CONYERS -- Flowery Branch keep its slim playoff hopes alive with a thrilling 7-6 win over Salem Friday night in a must-win Region 8-AAAAA victory.<br />
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The Falcons (5-4, 4-4 Region 8-AAAAA) must beat Gainesville and get a Clarke Central loss to Loganville next week to get into the playoffs. A Salem loss to winless Cedar Shoals also would open a backdoor to the playoffs for the Falcons.<br />
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Freshman quarterback Nick Lance, coming in late in the game for Jasen Johnson, completed a huge pass to Cortez Davis down to the Seminoles 9 on a 4th-and-17 play. that set lance's game-winning TD pass on the next play.<br />
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The Falcons defense played perhaps its best game of the season holding Salem (5-4, 5-3) to just two field goals. The Seminoles came into the game averaging 23.7 points a game.<br />
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"No doubt the victory was due to our defense," Flowery Branch coach Chris Griffin said. "Us holding them to two FG is quite an accomplishment."<br />
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Despite what has been a mildly disappointing season, Griffin said anything is possible in rivalry games like next week, and offers them a chance to salvage the season.<br />
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"It will be a big one," he said. "Regardless of records Gainesville vs Flowery Branch is always a tough, hard fought game. If Cedar can beat Salem we can maybe sneak into playoffs. But if we can't beat Gainesville then nothing else matters."
