Lassiter cruises past Alpharetta

By Chip Saye

For the AJC

As they have done so often this season, the Lassiter Trojans rode the arm of quarterback Hutson Mason to an easy victory Friday night. Now they can turn their eyes to the crucial part of their schedule.

Mason completed 24 of 31 passes for 362 yards and four touchdowns, including two in the first 1:42 of the game, as the Trojans cruised to a 44-7 victory against Alpharetta.

“From what I can tell, I think he played great,” Lassiter coach Chip Lindsey said. “I’m biased, but he plays good for us every week. He just handles things well. You can tell he’s a senior quarterback.”

Lassiter, 6-0 and 5-0 in Region 6-AAAAA, entered Friday’s game in a four-way tie for first place in the region with Milton, Roswell and Walton. The Trojans play those three teams, plus Centennial, in the final four weeks of the regular season in a stretch that will determine their region title hopes and their playoff seeding. First up is Milton, at home next weekend.

“It’s almost like the October and November schedule in the SEC,” Lindsey said. “It’s going to be tough all four weeks. We understand what’s ahead of us, so we’re going to get back to work and try to get ourselves in position to have a chance.”

On the second play of the game, Mason completed a 68-yard touchdown pass to freshman Tyrin Jones for a 7-0 lead. Lassiter got the ball back on an interception by Coray Carlson, and Mason struck again, this time hitting Trey Graham for a 14-yard score.

Alpharetta (2-4, 1-4) responded with an eight-play drive that produced its only score, a 4-yard touchdown pass from Justin Burns to James Mincey, cutting the lead to 14-7 with 8:58 to play in the first half.

But Lassiter answered with a 1-yard touchdown run by Rip Rowan and a 19-yard touchdown pass from Mason to Graham for a 27-7 halftime lead.

Burns was 21 of 37 for 219 yards, but he was intercepted three times, one of which was returned 27 yards for a touchdown by Marcus Stokes on the first play of the third quarter.

Lassiter’s other points came on a 21-yard pass from Mason to Griffin Roelle and a 39-yard field goal by Collin Mills.

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