SUGAR HILL -- Lanier was hoping its first-ever region title and home field advantage would help carry the Longhorns deep into the Class AAAAA playoffs.<br />
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Sequoyah had other plans.<br />
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The Chiefs used long drives and a key Lanier turnover to knock off the heavily-favored Longhorns 24-21 Friday night in the first round of the playoffs.<br />
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It was a typical game for the Longhorns (10-1) who fell behind early and rallied to take the lead in the third quarter. But instead of pulling away in the fourth quarter, Lanier watched Sequoyah (6-5) use all but two minutes of the final 12 minutes to steal the victory.<br />
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"We had one mistake and it cost us and we just had a hard time stopping their wing-T," Lanier coach Korey Mobbs said. "It's a little to swallow right now but we'll get over it and start working toward next season."<br />
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The Chiefs opened the game with a seven-minute drive to take a 7-0 lead and then on Lanier's next possession, just as the Longhorns looked ready to tie the game, Sequoyah forced a Lanier fumble and scooped it up and returned it 60 yards for a touchdown and a 14-0 lead.<br />
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Lanier rallied in the second quarter to tie the game at 14 by halftime. Tahj Tolbert connected with senior Timothy Leazer on a 29-yard TD pass and Marcko Baity scored on a 2-yard run with 58 seconds left in the half to tie the game.<br />
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The Longhorns would take the lead 21-14 late in the third quarter on a 66-yard TD pass from Tolbert to Leazer and things seemed headed in the right direction.<br />
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But the Chiefs would chew up nearly another seven minutes on a drive to tie the game at 21 and then after forcing a Lanier punt with 6:02 left, they would use 5:54 and get a 20-yard field goal with just :08 left in the game for the game-winner.<br />
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Tolbert went 17-of-20 and finished with a career-high 285 yards passing for Lanier. Leazer had 178 yards receiving, also a career-high.<br />
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"That last drive was torture and we just couldn't get off the field," Mobbs said. "I'm proud of how we fought back and proud of the seniors and what they have done for the program. Two years in a row in the playoffs and our first playoff win last year. I can't say enough about them."
