The Adairsville Tigers couldn’t keep up with the Sandy Creek Patriots Friday night, falling 48-23 in the first round of the playoffs. The Patriots’ dynamic offense and opportunistic defense proved too much for the Tigers to handle.
Sandy Creek struck first when their quarterback escaped the pocket and delivered a deep touchdown pass, giving the Patriots a 7-0 lead in the opening quarter. Adairsville responded quickly, as Ethan Long connected with Barrett Fuller on a deep passing touchdown to tie the game at 7-7.
The first quarter remained competitive, but Sandy Creek took control in the second. A short rushing touchdown put the Patriots ahead 14-7. Despite Adairsville’s defense stiffening on the next drive, Sandy Creek broke through again with another deep touchdown pass, extending their lead to 21-7. Refusing to fold, Adairsville answered before halftime with a long touchdown pass from Long, cutting the deficit to 21-14.
The Tigers came out strong in the third quarter, trimming the lead to 21-17 with a field goal. Sandy Creek responded with a methodical drive capped by a short rushing touchdown, pushing their advantage to 28-17. Trouble mounted for Adairsville when Long, under heavy pressure, attempted to throw the ball away, only to see it intercepted and returned for a touchdown. The missed PAT left Sandy Creek up 34-17.
Adairsville showed resilience, quickly striking back with a deep touchdown pass to narrow the gap to 34-23. The Tigers then recovered an onside kick, momentarily shifting momentum in their favor late in the third quarter.
However, Sandy Creek’s defense stiffened, forcing a turnover on downs. The Patriots added another short rushing touchdown early in the fourth quarter, extending their lead to 41-23. A late passing touchdown and an interception by Sandy Creek sealed the game, and the Patriots ran out the clock in victory formation to secure a decisive 48-23 win.