scored on a quarterback keeper toward the end of

regulation. At the end of the fourth quarter it was tied

14-14.

Overtime in

high school football consists of penetration points.

Obviously a team would like to score on a drive but if

neither team in overtime scores, the one that traveled

the farthest gets the point and the win. Starr's Mill

traveled a few yards further than Sandy Creek and the

game was over, 15-14.

The win

practically assured the Panthers of a second place finish

in the region and guarantees them a trip to the playoffs.

Sandy Creek has a tougher row to hoe, as they must win

out over the next two weeks and hope for a Woodward

Academy or North Clayton loss. The Panthers travel to

Woodward Academy this week and the Patriots will host

North Clayton.