When Lanier scored with less than two minutes to play in its rivalry game against Dacula, there no question that coach Korey Mobbs was going to attempt to win it with a two-point conversion.
The decision was sound – “I felt like we had the momentum and I liked our play,” Mobbs said – and appeared to pay off when quarterback Andrew Blackford found Reese Scott in the back of the end zone for a two-point pass.
But that yellow hankie laying on the field changed everything. It signaled a holding penalty, which turned a no-brainer extra point into a 36-yard field goal. An inaccurate snap was delivered and a Dacula player got enough hand on Mason Mancilla’s kick to veer it off course and preserve the win for Dacula.
Dacula recovered the onside kick, picked up a first down and ran out the clock for a 28-27 win, setting off a celebratory bus ride back home. It also allowed the Falcons (2-2, 1-0) to improved to a perfect 5-0 against the Longhorns (3-1, 0-1).
Although the missed extra point was the deciding blow, the outcome was turned earlier when Dacula coach Clint Jenkins opted to increase the involvement of senior Kaleb Edwards on offense. The Georgia Tech commitment, a stalwart in the secondary, was the most dependable guy on an evening when a wet field made ball security an issue for both sides.
“I’m glad he plays on our side,” Jenkins said.
Edwards ran 18 times for 174 yards and scored on runs of 8 and 13 yards. He caught two passes for 74 yards, one a 67-yard touchdown.
“That’s what we expected and I thought we had a good game plan,” Mobbs said. “(Edwards) is a phenomenal player and probably the difference in the game.”
Lanier jumped out to a quick 14-0 lead with two fast touchdowns.
The first was a hard-earned 75-yard drive that culminated with a 12-yard touchdown run from Tyler Washington.
The second was a gift. On Dacula’s first play, the ball was snapped over the head of quarterback Blaine Edwards and recovered by Lanier’s Matthew Laughlin at the 1. Three plays later quarterback Blackford threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Savodd Underwood.
Dacula eventually established its running game in the second quarter when Kaleb Edwards was moved to quarterback, where he and Jenkins both took substantial snaps. Dacula finally scored with 5:06 left in the half on a 8-yard run by Edwards.
The Falcons tied the game on a 13-yard run by Edwards and enjoyed a 21-14 lead after Edwards took a pass in the left flat, turned on the burners and outran the Lanier defense for a 67-yard touchdown.
That set off a slew of scoring. Lanier tied it on a 16-yard run by Washington, but Dacula answered with a 5-yard touchdown run by tough-to-tackle Kyle Efford.
Lanier’s chances appeared to be shot once Dylan Hand intercepted a pass with 4:28 left, only to have the Longhorns force a three-and-out and drive 82 yards for what appeared to be the tying score. A pass from Blackford to Reese Scott covered the final 52 yards.
Blackford was 14 for 23 for 218 yards and two touchdowns, but was intercepted twice. Scott caught nine passes for 151 yards.
Jenkins was finally able exhale when time ran off the clock. “Our kids never panicked," he said. “They took it one play at a time and was able to move on. We’ve got a lot of work to do, but kept fighting there. We’ve got to clean our mess up."
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