SUGAR HILL, Ga. — North Forsyth’s 27-21 loss to Lanier Thursday night was as frustrating as they come.
Three times in the second half the Raiders were stopped on downs inside Longhorns territory, once after driving 90 yards only to stall at the 8. That was after an opening blitz where they fell behind 13-0 in the first three minutes. And, after holding the Longhorns to just 33 total yards in the second half, the defense could not get off the field as Lanier ran out the final 7:53 of the game, all on the ground.
That left Raiders coach Robert Craft sounding as frustrated as it looked at the end.
“Our defense shut them out in the second half but then we couldn’t get off the field there at the end,” Craft said afterwards. “We did a good job (on offense) in the second half but we couldn’t convert on two fourth-and-1s so I have to do a better job on offense of giving us a chance in situations like that.
“I was proud of how we came back. Our guys are going to fight and make it a four-quarter game. But there are more region games coming so we just have to kind of flush this one and keep going.”
It was a key game for both teams, who are jockeying for a home playoff spot in Region 8-6A.
It was a crucial win for the Longhorns (5-2, 2-1 Region 8-6A) who were coming off an ugly loss to No. 1 Gainesville last week and now own the tiebreaker over North Forsyth. The loss was the first for the Raiders (3-4, 2-1 Region 8-6A) who now fall into third place.
The Raiders dominated the second half, at least until the final drive. The defense held Lanier to just 33 yards and two first downs and forced a fumble while the offense, mainly quarterback Elijah Seaney and the passing game, moved at will.
After getting stopped on downs on their first three possessions of the second half, they finally broke through. Seaney hit Nate Gravitt for a 47-yard pass to the Lanier 4 and then finished off the 2-play drive with a 4-yard TD pass to Gravitt to cut the lead to 27-21 with 7:53 left. Gravitt finished with 5 catches for 116 yards. Darron Parry had 116 yards on 19 carries as the raiders piled up 354 yards of total offense.
But they never got another chance. TJ Peyton, who finished with 139 yards on 15 carries, and Tayo Ashadele, who had 102 yards on 15 carries, combined for 49 yards on Lanier's final drive. The Longhorns piled up 393 yards, 249 on the ground, for the game.
The Longhorns wasted little time in jumping on the Raiders. Quarterback Preston Ratliff found Ashadele on a simple screen to the right on the opening play. Ashadele broke two tackles then outraced the North Forsyth defense for a 75-yard touchdown just 23 seconds in for a 7-0 lead.
The Lanier defense produced a quick 3-and-out and the Longhorns needed just five plays, capped by a 15-yard run from Peyton for a 13-0 lead just barely 3 minutes in.
But the Raiders offense responded back just as quick. Karson McBrayer, in his first action since the season-opener, scored from 1-yard out to cap a 5-play drive. Parry had a 27-yard run and Seaney connected with Jonathan Lynn on a 16-yard pass to the Lanier 1 to set it up as they trimmed the lead to 13-7.
Lanier was driving for another potential score to take the lead but Seaney was picked off and the Longhorns cashed in as Peyton scored on a 23-yard run to push the lead to 20-7.
North Forsyth answered back again, as Gravitt returned the kickoff 65 yards to the Lanier 30. Jacob Shirley eventually scored from on a 6-yard run to cut the lead to 20-14.
After exchanging punts, Lanier increased its lead to 27-14 when Ratliff connected with Chase Jameson for a 17-yd TD pass late in the second quarter.
The Raiders will have a week off before traveling to take on Habersham Central in Mt. Airy on Oct. 20.
