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WOODSTOCK - Dillon Dupree's 9-yard touchdown run sealed a come-from-behind victory Friday as Lassiter escaped Etowah with a 23-20 come-from-behind overtime win over the Region 5AAAAA champs.

"It's huge," first-year Lassiter coach Chip Lindsey said of the Trojans' first playoff victory in school history. "I'm just so excited and just proud for all of our guys. They fought their guts out (Friday). We've got great kids and I don't even know what to say."

The comeback came on the arm of Lassiter quarterback Hutson Mason - who gutted through the game despite a separated left (non-throwing) shoulder - and on the backs of a Trojan defense that allowed just three points to Etowah in the second half.

"It just makes the season a little more Cinderella," Mason said after Lassiter's team-record ninth win set the Trojans up for a second-round game next week at Region 7AAAAA runner-up North Gwinnett.

Lassiter's defense allowed 438 yards of total offense, including 133 on 29 carries to featured Etowah running back Ryan Boykin. While the Trojans' defense got gouged for yards at times, Lassiter made two important plays to keep its comeback bid alive.

After the Trojans' first score of the game came in the third quarter - a 27-yard pass from Mason to Taylor Crowder on third-and-21 - the Eagles' rushing attack picked up three straight first downs on the ground. On a second-down play inside the Lassiter 30, Etowah quarterback James Harris missed his pitch to Boykin and Zach Walker recovered the ball at the 37.

The Trojans went to the recovery that into a 32-yard Jordan Shreiner field goal that closed Etowah's lead to 14-10. Once again, the Eagles were able to respond by driving the ball down the field on the strength of Boykin's legs and a stout offensive line. But on a first-and-10 play from Lassiter's 25, Boykin sprinted through the middle once again and appeared to be going in for the score when the ball was ripped out of his hands at the Lassiter 1.

The Trojans recovered at the 5, which led to Mason's biggest drive of the game. Even after separating his left shoulder on the previous drive, he orchestrated at 95-yard drive that was capped off by a 7-yard pass from Mason to running back Xavier Morgan.

Lassiter's luck came on Etowah's final drive of the game. With less than a minute to play, the Eagles converted a fourth-and-1 play at the Lassiter 47. Three plays later, Etowah had the ball at the Lassiter 16-yard line with 16 seconds left in the game.

Chaos then ensued. The blue jerseys of Etowah players ran back and forth across the field, as the Eagles appeared to be set up to either kick a field goal or spike the ball. Neither of the two plays could occur, and the clock ran out with the score tied, 17-17, at the end of regulation, leading to the decisive overtime period.

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