Rochester, Rochester Hills, Southfield

Southfield High football bests Stoney Creek, clinches playoff bid

By Christian Davis
C & G Sports Writer

» click to enlarge « Photo by Deb Jacques Southfield High quarterback Tre Walton looks for an open receiver against Rochester Hills Stoney Creek Oct. 19 at home. The Blue Jays won 25-15 and are headed to the playoffs. Photo by Deb Jacques Southfield High quarterback Tre Walton looks for an open receiver against Rochester Hills Stoney Creek Oct. 19 at home. The Blue Jays won 25-15 and are headed to the playoffs.

Southfield High football punched its ticket into the playoffs.

The Blue Jays beat Rochester Hills Stoney Creek 25-15 Oct. 19 at home.

Stoney Creek dominated many aspects, but couldn't over come four turnovers, two of which were in Southfield territory.

"We just missed opportunities, and football is a game of momentum. It turned the other way," Stoney Creek coach Brad Zube said.

Along with the miscues, a major momentum shift came early in the third quarter. The Cougars, leading at the time 9-6, had four chances to punch it in from the Blue Jays' 5-yard line, but were turned away each time.

"That really energized our kids," Southfield coach Tim Conley said of the defensive stand.

On the next possession, Southfield scored on a 67-yard pass from Tre Walton to Jacob Studdard, which gave Southfield a lead it wouldn't give up.

"Our mantra all week was to play physical, and as the game goes on, wear them down," Conley said.

Stoney Creek opened the scoring with a safety early in the first, and then quarterback Justin Allor tossed a 26-yard touchdown to Sean Scullen in the second quarter, and then Scullen, who took over for an injured Allor, fired a 17-yard TD pass to Joe Cox in the fourth quarter.

Southfield got on the board with a 7-yard run by Gerald Gates, and Walton found Studdard on two throwing scores. It's final touchdown was a 10-yard interception return by Willie Duncan early in the fourth quarter to put the Blue Jays up 25-9.

"We took a couple punches, but we just stayed physical," Duncan said.

Southfield goes to 6-3 overall and now waits until Sunday to find out its first-round opponent. Stoney Creek falls to 5-4 and is hoping for an at-large bid to the playoffs.

You can reach C & G Sports Writer Christian Davis at cdavis@candgnews.com or at (586)498-1062. Follow Christian on Twitter.