WEB CAST.
For the second consecutive year, Garner and Leesville Road met for the right to host the Eastern Regional Final and for the second straight year, the Trojans downed the Pride. This time, with a 56-35 victory at Trojan Stadium.
Garner (14-0) struck first as Raevon Smith began the party with a 30-yard scamper and following an extra point by Kenneth Perkinson, the Trojans had a 7-0 lead.
Leesville (12-1) would answered on their second play from scrimmage as Braxton Berrios caught a quick screen from Evan Parker and did the rest going 62 yards to pay dirt and a 7-7 score.
On the ensuing possession, Vince Jefferies connected for the first time with Armani Lanier for a 63-yard score and a one score Trojan lead. Following a Pride fumble, Garner went back to work and once again Jefferies found Lanier this time from just 13-yards out and a 21-7 lead, which is how the opening quarter ended.
However, the second quarter proved to be more of the same for the Trojans as they began the second stanza with another pass and catch from Jefferies to Lanier and a 28-7 advantage. That lead would balloon to 35-7 on a Tyler Hinton one yard score but the Pride answered right back to make it 35-14 heading into the break.
Leesville mounted a second half surge scoring the opening two touchdowns of the third quarter to make it 35-21 before Garner answered as Jefferies threw his fifth touchdown of the game this time to Nyheim Hines on a 90-yard dart and a 42-21 lead heading to the final quarter.
Once again, the Pride bounced back to make it a one possession game at 42-35 when Berrios got free and ran 30 yards for a score.
Following the score to make it a one touchdown game, the Trojans had a big kick-return from Smith to set up the offense for an easy score and Smith punched it in from two yards out and a 49-35 lead.
On the ensuing possession, Leesville had three consecutive penalties and found itself facing a fourth down and 25 from deep in its own end. That's when Parker fired an arrant pass that found the waiting arms of Lanier who ran it back 30 yards to the house for the final score of the night at a 56-35 victory.
Garner will now advance to the Eastern Regional Finals next week they welcome Jack Britt to Trojan Stadium. Kick-off is slated for 7:30.
