By MICHAEL BOYLAN
Sports Editor

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.

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