File photo by Dennis CarterEddie Printz led Lassiter in a big comeback to stay undefeated.
Judging by the final 47-30 score, you would never guess that Lassiter trailed for the majority of the game.
Eddie Printz threw four touchdowns — all in the second half — to overcome a 17-point deficit and lead undefeated
Lassiter (Marietta, Ga.) past Milton (Ga.), 47-30, on the road on Friday night.
View the QwiXcore game logLassiter came into the game with a 6-0 record, ranked as the No. 18 team in the
Xcellent 25 National Rankings. While Milton came in with a 5-1 record, the teams were tied for first place with 3-0 records in league play. Lassiter takes sole possession of first place in 6A Region 5 with the win.
Lane Jackman scored three touchdowns and
Willie Police caught two touchdown passes and ran for one more for Lassiter, while senior
Peyton Barber rushed for three touchdowns in the loss for Milton.
Milton's defense set the tone early when it picked up a safety after a botched Lassiter snap on a punt attempt with 10:46 left in the first quarter.
On the Eagles' ensuing possession, Barber scored on a 9-yard touchdown run to give Milton a 9-0 lead with just under nine minutes to play in the quarter.
The Trojans responded with an 11-yard touchdown run from Jackman with 5:55 left in the first, but the two-point conversion failed and the lead was cut to 9-6.
With 10 seconds left in the quarter Barber struck again, this time scoring on a 3-yard run to extend the Milton lead to 16-6. Barber rushed for his third touchdown of the game, a 20-yarder, to bring the Eagles' lead to 23-6 with about eight minutes left in the second quarter.
Lassiter was able to cut into the lead and gain some momentum just before halftime on a 3-yard touchdown run by Police
, and the teams went into the locker rooms with Milton leading 23-13.
However, big plays, mostly on the part of Lassiter, were the name of the game in the second half.
The Trojans continued their comeback effort with 9:40 left in the third quarter when Jackman broke off a 43-yard touchdown run to bring the Trojans within a field goal, 23-20.
The Eagles responded with a 52-yard touchdown run on their next possession, extending the lead to 30-20.
In the third consecutive big-play touchdown, Printz found
Ryan Jenkins for a 65-yard touchdown to once again bring Lassiter within three points, 30-27.
After a missed field goal attempt by Milton, Lassiter took over with a chance to tie or take the lead on its next possession. Facing a third-and-21, Printz connected with Police for a 41-yard touchdown to give Lassiter its first lead of the game, 34-30.
The Printz-to-Police connection struck once again with about seven minutes left in the game, this time for an 8-yard touchdown, and the Lassiter defense clamped down.
A 9-yard touchdown pass from Printz to Jackman sealed the game with two minutes remaining, giving Lassiter the final 47-30 lead.
Lassiter (7-0) hosts Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.) in its next game, while Milton (5-2) plays a road game at Walton (Marietta, Ga.).