No. 5 Sandy Creek (Tyrone, Ga.) - Team preview / Preseason photo gallery
Strengths: How solid is Sandy Creek in 2013? It has won three state titles in the last four seasons and could have its best squad yet this fall. It returns top performers all over the field, starting with quarterback
Cole Garvin. He threw for more than 2,700 yards as a junior. His top target, Clemson-bound
Demarre Kitt, also returns after he hauled in 68 passes for 1,151 yards and 11 scores last fall, and will be one of the most dangerous receivers in the country this fall. To keep defenses honest, Sandy Creek will lean on its junior running back duo of
Delvin Weems and
Eric Swinney. The team is almost equally formidable on defense.
Chris Williams will impose his will on defense and
Khari Lain and
Javonte Lain will anchor the linebacker spots.
Question marks: At nearly every position, Sandy Creek has one of the top players in the state of Georgia. The exception could be in the secondary, where it needs to replace Shaquille Wiggins and Corey Griffin. Super sophomore
Ronnie Blackmon could help provide part of the answer. As a AAAA school, it might lack the depth that bigger schools in the state enjoy. The team also needs to find a replacement for Mitchell McMillin, who handled kicking and punting duties.
Outlook: This team has a legitimate claim as the state's -- and perhaps the nation's -- best. It has an impressive assembly of talent that thrives under head coach Chip Walker's system. Last year, Sandy Creek outscored opponents, on average, 44-9 each game. Little is standing in the team's way of at least duplicating that dominance.
