For the

first time in the history of both Starr's Mill and Sandy

Creek high schools, their football teams are playoff

bound.

Starr's

Mill finished with a record of 8-2, while Sandy Creek

finished the season at 7-3. The two 4-AAA teams are the

third and fourth seeds respectively and will play their

first games in the AAA state playoffs on the road this

Friday.

Starr's

Mill faced Forest Park Saturday night and won 31-15,

clinching the third spot in the region. Their offense was

clicking on all cylinders in the first half, as they

racked up 21 points. Their first touchdown came off a

14-yard Drew Cofty run and the extra point was missed.

The second touchdown came from a nine-yard run from Craig

Maddock, followed by a two-point conversion. Their third

touchdown of the first half came from a 20-yard pass from

Brad McClaren to LaDon Cooper. The Panthers led 21-7 at

the half.

Opening the

second half, Starr's Mill wore the clock down. They

burned over eight minutes of clock as they scored their

final touchdown of the game. Starr's Mill rushed for 316

yards Saturday, looking like the dangerous team that it

is. The Panthers also kicked a field goal in the fourth

quarter to make the final score 31-15. Starr's Mill, in

its second year of varsity play, travels to Peach County

(8-2) Friday night to play in its first ever playoff

game.

Sandy Creek

had a big night Friday as the Patriots faced Jonesboro in

Jonesboro. The first half did not go as planned for the

Patriots; a touchdown run by J.R. Lemon was called back

and they found themselves down 3-0 at the half. They came

alive in a hurry in the second half, though. Sandy Creek

scored 14 points in the opening 41 seconds of the third

quarter. J.R. Lemon ran 50 yards for a touchdown on the

first play of the third quarter to give Sandy Creek a 7-3

lead. Thomas Suitt intercepted a pass on Jonesboro's next

drive, running it down to the one-yard line. J.R. Lemon

poked it in on the next play to make it 14-3.

The

Patriots' next touchdown came off a 70-yard pass from

Andre Green to Adam Worsham. Backup quarterback Riley

Swanson came into the game soon after and ran 42 yards

for the Patriots' final touchdown of the game. The ground

attack of the Patriots, consisting of Lemon, Tokoya

Criner and Jack O'Neill, wore down Jonesboro, allowing

for the big play touchdowns. J.R. Lemon ran for over

1,000 yards this season, as the Patriots head to the

playoffs for the first time in school history.

Sandy Creek

will travel to Shaw (10-0) Friday night.