Class 3A: Sandy Creek 21, Cedar Grove 17

Sandy Creek’s Travis Franklin scored on a 1-yard run with 50 seconds remaining to give the Patriots a 21-17 victory over defending champion Cedar Grove in the Class 3A championship game Saturday afternoon at Georgia State’s Center Parc Stadium.

Sandy Creek (13-2), ranked No, 3, avenged a regular-season loss to the Saints and captured its first championship since 2012, when it won the last of three titles in four years. Top-ranked Cedar Grove (11-3) was denied in its bid for a fifth state title in seven seasons. Cedar Grove defeated Sandy Creek 49-34 on Oct. 21 in a game that ultimately decided the Region 5-3A championship.

The winning touchdown wasn’t without controversy, as replays appeared to show that Franklin was stopped short of the end zone. The referees discussed the play, and the touchdown stood. It came on third down, so the Patriots would have had one more shot at the end zone had Franklin been ruled down.

The game-winning drive, which covered 70 yards in 12 plays, came after Cedar Grove had taken a 17-14 lead on a 20-yard touchdown run by Ricky Lee with 5:22 to play. The key play for the Patriots on the drive was a 23-yard run by quarterback Geimere Latimer on fourth-and-22 that moved the ball to the Cedar Grove 21.

Sandy Creek took a 7-0 lead on its first possession and had a chance to seize control of the game on its second when it had a first-and-goal at the 4-yard line. However, an incomplete pass, two losses and a penalty pushed the ball back to the 26, and the Patriots turned the ball over on downs.

Cedar Grove responded with a 74-yard drive, tying the game on a 7-yard run by Quinterio Lawson. Sandy Creek fumbled the ensuing kickoff, leading to a 36-yard field goal by Forte that in effect turned a potential 14-0 deficit into a 10-7 Saints lead.

Game Statistics

Cedar Grove - 0-10-0-7 - 17

Sandy Creek - 7-0-7-7 - 21

First quarter

S - Travis Franklin 1 run (Jakob Norris kick), 6:49

Second quarter

C - Quinterio Lawson 7 run (Amari Forte kick), 10:04

C - Forte 36 field goal, 8:27

Third quarter

S - Geimere 1 run 10 run (Norris kick), 6:12

Fourth quarter

C - Ricky Lee 20 run (Forte kick), 3:16

S - Franklin 1 run (Norris kick), 0:50

Rushing: Cedar Grove - Ricky Lee 4-68, Elliott Colson 12-64, Quinterio Lawson 5-57, Demarcus Smith 13-37, Team 1-(-1), Miami Artis Jones 1-(-4). Sandy Creek - Geimere Latimer 10-53, Amari Latimer 11-50, Travis Franklin 10-29, Kaleb Cost 2-14, Team 1-(-6).

Passing: Cedar Grove - Elliott Colson 6-17-1-33. Sandy Creek - Geimere Latimer 14-25-0-174.

Receiving: Cedar Grove - Barry Jackson 3-15, Devin Carter 2-15, Quandarius Sypho 1-3. Sandy Creek - Cameron Watts 7-93, Keyshon Kenny 3-63, Dalen Penson 2-10, Kaleb Cost 2-8.