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The LaGrange High football team will be heading to Sandy Creek on Friday for a rematch against the region champions in the second round of the state playoffs. The Patriots won the regular season encounter between the two teams back on Aug. 30, 27-7. 

The Grangers are looking to flip the script on history as they are 0-7 in program history versus Sandy Creek with all the games occurring since the 2012 season. This will be the first time the two teams meet in the playoffs.

A lot has changed since the regular season matchup between the two teams back in August. Since the matchup both teams have a 7-1 record. The Patriots, who were dominant early in the season, took a close loss to Mary Persons late in the regular season and beat Troup and Whitewater by just one score each.

Both LaGrange and Sandy Creek come into the game off a dominant win in round one. The Patriots routed Adairsville 48-23 at home while the Grangers blasted Lumpkin County 48-6. Since their loss to Sandy Creek, LaGange won every game by double figures with the lone exception being the 18-15 loss to Upson-Lee in the regular season finale. 

The Patriots won the 3A state championship in 2022 and are hungry for another after getting bounced in the first round of the state playoffs a season ago. Sandy Creek is currently ranked second in the GHSF Daily poll. 

The Grangers will have their work cut out for them on Friday night as the Patriots come into the game with one of the top offenses in 3A. Sandy Creek is led by sophomore quarterback Caleb Hill, who has completed 66% of his passes for 2,185 yards with 31 passing touchdowns to just four interceptions. He is also a more than capable runner with 335 yards and five rushing touchdowns.

LaGrange will also have to keep its eyes on junior Amari Latimer. The all-around playmaker leads the Patriots in rushing yards with 1,083 and 13 rushing touchdowns while coming in second on the team in receiving yards with 350 and four receiving touchdowns.

The Grangers have their own dynamic duo in quarterback Dylan Barber and running back Malachi Fannin-Render. Both had big games in the opening round of the playoffs against Lumpkin County. The junior threw for 101 yards, ran for 144 and scored three total touchdowns to bring his tally up to 859 passing yards and 897 rushing yards with 21 total touchdowns and just two interceptions. Neither team turns the ball over often and that could be key on Friday night.

Fannin-Render torched Lumpkin County in the opening round of the playoffs in tune to 201 rushing yards and three touchdowns. The Liberty commit is having a season for the ages with 1,784 scrimmage yards and 26 total touchdowns

LaGrange has been without one of their best defenders this season as linebacker Noah Outland, who holds multiple Division I offers, since he exited the Sandy Creek game with a torn ACL. Fannin-Render also exited the Sandy Creek with a concussion as the Grangers had to adjust without two of their best players on the fly in the game. 

Outland will not be playing on Friday night, but the defense has made some major adjustments in his absence. Corn Brown has filled that linebacker role admirably, racking up nearly 60 tackles so far this season. 

Another defender that emerged as the season went on was senior defensive lineman Spencer Stroud, who is up to 10 sacks on the season, as he enjoys a true breakout campaign.

Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m on Friday at Sandy Creek High School.